UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-K
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CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 7, 2017
ASPEN GROUP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware |
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000-55107 |
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27-1933597 |
(State or Other Jurisdiction |
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(Commission |
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(I.R.S. Employer |
of Incorporation) |
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File Number) |
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Identification No.) |
1660 South Albion Street, Suite 525, Denver, CO 80222
(Address of Principal Executive Office) (Zip Code)
(303) 333-4224
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 1.02 Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement
On April 10, 2017, Aspen Group, Inc. ( “ Aspen ” ) repaid $2,157,534 to Mr. Leon Cooperman, a 5% shareholder, which is the full amount owed by Aspen under its now extinguished $3,000,000 revolving credit line. Additionally, Aspen repaid an aggregate of $1,373,534 of principal and interest owed under two outstanding promissory notes held by Mr. Michael Mathews, Aspens Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. After these repayments, Aspen has no outstanding debt (other than immaterial purchase money debt).
Item 3.02 Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.
On April 7, 2017, Aspen raised $7,500,000 from the sale of 2,000,000 shares of common stock at $3.75 per share in a private placement offering to 11 accredited investors, including a director who invested $300,000 through an entity which he controls and two 5% shareholders. The net proceeds to Aspen was approximately $7.0 million. In connection with the offering, Aspen agreed to register the shares of common stock.
Aspen used approximately $3.5 million of the net proceeds to repay all of Aspens outstanding debt as described under Item 1.02 above. Aspen intends to use the balance of the net proceeds to complete the acquisition of a for-profit university, assuming it is completed and for working capital. The form of Stock Purchase Agreement is attached as Exhibit 10.1 to this Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
All of the securities were issued and sold in reliance upon the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 (the Act) and Rule 506(b) promulgated thereunder. These securities may not be offered or sold in the United States in the absence of an effective registration statement or exemption from the registration requirements under the Act. The investors are accredited investors and there was no general solicitation.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit No. |
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Exhibit |
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Form of Stock Purchase Agreement |
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Form of Registration Rights Agreement |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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ASPEN GROUP, INC. |
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April 10, 2017 |
By: |
/s/ Michael Mathews |
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Name: Michael Mathews |
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Title: Chief Executive Officer |
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EXHIBIT 10.1
STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This Stock Purchase Agreement (this Agreement ) is dated as of April ___, 2017, between Aspen Group Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company ), and each purchaser identified on the signature pages hereto (each, including its successors and assigns, a Purchaser and collectively the Purchasers ).
WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 (the Securities Act ), and Rule 506(b) promulgated thereunder, the Company desires to issue and sell to each Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to purchase from the Company, securities of the Company as more fully described in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
1.1
Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement the following words and terms have the meanings set forth in this Section 1.1:
Action shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(k).
Affiliate means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act. With respect to a Purchaser, any investment fund or managed account that is managed on a discretionary basis by the same investment manager as such Purchaser will be deemed to be an Affiliate of such Purchaser.
Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Preamble.
Board of Directors means the board of directors of the Company.
Business Day means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.
Closing means the closing of the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to Section 2.2(a).
Closing Date means the Trading Day when all of the Transaction Documents have been executed and delivered by the applicable parties thereto, and all conditions precedent to (i) the Purchasers obligations to pay the Subscription Amount and (ii) the Companys obligations to deliver the Shares have been satisfied or waived.
Commission means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
Common Stock means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed into.
Common Stock Equivalents means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.
Company shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Preamble.
Company Counsel means Nason Yeager Gerson White & Lioce, P.A., with offices located at 3001 PGA Blvd, Suite 305, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410.
Discussion Time shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.2(g).
Effective Date means the date of effectiveness of a registration statement filed with the Commission by the Company pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.
Evaluation Date shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(s).
Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Exempt Issuance means the issuance of (a) shares of Common Stock or options to employees, officers, consultants, advisors or directors of the Company pursuant to any stock or option plan duly adopted for such purpose by a majority of the existing members of the Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of directors established for such purpose, (b) securities upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any securities issued hereunder and/or other securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided that such securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise, exchange or conversion price of such securities, (c) shares of Common Stock or the repricing of any shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents upon any anti-dilution adjustment to Common Stock and Common Stock Equivalents held by current unaffiliated shareholders of the Company as of the date of this Agreement, (d) securities issued to a registered broker-dealer as commission or fees in connection with any financing transactions, (e) securities issued or issuable to banks, equipment lessors or other financial
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institutions pursuant to a debt financing, equipment lease, bank credit arrangement or commercial leasing transaction entered into for primarily non-capital markets purposes and non-equity financing purposes, (f) securities issued to an investor relations consultant in the ordinary course of business and (g) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, provided that any such issuance shall only be to a Person which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and in which the Company receives benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities.
GAAP shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(i).
Initial Closing shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.2(a).
Intellectual Property Rights shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(p).
Large Purchaser shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.14(a).
Lead Investor means Unterberg Koller Capital Fund, LP.
Legend Removal Date shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.1(c).
Liens means a lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.
Material Adverse Effect shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1(a).
Material Permits shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(n).
Maximum Offering means the sale of Shares for aggregate gross proceeds of up to a maximum of $7,500,000.
Money Laundering Laws shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(nn).
New Securities means any capital stock of the Company, whether now authorized or not, and rights, convertible securities, options or warrants to purchase capital stock, and securities of any type whatsoever, including debt, that are, or may become, exercisable or convertible into capital stock; provided , however , that the term New Securities does not include securities issued pursuant to an Exempt Issuance.
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Person means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
Placement Agent means Lake Street Capital Markets, LLC.
Proceeding means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
Public Information Failure shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.14.
Public Information Failure Payments shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.14.
Purchasers shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Preamble.
Purchaser Party shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.9.
Registration Rights Agreement means the Registration Rights Agreement, dated the date hereof, among the Company and the Purchasers, in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.
Registration Statement means a registration statement meeting the requirements set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement and covering the resale of the Shares by each Purchaser as provided for in the Registration Rights Agreement.
Required Approvals shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(e).
Rule 144 means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.
SEC Reports shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(i).
Securities Act shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Recitals.
Shares means the Common Stock purchased under this Agreement.
Short Sales means all short sales as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act (but shall not be deemed to include the location and/or reservation of borrowable shares of Common Stock).
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Subscription Amount shall mean, as to each Purchaser, the aggregate amount to be paid for the Shares purchased hereunder as specified below such Purchasers name on the signature page of this Agreement and next to the heading Subscription Amount, in United States dollars and in immediately available funds.
Subsidiary means any subsidiary of the Company as set forth on Schedule 3.1(b) and shall, where applicable, also include any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.
Trading Day means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.
Trading Market means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE MKT, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange or the OTC Markets (or any successors to any of the foregoing).
Transaction Documents means this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, all schedules and exhibits thereto and hereto and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.
Transfer Agent means Action Stock Transfer Corp. the transfer agent of the Company, with a mailing address of 2469 E Fort Union Blvd, Suite 214, Salt lake City, UT 84121, and a facsimile number of (801) 274-1099, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.
Variable Rate Transaction shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.10.
VWAP means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if the OTC Markets is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTC Markets, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on the OTC Markets and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported in the Pink Sheets published by Pink OTC Markets, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Purchasers then holding a majority in interest of the Shares (still held by original Purchasers in this offering) and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
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ARTICLE II
PURCHASE AND SALE
2.1
Term of the Offering; Minimum.
(a)
At Closing, the Company agrees to sell, and each Purchaser agrees to purchase, the number of shares of Common Stock listed on the signature page of such Purchaser, at a price per share of $3.75.
(b)
The offering of the Shares hereunder, up to the Maximum Offering, shall be made directly by the Company to accredited investors as such term is defined under Rule 501(a) of the Securities Act.
(c)
The minimum purchase that may be made by any prospective investor, which total shall include purchases made by Affiliates of a prospective investor, shall be $175,000. Subscriptions for investment below the minimum investment may be accepted at the discretion of the Company. The Company reserves the right to reject any subscription made hereby, in whole or in part, in their sole discretion. The Companys agreement with each Purchaser is a separate agreement and the sale of the Shares to each Purchaser is a separate sale.
2.2
Closing.
(a)
Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the closing conditions contained herein, the purchase, sale, and issuance of the Shares shall take place remotely via exchange of documents and signatures on April 7, 2017, subject to an extension at the option of the Company to a later date, which date shall not be later than April 30, 2017 (the Termination Date ), at one or more closings (the Initial Closing ). After the Initial Closing, subsequent closings, if any, (each of which shall be referred to as a Closing ) up to the Maximum Offering may take place at any time prior to the Termination Date as determined by the Company. The last Closing of this offering, occurring on or prior to the Termination Date, shall be referred to as the Final Closing . Any subscription documents or funds received after the Final Closing will be returned, without interest or deduction.
(b)
All Subscription Amounts shall be paid directly to the Company in connection with each Closing.
2.3
Closing Conditions.
(a)
The obligations of the Company hereunder in connection with a Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:
(i)
the accuracy in all material respects on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Purchasers contained herein;
(ii)
all obligations, covenants and agreements of each Purchaser required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed; and
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(iii)
the delivery by each Purchaser of the items set forth in Section 2.4(b) of this Agreement.
(b)
The respective obligations of the Purchasers hereunder in connection with a Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:
(i)
the accuracy in all material respects when made and on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, except any representations and warranties which were qualified by materiality or similar terms shall be accurate in all respects;
(ii)
all obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed;
(iii)
the delivery by the Company of the items set forth in Section 2.4(a) of this Agreement;
(iv)
there shall have been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company since January 31, 2017;
(v)
From the date hereof to the Closing Date, trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the Commission or the Companys principal Trading Market (except for any suspension of trading of limited duration agreed to by the Company, which suspension shall be terminated prior to the Closing), and, at any time prior to Closing, trading in securities generally as reported by Bloomberg L.P. shall not have been suspended or limited, or minimum prices shall not have been established on securities whose trades are reported by such service, or on any Trading Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have been declared either by the United States or New York State authorities nor shall there have occurred any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or international calamity of such magnitude in its effect on, or any material adverse change in, any financial market which, in each case, in the reasonable judgment of each Purchaser, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to purchase the Shares at the Closing;
2.4
Deliveries.
(a)
On each Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to each Purchaser the following:
(i)
this Agreement duly executed by the Company;
(ii)
a certificate evidencing the number of shares of Common Stock subscribed for by the Purchaser, registered in the name of such Purchaser;
(iii)
the Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by the Company; and
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(iv)
a legal opinion of Company Counsel, in form and substance to be agreed upon with counsel to the Lead Investor. To the extent that subscriptions are received prior to an investment from a Lead Investor, the legal opinion will be delivered when the Companys counsel delivers its opinion to the Lead Investor.
(b)
On or before each Closing Date, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company (except as noted) the following:
(i)
this Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser;
(ii)
such Purchasers Subscription Amount as to the Closing by wire transfer to a bank account designated by the Company; and
(iii)
the Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
3.1
Representations and Warranties of the Company . Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedules, which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof and shall qualify any representation or otherwise made herein to the extent of the disclosure contained in the corresponding Section of the Disclosure Schedules, the Company hereby makes the following representations and warranties to each Purchaser:
(a)
Organization and Qualification . The Company and each of its Subsidiaries (defined below) is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization (as applicable), with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation or default of any of the provisions of its respective Certificate or Articles of Incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents except as disclosed on Schedule 3.1(a) . Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.1(a) , each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not have or reasonably be expected to result in (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Companys ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a Material Adverse Effect ) provided , however , that each of the following, in and of itself, shall be deemed to not constitute a Material Adverse Effect: (i) changes generally affecting the industry in which the Company operates, in each case, that do not disproportionally affect the Company in contrast to its competitors; and (ii) changes in GAAP. No Proceeding has been instituted in any such
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jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.
(b)
Subsidiaries . All of the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company are set forth on Schedule 3.1(b) . Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.1(b) , the Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any Liens, and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities.
(c)
Authorization; Enforcement . The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by each of the Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Board of Directors or the Companys stockholders in connection therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals. Each Transaction Document has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.
(d)
No Conflicts . The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation by the Company of the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not: (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Companys or any Subsidiarys Certificate or Articles of Incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(e)
Filings, Consents and Approvals . The Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents other than (i) filings required pursuant to Section 4.5, (ii) the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission to the extent required by the Registration Rights Agreement, (iii) the filing of Form D with the Commission, and (iv) any filings required to be made pursuant to applicable state securities laws (collectively, the Required Approvals ).
(f)
Issuance of the Shares . The Shares are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company other than restrictions on transfer provided for in the Transaction Documents.
(g)
No Disqualifying Events .
(i)
As of the date hereof, the Company is not disqualified from relying on Rule 506 of Regulation D under the Securities Act for any of the reasons stated in Rule 506(d) in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares, and it has exercised reasonable care, including without limitation, conducting a factual inquiry that is appropriate in light of the circumstances, into whether any such disqualification under Rule 506(d) exists as of the date hereof;
(ii)
The Company has exercised reasonable care, including without limitation, conducting a factual inquiry that is appropriate in light of the circumstances, into whether there are any matters that would have triggered disqualification under Rule 506(d) but which occurred before September 23, 2013, and, if there are any such matters, they have been or will be disclosed to the Purchasers as required by Rule 506(e); and
(iii)
Any outstanding securities of the Company (of any kind or nature) that were issued in reliance on Rule 506 at any time on or after September 23, 2013 have been issued in compliance with Rule 506(d) and (e) and no party has any reasonable basis for challenging any such reliance on Rule 506 in connection therewith.
(h)
Capitalization . The capitalization of the Company as of March 31, 2017 is as set forth on Schedule 3.1(h) . Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(h) , the Company has not issued any capital stock since its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, other than pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options under the Companys stock option plans, the issuance of shares of Common Stock to employees pursuant to the Companys employee stock purchase plans and pursuant to the conversion or exercise of Common Stock Equivalents outstanding as of the date of the most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(h) , no Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(h) , and as a result of the purchase and sale of the Shares, there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations
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convertible into and/or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any shares of Common Stock, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents. Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.1(h) , the issuance and sale of the Shares will not obligate the Company to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the Purchasers) and will not result in a right of any holder of Company securities to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price under any of such securities. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws, and none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. No further approval or authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors or others is required for the issuance and sale of the Shares. There are no stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Companys capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Companys stockholders.
(i)
SEC Reports; Financial Statements . Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(i) , the Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the two years preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (the foregoing materials and any amendments filed through the date hereof, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as the SEC Reports ) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.1(i) as of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.1(i) , the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Reports comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.1(i) , such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved ( GAAP ), except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.
(j)
Material Changes . Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, except as specifically disclosed on Schedule 3.1(j) , (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected
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to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Companys financial statements pursuant to GAAP or disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option plans or in connection with private placements in which case the officers and directors purchased equity securities on the same terms. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information. Except for the issuance of the Shares contemplated by this Agreement or as set forth on Schedule 3.1(j) , no event, liability or development has occurred or exists with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective business, properties, operations or financial condition, that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least 1 Trading Day prior to the date that this representation is made.
(k)
Litigation . Except as described in the SEC Reports, or as set forth on Schedule 3.1(k) , there is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an Action ) which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the Shares or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company. The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.
(l)
Labor Relations . No material labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.1(l) , none of the Companys or its Subsidiaries employees is a member of a union that relates to such employees relationship with the Company or such Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good. To the knowledge of the Company, no executive officer, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to
12
any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(m)
Compliance . Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any order of any court, arbitrator or governmental body, or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws applicable to its business and all such laws that affect the environment, except in each case as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(n)
Regulatory Permits . The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports, except where the failure to possess such permits could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect ( Material Permits ), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of Proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Material Permit.
(o)
Title to Assets . The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them and good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except for: (i) Liens as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries and (ii) Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance.
(p)
Intellectual Property . Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.1(p) or the SEC Reports, the Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights necessary or material for use in connection with their respective businesses and which the failure to so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the Intellectual Property Rights ). Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received a notice (written or otherwise) that any of the Intellectual Property Rights used by the Company or any Subsidiary violates or infringes upon the rights of any Person. To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are
13
enforceable and there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(q)
Insurance . The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in cost.
(r)
Transactions with Affiliates and Employees . Except as set forth in the SEC Reports or Schedule 3.1(r) , none of the officers or directors of the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock option plan of the Company.
(s)
Sarbanes Oxley; Internal Accounting Controls . The Company is in material compliance with all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 which are applicable to it as of the Closing Date. The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with managements general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with managements 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. The Company has established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the Company and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commissions rules and forms. The Companys certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the Companys disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by the Companys most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act (such date, the Evaluation Date ). The Company presented in its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
14
procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date. Since the Evaluation Date, there have been no change in the Companys internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Companys internal control over financial reporting.
(t)
Certain Fees . Except for the fees payable to the Placement Agent as set forth on Schedule 3.1(t) , no brokerage or finders fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Purchasers shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section 3.1(t) that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
(u)
Private Placement . Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2, no registration under the Securities Act is required for the offer and sale of the Shares to the Purchasers as contemplated hereby. The issuance and sale of the Shares hereunder does not contravene the rules and regulations of the Trading Market.
(v)
Investment Company . The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Shares, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become an investment company subject to registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(w)
Registration Rights . Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(w) , no Person has any right to cause the Company to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company. Except for security holders who have securities of the Company registered on an effective registration statement of the Company as of the date of this Agreement, there are no outstanding registration rights which are superior to the registration rights being provided to the Purchasers under the Registration Rights Agreement.
(x)
Application of Takeover Protections . The Company and the Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Companys Certificate of Incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its state of incorporation that is or could become applicable to the Purchasers as a result of the Purchasers and the Company fulfilling their obligations or exercising their rights under the Transaction Documents, including without limitation as a result of the Companys issuance of the Shares and the Purchasers ownership of the Shares.
(y)
Disclosure . Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Purchasers or their agents or
15
counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information. The Company understands and confirms that the Purchasers will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Purchasers regarding the Company, its business and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Disclosure Schedules to this Agreement, is true and correct and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The press releases disseminated by the Company during the twelve months preceding the date of this Agreement taken as a whole do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section3.1(y) hereof.
(z)
No Integrated Offering . Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2, neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Shares to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of (i) the Securities Act which would require the registration of any such securities under the Securities Act, or (ii) any applicable shareholder approval provisions of any Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated.
(aa)
Solvency . Based on the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of the Closing after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares hereunder, (i) the fair saleable value of the Companys assets exceeds the amount that will be required to be paid on or in respect of the Companys existing debts and other liabilities (including known contingent liabilities) as they mature, (ii) the Companys assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted including its capital needs taking into account the particular capital requirements of the business conducted by the Company, and projected capital requirements and capital availability thereof, and (iii) the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, would be sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid. The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). The Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Final Closing.
(bb)
Tax Status . Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each Subsidiary has filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns and
16
has paid or accrued all taxes shown as due thereon, and the Company has no knowledge of a tax deficiency which has been asserted or threatened against the Company or any Subsidiary.
(cc)
No General Solicitation . Neither the Company nor any Person acting on behalf of the Company has offered or sold any of the Shares by any form of general solicitation or general advertising. The Company has offered the Shares for sale only to the Purchasers and certain other accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act.
(dd)
Foreign Corrupt Practices . Neither the Company, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any agent or other Person acting on behalf of the Company, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company (or made by any Person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is in violation of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
(ee)
Accountants . The Companys accounting firm is set forth on Schedule 3.1(ee) . To the knowledge and belief of the Company, such accounting firm (i) is a registered public accounting firm as required by the Exchange Act and (ii) shall express its opinion with respect to the financial statements to be included in the Companys Annual Report for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2017.
(ff)
No Disagreements with Accountants and Lawyers . There are no disagreements of any kind presently existing, or reasonably anticipated by the Company to arise, between the Company and the accountants and lawyers formerly or presently employed by the Company and the Company is current with respect to any fees owed to its accountants and lawyers which could affect the Companys ability to perform any of its obligations under any of the Transaction Documents.
(gg)
Acknowledgment Regarding Purchasers Purchase of the Shares . The Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the Purchasers is acting solely in the capacity of an arms length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby. The Company further acknowledges that no Purchaser is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby and any advice given by any Purchaser or any of their respective representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby is merely incidental to the Purchasers purchase of the Shares. The Company further represents to each Purchaser that the Companys decision to enter into this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company and its representatives.
(hh)
Acknowledgement Regarding Purchasers Trading Activity . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or elsewhere herein to the contrary (except for Sections 3.2(g) and 4.12 hereof), it is understood and acknowledged by the Company that (i) none of the Purchasers
17
has been asked to agree by the Company, nor has any Purchaser agreed, to desist from purchasing or selling, long and/or short, securities of the Company, or derivative securities based on securities issued by the Company or to hold the Shares for any specified term, (ii) past or future open market or other transactions by any Purchaser, specifically including, without limitation, Short Sales or derivative transactions, before or after the closing of this or future private placement transactions, may negatively impact the market price of the Companys publicly-traded securities, (iii) any Purchaser, and counter-parties in derivative transactions to which any such Purchaser is a party, directly or indirectly, may presently have a short position in the Common Stock; and (iv) each Purchaser shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arms length counter-party in any derivative transaction. The Company acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging activities do not constitute a breach of any of the Transaction Documents.
(ii)
Regulation M Compliance . The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Shares, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Shares, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, other than in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), compensation paid to the Placement Agent in connection with the placement of the Shares.
(jj)
Stock Option Plans . Each stock option granted by the Company under the Companys stock option plan was granted (i) in accordance with the terms of the Companys stock option plan and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date such stock option would be considered granted under GAAP and applicable law. No stock option granted under the Companys stock option plan has been backdated. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no Company policy or practice to knowingly grant, stock options prior to, or otherwise knowingly coordinate the grant of stock options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its Subsidiaries or their financial results or prospects.
(kk)
Office of Foreign Assets Control . Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor, to the Companys knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department ( OFAC ).
(ll)
U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation . The Company is not and has never been a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Company shall so certify upon Purchasers request.
(mm)
Bank Holding Act . Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the BHCA ) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Federal Reserve ). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or
18
twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.
(nn)
Money Laundering . The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the Money Laundering Laws ), and no action, suit or Proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, threatened.
(oo)
DTC Eligibility . The Company, through its Transfer Agent, is a participant in the Depository Trust Company Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program or similar system, which provides for the Companys Common Stock to be transferred electronically between brokers.
(pp)
Higher Education Act. Aspen University Inc. is, and for the past two years has been, in material compliance with the provisions of the federal Higher Education Act (the HEA) and the regulations promulgated by the U.S. Department of Health thereunder, and is entitled to participate in the federal student financial assistance programs authorized under Tile IV of the HEA. Aspen University Inc. is not currently subject to any formal investigation which could reasonably be expected to result in any suspension of, or material restriction on its ability to, participate in the Title IV program nor, to its knowledge, has it received any notice or threat to commence any such proceeding.
3.2
Representations and Warranties of the Purchasers . Each Purchaser, for itself and for no other Purchaser hereby, represents and warrants as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as follows:
(a)
Organization; Authority . If not a natural person, such Purchaser is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization with full right, corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and performance by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar action, as applicable, on the part of such Purchaser. Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has been duly executed by such Purchaser, and when delivered by such Purchaser in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of such Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the
19
availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.
(b)
Own Account . Such Purchaser understands that the Shares are restricted securities and have not been registered under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and is acquiring the Shares as principal for its own account and not with a view to distribution or reselling such Shares or any part thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law, has no present intention of distributing any of such Shares in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other Persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Shares (this representation and warranty not limiting such Purchasers right to sell the Shares pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws) in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law. Such Purchaser is acquiring the Shares hereunder in the ordinary course of its business.
(c)
Purchaser Status . At the time such Purchaser was offered the Shares, it was, and at the date hereof it is either: (i) an accredited investor as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act or (ii) a qualified institutional buyer as defined in Rule 144A(a) under the Securities Act.
(d)
Such Purchaser is not required to be registered as a broker-dealer under Section 15 of the Exchange Act.
(e)
Experience of Such Purchaser . Such Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Shares, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment. Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Shares and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.
(f)
General Solicitation . Such Purchaser is not purchasing the Shares as a result of any advertisement, Article, notice or other communication regarding the Shares published in any newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio or presented at any seminar or any other general solicitation or general advertisement.
(g)
Short Sales and Confidentiality Prior To The Date Hereof . Other than consummating the transactions contemplated hereunder, such Purchaser has not directly or indirectly, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Purchaser, executed any purchases or sales, including Short Sales, of the securities of the Company during the period commencing from the time that such Purchaser first delivered or received a term sheet (written or oral) from the Company or any other Person representing the Company setting forth the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereunder until the date hereof ( Discussion Time ). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchasers assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such
20
Purchasers assets, the representation set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Shares covered by this Agreement. Other than to other Persons party to this Agreement, such Purchaser has maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with this transaction (including the existence and terms of this transaction).
(h)
Information . The Purchaser acknowledges it has been furnished with or has had access to the Companys SEC Reports on or prior to Closing. The Purchaser has been given the opportunity to ask questions of, and receive answers from, the Company concerning the terms and conditions of this offering and to obtain such additional information necessary to verify the accuracy of same as the Purchaser reasonably desires in order to evaluate the investment. The Purchaser acknowledges it does not desire to receive any further information from the Company in order to make an investment in the Shares. The Purchaser has received no representations or warranties from the Company, its employees, agents or attorneys in making this investment decision other than as set forth in this Agreement.
ARTICLE IV
OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES
4.1
Transfer Restrictions.
(a)
The Shares may only be disposed of in compliance with state and federal securities laws. In connection with any transfer of Shares other than pursuant to an effective registration statement or Rule 144 or Section 4(a)(1) under the Securities Act to the Company or to an Affiliate of a Purchaser or in connection with a pledge as contemplated in Section 4.1(b), the Company may require the transferor thereof to provide to the Company an opinion of counsel selected by the transferor and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the form and substance of which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such transfer does not require registration of such transferred Shares under the Securities Act. As a condition of transfer, any such transferee shall agree in writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and shall have the rights of a Purchaser under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
(b)
The Purchasers agree to the imprinting, so long as is required by this Section 4.1(b), of a legend on any of the Shares in the following form:
THIS SECURITY HAS BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 (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 AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF
21
COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR TO SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY. THIS SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.
The Company acknowledges and agrees that a Purchaser may from time to time pledge pursuant to a bona fide margin agreement with a registered broker-dealer or grant a security interest in some or all of the Shares to a financial institution that is an accredited investor as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act and who agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and, if required under the terms of such arrangement, such Purchaser may transfer pledged or secured Shares to the pledgees or secured parties. Such a pledge or transfer would not be subject to approval of the Company and no legal opinion of legal counsel of the pledgee, secured party or pledgor shall be required in connection therewith. Further, no notice shall be required of such pledge. At the appropriate Purchasers expense, the Company will execute and deliver such reasonable documentation as a pledgee or secured party of Shares may reasonably request in connection with a pledge or transfer of the Shares, including, if the Shares are subject to registration pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the preparation and filing of any required prospectus supplement under Rule 424(b)(3) under the Securities Act or other applicable provision of the Securities Act to appropriately amend the list of Selling Stockholders thereunder.
(c)
Certificates evidencing the Shares shall not contain any legend (including the legend set forth in Section 4.1(b) hereof): (i) while a registration statement covering the resale of such security is effective under the Securities Act, or (ii) following any sale of such Shares pursuant to Rule 144, or (iii) if such Shares are eligible for sale under Rule 144, without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144 as to such Shares and without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions or (iv) if such legend is not required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the Commission). If all or any portion of the Shares are sold when there is an effective registration statement to cover the resale of the Shares, or if such Shares may be sold under Rule 144 and the Company is then in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144, or if such Shares may be sold under Rule 144 without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144 as to such Shares and without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions or if such legend is not otherwise required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the Commission) then such Shares shall be issued free of all legends. The Company agrees that at such time as such legend is no longer required under this Section 4.1(c), it will, no later than five Trading Days following the delivery by a Purchaser to the Company or the Transfer Agent of a certificate representing the Shares issued with a restrictive legend (such fifth Trading Day, the Legend Removal Date ), deliver or cause to be delivered to such Purchaser a certificate representing such Shares that is free from all restrictive and other legends. The Company may not make any notation on its records or give instructions to the Transfer Agent that enlarge the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Section. Certificates for Shares subject to legend removal hereunder shall be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Purchaser
22
by crediting the account of the Purchasers prime broker with the Depository Trust Company System as directed by such Purchaser.
(d)
In addition to such Purchasers other available remedies, the Company shall pay to a Purchaser, in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Shares (based on the VWAP of the Shares on the date such Shares are submitted to the Transfer Agent) delivered for removal of the restrictive legend and subject to Section 4.1(c), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day five (5) Trading Days after such damages have begun to accrue) for each Trading Day after the Legend Removal Date until such certificate is delivered without a legend. Nothing herein shall limit such Purchasers right to pursue actual damages for the Companys failure to deliver certificates representing any Shares as required by the Transaction Documents, and such Purchaser 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.
(e)
Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, agrees that such Purchaser will sell any Shares pursuant to either the registration requirements of the Securities Act, including any applicable prospectus delivery requirements, or an exemption therefrom, and that if Shares are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement, they will be sold in compliance with the plan of distribution set forth therein, and acknowledges that the removal of the restrictive legend from certificates representing Shares as set forth in this Section 4.1 is predicated upon the Companys reliance upon this understanding.
4.2
Acknowledgment of Dilution . The Company acknowledges that the issuance of the Shares may result in dilution of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, which dilution may be substantial under certain market conditions. The Company further acknowledges that its obligations under the Transaction Documents are unconditional and absolute and not subject to any right of set off, counterclaim, delay or reduction, regardless of the effect of any such dilution or any claim the Company may have against any Purchaser and regardless of the dilutive effect that such issuance may have on the ownership of the other stockholders of the Company.
4.3
Furnishing of Information . Until the time that no Purchaser owns the Shares, the Company covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports that are required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a) the Exchange Act, even if the Company is not then otherwise subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. As long as any Purchaser owns the Shares, if the Company is not required to file reports pursuant to the Exchange Act, it will prepare and furnish to the Purchasers and make publicly available in accordance with Rule 144(c) such information as is required for the Purchasers to sell the Shares under Rule 144. The Company further covenants that it will take such further action as any holder of the Shares may reasonably request, to the extent required from time to time to enable such Person to sell such Shares without registration under the Securities Act within the requirements of the exemption provided by Rule 144.
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4.4
Integration . The Company shall not sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in Section 2 of the Securities Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Shares to the Purchasers in a manner that would require the registration under the Securities Act of the sale of the Shares to the Purchasers or that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Shares for purposes of the rules and regulations of any Trading Market.
Securities Laws Disclosure; Publicity . At any time when in connection with a Closing the Company has received at least $2.5 million from the Purchasers, the Company shall, by 8:30 a.m. (New York City time) on the 2nd Trading Day immediately following the Closing, issue a Current Report on Form 8-K, disclosing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby and including the Transaction Documents as exhibits thereto. Provided, however, if the Company is required by the SECs disclosure rules to file a Form 8-K on an earlier date, the Company will file the Form 8-K as required by law. The Company and each Purchaser shall consult with each other in issuing any other press releases with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Company nor any Purchaser shall issue any such press release or otherwise make any such public statement without the prior consent of the Company, with respect to any press release of any Purchaser, or without the prior consent of each Purchaser, with respect to any press release of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld or delayed, except if such disclosure is required by law, in which case the disclosing party shall promptly provide the other party with prior notice of such public statement or communication. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not publicly disclose the name of any Purchaser, or include the name of any Purchaser in any filing with the Commission or any regulatory agency or Trading Market, without the prior written consent of such Purchaser, except (i) as required by federal securities law in connection with (A) any registration statement contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement and (B) the filing of final Transaction Documents (including signature pages thereto) with the Commission and (ii) to the extent such disclosure is required by law or Trading Market regulations, in which case the Company shall provide the Purchasers with prior notice of such disclosure permitted under this clause (ii).
4.6
Shareholder Rights Plan . No claim will be made or enforced by the Company or, with the consent of the Company, any other Person, that any Purchaser is an Acquiring Person under any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or similar anti-takeover plan or arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that any Purchaser could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or arrangement, by virtue of receiving Shares under the Transaction Documents or under any other agreement between the Company and the Purchasers.
4.7
Non-Public Information . Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company covenants and agrees that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf, will provide any Purchaser or its agents or counsel with any information that the Company believes constitutes material non-public information, unless prior thereto such Purchaser shall have executed a written agreement regarding the confidentiality and use of such information. The Company understands and
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confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.
4.8
Use of Proceeds . The Company shall use the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares hereunder for the purposes set forth on Schedule 4.8 .
4.9
Indemnification of Purchasers . Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.9, the Company will indemnify and hold each Purchaser and its directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees and agents (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title), each Person who controls such Purchaser (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, shareholders, agents, members, partners or employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling Person (each, a Purchaser Party ) harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments, amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys fees and costs of investigation that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur as a result of or relating to (a) any breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents or (b) any action instituted against the Purchaser Parties in any capacity, or any of them or their respective Affiliates, by any stockholder of the Company who is not an Affiliate of such Purchaser Party, with respect to any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (unless such action is based upon a breach of such Purchasers representations, warranties or covenants under the Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings of such Purchaser Party may have with any such stockholder or any violations by such Purchaser Party of state or federal securities laws or any conduct by such Purchaser Party which constitutes fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct or malfeasance). If any action shall be brought against any Purchaser Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Purchaser Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right to assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser Party. Any Purchaser Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Purchaser Party except to the extent that (i) the employment thereof has been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (ii) the Company has failed after a reasonable period of time to assume such defense and to employ counsel or (iii) in such action there is, in the reasonable opinion of such separate counsel, a material conflict on any material issue between the position of the Company and the position of such Purchaser Party, in which case the Company shall be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one such separate counsel. The Company will not be liable to any Purchaser Party under this Agreement: (x) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party effected without the Companys prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; or (y) to the extent, but only to the extent that a loss, claim, damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Partys breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by such Purchaser Party in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents.
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4.10
Prohibition on Variable Rate Transactions . From the date hereof until such time as the Purchasers hold in the aggregate less than 5% of the Common Stock purchased under this Agreement, the Company shall be prohibited from effecting or entering into an agreement to effect any Subsequent Financing involving a Variable Rate Transaction. Variable Rate Transaction means a transaction in which the Company issues or sells (i) any debt or equity securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or include the right to receive additional shares of Common Stock either (A) at a conversion, exercise or exchange rate or other price that is based upon and/or varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the shares of Common Stock at any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity securities, or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock or (ii) enters into any agreement, including, but not limited to, an equity line of credit, whereby the Company may sell securities at a future determined price.
4.11
Equal Treatment of Purchasers . No consideration shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of any of the Transaction Documents unless the same consideration is also offered to all of the parties to the Transaction Documents. For clarification purposes, this provision constitutes a separate right granted to each Purchaser by the Company and negotiated separately by each Purchaser, and is intended for the Company to treat the Purchasers as a class and shall not in any way be construed as the Purchasers acting in concert or as a group with respect to the purchase, disposition or voting of the Shares or otherwise.
4.12
Short Sales and Confidentiality After The Date Hereof . Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that neither it, nor any Affiliate acting on its behalf or pursuant to any understanding with it, will execute any Short Sales during the period commencing with the Discussion Time and ending at such time the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced as described in Section 4.5. Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that until such time as the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are publicly disclosed by the Company as described in Section 4.5, such Purchaser will maintain the confidentiality of the existence and terms of this transaction and the information included in the Transaction Documents and the Disclosure Schedules. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Purchaser makes any representation, warranty or covenant hereby that it will not engage in Short Sales in the securities of the Company after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced as described in Section 4.5. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchasers assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchasers assets, the covenant set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Shares covered by this Agreement.
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4.13
Form D; Blue Sky Filings . The Company agrees to timely file a Form D with respect to the Shares as required under Regulation D and to provide a copy thereof, promptly upon request of any Purchaser. The Company shall take such action as the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary in order to obtain an exemption for, or to qualify the Shares for, sale to the Purchasers at the Closing under applicable securities or Blue Sky laws of the states of the United States, and shall provide evidence of such actions promptly upon request of any Purchaser.
4.14
Public Information . At any time during the period commencing from the six (6) month anniversary of the Closing Date and ending at such time that all of the Shares, may be sold without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with Rule 144(c)(1) and otherwise without restriction or limitation pursuant to Rule 144, if the Company shall fail for any reason to satisfy the current public information requirement under Rule 144(c) (a Public Information Failure ) then, in addition to such Purchasers other available remedies, the Company shall pay to a Purchaser, in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, by reason of any such delay in or reduction of its ability to sell the Shares, an amount in cash equal to two percent (2%) of the aggregate Subscription Amount of such Purchasers Shares on the day of a Public Information Failure and on every thirtieth (30th) day (pro rated for periods totaling less than thirty days) thereafter until the earlier of (a) the date such Public Information Failure is cured and (b) such time that such public information is no longer required for the Purchasers to transfer the Common Stock pursuant to Rule 144. The payments to which a Purchaser shall be entitled pursuant to this Section 4.14 are referred to herein as Public Information Failure Payments . Public Information Failure Payments shall be paid on the earlier of (i) the last day of the calendar month during which such Public Information Failure Payments are incurred and (ii) the third (3rd) Business Day after the event or failure giving rise to the Public Information Failure Payments is cured. In the event the Company fails to make Public Information Failure Payments in a timely manner, such Public Information Failure Payments shall bear interest at the rate of 1.5% per month (prorated for partial months) until paid in full. Nothing herein shall limit such Purchasers right to pursue actual damages for the Public Information Failure, and such Purchaser 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.
4.15
Capital Changes . Until the one year anniversary of the Effective Date, the Company shall not undertake a reverse or forward stock split or reclassification of the Common Stock without the prior written consent of the Purchasers unless the purpose of the reverse split is to meet the minimum stock price under any of the initial listing requirements of Nasdaq or the New York Stock Exchange (including the NYSE MKT).
4.16
D&O Insurance . Within 30 days of the Final Closing, the Company shall increase its directors and officers insurance coverage to at least equal to the aggregate Subscription Amount.
4.17
New Y ork. Within 5 days of the Final Closing, the Company will be duly qualified to conduct business and be in good standing as a foreign corporation in the State of New York.
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ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1
Entire Agreement . The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and schedules thereto, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.
5.2
Notices . Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (a) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth on the signature pages attached hereto prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto.
5.3
Amendments; Waivers . No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and the Purchasers holding at least 51% in interest of the Shares purchased pursuant to this Agreement or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such waived provision is sought. No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right.
5.4
Headings . The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.
5.5
Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns. The Company may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Purchaser (other than by merger). Any Purchaser may assign any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom such Purchaser assigns or transfers any Shares, provided that such transferee agrees in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Shares, by the provisions of the Transaction Documents that apply to the Purchasers.
5.6
No Third-Party Beneficiaries . This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.9.
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5.7
Governing Law . All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective Affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If either party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of the Transaction Documents, then the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its reasonable attorneys fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.
5.8
Expenses . The Company and each Purchaser shall pay their own expenses in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that the Company shall pay the reasonable fees of Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel, LLP, legal counsel to the Lead Investor, not to exceed $15,000.
5.9
Survival . The representations and warranties shall survive the Closing and the delivery of the Shares for the applicable statute of limitations.
5.10
Execution . This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a .pdf format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or .pdf signature page were an original thereof.
5.11
Severability . If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto
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shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
5.12
Rescission and Withdrawal Right . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) any of the other Transaction Documents, whenever any Purchaser exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document and the Company does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then such Purchaser may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company, any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its future actions and rights.
5.13
Replacement of the Shares . If any certificate or instrument evidencing any the Shares is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation thereof (in the case of mutilation), or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction. The applicant for a new certificate or instrument under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs (including customary indemnity) associated with the issuance of such replacement Shares.
5.14
Remedies . In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Purchasers and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the Transaction Documents and hereby agree to waive and not to assert in any action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
5.15
Payment Set Aside . To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser enforces or exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other Person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.
5.16
Independent Nature of Purchasers Obligations and Rights . The obligations of each Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance or non-performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any
30
Purchaser pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any Proceeding for such purpose. Each Purchaser has been represented by its own separate legal counsel in their review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents.
5.17
Liquidated Damages . The Companys obligations to pay any partial liquidated damages or other amounts owing under the Transaction Documents is a continuing obligation of the Company and shall not terminate until all unpaid partial liquidated damages and other amounts have been paid notwithstanding the fact that the instrument or security pursuant to which such partial liquidated damages or other amounts are due and payable shall have been canceled.
5.18
Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc . If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.
5.19
Construction . The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel has reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents or any amendments hereto.
5.20
Waiver of Jury Trial . In any action, suit or proceeding in any jurisdiction brought by any party against any other party, the parties each knowingly and intentionally, to the greatest extent permitted by applicable law, hereby absolutely, unconditionally, irrevocably and expressly waives forever trial by jury.
[ Signature Pages Follow ]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Stock Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.
ASPEN GROUP, INC. |
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By:__________________________________________ Name: Michael D. Mathews Title: Chief Executive Officer Address: 46 East 21 st Street, 3 rd Floor New York, NY 10010 Email: michael.mathews@aspen.edu
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With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Nason, Yeager, Gerson, White & Lioce, P.A. 3001 PGA Boulevard, Suite 305. Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 Email: mharris@nasonyeager.com
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[ Signature Page to Stock Purchase Agreement ]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Stock Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.
Name of Purchaser: ____________________________________________________
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser: __________________________
Name of Authorized Signatory: ____________________________________
Title of Authorized Signatory: _____________________________________
Email Address of Authorized Signatory: ___________________________________________
Fax Number of Authorized Signatory: _________________________________________
Address for Notice of Purchaser:
Address for Delivery of Shares for Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):
Subscription Amount: ____________
Shares of Common Stock: ____________
Social Security Number/ EIN Number: [PROVIDE THIS UNDER SEPARATE COVER]
[ Signature Page to Stock Purchase Agreement ]
EXHIBIT 10.2
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (this Agreement ) is made and entered into as of April __, 2017, between Aspen Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company ) and each of the several purchasers signatory hereto (each such purchaser, a Purchaser and, collectively, the Purchasers ).
WHEREAS, the Company and the Purchasers are parties to that certain Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of even date herewith (the Purchase Agreement ), pursuant to which the Purchasers are purchasing shares of Common Stock (defined below) of the Company; and
WHEREAS, in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, and pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreement, the parties desire to enter into this Agreement in order to grant certain registration rights to the Purchasers as set forth below.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual and dependent covenants hereinafter set forth, the parties agree as follows:
1.
Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
Advice shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d).
Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
CDI 612.09 means Section 612.09 of the Commissions Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations.
Closing means the closing of the purchase and sale of the Common Stock pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
Commission means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Common Stock means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed into.
Company shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
Effectiveness Date means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder, __________, 2017 (60 days following the Filing Date); provided , however , that in the event the Company is notified by the Commission that one or more of the Registration Statements will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments, the Effectiveness Date as to such Registration Statement shall be the fifth Trading Day following the date on which the Company is so notified if such date precedes the date otherwise required above.
Effectiveness Period shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
Event shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
Event Date shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Filing Date means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement required hereunder, no later than 75 days following the last Closing and, with respect to any additional Registration Statements which may be required pursuant to Section 3(c), the earliest practical date on which the Company is permitted by SEC Guidance to file such additional Registration Statement related to the Registrable Securities.
Holder or Holders means the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.
Indemnified Party shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
Indemnifying Party shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
Initial Registration Statement means the initial Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Legal Counsel means Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP or such other counsel as thereafter designated by a majority of the Holders.
Losses shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
Person means an individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, Governmental Authority, unincorporated organization, trust, association or other entity.
Plan of Distribution shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
Proceeding means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
Prospectus means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
Purchasers shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
Purchase Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
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Registrable Securities means (a) all of the shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and (b) any securities issued or issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect to the foregoing; provided , however , that the Company shall not be required to maintain the effectiveness, or file another Registration Statement hereunder with respect to any Registrable Securities that are not subject to the current public information requirement under Rule 144 and that are eligible for resale without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions without current public information pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to a written opinion letter from counsel to the Company to such effect, addressed, delivered and acceptable to the affected Holders.
Registration Statement means any registration statement required to be filed hereunder pursuant to Section 2(a) and any additional registration statements contemplated by Section 3(c), including (in each case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to any such registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in any such registration statement.
Rule 144 means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.
Rule 415 means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
Rule 424 means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
SEC Guidance means (i) any publicly-available written or oral guidance (including CDI 612.09), comments, requirements or requests of the Commission staff and (ii) the Securities Act.
Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Selling Stockholder Questionnaire shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).
Trading Day means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.
Trading Market means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE MKT, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange or the OTC Markets (or any successors to any of the foregoing).
3
Transaction Documents means this Agreement, the Purchase Agreement, all schedules and exhibits thereto and hereto, and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.
Transfer Agent means Action Stock Transfer Corp. the transfer agent of the Company, with a mailing address of 2469 E Fort Union Blvd, Suite 214, Salt lake City, UT 84121, and a facsimile number of (801) 274-1099, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.
2.
Shelf Registration .
(a)
On or prior to each Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities that are not then registered on an effective Registration Statement for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415. Each Registration Statement filed hereunder shall be on Form S-3 (except if the Company is not then eligible to register for resale the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, in which case such registration shall be on another appropriate form in accordance herewith) and shall contain (unless otherwise directed by at least an 85% majority in interest of the Holders) substantially the Plan of Distribution attached hereto as Annex A . The Company shall respond to any comments from the staff of the Commission within 15 days of the receipt of such comments. In the event the amount of Registrable Securities which may be included in the Registration Statement is limited due to SEC Guidance (provided that, the Company shall use diligent efforts to advocate with the Commission for the registration of all of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the SEC Guidance, including without limitation, the CDI 612.09) the Company shall use its best efforts to register such maximum portion of the Registrable Securities as permitted by SEC Guidance. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause a Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as possible after the filing thereof, but in any event prior to the applicable Effectiveness Date, and shall use its best efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold, or may be sold without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144, without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144, or not required to be registered in reliance upon the exemption in Section 4(a)(1) under the Securities Act, in either case as determined by the counsel to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed and acceptable to the Transfer Agent and the affected Holders (the Effectiveness Period ). The Company shall telephonically request effectiveness of a Registration Statement as of 5:00 p.m. New York City time on a Trading Day. The Company shall immediately notify the Holders via facsimile or by e-mail of the effectiveness of a Registration Statement on the same Trading Day that the Company telephonically confirms effectiveness with the Commission, which shall be the date requested for effectiveness of such Registration Statement. The Company shall, by 9:30 a.m. New York City time on the Trading Day after the effective date of such Registration Statement, file a final Prospectus with the Commission as required by Rule 424. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any SEC Guidance sets forth a limitation on the number of Registrable Securities permitted to be registered on a particular Registration Statement (and notwithstanding that the Company used diligent efforts to advocate with the Commission for the registration of all or a greater portion of Registrable Securities), unless otherwise directed in writing by a Holder as to its Registrable
4
Securities, the number of Registrable Securities to be registered on such Registration Statement will be reduced on a pro rata basis based on the total number of unregistered Registrable Securities purchased by the Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. In the event of a cutback hereunder, the Company shall give the Holder at least five (5) Trading Days prior written notice along with the calculations as to such Holders allotment.
(b)
If a Registration Statement registering for resale all of the Registrable Securities is not declared effective by the Commission by the Effectiveness Date of the Initial Registration Statement ( unless the sole reason for such non-registration of all or any portion of the Registrable Securities is solely as a result of SEC Guidance under Rule 415 or similar rule and CDI 612.09 which limits the number of Registrable Securities which may be included in a registration statement with respect to the Holders), or (ii) after the effective date of a Registration Statement, such Registration Statement ceases for any reason to remain continuously effective as to all Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement, or the Holders are otherwise not permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein to resell such Registrable Securities, for more than 30 calendar days during any 12-month period (any such failure or breach being referred to as an Event , and the date on which such Event occurs, being referred to as Event Date ), then, in addition to any other rights the Holders may have hereunder or under applicable law, on each such Event Date and on each monthly anniversary of each such Event Date (if the applicable Event shall not have been cured by such date) until the applicable Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, equal to 1% of the purchase price paid by such Holder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement up to a maximum of 10%, during which such Event continues uncured. If the Company fails to pay any partial liquidated damages pursuant to this Section in full within seven days after the date payable, the Company will pay interest thereon at a rate of 18% per annum (or such lesser maximum amount that is permitted to be paid by applicable law) to the Holder, accruing daily from the date such partial liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such interest thereon, are paid in full. The partial liquidated damages pursuant to the terms hereof shall apply on a daily pro rata basis for any portion of a month prior to the cure of an Event. Provided , however , the foregoing liquidated damages shall not accrue or be otherwise charged during any period in which the Investor is eligible to sell all Shares on any given day under Rule 144, or in reliance upon the exemption in Section 4(a)(1) under the Securities Act, or after such Investor has publicly sold its Registrable Securities, or fi such Investor is a director of the Company during such period. Provided, further, no penalty shall accrue under this Section 2(b) in the event that the Company elects in good faith to suspend the use of the Prospectus or Registration Statement under Section 3(c)(vi) for up to 30 days in any 365 day period due to any material detriment to the Company with respect of any transactions or event to which the Company is a party or prospective party.
(c)
Legal Counsel . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Holders shall have the right to select Legal Counsel to review and oversee, solely on its behalf, any Registration Statement pursuant to this Agreement. The Company shall also reimburse Legal Counsel for its fees and disbursements in connection with registration, filing or qualification pursuant to this Agreement which amount shall be limited to $10,000.
5
3.
Registration Procedures .
In connection with the Companys registration obligations hereunder, the Company shall:
(a)
Not less than five (5) Trading Days prior to the filing of each Registration Statement and not less than one (1) Trading Day prior to the filing of any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (including any document that would be incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference), the Company shall (i) furnish to Legal Counsel copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents (other than those incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference) will be subject to the review of Legal Counsel, and (ii) cause its officers and directors, counsel and independent registered public accountants to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of Legal Counsel, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of the Securities Act. The Company shall not file a Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto to which the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities or Legal Counsel shall reasonably object in good faith, provided that, the Company is notified of such objection in writing no later than five (5) Trading Days after Legal Counsel has been so furnished copies of a Registration Statement or two (2) Trading Days after Legal Counsel has been so furnished copies of any related Prospectus or amendments or supplements thereto. Each Holder agrees to furnish to the Company a completed questionnaire in the form attached to this Agreement as Annex B (a Selling Stockholder Questionnaire ) on a date that is not less than two (2) Trading Days prior to the Filing Date or by the end of the fourth (4th) Trading Day following the date on which such Holder receives draft materials in accordance with this Section.
(b)
(i)
prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, to a Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep a Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable Securities for the Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission such additional Registration Statements in order to register for resale under the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities,
(ii)
cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement (subject to the terms of this Agreement), and, as so supplemented or amended, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424,
(iii)
respond to any comments received from the Commission with respect to a Registration Statement or any amendment thereto within 15 days of the receipt of such comments, and provide as promptly as reasonably possible to the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the Commission relating to a Registration Statement (provided that, the Company may excise any information contained therein which would constitute material non-public information as to any Holder which has not executed a confidentiality agreement with the Company), and
(iv)
comply with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by a Registration
6
Statement during the applicable period in accordance (subject to the terms of this Agreement) with the intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in such Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.
(c)
Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to be sold (which notice shall, pursuant to clauses (iii) through (vi) hereof, be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the Prospectus until the requisite changes have been made) as promptly as reasonably possible (and, in the case of (i)(A) below, not less than one Trading Day prior to such filing) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such notice in writing no later than one Trading Day following the day (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement is proposed to be filed, (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a review of such Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on such Registration Statement, and (C) with respect to a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective, (ii) of any request by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information, (iii) of the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such purpose, (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the financial statements included in a Registration Statement ineligible for inclusion therein or any statement made in a Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to a Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of a Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not 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 and (vi) of the occurrence or existence of any pending corporate development with respect to the Company that the Company believes may be material and that, in the determination of the Company, makes it not in the best interest of the Company to allow continued availability of a Registration Statement or Prospectus, provided that, any and all of such information shall remain confidential to each Holder until such information otherwise becomes public, unless disclosure by a Holder is required by law; provided , further , that notwithstanding each Holders agreement to keep such information confidential, each such Holder makes no acknowledgement that any such information is material, non-public information.
(d)
Use its best efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order stopping or suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.
(e)
Furnish to each Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each such Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference to
7
the extent requested by such Person, and all exhibits to the extent requested by such Person (including those previously furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the Commission; provided, that any such item which is available on the EDGAR system need not be furnished in physical form.
(f)
Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company hereby consents to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, except after the giving of any notice pursuant to Section 3(c).
(g)
The Company shall cooperate with any broker-dealer through which a Holder proposes to resell its Registrable Securities in effecting a filing with the FINRA Corporate Financing Department pursuant to NASD Rule 2710, as requested by any such Holder, and the Company shall pay the filing fee required by such filing within two (2) Trading Days of request therefor.
(h)
Prior to any resale of Registrable Securities by a Holder, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from the Registration or qualification) of such Registrable Securities for the resale by the Holder under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder reasonably requests in writing, to keep each registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things reasonably necessary to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement; provided, that, the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified, subject the Company to any material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject or file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction.
(i)
If requested by a Holder, cooperate with such Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to a Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any such Holder may request.
(j)
If the Company notifies the Holders in accordance with clauses (iii) through (vi) of Section 3(c) above to suspend the use of any Prospectus until the requisite changes to such Prospectus have been made, then the Holders shall suspend use of such Prospectus. The Company will use its best efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable.
(k)
Comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission.
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(l)
The Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to the Company a certified statement as to the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Holder and, if required by the Commission, the natural persons thereof that have voting and dispositive control over the shares. The Company shall not be liable for any damages during any periods that the Company is unable to meet its obligations hereunder with respect to the registration of the Registrable Securities solely because any Holder fails to furnish such information within three Trading Days of the Companys request.
4.
Registration Expenses . All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with this Agreement by the Company shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Companys counsel, independent registered public accountants and transfer agent) (A) with respect to filings made with the Commission, (B) with respect to filings required to be made with any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, (C) in compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws reasonably agreed to by the Company in writing (including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with Blue Sky qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities) and (D) if not previously paid by the Company in connection with an Issuer Filing, with respect to any filing that may be required to be made by any broker through which a Holder intends to make sales of Registrable Securities with the FINRA pursuant to NASD Rule 2710, so long as the broker is receiving no more than a customary brokerage commission in connection with such sale, (ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder. In no event shall the Company be responsible for any broker or similar commissions of any Holder or, except to the extent provided for in the Transaction Documents, any legal fees or other costs of the Holders.
5.
Indemnification .
(a)
Indemnification by the Company . The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, the officers, directors, members, partners, agents, brokers (including brokers who offer and sell Registrable Securities as principal as a result of a pledge or any failure to perform under a margin call of Common Stock), investment advisors and employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, members, stockholders, partners, agents and employees (and any other Persons with a functionally
9
equivalent role of a Person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each such controlling Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys fees and costs of investigation and preparation) and expenses (collectively, Losses ), as incurred, arising out of or relating to (1) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading or (2) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder, in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (i) such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holders proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in a Registration Statement, such Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose) or (ii) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(c)(iii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(d). The Company shall notify the Holders promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding arising from or in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement of which the Company is aware.
(b)
Indemnification by Holders . Each Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who shall sign such Registration Statement, each underwriter, broker or other Person acting on behalf of the holders of Registrable Securities and each Person who controls any of the foregoing Persons within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as incurred, to the extent arising out of or based solely upon: (x) such Holders failure to comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act or (y) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (i) to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information so furnished in writing by such Holder to the Company specifically for inclusion in such Registration Statement or such Prospectus or (ii) to the extent that such information relates to such Holders proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in a Registration Statement (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose), such Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (ii) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(c)(iii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the
10
receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(d). In no event shall the liability of any selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the net proceeds (after underwriting fees, commissions, or discounts) actually received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
(c)
Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings . If any Proceeding shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an Indemnified Party ), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought (the Indemnifying Party ) in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof but solely for one law firm except as otherwise provided in this Section 5(c); provided, that, the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have materially prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.
An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses, (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding, or (3) the named parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and counsel to the Indemnified Party shall reasonably believe that a material conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one separate counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.
Subject to the terms of this Agreement, all reasonable fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within ten Trading Days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party; provided, that, the Indemnified Party shall promptly reimburse the Indemnifying Party for that portion of such fees and expenses applicable to such actions for which such Indemnified Party is judicially determined not to be entitled to indemnification hereunder.
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(d)
Contribution . If the indemnification under Section 5(a) or 5(b) is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold an Indemnified Party harmless for any Losses, then each Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, any reasonable attorneys or other fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section was available to such party in accordance with its terms.
The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(d), no Holder shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties.
6.
Miscellaneous .
(a)
Remedies . In the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder of any of their respective obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, shall be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company and each Holder agree that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for any Losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall not assert or shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b)
No Piggyback on Registrations; Prohibition on Filing Other Registration Statements . Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(w) of the Purchase Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its security holders (other than the Holders in such capacity pursuant hereto) may include securities of the Company in any registration statements other than the Registrable Securities. The Company shall not file any other registration statements until all
12
Registrable Securities are registered pursuant to a Registration Statement that is declared effective by the Commission, provided that this Section 6(b) shall not prohibit the Company from filing amendments to registration statements filed prior to the date of this Agreement. In the event that, under SEC Guidance, there is a limitation on the number of Registrable Securities that may be included in a Registration Statement, securities of the Company that have been registered on an effective registration statement of the Company as of the date of this Agreement shall be registered prior to any of the Registrable Securities. Thereafter, the Holders shall have priority over any other security holders with outstanding registration rights. Any reduction pursuant to this Section 6(b) in the number of Registrable Securities registered shall be done on a pro rata basis in accordance with the Holders investment made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
(c)
Compliance . Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to it in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement.
(d)
Discontinued Disposition . By its acquisition of Registrable Securities, each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 3(c)(iii) through (vi), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under a Registration Statement until it is advised in writing (the Advice ) by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus (as it may have been supplemented or amended) may be resumed. The Company will use its best efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable.
(e)
Piggy-Back Registrations . If, at any time during the Effectiveness Period, there is not an effective Registration Statement covering all of the Registrable Securities and the Company shall determine to prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement relating to an offering for its own account or the account of others under the Securities Act of any of its equity securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the Securities Act) or their then equivalents relating to equity securities to be issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or equity securities issuable in connection with the Companys stock option or other employee benefit plans, then the Company shall deliver to each Holder a written notice of such determination and, if within fifteen days after the date of the delivery of such notice, any such Holder shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such registration statement all or any part of such Registrable Securities such Holder requests to be registered; provided , however , that the Company shall not be required to register any Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 6(e) that are not subject to the current public information requirement under Rule 144 and that are eligible for resale without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions without current public information pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed, delivered and acceptable to the affected Holders or that are the subject of a then effective Registration Statement.
(f)
Amendments and Waivers . The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and the Holders of 67% or more of the Registrable
13
Securities. If a Registration Statement does not register all of the Registrable Securities pursuant to a waiver or amendment done in compliance with the previous sentence, then the number of Registrable Securities to be registered for each Holder shall be reduced pro rata among all Holders and each Holder shall have the right to designate which of its Registrable Securities shall be omitted from such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of a Holder or some Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other Holders may be given by such Holder or Holders of all of the Registrable Securities to which such waiver or consent relates; provided , however , that the provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except in accordance with the provisions of the first sentence of this Section 6(f).
(g)
Notices . Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be delivered as set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
(h)
Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder. The Company may not assign (except by merger) its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of all of the Holders of the then outstanding Registrable Securities. Each Holder may assign their respective rights hereunder in the manner and to the Persons as permitted under the Purchase Agreement.
(i)
No Inconsistent Agreements . Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered, as of the date hereof, nor shall the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement with respect to its securities, that would have the effect of impairing the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(w) of the Purchase Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has previously entered into any agreement granting any registration rights with respect to any of its securities to any Person that have not been satisfied in full.
(j)
Execution and Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a .pdf format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or .pdf signature page were an original thereof.
(k)
Governing Law . All questions concerning the choice of law and venue, construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement.
(l)
Cumulative Remedies . The remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any other remedies provided by law.
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(m)
Severability . If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
(n)
Headings . The headings in this Agreement are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of the Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.
(o)
Independent Nature of Holders Obligations and Rights . The obligations of each Holder hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Holder hereunder, and no Holder shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Holder hereunder. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Holder pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Holders as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Holders are in any way acting in concert with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Each Holder shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Holder to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.
[ Signature Pages Follow ]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.
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ASPEN GROUP, INC. |
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Michael Mathews |
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Chief Executive Officer |
[ Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement ]
Name of Holder: __________________________
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Holder : __________________________
Name of Authorized Signatory: _________________________
Title of Authorized Signatory: __________________________
[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]
[ Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement ]
Annex A
Plan of Distribution
Each Selling Stockholder (the Selling Stockholders ) of the common stock and any of their pledgees, assignees and successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of their shares of common stock on the OTC Markets or any other stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the shares are traded or in private transactions. These sales may be at fixed or negotiated prices. A Selling Stockholder may use any one or more of the following methods when selling shares:
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ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker dealer solicits purchasers;
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block trades in which the broker dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;
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purchases by a broker dealer as principal and resale by the broker dealer for its account;
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an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;
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privately negotiated transactions;
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settlement of short sales entered into after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part;
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broker dealers may agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share;
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through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise;
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a combination of any such methods of sale; or
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any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.
The Selling Stockholders may also sell shares under Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ” ), if available, rather than under this prospectus.
Broker dealers engaged by the Selling Stockholders may arrange for other brokers dealers to participate in sales. Broker dealers may receive commissions or discounts from the Selling Stockholders (or, if any broker dealer acts as agent for the purchaser of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated, but, except as set forth in a supplement to this Prospectus, in the case of an agency transaction not in excess of a customary brokerage
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commission in compliance with FINRA NASD Rule 2440; and in the case of a principal transaction a markup or markdown in compliance with NASD IM-2440.
In connection with the sale of the common stock or interests therein, the Selling Stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the common stock in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The Selling Stockholders may also sell shares of the common stock short and deliver these securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the common stock to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The Selling Stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or the creation of one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of shares offered by this prospectus, which shares such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).
The Selling Stockholders and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved in selling the shares may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. Each Selling Stockholder has informed the Company that it does not have any written or oral agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the Common Stock. In no event shall any broker-dealer receive fees, commissions and markups which, in the aggregate, would exceed eight percent (8%).
The Company is required to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by the Company incident to the registration of the shares. The Company has agreed to indemnify the Selling Stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
Because Selling Stockholders may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act, they will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act including Rule 172 thereunder. In addition, any securities covered by this prospectus which qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act may be sold under Rule 144 rather than under this prospectus. There is no underwriter or coordinating broker acting in connection with the proposed sale of the resale shares by the Selling Stockholders.
We agreed to keep this prospectus effective until the earlier of (i) the date on which the shares may be resold by the Selling Stockholders without registration and without regard to any volume or manner-of-sale limitations by reason of Rule 144, without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information under Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect or (ii) all of the shares have been sold pursuant to this prospectus or Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect. The resale shares will be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers if required under applicable state securities laws. In addition, in certain states, the resale shares may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.
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Under applicable rules and regulations under the Exchange Act, any person engaged in the distribution of the resale shares may not simultaneously engage in market making activities with respect to the common stock for the applicable restricted period, as defined in Regulation M, prior to the commencement of the distribution. In addition, the Selling Stockholders will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of shares of the common stock by the Selling Stockholders or any other person. We will make copies of this prospectus available to the Selling Stockholders and have informed them of the need to deliver a copy of this prospectus to each purchaser at or prior to the time of the sale (including by compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act).
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Annex B
ASPEN GROUP, INC.
Selling Stockholder Notice and Questionnaire
The undersigned beneficial owner of common stock (the Registrable Securities ) of Aspen Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company ), understands that the Company has filed or intends to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission ) a registration statement (the Registration Statement ) for the registration and resale under Rule 415 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act ), of the Registrable Securities, in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement (the Registration Rights Agreement ) to which this document is annexed. A copy of the Registration Rights Agreement is available from the Company upon request at the address set forth below. All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Registration Rights Agreement.
Certain legal consequences arise from being named as a selling stockholder in the Registration Statement and the related prospectus. Accordingly, holders and beneficial owners of Registrable Securities are advised to consult their own securities law counsel regarding the consequences of being named or not being named as a selling stockholder in the Registration Statement and the related prospectus.
NOTICE
The undersigned beneficial owner (the Selling Stockholder ) of Registrable Securities hereby elects to include the Registrable Securities owned by it in the Registration Statement.
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The undersigned hereby provides the following information to the Company and represents and warrants that such information is accurate:
QUESTIONNAIRE
1.
Name.
(a)
Full Legal Name of Selling Stockholder
_______________________________________________________________
(b)
Full Legal Name of Registered Holder (if not the same as (a) above) through which Registrable Securities are held:
_______________________________________________________________
(c)
Full Legal Name of Natural Control Person (which means a natural person who directly or indirectly alone or with others has power to vote or dispose of the securities covered by this Questionnaire):
_______________________________________________________________
2.
Address for Notices to Selling Stockholder:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Telephone: ___________________________________________________________________
Fax: ________________________________________________________________________
Contact Person: _______________________________________________________________
3.
Broker-Dealer Status:
(a)
Are you a broker-dealer?
Yes ¨ No ¨
(b)
If yes to Section 3(a), did you receive your Registrable Securities as compensation for investment banking services to the Company?
Yes ¨ No ¨
Note:
If no to Section 3(b), the Commissions staff has indicated that you should be identified as an underwriter in the Registration Statement.
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(c)
Are you an affiliate of a broker-dealer?
Yes ¨ No ¨
(d)
If you are an affiliate of a broker-dealer, do you certify that you purchased the Registrable Securities in the ordinary course of business, and at the time of the purchase of the Registrable Securities to be resold, you had no agreements or understandings, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the Registrable Securities?
Yes ¨ No ¨
Note:
If no to Section 3(d), the Commissions staff has indicated that you should be identified as an underwriter in the Registration Statement.
4.
Beneficial Ownership of Securities of the Company Owned by the Selling Stockholder.
Except as set forth below in this Item 4, the undersigned is not the beneficial or registered owner of any securities of the Company other than the securities issuable pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
(a)
Type and Amount of other securities beneficially owned by the Selling Stockholder:
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
5.
Relationships with the Company:
Except as set forth below, neither the undersigned nor any of its affiliates, officers, directors or principal equity holders (owners of 5% of more of the equity securities of the undersigned) has held any position or office or has had any other material relationship with the Company (or its predecessors or affiliates) during the past three years.
State any exceptions here:
_____________________________________________________________________
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The undersigned agrees to promptly notify the Company of any inaccuracies or changes in the information provided herein that may occur subsequent to the date hereof at any time while the Registration Statement remains effective.
By signing below, the undersigned consents to the disclosure of the information contained herein in its answers to Items 1 through 5 and the inclusion of such information in the
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Registration Statement and the related prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto. The undersigned understands that such information will be relied upon by the Company in connection with the preparation or amendment of the Registration Statement and the related prospectus.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, by authority duly given, has caused this Notice and Questionnaire to be executed and delivered either in person or by its duly authorized agent.
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PLEASE EMAIL A COPY OF THE COMPLETED AND EXECUTED NOTICE AND QUESTIONNAIRE TO:
Brian S. Bernstein, Esq.
BBernstein@nasonyeager.com
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