EAGLE BULK SHIPPING Inc.
Common Stock
(par value $0.01 per share)
At Market Issuance Sales Agreement
March 12, 2021
B. Riley Securities, Inc.
299 Park Avenue, 21st Floor
New York, NY 10171
BTIG, LLC
65 East 55th Street
New York, NY 10022
Fearnley Securities Inc.
880 Third Avenue, 16th Floor
New York, New York 10022
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (the “Company”), confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with B. Riley Securities, Inc., BTIG, LLC and Fearnley Securities Inc. (each, an “Agent” and collectively, the “Agents”) as follows:
1.Issuance and Sale of Shares. The Company agrees that, from time to time during the term of this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, it may issue and sell through or to the Agents, as sales agent or principal, shares (the “Placement Shares”) of the Company’s Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”); provided however, that in no event shall the Company issue or sell through the Agents such number of Placement Shares that (a) exceeds the number of shares or dollar amount of Common Stock registered on the effective Registration Statement (as defined below) pursuant to which the offering is being made or (b) exceeds the number of shares or dollar amount for which the Company has filed the ATM Prospectus (as defined below) (the lesser of (a) and (b) the “Maximum Amount”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitations set forth in this Section 1 on the number or dollar amount of Placement Shares issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the sole responsibility of the Company and that the Agents shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance. The issuance and sale of Placement Shares through the Agents will be effected pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below) filed by the Company and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), although nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring the Company to use the Registration Statement to issue any Placement Shares.
The Company has filed or will file, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder, with the Commission, a registration statement on Form S-3, including (a) a base prospectus relating to certain securities (including the Common Stock) to be issued from time to time by the Company (the “Base Prospectus”), and (b) a prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus included as part of such registration statement (the “ATM Prospectus”) specifically relating to the offer and sale of some or all of the Placement Shares to be issued from time to time by the Company in a Placement (as defined below), and which incorporates by reference documents that the Company has filed or will file in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder. The Company will furnish to the Agents, for use by the Agents, copies of the Base Prospectus included as part of such registration statement and the ATM Prospectus relating to the offer and sale of the Placement Shares. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, including all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated by reference therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act or deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act, or any subsequent registration statement on Form S-3 filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6) under the Securities Act to cover the issuance and sale of any Placement Shares or any subsequent registration statement on Form S-3 filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act for the issuance and sale of any Placement Shares, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” The Base Prospectus and the ATM Prospectus, including all documents incorporated or deemed incorporated therein by reference to the extent such information has not been superseded or modified in accordance with Rule 412 under the Securities Act (as qualified by Rule 430B(g) of the Securities Act), included in the Registration Statement, as it may be supplemented by any prospectus supplement, in the form in which such Base Prospectus, ATM Prospectus and/or prospectus supplement have most recently been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act is herein called the “Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein, and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of any document with the Commission incorporated by reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”).
For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the most recent copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System, or if applicable, the Interactive Data Electronic Application system when used by the Commission (collectively, “EDGAR”).
2.Placements. Upon effectiveness of the Registration Statement, each time that the Company wishes to issue and sell Placement Shares hereunder (each, a “Placement”), it will notify an Agent (the “Designated Agent”) by electronic mail (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) of the number of Placement Shares, the time period during which sales
are requested to be made, any limitation on the number of Placement Shares that may be sold in any one day and any minimum price below which sales may not be made (a “Placement Notice”), the form of which is attached hereto as Schedule 1. The Placement Notice shall originate from any of the individuals from the Company set forth on Schedule 3 (with a copy to each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such schedule), and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from the Designated Agent set forth on Schedule 3, as such Schedule 3 may be amended from time to time. The Placement Notice shall be effective immediately upon receipt by the Designated Agent unless and until (i) the Designated Agent declines to accept the terms contained therein for any reason, in its sole discretion, by email notice to the Company, (ii) the entire amount of the Placement Shares thereunder has been sold, (iii) the Company suspends or terminates the Placement Notice, which suspension and termination rights may be exercised by the Company in its sole discretion, or (iv) this Agreement has been terminated under the provisions of Section 13. The amount of any discount, commission or other compensation to be paid by the Company to the Designated Agent in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares shall be calculated in accordance with the terms set forth in Schedule 2. It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor the Designated Agent will have any obligation whatsoever with respect to a Placement or any Placement Shares unless and until the Company delivers a Placement Notice to the Designated Agent and such Designated Agent does not decline such Placement Notice pursuant to the terms set forth above, and then only upon the terms specified therein and herein. In the event of a conflict between the terms of Sections 2 or 3 of this Agreement and the terms of a Placement Notice, the terms of the Placement Notice will control. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company may not submit instructions to sell Placement Shares to more than one Agent on any single trading day.
3.Sale of Placement Shares by the Agents. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, for the period specified in a Placement Notice, the Designated Agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the NASDAQ Global Select Market (the “Exchange”), to sell the Placement Shares up to the amount specified in, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of, such Placement Notice. The Designated Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately following the Trading Day on which it has made sales of Placement Shares hereunder setting forth the number of Placement Shares sold on such day, the compensation payable by the Company to such Designated Agent pursuant to Section 2 with respect to such sales, and the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the Company, with an itemization of the deductions made by such Designated Agent (as set forth in Section 5(b)) from the gross proceeds that it receives from such sales. Subject to the terms of a Placement Notice, the Designated Agent agrees that all sales of the Placement Shares by the Designated Agent will only be made by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no sale may be made in a privately negotiated transaction by a Designated Agent pursuant to this Agreement without the prior written consent of the Company. “Trading Day” means any day on which shares of Common Stock are purchased and sold on the Exchange.
4.Suspension of Sales. The Company or the Designated Agent may, upon notice to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 3, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 3), suspend any sale of Placement Shares (a “Suspension”); provided, however, that such Suspension shall not affect or impair any party’s obligations with respect to any Placement Shares sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice. While a Suspension is in effect, any obligation under Sections 7(l), 7(m), and 7(n) with respect to the delivery of certificates, opinions, or comfort letters to the Agent, shall be waived. Each of the parties agrees that no such notice under this Section 4 shall be effective against any other party unless it is made to one of the individuals named on Schedule 3 hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time.
5.Sale and Delivery to Agents; Settlement.
a.Sale of Placement Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, following the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and upon the Designated Agent’s acceptance of the terms of a Placement Notice, and unless the sale of the Placement Shares described therein has been declined, suspended, or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Designated Agent, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the Exchange to sell such Placement Shares up to the amount specified in, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of, such Placement Notice. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that the Designated Agent will be successful in selling Placement Shares, (ii) the Designated Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Placement Shares for any reason other than a failure by such Designated Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the Exchange to sell such Placement Shares as required under this Agreement and (iii) the Designated Agent may, but has no obligations to, purchase Placement Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement based on terms agreed by the Designated Agent and the Company.
b.Settlement of Placement Shares. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Placement Notice, settlement for sales of Placement Shares will occur on the second (2nd) Trading Day (or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading) following the date on which such sales are made (each, a “Settlement Date”). The Designated Agent shall notify the Company of each sale of such Placement Shares no later than the opening on the following Trading Day that such Designated Agent sold such Placement Shares. The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement Shares sold (the “Net Proceeds”) will be equal to the aggregate sales price received by the Designated Agent, after deduction for (i) such Designated Agent’s commission, discount or other compensation for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to Section 2 hereof, and (ii)
any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales.
c.Delivery of Placement Shares. On or before each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Placement Shares being sold by crediting the Designated Agent’s or its designee’s account (provided that such Designated Agent shall have given the Company written notice of such designee and such designee’s account information at least one (1) Trading Day prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian (“DWAC”) System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, and registered shares in good deliverable form. On each Settlement Date, the Designated Agent will deliver the related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company on, or prior to, the Settlement Date. Upon request by the Company, the Designated Agent will provide DWAC instructions or other instructions for delivery by other means with respect to the transfer of the Placement Shares being sold. The Company agrees that if the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable), defaults in its obligation to deliver Placement Shares on a Settlement Date through no fault of the Designated Agent, then in addition to and in no way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in Section 11(a) hereto, it will (i) hold the Designated Agent harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or reasonable, documented expense (including reasonable and documented legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company or its transfer agent (if applicable) and (ii) pay to such Designated Agent (without duplication) any commission, discount, or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.
d.Limitations on Offering Size. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares if, after giving effect to the sale of such Placement Shares, the aggregate number or dollar amount of all Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement would exceed the lowest of (A) the Maximum Amount, (B) the amount available for offer and sale under the currently effective Registration Statement and (C) the amount authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the Company’s board of directors, a duly authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized executive committee, and notified to the Agents in writing. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement at a price lower than the minimum price authorized from time to time by the Company’s board of directors, a duly authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized officer, and notified to the Agents in writing.
6.Representations and Warranties of the Company. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus (including the Incorporated Documents), the Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with each Agent that as of the date of this Agreement and as of each Applicable Time (as defined below), unless such representation, warranty or agreement specifies a different date or time:
a.Registration Statement and Prospectus. The transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet the requirements for and comply with the conditions for the use of Form
S-3 under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission and will have been declared effective under the Securities Act as of each Applicable Time. The ATM Prospectus will name each Agent as the agents in the section entitled “Plan of Distribution.” The Company has not received, and has no notice of, any order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, or threatening or instituting proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement and the offer and sale of Placement Shares as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act and comply in all material respects with said Rule. Any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement have been so described or filed, as applicable. Copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and any such amendments or supplements and all documents incorporated by reference therein that were filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement have been delivered, or are available through EDGAR, to the Agents and their counsel. The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of each Settlement Date and completion of the distribution of the Placement Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering or sale of the Placement Shares other than the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, or that is required by applicable law or the listing maintenance requirements of the Exchange. The Common Stock is currently quoted on the Exchange under the trading symbol “EGLE.” The Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from the Exchange to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of the Exchange. To the Company’s knowledge, it is in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements.
b.No Misstatement or Omission. At each Settlement Date, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as of such date, will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. The Registration Statement, when it became or becomes effective, did not, and will not, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendment and supplement thereto, on the date thereof and at each Applicable Time (defined below), did not or will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any prospectus supplement did not, and any further documents filed and incorporated by reference therein will not, when filed with the Commission, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated in such document or necessary to make the statements in such document, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing shall not apply to statements in, or omissions from, any such document made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Company by the Agents specifically for use in the preparation thereof.
c.Conformity with Securities Act and Exchange Act. The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Incorporated Documents, when such documents were or are filed with the Commission under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or became or become effective under the Securities Act, as the case may be, conformed or will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable.
d.Independent Accountants. Based solely on the representations that Deloitte & Touche LLP (“Deloitte”) has made to the Company, Deloitte, who has certified and expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements including the related notes thereto and supporting schedules contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and each subsidiary that is listed on Exhibit 21 to the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission (each, a “Subsidiary,” collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act and the related rules and regulations of the Securities Act.
e.No Restrictions. There are no restrictions on subsequent transfers of the Placement Shares under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
f.Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The consolidated financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries (as defined below) as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Company and the Subsidiaries for the periods specified (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments which will not be material, either individually or in the aggregate) and have been prepared in compliance with the published requirements of the Securities Act and Exchange Act, as applicable, and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis (except (i) for such adjustments to accounting standards and practices as are noted therein and (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) during the periods involved; the other financial and statistical data with respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, are accurately and fairly presented and prepared on a basis consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company; there are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required; the Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off balance sheet obligations), not described in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus; and all disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, if any, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable.
g.No Material Adverse Effect in Business. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, (i) neither the Company nor
any of the Subsidiaries has incurred any liabilities, direct or contingent, including without limitation any losses or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood, earthquakes, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any strike, labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, that are material, individually or in the aggregate, to the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or has entered into any transactions not in the ordinary course of business that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below), (ii) there has not been any material decrease in the capital stock or any material increase in any short-term or long-term indebtedness of the Company or the Subsidiaries, or any payment of or declaration to pay any dividends or any other distribution with respect to the Company that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below), and (iii) there has not been any material adverse effect, or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse effect, in (A) the properties, business, prospects, operations, earnings, assets, liabilities or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole or (B) the ability of the Company or any Subsidiary to perform its obligations in all material respects under this Agreement (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
h.Good Standing of Company. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries (i) has been duly organized or formed, as the case may be, is validly existing and is in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, (ii) has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business and to own, lease and operate its properties and assets as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and (iii) is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation, partnership or other entity as the case may be, authorized to do business in each jurisdiction in which the nature of such businesses or the ownership or leasing of such properties requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have or has a Material Adverse Effect.
i.Capitalization. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and were not issued in violation of, and are not subject to, any preemptive or similar rights. The Placement Shares and all other outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of the Company conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The Placement Shares have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and such shares, when issued, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable; and the issuance of the Placement Shares will not be subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. None of the outstanding shares of the Company was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or other similar rights granted by the Company to any securityholder of the Company. Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, all of the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each of the Subsidiaries are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company, free and clear of all liens, security interests, mortgages, pledges, charges, equities, claims or restrictions on transferability or encumbrances of any kind (collectively, “Liens”), other than those imposed by the Securities Act and the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of certain U.S. state or non-U.S. jurisdictions. Except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding (A) options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase from the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, (B) agreements, contracts, arrangements or other obligations of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to issue or (C) other rights to convert any obligation into or exchange any securities for, in the case of each of clauses (A) through (C), shares of capital stock of or other ownership or equity interests in the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.
j.Legal Power and Authority. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. The Company has all necessary power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the offering of the Placement Shares.
k.Transaction Documents. Each Memoranda of Agreement to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, as each may be amended and which has not been terminated, (the “MoAs” and each, an “MoA”) to purchase the vessels to be acquired by the Company, as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, has been duly authorized by the Company or its Subsidiary, as applicable, and has been executed and delivered by the Company or its Subsidiary, as applicable, and the Company has no reason to believe that such MoAs do not constitute valid and binding agreements of each such party enforceable in all material respects against each such party in accordance with its terms, as may be amended. To the knowledge of the Company, any required consent in connection with the transactions contemplated by any MoA to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party has been obtained. Any descriptions of the terms of the MoAs that are contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are accurate and fair in all material respects.
l.Compliance with Existing Instruments. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its certificate of incorporation, by-laws or other organizational documents (the “Charter Documents”); (ii) in violation of any U.S. or non-U.S. federal, state or local statute, law (including, without limitation, common law) or ordinance, or any judgment, decree, rule, regulation, order or injunction (collectively, “Applicable Law”) of any U.S. or non-U.S. federal, state, local or other governmental or regulatory authority, governmental or regulatory agency or body, court, arbitrator or self-regulatory organization (each, a “Governmental Authority”), applicable to any of them or any of their respective properties; or (iii) in breach of or default under any bond, debenture, note, loan or other evidence of indebtedness, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or any other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them or their respective property is bound (collectively, the “Applicable Agreements”), except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) for such violations, breaches or defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have or has a Material Adverse Effect.
m.Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. None of the execution, delivery or performance of the this Agreement nor the consummation of the offering of the Placement Shares (including the use of proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”), will conflict with, violate, constitute a breach of or a default, nor does there exist any condition that, with the
passage of time or otherwise will conflict with, violate, constitute a breach of or a default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event under, or result in the imposition of a Lien on any assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the imposition of any penalty or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event under or pursuant to (i) the Charter Documents, (ii) any Applicable Agreement, (iii) any Applicable Law or (iv) any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award binding upon or affecting the Company (except with respect to clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv) above, for such violations, breaches, defaults, Debt Repayment Triggering Events, Liens or impositions that would not, singly or in the aggregate result in a Material Adverse Effect or prevent the Company from fulfilling its obligations hereunder). As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties.
n.No Consents. No consent, approval, authorization, order, filing or registration of or with any Governmental Authority or third party is required for execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement or the consummation of the offering of the Placement Shares, except (i) such as have been obtained or made, (ii) the registration of the Placement Shares under the Securities Act, which has been effected (or, with respect to any Rule 462 Registration Statement, will be effected in accordance with Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act), (iii) such as may be required under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of U.S. state or non-U.S. jurisdictions or other non-U.S. laws applicable to the purchase of the Placement Shares outside the U.S. in connection with the offering of the Placement Shares, or (iv) such approval or notification as may be required in connection with the listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange or (v) the approval by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
o.Absence of Labor Dispute. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, no labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any Subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened which would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
p.No Material Applicable Laws or Proceedings. (i) No Applicable Law has been enacted, adopted or issued, (ii) no stop order suspending the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Placement Shares in any jurisdiction has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been commenced or, to the Company’s knowledge, after due inquiry, be pending or contemplated as of the Applicable Time and (iii) there is no action, claim, suit, demand, hearing, notice of violation or deficiency, or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, after due inquiry, threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others that, with respect to clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of this paragraph (A) would restrain, enjoin, prevent or interfere with the consummation of the offering of the Placement Shares or (B) could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
q.Possession of Intellectual Property. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiary does not own or possess any material trade names, trademark registrations, service marks, service mark registrations, Internet domain name registrations, copyrights, copyright registrations, necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as conducted as of the date hereof.
r.No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has and, to the Company’s knowledge, no one acting on its behalf has, taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Placement Shares.
s.Possession of Licenses and Permits. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries possess all licenses, permits, certificates, consents, orders, approvals and other authorizations from, and has made all declarations and filings with, all Governmental Authorities, presently required or necessary to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and to carry on its businesses as now or proposed to be conducted as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (“Permits”), except where the failure to possess such Permits would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have or has a Material Adverse Effect; each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has fulfilled and performed all of its obligations with respect to such Permits, except where the failure to fulfill and perform such obligations would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have or has a Material Adverse Effect; no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination of any such Permit or has resulted, or after notice or lapse of time would result, in any other material impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Permit, except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or except where such event or notice would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have or has a Material Adverse Effect; and none of the Company or the Subsidiaries has received or has any reason to believe it will receive any notice of any proceeding relating to revocation or modification of any such Permit, except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or except where such revocation or modification would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
t.Title to Property. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has good, marketable and valid title to all real property owned by it and good title to all personal property owned by it and good and valid title to all leasehold estates in real and personal property being leased by it and, as of the Applicable Time, will be free and clear of all Liens except such as (a) are described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and (b) did not, singly or in the aggregate materially affect the value of the property and not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or its Subsidiaries or the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under the this Agreement. All Applicable Agreements to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them is bound are valid and enforceable against each of the Company or such Subsidiary, as applicable, and are valid and enforceable against the other party or parties thereto and are in full force and effect
with only such exceptions as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
u.Vessels.
1.Each of the vessels owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each an “Owned Vessel”) has been duly registered as a vessel under the laws and regulations and flag of the applicable jurisdiction in the sole ownership of the Company or such Subsidiary (the “Vessel Owner”) and each such Vessel Owner has good and marketable title to the Owned Vessel, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests and claims except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and each such Owned Vessel is, as of the date hereof, in good standing with respect to the payment of past and current taxes, fees and other amounts payable under the laws of the jurisdiction where it is registered as would affect its registry with the ship registry of such jurisdiction except for failures to be in good standing which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
2.Each Owned Vessel is, and each Contracted Vessel will be, classed by a classification society which is a full member of the International Association of Classification Societies and each Owned Vessel is, and the Company will use reasonable commercial efforts to ensure each Contracted Vessel will be, in class with valid class and trading certificates, without any overdue recommendations, except when such failure to be classed would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
v.Investment Company Act. As of the date hereof and, after giving effect to the offering of the Placement Shares and the use of proceeds of such offering, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is not and will not be required to register an “investment company” (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended).
w.Compliance with Environmental Laws. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is (i) in compliance with any and all applicable U.S. or non-U.S. federal, state and local laws, regulations decisions and orders relating to health and safety, or the pollution or the protection of the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) has received and is in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its respective businesses and (iii) has not received notice of, and is not aware of, any actual or potential liability for damages to natural resources or the investigation or remediation of any disposal, release or existence of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, in each case except where such non-compliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive and comply with required permits, licenses or other approvals, or liability would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has been named as a “potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, or any similar U.S. or non-U.S. state or local Environmental Laws or regulation requiring the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to investigate or remediate any pollutants or contaminants, except where such
requirements would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business. In the ordinary course of its business, the Company periodically reviews the effects of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws, or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such review, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
x.Registration Rights. Other than as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus there are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Company under the Securities Act, which have not been validly waived in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
y.Accounting Controls.
(i)The Company on behalf of itself and its Subsidiaries maintains an effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (1) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (2) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (3) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (4) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (I) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (II) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
(ii)The Company on behalf of itself and its Subsidiaries maintains an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company on behalf of itself and the Subsidiaries has carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act. The statements relating to disclosure controls and procedures made by the principal executive officers (or their equivalents) and principal financial officers (or their equivalents) of the Company in the certifications required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) are complete and correct.
z.Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that are in effect and which the Company is required to comply with.
aa.Taxes. All Tax (as hereinafter defined) returns required to be filed by the Company and each of the Subsidiaries have been filed and all such returns are true, complete and correct in all material respects except insofar as the failure to file such returns would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. All material Taxes that are due from the Company and the Subsidiaries have been paid other than those (i) currently payable without penalty or interest or (ii) being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate accruals have been established in accordance with GAAP, applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. To the knowledge of the Company, after due inquiry, there are no actual or proposed Tax assessments against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries that would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has accrued for any material Tax liability for any period not finally determined to the extent required under GAAP. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Tax” and “Taxes” shall mean all U.S. and non-U.S. federal, state, local and taxes, and other assessments of a similar nature (whether imposed directly or through withholding), including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.
ab.Stock Transfer Taxes. On each Settlement Date, all material stock transfer or other Taxes (other than income Taxes) which are required to be paid by the Company in connection with the sale and transfer of the Placement Shares to be sold hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company and all laws imposing such Taxes will be or will have been fully complied with by the Company in all material respects.
ac.Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company and the Subsidiaries reasonably believe are adequate for the conduct of their business.
ad.Foreign Corrupt Practices. The Company, any Subsidiary, and their directors and officers, and, to the knowledge of the Company, employees of the Company and their Subsidiaries, are in compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “FCPA”) in all material respects. The Company and the Subsidiaries have conducted, during the past five (5) years, their businesses in compliance with the FCPA, and have instituted and maintain, and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure compliance therewith. The Company, and each Subsidiary, will not, to the knowledge of the Company, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of the FCPA.
ae.Money Laundering Laws. The Company and the Subsidiaries are, and have been during the past five (5) years, in compliance with the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, and the money laundering laws of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (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 the Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, after due inquiry, threatened by any governmental agency.
af.OFAC.
(i)None of the Company, the Subsidiaries, nor any director, officer or employee of the Company nor to the Company’s knowledge any other person acting on their behalf, are currently an individual or entity (“Person”) that is: (i) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States government (including the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), or U.S. Department of State), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or Her Majesty’s Treasury (collectively, “Sanctions”) or (ii) owned or controlled by Persons that are the subject of Sanctions such that, it would be the subject of Sanctions. Neither the Company, nor the Subsidiaries, are located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of comprehensive Sanctions (currently, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria) (“Sanctioned Countries”).
(ii)The Company, and the Subsidiaries, and any director, officers, employees or to the Company’s knowledge, any other person acting on their behalf, will not, directly or knowingly indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person or entity: (i) to fund any activities or business of or with any Person that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, in violation of Sanctions; (ii) to fund any activities or business in any Sanctioned Country, in violation of Sanctions; or (iii) in any other manner that would result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any person participating in the transaction whether as initial purchaser, advisor, investor or otherwise).
(iii)Other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company, and the Subsidiaries, have for the past five (5) years been, and currently are, in compliance with all applicable Sanctions and the terms and conditions of the January 23, 2020 Settlement Agreement with OFAC (the “OFAC Settlement”). The Company and the Subsidiaries will continue to comply, in all material respects, with the OFAC Settlement, and the Company and the Subsidiaries have instituted, maintain, and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to ensure, continued compliance with all applicable Sanctions and the OFAC Settlement.
ag.Commissions and Fees. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Agent for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or, to the Company’s knowledge, any arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuance with respect to the Company or any of its officers, directors, shareholders, partners, employees, subsidiaries or affiliates that may affect the Agents’ compensation as determined by FINRA.
ah.No Association with FINRA. Neither the Company nor to the knowledge of the Company any of its affiliates directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, or is a person associated with (within the meaning of Article I (dd) of the bylaws of FINRA), any member firm of FINRA.
ai.No Related Party Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the one hand, and any director, officer, member, stockholder, customer or supplier of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the other hand, which is required by the Securities Act to be disclosed in a registration statement on Form S-3 which is not so disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any affiliate of the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any of their respective family members.
aj. Lending Relationship. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, to the Company’s knowledge, the Company does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any Agent.
ak.Dividends and Distributions. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company is not prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends, from making any other distribution, from repaying any loans or advances or from transferring any of its property or assets. All dividends and other distributions declared and payable on the shares of capital stock of the Company, including the Common Stock, may, under the current laws and regulations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and any political subdivisions thereof, be paid in United States dollars and may be freely transferred out of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and all such dividends and other distributions made to non-residents of the Republic of the Marshall Islands will not be subject to withholding or other taxes under the laws and regulations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and are otherwise free and clear of any other tax, withholding or deduction and without the necessity of obtaining any governmental authorization in the Republic of the Marshall Islands or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof.
al.Distributions from Subsidiaries. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and in the documentation referenced in Exhibit 6(ll), attached hereto, there are no encumbrances or restrictions on the ability of any Subsidiary (A) to pay dividends or make other distributions on such Subsidiary’s capital stock or to pay any indebtedness to the Company and any such dividends and other distributions, under the current laws and regulations of the jurisdictions where such Subsidiaries are organized, may be freely transferred out of such jurisdictions and all such dividends and other distributions will not be subject to withholding or
other Taxes under the laws and regulations of such jurisdictions, (B) to make loans or advances or pay any indebtedness to the Company or (C) to transfer any of its property or assets to the Company.
am.Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company has the power to submit, and pursuant to Section 19 of this Agreement has legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the jurisdiction of any federal or state court in the State of New York, County of New York, and has the power to designate, appoint and empower, and pursuant to Section 19 of this Agreement has legally, validly and effectively designated, appointed and empowered, an agent for service of process in any suit or proceeding based on or arising under this Agreement in any federal or state court in the State of New York.
an.Conformity with EDGAR Filing. The Prospectus delivered to the Agents for use in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement will be identical to the versions of the Prospectus created to be transmitted to the Commission for filing via EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
ao.S-3 Eligibility. At the time the Registration Statement was or will be declared effective, and at the time the Company files its Annual Report on Form 10-K with the Commission after the date hereof, the Company will meet the then applicable requirements for the use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, including, but not limited to, General Instruction I.A.3 of Form S-3. Upon reasonable request by the Agents, the Company will furnish to the Agents a calculation of the Company’s public float for the sole purpose of confirming the Company’s compliance with eligibility requirements for the Form S-3. The Company is not a shell company (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) and has not been a shell company for at least 12 calendar months previously and if it has been a shell company at any time previously, has filed current Form 10 information (as defined in General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3) with the Commission at least 12 calendar months previously reflecting its status as an entity that is not a shell company.
ap.Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements. There are no transactions, arrangements and other relationships between and/or among the Company, and/or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its affiliates and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity (each, an “Off Balance Sheet Transaction”) that would affect materially the Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements for its capital resources, including those Off Balance Sheet Transactions described in the Commission’s Statement about Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations (Release Nos. 33-8056; 34-45321; FR-61), required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which have not been described as required.
aq.Underwriter Agreements. Other than with respect to this Agreement, the Company is not a party to any agreement with an agent or underwriter for any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction.
ar.ERISA. To the knowledge of the Company, (i) each material employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(2) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) that is sponsored or maintained by the Company or any of member of its control group that is treated as a single employer under subsections (b), (c), (m) and (o) of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code); (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred which would result in a material liability to the Company with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; and (iii) for each such plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no “accumulated funding deficiency” as defined in Section 412 of the Code has been incurred, whether or not waived, and the fair market value of the assets of each such plan (excluding for these purposes accrued but unpaid contributions) equals or exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial assumptions, other than, in the case of (i), (ii) and (iii) above, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
as.Margin Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Placement Shares nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Agents or to counsel for the Agents shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Agent as to the matters covered thereby.
7.Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Agent that:
a.Registration Statement Amendments. After the date of this Agreement and during any period in which a prospectus relating to any Placement Shares is required to be delivered by the Agents under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act) (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”) (i) the Company will notify the Agents promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference or amendments not related to any Placement, has been filed with the Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, has been filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement, other than documents incorporated by reference, to the Registration Statement or Prospectus related to the Placement or for additional information related to the Placement, (ii) the Company will prepare and file with the Commission, within a reasonable time following an Agent’s request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, upon the advice of the Company’s legal counsel, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Placement Shares by such Agent (provided, however, that the failure of an Agent to make such request shall not relieve the Company of any obligation
or liability hereunder, or affect the Agent’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and provided, further, that the only remedy the Agents shall have with respect to the failure to make such filing shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement until such amendment or supplement is filed); (iii) the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares or a security convertible into the Placement Shares (other than an Incorporated Document) unless a copy thereof has been submitted to the Agents within a reasonable period of time before the filing and the Agents have not reasonably objected thereto (provided, however, that (A) the failure of the Agents to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Agents’ right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and (B) the Company has no obligation to provide the Agents any advance copy of such filing or to provide the Agents an opportunity to object to such filing if the filing does not name the Agents or does not relate to the transaction herein provided; and provided, further, that the only remedy the Agents shall have with respect to the failure by the Company to obtain such consent shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement) and the Company will furnish to the Agents at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus, except for those documents available via EDGAR (provided, that, for the avoidance of doubt, this clause (iii) shall not apply to documents the Company furnishes with the Commission under the Exchange Act); and (iv) the Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act or, in the case of any document to be incorporated therein by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the Exchange Act, within the time period prescribed (the determination to file or not file any amendment or supplement with the Commission under this Section 7(a), based on the Company’s reasonable opinion or reasonable objections, shall be made exclusively by the Company).
b.Notice of Commission Stop Orders. The Company will advise the Agents, promptly after it receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, of the suspension of the qualification of the Placement Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; and it will use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be issued. The Company will advise the Agents promptly after it receives any request by the Commission for any amendments to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplements to the Prospectus or for additional information related to the offering of the Placement Shares or for additional information related to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus.
c.Delivery of Prospectus; Subsequent Changes. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in force, and to file on or before their respective due dates all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14,
15(d) or any other provision of or under the Exchange Act. If the Company has omitted any information from the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, it will use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with the provisions of and make all requisite filings with the Commission pursuant to said Rule 430A and to notify the Agents promptly of all such filings. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such Prospectus Delivery Period it is necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify the Designated Agent to suspend the offering of Placement Shares during such period and the Company will promptly amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that the Company may delay the filing of any amendment or supplement, if in the judgment of the Company, it is in the best interest of the Company.
d.Listing of Placement Shares. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Placement Shares to be listed on the Exchange and to qualify the Placement Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the Agents reasonably designate and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or dealer in securities, file a general consent to service of process, or subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.
e.Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company will furnish to the Agents and their counsel (at the reasonable expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that are filed with the Commission during the Prospectus Delivery Period (including all documents filed with the Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities as the Agents may from time to time reasonably request and, at the Agents’ request, will also furnish copies of the Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales of the Placement Shares may be made; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to furnish any document (other than the Prospectus) to the Agents to the extent such document is available on EDGAR.
f.Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement covering a 12-month period that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) and Rule 158 of the Securities Act.
g.Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the Net Proceeds as described in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Use of Proceeds.”
h.Notice of Other Sales. Without the prior written consent of the Agents, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Stock (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Stock during the period beginning on the date on which any Placement Notice is delivered to an Agent hereunder and ending on the third (3rd) Trading Day immediately following the final Settlement Date with respect to Placement Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice (or, if the Placement Notice has been terminated or suspended prior to the sale of all Placement Shares covered by a Placement Notice, the date of such suspension or termination); and will not directly or indirectly in any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Stock (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Stock prior to the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that such restrictions will not apply in connection with the Company’s issuance or sale of (i) Common Stock, options to purchase Common Stock or Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options, pursuant to any stock option, equity incentive or benefits plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan (but not Common Stock subject to a waiver to exceed plan limits in its dividend reinvestment plan) of the Company whether now in effect or hereafter implemented; (ii) Common Stock issuable upon conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants, options or other rights in effect or outstanding, and disclosed in filings by the Company available on EDGAR or otherwise in writing to the Agents, (iii) Common Stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock, offered and sold in a privately negotiated transaction to vendors, customers, strategic partners or potential strategic partners or other investors conducted in a manner so as not to be integrated with the offering of Common Stock hereby and (iv) Common Stock in connection with any acquisition, strategic investment or other similar transaction (including any joint venture, strategic alliance or partnership).
i.Change of Circumstances. The Company will, at any time during the pendency of a Placement Notice advise the Agents promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document required to be provided to the Agents pursuant to this Agreement.
j.Due Diligence Cooperation. During the term of this Agreement, the Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Agents or their representatives in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices, as the Agents may reasonably request.
k.Required Filings Relating to Placement of Placement Shares. The Company agrees that on such dates as the Securities Act shall require, the Company will (i) file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b)
under the Securities Act (each and every date a filing under Rule 424(b) is made, a “Filing Date”), which prospectus supplement will set forth, within the relevant period, the amount of Placement Shares sold through each Agent, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to each Agent with respect to such Placement Shares (provided that the Company may satisfy its obligations under this Section 7(k)(i) by making a filing in accordance with the Exchange Act including such information), and (ii) deliver such number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to each exchange or market on which such sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.
l.Representation Dates; Certificate. Each time during the term of this Agreement that the Company:
(1)amends or supplements (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to an offering of securities other than the Placement Shares) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or supplement but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares;
(2)files an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act (including any Form 10-K/A containing amended audited financial information or a material amendment to the previously filed Form 10-K);
(3)files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; or
(4)files a current report on Form 8-K containing amended financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to the reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) under the Exchange Act;
(Each date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) shall be a “Representation Date.”)
the Company shall furnish the Agents (but in the case of clause (iv) above only if the Agents reasonably determines that the information contained in such Form 8-K is material) with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l). The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 7(l) shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Placement Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a Placement Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date on which the Company files its annual report on Form 10-K. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) upon the delivery of the first Placement Notice hereunder and (ii) if the Company subsequently decides to sell Placement Shares following a Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide the Agents with a certificate under this Section 7(l), then before an Agent
sells any Placement Shares, the Company shall provide the Agents with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l), dated the date of the Placement Notice.
m.Legal Opinion. On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice given hereunder the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agents a written opinion and a negative assurance letter of Seward & Kissel LLP (“Company Counsel”), or other counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents. Thereafter, within five (5) Trading Days of each Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l) for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agents a negative assurance letter of Company Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent; provided that, in lieu of such negative assurance for subsequent periodic filings under the Exchange Act, counsel may furnish the Agents with a letter (a “Reliance Letter”) to the effect that the Agents may rely on the negative assurance letter previously delivered under this Section 7(m) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such letter (except that statements in such prior letter shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented as of the date of the Reliance Letter).
n.Comfort Letter. On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice given hereunder and within five (5) Trading Days after each subsequent Representation Date, other than pursuant to Section 7(l)(iii) (for which no waiver was given), the Company shall cause its independent registered public accounting firm to furnish the Agents letters (the “Comfort Letters”), dated the date the Comfort Letter is delivered, which shall meet the requirements set forth in this Section 7(n). The Comfort Letter from the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, (i) confirming that they are an independent public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”), (ii) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings (the first such letter, the “Initial Comfort Letter”) and (iii) updating the Initial Comfort Letter with any information that would have been included in the Initial Comfort Letter had it been given on such date and modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter.
o.Market Activities. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or would constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of Common Stock or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase Common Stock in violation of Regulation M, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Placement Shares other than the Agents.
p.Investment Company Act. The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that neither it nor the Subsidiaries will be or become, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act.
q.No Offer to Sell. Neither the Agents nor the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Agents in their capacity as such) will make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any written communication (as defined in Rule 405), required to be filed with the Commission, that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy Placement Shares hereunder.
r.Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company will maintain and keep accurate books and records reflecting its assets and maintain internal accounting controls in a manner designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP and including those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company, (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit the preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP, (iii) that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with management’s and the Company’s directors’ authorization, and (iv) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on its financial statements. The Company will maintain disclosure controls and procedures that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act.
8.Representations and Covenants of the Agents. Each Agent, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants that it is duly registered as a broker-dealer under FINRA, the Exchange Act and the applicable statutes and regulations of each state in which the Placement Shares will be offered and sold, except such states in which such Agent is exempt from registration or such registration is not otherwise required. Each Agent shall continue, for the term of this Agreement, to be duly registered as a broker-dealer under FINRA, the Exchange Act and the applicable statutes and regulations of each state in which the Placement Shares will be offered and sold, except such states in which it is exempt from registration or such registration is not otherwise required, during the term of this Agreement. Each Agent shall comply with all applicable law and regulations in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the issuance and sale through such Agent of the Placement Shares.
9.Payment of Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, filing, including any fees required by the Commission, and printing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment and supplement thereto and each Free Writing Prospectus, if any, in such number as the Agents shall deem reasonably necessary, (ii) the printing and delivery to the Agents of this Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates, if any, for the Placement Shares to the Agents, including any stock or other transfer Taxes and any capital duties, stamp duties or other duties or Taxes payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares to the Agents, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the counsel, accountants and other advisors to the Company, (v) the reasonable and documented out-
of-pocket fees and disbursements of counsel to the Agents up to $50,000 and an additional $2,500 per quarter so long as this Agreement remains in effect, excluding any period during which a Suspension is in place pursuant to Section 4 (provided that such additional fee shall be paid upon the resumption of sale upon the ending of any Suspension); (vi) the fees and expenses of the transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock, (vii) the filing fees incident to any review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Placement Shares, and (viii) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange.
10.Conditions to the Agents’ Obligations. The obligations of each Agent hereunder with respect to a Placement will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness of the representations and warranties made by the Company herein (other than those representations and warranties made as of a specified date or time), to the due performance in all material respects by the Company of its obligations hereunder, to the completion by such Agent of a due diligence review satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment, and to the continuing reasonable satisfaction (or waiver by such Agent in its sole discretion) of the following additional conditions:
a.Registration Statement Effective. The Registration Statement shall have become effective and shall be available for the sale of all Placement Shares contemplated to be issued by any Placement Notice.
b.No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (i) receipt by the Company of any request for additional information from the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the response to which would require any posteffective amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (other than immaterial amendments and supplements to documents incorporated by reference therein) if such post effective amendments or supplements have not been made or became effective; (ii) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or receipt by the Company of notification of the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Placement Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or receipt by the Company of notification of the initiation of, or a threat to initiate, any proceeding for such purpose; or (iv) the occurrence of any event that makes any material statement made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any material Incorporated Document untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any material Incorporated Document so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus or any material Incorporated Document, it will not contain any materially 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
c.No Misstatement or Material Omission. Such Agent shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in such Agent’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in such Agent’s reasonable opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
d.Material Changes. Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, or disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Commission, there shall not have been any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that would cause a Material Adverse Effect, or a downgrading in or withdrawal of the rating assigned to any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities) by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act (a “Rating Organization”), or a public announcement by any Rating Organization that it has under surveillance or review its rating of any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities), the effect of which, in the case of any such action by a Rating Organization described above, in the reasonable judgment of the Agents (without relieving the Company of any obligation or liability it may otherwise have), is so material as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering of the Placement Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
e.Legal Opinion. Such Agent shall have received the opinion and negative assurance letter of Company Counsel required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(m) on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinion and negative assurance letter are required pursuant to Section 7(m).
f.Comfort Letter. Such Agent shall have received the Comfort Letter required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(n) on or before the date on which such delivery of such letter is required pursuant to Section 7(n).
g.Representation Certificate. Such Agent shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(l) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 7(l).
h.Secretary’s Certificate. On or prior to the first Representation Date, such Agent shall have received a certificate, signed on behalf of the Company by its corporate Secretary, in form and substance satisfactory to such Agent and its counsel.
i.No Suspension. Trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended on the Exchange and the Common Stock shall not have been delisted from the Exchange.
j.Other Materials. On each date on which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(l), the Company shall have furnished to such Agent such appropriate further information, certificates and documents as such Agent may reasonably request and which are usually and customarily furnished by an issuer of securities in connection
with a securities offering of the type contemplated hereby. All such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents will be in compliance with the provisions hereof.
k.Securities Act Filings Made. All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to the issuance of any Placement Notice hereunder shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424.
l.Approval for Listing. The Placement Shares shall either have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to notice of issuance, or the Company shall have filed an application for listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange at, or prior to, the issuance of any Placement Notice.
m.No Termination Event. There shall not have occurred any event that would permit such Agent to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 13(a).
11.Indemnification and Contribution.
a.Company Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Agent, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees and agents and each person, if any, who controls such Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:
(i)against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii)against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 11(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be delayed or withheld; and
(iii)against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of counsel), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim
whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above,
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made solely in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
b.Indemnification by the Agent. Each Agent agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors and officers, and each person, if any, who (i) controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or (ii) is controlled by or is under common control with the Company against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 11(a), as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendments thereto) or in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to such Agent and furnished to the Company in writing by such Agent expressly for use therein.
c.Procedure. Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 11 will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or parties under this Section 11, notify each such indemnifying party of the commencement of such action, enclosing a copy of all papers served, but the omission so to notify such indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from (i) any liability that it might have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 11 and (ii) any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under the foregoing provisions of this Section 11 unless, and only to the extent that, such omission results in the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses by the indemnifying party. If any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of its commencement, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the extent that it elects by delivering written notice to the indemnified party promptly after receiving notice of the commencement of the action from the indemnified party, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense of the action, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense, the indemnifying party will not be liable to the indemnified party for any legal or other expenses except as provided below and except for the reasonable costs of investigation subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense. The indemnified party will have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (1) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the
indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or potential conflict of interest exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (4) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. All such reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges will be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly after the indemnifying party receives a written invoice relating to fees, disbursements and other charges in reasonable detail. An indemnifying party will not, in any event, be liable for any settlement of any action or claim effected without its written consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this Section 11 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (1) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (2) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
d.Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in the foregoing paragraphs of this Section 11 is applicable in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be unavailable from the Company or an Agent, the Company and such Agent will contribute to the total losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including any investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted, but after deducting any contribution received by the Company from persons other than such Agent, such as persons who control the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, officers of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and directors of the Company, who also may be liable for contribution) to which the Company and an Agent may be subject in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and such Agent on the other hand. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and each Agent on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total Net Proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by such Agent (before deducting expenses) from the sale of Placement Shares on behalf of the Company. If, but only if, the allocation provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and such Agent, on the other hand, with respect to the statements or omission that resulted in such loss, claim,
liability, expense or damage, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations with respect to such offering. Such relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Agent, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Agents agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 11(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, liability, expense, or damage, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 11(d) shall be deemed to include, for the purpose of this Section 11(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim to the extent consistent with Section 11(c) hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 11(d), no Agent shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the commissions received by it under this Agreement and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 11(d), any person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, and any officers, directors, partners, employees or agents of each Agent, will have the same rights to contribution as that party, and each officer who signed the Registration Statement and director of the Company will have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the provisions hereof. Any party entitled to contribution, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made under this Section 11(d), will notify any such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify will not relieve that party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have under this Section 11(d) except to the extent that the failure to so notify such other party materially prejudiced the substantive rights or defenses of the party from whom contribution is sought. Except for a settlement entered into pursuant to the last sentence of Section 11(c) hereof, no party will be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled without its written consent if such consent is required pursuant to Section 11(c) hereof.
12.Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section 11 of this Agreement and all representations and warranties of the Company herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto shall survive, as of their respective dates, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Agent, any controlling persons, or the Company (or any of their respective officers, employees, directors or controlling persons), (ii) delivery and acceptance of the Placement Shares and payment therefor or (iii) any termination of this Agreement.
13.Termination.
a.The Agents may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, as hereinafter specified at any time (1) if there has been, since the time of execution of this
Agreement or since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that would have a Material Adverse Effect that, in the sole judgment of the Agents, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (2) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Agents, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (3) if trading in the Common Stock has been suspended or limited by the Commission or the Exchange, or if trading generally on the Exchange has been suspended or limited, or minimum prices for trading have been fixed on the Exchange, (4) if any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market shall have occurred and be continuing, (5) if a major disruption of securities settlements or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred and be continuing, or (6) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either U.S. Federal or New York authorities. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination. If the Agents elect to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 13(a), the Agents shall provide the required notice as specified in Section 14 (Notices).
b.The Company shall have the right, by giving five (5) days’ notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
c.The Agents shall have the right, by giving five (5) days’ notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in their sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
d.Unless earlier terminated pursuant to this Section 13, this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the issuance and sale of all of the Placement Shares through the Agents on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein except that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time;
Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
e.This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to Sections 13(a), (b), (c), or (d) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided, however, that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) shall remain in full force and effect. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Company shall not have any liability to the Agents for any discount, commission or other compensation with respect to any Placement Shares not otherwise sold by the Agents under this Agreement. To the extent this Agreement is terminated by one Agent or by the Company with respect to one Agent pursuant to Sections 13(a), (b) or (c) above, this Agreement shall terminate only with respect to such Agent and shall remain in full force and effect with respect to the Company and the other Agents, unless and until terminated pursuant to Sections 13(a), (b), (c), or (d) above.
f.Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided, however, that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by the Agents or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Shares, such Placement Shares shall settle in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
14.Notices. All notices or other communications required or permitted to be given by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified, and if sent to the Agents, shall be delivered to:
B. Riley Securities, Inc.
299 Park Avenue, 21st Floor
New York, NY 10171
Attention: General Counsel
Telephone: (212) 457-9947
Email: atmdesk@brileyfin.com
BTIG, LLC
65 East 55th Street
New York, NY 10022
Attention: Director, Brenna Cummings
Telephone: (415) 248-5537
Email: btigusatmtrading@btig.com
Fearnley Securities Inc.
880 Third Avenue, 16th Floor
New York, New York 10022
Attention: CEO & Partner, Jan Andreas Næss
Telephone: (917) 242-0692
Email jan@fearnleys.com
with a copy to:
Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
1400 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304
Attention: Albert Lung
Telephone: (650) 843-7263
Email: albert.lung@morganlewis.com
and if to the Company, shall be delivered to:
Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.
300 First Stamford Place, 5th Floor
Stamford, CT 06902
Attention: Frank De Costanzo, Chief Financial Officer
Telephone: (203) 276-8101
Email: fdecostanzo@eagleships.com
with a copy to:
Seward & Kissel LLP
One Battery Park Plaza
New York, NY 10004
Attention: Keith Billotti
Telephone: (212) 574-1274
Email: billotti@sewkis.com
Each party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose. Each such notice or other communication shall be deemed given (i) when delivered personally, by email, or by verifiable facsimile transmission on or before 4:30 p.m., New York City time, on a Business Day or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day, (ii) on the next Business Day after timely delivery to a nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iii) on the Business Day actually received if deposited in the U.S. mail (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid). For purposes of this Agreement, “Business Day” shall mean any day on which the Exchange and commercial banks in the City of New York are open for business.
An electronic communication (“Electronic Notice”) shall be deemed written notice for purposes of this Section 14 if sent to the electronic mail address specified by the receiving party under separate cover. Electronic Notice shall be deemed received at the time the party sending Electronic Notice receives verification of receipt by the receiving party. Any party receiving Electronic Notice may request and shall be entitled to receive the notice on paper, in a
nonelectronic form (“Nonelectronic Notice”) which shall be sent to the requesting party within ten (10) days of receipt of the written request for Nonelectronic Notice.
15.Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and each Agent and their respective successors and the affiliates, controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 11 hereof. References to any of the parties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the successors and permitted assigns of such party. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assigns any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement. Neither the Company nor the Agents may assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party.
16.Adjustments for Stock Splits. The parties acknowledge and agree that all sharerelated numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted to take into account any share consolidation, stock split, stock dividend, corporate domestication or similar event effected with respect to the Placement Shares.
17.Entire Agreement; Amendment; Severability. This Agreement (including all schedules and exhibits attached hereto and Placement Notices issued pursuant hereto) constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all other prior and contemporaneous agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof. Neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument executed by the Company and each Agent. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable as written by a court of competent jurisdiction, then such provision shall be given full force and effect to the fullest possible extent that it is valid, legal and enforceable, and the remainder of the terms and provisions herein shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable term or provision was not contained herein, but only to the extent that giving effect to such provision and the remainder of the terms and provisions hereof shall be in accordance with the intent of the parties as reflected in this Agreement.
18.GOVERNING LAW AND TIME; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS. SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME. THE COMPANY AND EACH AGENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
19.CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE NON-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 WITH ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, AND HEREBY IRREVOCABLY
WAIVES, AND AGREES NOT TO ASSERT IN ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, ANY CLAIM THAT IT IS NOT PERSONALLY SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF ANY SUCH COURT, THAT SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM OR THAT THE VENUE OF SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS IMPROPER. 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 (CERTIFIED OR REGISTERED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED) 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 MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW.
20.Use of Information. The Agents may not use any information gained in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including due diligence, to advise any party with respect to transactions not expressly approved by the Company.
21.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed Agreement by one party to the other may be made by facsimile transmission or email of a .pdf attachment.
22.Effect of Headings. The section, Schedule and Exhibit headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
23.Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Agents, and each Agent represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Placement Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Agents or by the Company, as the case may be, is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents and warrants that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. For the purposes of clarity, the parties hereto agree that all free writing prospectuses, if any, listed in Exhibit 23 hereto are Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses.
24.Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that:
a.each Agent is acting solely as agent in connection with the public offering of the Placement Shares and in connection with each transaction contemplated by this Agreement and the process leading to such transactions, and no fiduciary or advisory relationship between the Company or any of its respective affiliates, stockholders (or other equity holders), creditors or employees or any other party, on the one hand, and any Agent, on the other hand, has been or will be created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether or not an Agent has advised or is advising the Company on other matters, and no Agent has any obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement;
b.it is capable of evaluating and understanding, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
c.no Agent has provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and it has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate;
d.it is aware that each Agent and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and no Agent has any obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship or otherwise; and
e.it waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against any Agent for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the sale of Placement Shares under this Agreement and agrees that no Agent shall have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract, tort or otherwise) to it in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on its behalf or in right of it or the Company, employees or creditors of Company, other than in respect of such Agent’s obligations under this Agreement and to keep information provided by the Company to such Agent and such Agent’s counsel confidential to the extent not otherwise publicly-available.
25.Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below:
“Applicable Time” means (i) each Representation Date and (ii) the time of each sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the Placement Shares that (1) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (2) is a “road show” that is a “written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (3) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Placement Shares or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the Securities Act.
“Rule 172,” “Rule 405,” “Rule 415,” “Rule 424,” “Rule 424(b),” “Rule 430B,” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Securities Act.
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information that is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be.
All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR; all references in this Agreement to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (other than any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that, pursuant to Rule 433, are not required to be filed with the Commission) shall be deemed to include the copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR; and all references in this Agreement to “supplements” to the Prospectus shall include, without limitation, any supplements, “wrappers” or similar materials prepared in connection with any offering, sale or private placement of any Placement Shares by the Agents outside of the United States.
[Remainder of the page intentionally left blank]
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Company and the Agents, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and the Agents.
Very truly yours,
EAGLE BULK SHIPPING INC.
By:
Name: s/s Frank De Costanzo
Title: Chief Financial Officer
ACCEPTED as of the date first-above written:
B. RILEY SECURITIES, INC.
By:
Name: s/s Patrice McNicoll
Title: Co-Head of Investment Banking
BTIG, LLC
By:
Name: s/s Dean O' Connor
Title: Managing Director
FEARNLEY SECURITIES INC.
By:
Name: s/s Jan A Naess
Title: Chief Executive Officer
[Signature Page to At Market Issuance Sales Agreement]
SCHEDULE 1
FORM OF PLACEMENT NOTICE
From: Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.
To: _______________
Attention: _______________
Subject: At Market Issuance--Placement Notice
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the At Market Issuance Sales Agreement between Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (the “Company”), B. Riley Securities, Inc. (“B. Riley”), BTIG, LLC (“BTIG”) and Fearnley Securities Inc. (“Fearnleys”), dated March 12, 2021, the Company hereby requests that __________ sell up to __________ of the Company’s Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, at a minimum market price of $ _____ per share, during the time period beginning [month, day, time] and ending [month, day, time].
SCHEDULE 2
_________________
Compensation
________________________
The Company shall pay to the Designated Agent in cash, upon each sale of Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement, an amount equal to 2.0% of the gross proceeds from each sale of Placement Shares.
SCHEDULE 3
EXHIBIT 6(ll)
EXHIBIT 7(l)
EXHIBIT 23
Permitted Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses
