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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 5, 2024

 

 

 

Fly-E Group, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-42122   92-0981080

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

  (Commission File Number)  

(IRS Employer

Identification Number)

 

136-40 39th Avenue

Flushing, New York

  11354
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (929) 410-2770

 

n/a

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class   Trading Symbol  

Name of each exchange

on which registered

common stock, $0.01 par value per share   FLYE   The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company ☒

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

 

 

 


 

Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

 

On June 5, 2024, Fly-E Group, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into an underwriting agreement with The Benchmark Company, LLC (“Benchmark”), as representative of the underwriters named therein (the “Underwriting Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company issued and sold, in its initial public offering (the “Public Offering”), 2,250,000 shares of its common stock, $0.01 par value per share (“Common Stock”). The shares of Common Stock were sold to the public at the price of $4.00 per share and offered by the Company pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-276830), which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 14, 2024 (the “Registration Statement”). On June 7, 2024, the Public Offering closed (the “Closing Date”), resulting in gross proceeds to the Company of $9 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. The Company also has granted to the underwriters a 30-day overallotment option to purchase up to an additional 337,500 shares of Common Stock, which is equal to 15% of the number of shares of Common Stock sold in the Public Offering.

 

The Company agreed to an underwriting discount of 7% of the public offering price of the shares of Common Stock sold in the Public Offering. In addition, the Company issued to Benchmark warrants to purchase 112,500 shares of Common Stock, which is equal to 5% of the number of shares of Common Stock sold in the Public Offering (the “Representative’s Warrants”). The Representative’s Warrants have an initial exercise price equal to $4.00, which equal to the initial public offering price in the Public Offering. The Representative’s Warrants are exercisable at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, during the four-and-a-half-year period commencing on the Closing Date. The Representative’s Warrants provide for registration rights (including a one-time demand registration right at our expense and unlimited piggyback rights, each expiring five (5) years from the Closing Date) and customary anti-dilution provisions, as permitted by FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8).

 

The Underwriting Agreement contains representations, warranties and covenants made by the Company that are customary for transactions of this type. Under the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company has agreed to indemnify the underwriter against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. In addition, pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company and its officers and directors and certain stockholders have entered into lock-up agreements pursuant to which each of them has agreed not to, for a period of 180 days, without the prior consent of Benchmark, offer, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of the Company’s securities, subject to limited exceptions.

 

Item 5.03 Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

 

On June 7, 2024, the Company filed its amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and its amended and restated bylaws (the “Bylaws”) became effective in connection with the closing of the Public Offering. The Company’s board of directors and stockholders previously approved the amendment and restatement of these documents to be effective immediately prior to the closing of the Public Offering. A description of certain provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws is set forth in the section titled “Description of Securities” in the Registration Statement.

 

The foregoing description of the Underwriting Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant, the Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws is qualified in its entirety by reference to (1) the Underwriting Agreement filed as Exhibit 1.1 hereto, the Representative’s Warrant filed as Exhibit 4.1 hereto, (3) the Certificate of Incorporation filed as Exhibit 3.1 hereto and (4) the Bylaws filed as Exhibit 3.2 hereto, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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Item 8.01. Other Events.

 

In connection with the Public Offering, the Common Stock was approved for listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “FLYE” and commenced trading on Nasdaq on June 6, 2024.

 

On June 5, 2024, the Company issued a press release announcing the pricing of the Public Offering, and on June 7, 2024, the Company issued a press release announcing the closing of the Public Offering.

 

Copies of the press releases are attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2. The information provided under this Item 8.01, including the accompanying press releases, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liability of that section. This information will not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except to the extent that the registrant specifically incorporates it by reference.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) The following exhibits are being filed herewith:

 

Exhibit No.   Description
1.1   Underwriting Agreement, dated as of June 5, 2024, by and between the Company and The Benchmark Company, LLC.
3.1   Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Fly-E Group, Inc.
3.2   Amended and Restated Bylaws of Fly-E Group, Inc.
4.1   Representative’s Warrant, dated June 7, 2024.
99.1   Press Release issued on June 5, 2024.
99.2   Press Release issued on June 7, 2024
104   Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

  FLY-E GROUP, INC.
     
Date: June 7, 2024 By: /s/ Zhou Ou
  Name:  Zhou Ou
  Title Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 3

 

 

EX-1.1 2 ea020743801ex1-1_flyegroup.htm UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT, DATED AS OF JUNE 5, 2024, BY AND BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND THE BENCHMARK COMPANY, LLC

Exhibit 1.1

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

between

 

Fly-E Group, Inc.

 

and

 

The Benchmark Company, LLC

 

as Representative of the Several Underwriters

 

 


 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

between

 

Fly-E Group, Inc.

 

and

 

The Benchmark Company, LLC

 

as Representative of the Several Underwriters

 

New York, New York

June 5, 2024

 

The Benchmark Company, LLC

as Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto
150 East 58th Street, 17th Floor

New York, New York 10155

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned, Fly-E Group, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the law of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with The Benchmark Company, LLC (hereinafter referred to as “you” (including its correlatives) or the “Representative”) and with the other underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto for which the Representative is acting as representative (the Representative and such other underwriters being collectively called the “Underwriters” or, individually, an “Underwriter”) as follows:

 

1. Purchase and Sale of Shares.

 

1.1 Firm Shares.

 

1.1.1. Purchase of Firm Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters, severally and not jointly, and the Underwriters agree to purchase from the Company, severally and not jointly, an aggregate of 2,250,000 shares, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company’s common stock (such shares being the “Firm Shares” and such common stock being the “Common Stock”) as set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule 1 hereto at a purchase price (net of underwriting discounts and commissions) equal to $3.72 per share (such purchase price being equal to 93% of the initial public offering price per Firm Share). The Firm Shares are to be offered initially to the public at the offering price set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus (as defined in Section 2.1.1 hereof).

 

1.1.2. Payment and Delivery. Delivery and payment for the Firm Shares shall be made at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second (2nd) Business Day (as defined below) following the effective date (the “Effective Date”) of the Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 below) (or the third (3rd) Business Day following the Effective Date if the Registration Statement is declared effective after 4:01 p.m., New York City time) or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at the offices of Lucosky Brookman LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, or at such other place (or remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment for the Firm Shares is called the “Closing Date”. Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made on the Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery to the Representative of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative) representing the Firm Shares (or through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) for the account of the Underwriters. The Firm Shares shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least one (1) Business Day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Shares except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all of the Firm Shares. The term “Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay-at-home,” “shelter-in-place,” “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York generally are open for use by customers on such day.

 

 


 

1.2. Over-allotment Option.

 

1.2.1. Option Shares. For the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Firm Shares, the Company hereby grants to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 337,500 shares of Common Stock (the “Option Shares”) representing fifteen percent (15%) of the Firm Shares sold in the offering, from the Company (the “Over-allotment Option”). The Option Shares shall be identical in all respects to the Firm Shares. The Option Shares shall be purchased for the account of each of the several Underwriters in the same proportion as the number of Firm Shares, set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name on Schedule 1 hereto, bears to the total number of Firm Shares (subject to adjustment by the Representative to eliminate fractions). No Option Shares shall be sold or delivered unless the Firm Shares previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Option Shares, or any portion thereof, may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Representative to the Company. The purchase price to be paid per Option Share shall be equal to the purchase price per Firm Share set forth in Section 1.1.1 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Option Shares are hereinafter referred to together as the “Public Shares”. The offering and sale of the Firm Shares and the Option Shares is hereinafter referred to as the “Offering”.

 

1.2.2. Exercise of Option. The Over-allotment Option granted pursuant to Section 1.2.1 hereof may be exercised by the Representative as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Shares within thirty (30) days after the Effective Date. The Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to purchase any Option Shares prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment Option. The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of oral notice to the Company from the Representative, which must be confirmed in writing by overnight mail or facsimile or other electronic transmission setting forth the number of Option Shares to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Shares (the “Option Closing Date”), which shall not be later than five (5) full Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative, at the offices of counsel to the Underwriters or at such other place (including remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative. If such delivery and payment for the Option Shares does not occur on the Closing Date, the Option Closing Date will be as set forth in the notice. Upon exercise of the Over-allotment Option with respect to all or any portion of the Option Shares, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company shall become obligated to sell to the Underwriters the number of Option Shares specified in such notice and, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, shall purchase the number of Option Shares specified in such notice.

 

1.2.3. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Option Shares shall be made on the Option Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery to you of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Option Shares (or through the facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriters. The Option Shares shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least one (1) full Business Day prior to the Option Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Option Shares except upon tender of payment by the Representative for applicable Option Shares.

 

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1.3. Representative’s Warrant.

 

1.3.1. Purchase Warrants. The Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to the Representative (and/or its designees) on the Closing Date, and on each Option Closing Date, if any, a warrant or warrants (the “Representative’s Warrants”) to purchase an aggregate of 112,500 shares of Common Stock (or 129,375 shares of Common Stock if the Underwriters exercise the Over-allotment Option in full) equal to 5.0% of aggregate number of Firm Shares and Option Shares issued on such Closing Date and Option Closing Date, as applicable, sold in the Offering pursuant to a warrant agreement substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto (the “Representative’s Warrant Agreement”). Each Representative’s Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase shares of Common Stock at the exercise price thereof. The Representative’s Warrant shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, commencing on a date which is six (6) months after the Effective Date and expiring on the five-year anniversary of the Effective Date at an initial exercise price of $4.00 per share, which is equal to 100% of the initial public offering price of the Firm Shares. The Representative’s Warrant and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrant (the “Representative’s Shares” and, together with the Public Shares, the “Shares”) are hereinafter referred to together as the “Representative’s Securities”. The Representative understands and agrees that there are significant restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 on the transfer of the Representative’s Warrant and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative Warrant during the one hundred eighty (180) day period commencing on the Effective Date and by its acceptance thereof shall agree that it will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Representative’s Warrant, or any portion thereof, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date to anyone other than (i) an Underwriter or a selected dealer in connection with the Offering, or (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of the Representative or of any such Underwriter or selected dealer; and only if any such transferee agrees to the foregoing restrictions and those in the Representative’s Warrant Agreement.

 

1.3.2 Delivery. Delivery of the Representative’s Warrant shall be made on the Closing Date and shall be issued in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request.

 

1.4. Right of First Refusal. Subject to the right of the Company to terminate this Agreement for cause pursuant to Rule 5110(g)(5)(B) of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), the Company agrees that, if, for the period ending twelve (12) months from the Closing Date, the Company, any successor to or any subsidiary of the Company decides to raise funds by means of a public offering (including at-the-market facility) or a private placement or any other capital raising financing of equity or equity-linked securities, in each case, the Representative (or any affiliate designated by the Representative) shall have the irrevocable right of first refusal to act as lead or joint investment banker, lead or joint bookrunner and/or lead or joint placement agent, at the Representative’s sole discretion, with respect to each and every such financing or refinancing on terms customary to the Representative. The Representative shall have the sole right to determine whether any other broker dealer shall have the right to participate in any such Offering and the economic terms of any such participation.

 

1.5. Tail Fee. Subject to the right of the Company to terminate this Agreement for cause pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(5(B), the Representative shall be entitled to a cash fee equal to seven percent (7.0%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of any equity or equity linked securities to any investor with whom the Company has had a conference call or meeting arranged by the Representative, provided that any such sale of equity or equity linked securities is consummated at any time within the twelve (12) month period following the earlier to occur of (i) the expiration or termination the letter agreement dated August 26, 2022, as amended, relating to the engagement of the Representative by the Company for the Offering and (ii) the Closing.

 .

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2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters as of the Applicable Time (as defined below), as of the Closing Date and as of the Option Closing Date, if any, as follows:

 

2.1. Filing of Registration Statement.

 

2.1.1. Pursuant to the Securities Act. The Company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement, and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form S-1 (File No. 333-276830), including any related prospectus or prospectuses, for the registration of the Public Shares and the Representative Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in all material respects in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act (the “Securities Act Regulations”). Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration statement became effective (including the Preliminary Prospectus included in the registration statement, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof and all information deemed to be a part thereof as of the Effective Date pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations (the “Rule 430A Information”)), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”. If the Company files any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, then after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include such registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act Regulations. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof.

 

Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a “Preliminary Prospectus.” The Preliminary Prospectus, subject to completion, dated May 3, 2024, that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus.” The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in the Offering is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.”

 

“Applicable Time” means 4:10 p.m., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement.

 

“Bona Fide Electronic Road Show” means a “bona fide electronic road show”, as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) of the Securities Act Regulations.

 

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) relating to the Public Shares that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) of the Securities Act Regulations, whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Public 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) of the Securities Act Regulations.

 

“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a Bona Fide Electronic Road Show), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule 2-B hereto.

 

“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

 

“Pricing Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the Pricing Prospectus and the information included on Schedule 2-A hereto, all considered together.

 

2.1.2. Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (File No. 001-42122) for the registration of the Common Stock pursuant to Section 12(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Such registration has become effective on or prior to the date hereof. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating such registration, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.

 

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2.2. Stock Exchange Listing. The Public Shares have been approved for listing and are listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange”), subject only to official notice of issuance. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting the Public Shares from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

2.3. No Stop Orders, etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or has instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute, any proceedings with respect to such an order. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

 

2.4. Disclosures in Registration Statement.

 

2.4.1. Compliance with Securities Act and 10b-5 Representation.

 

(i) At the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement (or at the time of any post-effective amendments thereto) and at all times subsequent thereto up to the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, each of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus contains and will contain all material statements that are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and conforms or will conform, in all material respects, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each of the Registration Statement and each post-effective amendment thereto, if any, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus, including the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Prospectus, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this Offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to the Commission’s EDGAR filing system (“EDGAR”), except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T promulgated under the Securities Act (“Regulation S-T”).

 

(ii) Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(iii) The Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date (if any), did not, does not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus hereto does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and each such Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Prospectus as of the Applicable Time, did not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the Underwriters by the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists solely of the following disclosure contained in the “Underwriting” section of the Prospectus: the names of the Underwriters, the first sentence following the table set forth under the sub-caption “Underwriting Discount, Commissions and Expenses”, the information set forth under the sub-captions “Stabilization,” and “Passive Market Making” and the table showing the number of securities to be purchased by each Underwriter (the “Underwriters’ Information”); and (iv) Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Underwriters’ Information.

 

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2.4.2. Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (ii) is material to the Company’s business, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder except for any such default or event which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change (as such term is defined in Section 2.5.1 below). Performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses (each, a “Governmental Entity”), including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations.

 

2.4.3. Prior Securities Transactions. During the period starting three (3) years prior to the date of this Agreement, no securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Preliminary Prospectus.

 

2.4.4. Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, state, local and all foreign regulation on the Offering and the Company’s business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and no other such regulations are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which are not so disclosed.

 

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2.4.5. No Other Distribution of Offering Materials. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the Offering other than any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus and other materials, if any, permitted under the Securities Act and consistent with Section 3.2 below.

 

2.5. Changes After Dates in Registration Statement.

 

2.5.1. No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein: (i) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, results of operations, or business, assets or prospects of the Company, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any change or development that, individually or in the aggregate, would have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, assets or prospects of the Company (a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by the Company, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement; and (iii) no officer or director of the Company has resigned from any position with the Company.

 

2.5.2. Recent Securities Transactions, etc. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock.

 

2.6. Independent Accountants. Marcum Asia CPAs LLP (the “Auditor”), whose reports are filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”), including the rules and regulations promulgated by such entity. To the Company’s knowledge, after reasonable inquiry, the Auditor is currently registered and in good standing with the PCAOB and the PCAOB has not made any determination with respect to the Auditor under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act. The Auditor has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act. To the Company’s knowledge, no person who has been suspended or barred from being associated with a registered public accounting firm, or who has failed to comply with any sanction pursuant to Rule 5300 promulgated by the PCAOB, has participated in or otherwise aided the preparation of, or audited, the financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.

 

2.7. Financial Statements, etc.

 

2.7.1. Financial Statements. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules (if any) included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, fairly present in all material respects the financial position, the results of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company at the dates and for the periods to which they apply. Such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved; provided that unaudited interim financial statements are subject to year-end audit adjustments that are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain all of the notes required by GAAP and the supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission), if any, comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. Each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus discloses all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (a) neither the Company nor any of its direct and indirect subsidiaries, including each entity disclosed or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being a subsidiary of the Company (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock, (c) there has not been any change in the capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than in the course of business or pursuant to any grants under any stock compensation plan, and (d) there has not been any Material Adverse Change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt.

 

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2.7.2. Company’s Accounting System. The Company makes and keeps accurate books and records and maintains a system of internal accounting controls designed, and which the Company reasonably believes is sufficient, to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company has not received any notice, oral or written, from the Company’s board of directors stating that it is reviewing or investigating, and neither the Company’s independent auditors nor its internal auditors have recommended that the Company’s board of directors review or investigate, (i) adding to, deleting, changing the application of, or changing the Company’s disclosure with respect to, any of the Company’s material accounting policies; or (ii) any matter which could result in a restatement of the Company’s financial statements for any annual or interim period during the current or prior three fiscal years.

 

2.8. Authorized Capital; Options, etc. The Company had, at the date or dates indicated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the duly authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth therein. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted stock capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date, as of the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, there will be no stock options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but unissued shares of Common Stock of the Company or any security convertible or exercisable into shares of Common Stock of the Company, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell shares of Common Stock or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.

 

2.9. Valid Issuance of Securities, etc.

 

2.9.1. Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company issued prior to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights of rescission with respect thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The authorized shares of Common Stock conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the outstanding shares of Common Stock were at all relevant times either registered under the Securities Act and applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such shares, exempt from such registration requirements.

 

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2.9.2. Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement. The Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale and, when issued and paid for, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the Representative’s Warrants have been duly authorized for issuance and, when issued in accordance with their terms and the terms of this Agreement, will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. The Company has reserved from its duly authorized capital stock the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to this Agreement and the Representative’s Warrants. The holders of the Shares are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Shares are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The Shares conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

2.10. Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Securities Act or to include any such securities in a registration statement to be filed by the Company.

 

2.11. Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement and the Representative’s Warrant have been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and, when executed and delivered, will constitute, the valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. Each of this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant and each Lock-Up Agreement (as defined in Section 2.24) conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

2.12. No Conflicts, etc. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement and the Representative’s Warrant and all documents ancillary thereto the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and the issuance and sale of the Public Shares (including the use of proceeds from the Offering as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not, (i) result in any violation of the provisions of the Company’s certificate of incorporation (as amended or restated from time to time, the “Charter”) or the by-laws (as amended or restated from time to time, the “Bylaws”) of the Company; (ii) result in breach of, is in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) (“Default”) or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event under, conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of, any indenture, loan, credit agreement, note, lease, license agreement, contract, franchise or other instrument (including, without limitation, any pledge agreement, security agreement, mortgage or other instrument or agreement evidencing, guaranteeing, securing or relating to indebtedness) to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of their respective properties or assets are subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”) or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any Governmental Entity as of the date hereof, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for such breaches, defaults, conflicts or such liens, charges or encumbrances which, individually or in the aggregate, would not have or would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition which 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 purchase redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

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2.13. No Defaults; Violations. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is in Default in the due performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any Existing Instrument, except for such Defaults as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Change. The Company is not in violation of any franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any Governmental Entity, except for such violations, individually or in the aggregate, which would not have or would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

2.14. Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents.

 

2.14.1. Conduct of Business. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has all requisite consents, authorizations, approvals, licenses, certificates, clearances, permits and orders and supplements and amendments thereto (collectively, “Authorizations”) required of and from all Governmental Entities as of date hereof to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except, in each case, where the failure to have such Authorizations (individually or in the aggregate) would not have or would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.

 

2.14.2. Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement and the Representative’s Warrant and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof and thereof, and all Authorizations required in connection therewith have been obtained. No Authorization of, and no filing with, any Governmental Entity, the Exchange or another body is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement or the Representative’s Warrant and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except with respect to applicable federal and state securities laws and the rules and regulations FINRA.

 

2.15. D&O Questionnaires. To the knowledge of the Company, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Company’s directors and officers prior to the Offering, as may be updated to the time of the Offering (the “Insiders”) as supplemented by all information concerning the Insiders described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus provided to the Representative and to counsel to the Underwriters, is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires to become materially inaccurate, incorrect or incomplete.

 

2.16. Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending involving the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any executive officer or director which is required to be disclosed and has not been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or in connection with the Company’s listing application for the listing of the Public Shares on the Exchange.

 

2.17. Due Incorporation; Valid Existence. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the law of the State of Delaware, and has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement and the Representative’s Warrant. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business or otherwise, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing, would not have or would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

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2.18. Insurance. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries carries or is entitled to the benefits of insurance (including, without limitation, as to directors’ and officers’ insurance coverage), with reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is customary for companies engaged in similar business which the Company believes are adequate to protect the Company and its business, and, to the Company’s knowledge, all such insurance is in full force and effect. None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (i) has received written notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.

 

2.19. Transactions Affecting Disclosure to FINRA.

 

2.19.1. Finder’s Fees. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any Insider with respect to the sale of the Public Shares hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its shareholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.

 

2.19.2. Payments Within Twelve (12) Months. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) in connection with the Offering to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the twelve (12) months prior to the Effective Date, other than the payment to the Underwriters as provided hereunder in connection with the Offering.

 

2.19.3. Use of Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein.

 

2.19.4. FINRA Affiliation. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no (i) officer or director of the Company, (ii) beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180-day period immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement that is an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).

 

2.19.5. Information. All information provided by the Company in its FINRA questionnaire to counsel to the Underwriters specifically for use by such counsel in connection with its Public Offering System filings (and related disclosure) with FINRA is true, correct and complete in all material respects.

 

2.20. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company and its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of, and with authority from, the Company and its Subsidiaries, has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or employee of any Governmental Entity (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or assist any of them in connection with any actual or proposed transaction) that (i) might subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding, (ii) if not given in the past, might have had a Material Adverse Change or (iii) if not continued in the future, might adversely affect the assets, business, operations or prospects of the Company. The Company has taken reasonable steps to ensure that its accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply in all material respects with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

 

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2.21. Compliance with Sanction Laws. None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any directors, officers or employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government, (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (OFSI) or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, the Republic of Belarus, Crimea, the Russian Federation, Republic of Cuba, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), the Libyan Arab Republic, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Republic of Yemen (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not directly or 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 or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. For the past three years, the Company has not knowingly engaged in and is not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.

 

2.22. Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, including the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, as amended, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

2.23. Officers’ Certificates. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or to counsel to the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.

 

2.24. Lock-Up Agreements. Schedule 3 hereto contains a complete and accurate list of the Company’s officers, directors and each holder of more than five percent (5%) of the Company’s outstanding shares of Common Stock (or securities convertible or exercisable into shares of Common Stock) (collectively, the “Lock-Up Parties”). The Company has caused each of the Lock-Up Parties to deliver to the Representative an executed Lock-Up Agreement, in the form set forth in Exhibit B (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), on or prior to the execution of this Agreement.

 

2.25. Subsidiaries. Each of the Subsidiaries has been duly incorporated or organized, as the case may be, and is validly existing as a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization and has the power and authority (corporate or other) to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Each of the Company’s subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, partnership limited liability company or similar corporate entity, as applicable, to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Change. All of the issued and outstanding share capital or other equity or ownership interests of each of the Company’s subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or adverse claim. None of the outstanding share capital or equity interest in any subsidiary was issued in violation of preemptive or similar rights of any security holder of such subsidiary. The constitutive or organizational documents of each of the subsidiaries comply in all material respects with the requirements of applicable laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization and are in full force and effect. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement.

 

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2.26. Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been described as required.

 

2.27. Board of Directors. The Board of Directors of the Company is comprised of the persons set forth under the heading of the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus captioned “Management.” The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the board comply with the Exchange Act, the Exchange Act Regulations, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) applicable to the Company and the listing rules of the Exchange. At least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined in Item 407 of Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange. In addition, at least a majority of the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as “independent” as defined under the listing rules of the Exchange.

 

2.28. Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance. The Company is, or at the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date will be, in material compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act applicable to it, and has implemented or will implement such programs and taken reasonable steps to ensure the Company’s future compliance (not later than the relevant statutory and regulatory deadlines therefor) with all of the material provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

2.29. Disclosure Controls and Procedures; Deficiencies in or Changes to Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there have been no significant deficiencies or material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and 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. The Company is not aware of any change in its internal control over financial reporting that has occurred during its most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal controls. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are known to the Company’s management and that have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’ ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud known to the Company’s management, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.

 

2.30. No Investment Company Status. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, an “investment company” as defined in and pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

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2.31. No Labor Disputes. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent. The Company is not aware that any officer, key employee or significant group of employees of the Company plans to terminate employment with the Company.

 

2.32. Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns or possesses or has valid rights to use or has the right to acquire on reasonable terms, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and similar rights (“Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to own or possess, have a valid right license to or have the ability to acquire on reasonable terms any of the foregoing would not have or would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. To the knowledge of the Company, no action or use by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries necessary for the conduct of its business as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will involve or give rise to any infringement of, or license or similar fees for, any Intellectual Property Rights of others. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any such infringement, fee or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others. Except as would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change (A) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company; (B) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the rights of the Company in or to any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim, that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (C) the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property Rights licensed to the Company have not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (D) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of others, the Company has not received any written notice of such claim and the Company is unaware of any other facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; and (E) to the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company is in or has ever been in violation in any material respect of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company, or actions undertaken by the employee while employed with the Company and could reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change. To the Company’s knowledge, all material technical information developed by and belonging to the Company which has not been patented has been kept confidential. To the Company’s knowledge, the Company has taken all actions reasonably necessary to protect, and where necessary register, the copyrights, trademarks, patent rights and trade secrets owned by or licensed exclusively to the Company (solely where the Company has the right to take such actions as to in-licensed intellectual property rights). Each current and former employee and individual contractor of the Company who is or was involved in the creation or development of any Company Intellectual Property has executed and delivered and, to the Company’s knowledge, is in compliance with an employment or consulting agreement containing nondisclosure, assignment and non-solicitation provisions, except as could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Change. The Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and are not described therein. The Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus contain in all material respects the same description of the matters set forth in the preceding sentence. None of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors or employees, or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons.

 

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2.33. Taxes. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has filed all returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company or such respective Subsidiary, except those that are being contested in good faith or as would not have or would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. Except as disclosed in writing to the Underwriters, (i) no issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company or its Subsidiaries, and (ii) no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company or its Subsidiaries. The term “taxes” mean all federal, state, local, foreign and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.

 

2.34. Compliance with Laws. The Company: (A) is and at all times has been in compliance with all statutes, rules, or regulations applicable to the conduct of its business as described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (“Applicable Laws”), except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; (B) has not received any notice from any governmental authority alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any Authorizations required of and from all Governmental Entities as of date hereof to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (C) possesses all material Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in material violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (D) has not received notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any governmental authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such governmental authority or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding; (E) has not received written notice that any governmental authority has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such governmental authority is considering such action; (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct in all material respects on the date submitted (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission); and (G) has not, either voluntarily or involuntarily, initiated, conducted, or issued or caused to be initiated, conducted or issued, any recall, market withdrawal or replacement, safety alert, post-sale warning, or other notice or action relating to the alleged lack of safety or efficacy of any product or any alleged product defect or violation and, to the Company’s knowledge, no third party has initiated, conducted or intends to initiate any such notice or action.

 

2.35. ERISA Compliance. The Company is not subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the regulations and published interpretations thereunder.

 

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2.36. Environmental Laws. The Company is in compliance with all foreign, federal, state and local rules, laws and regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or waste and protection of health and safety or the environment which are applicable to their businesses (“Environmental Laws”), except where the failure to comply would not, singularly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances by, due to, or caused by the Company (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company is or may otherwise be liable) upon any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company, or upon any other property, in violation of any law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or which would, under any law, statute, ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, give rise to any liability, except for any violation or liability which would not have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such violations and liabilities, a Material Adverse Change; and there has been no disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances with respect to which the Company has knowledge, except for any such disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind which would not have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such discharges and other releases, a Material Adverse Change. In the ordinary course of business, the Company conducts periodic reviews of the effect of Environmental Laws on their business and assets, in the course of which they identify and evaluate 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 governmental permits issued thereunder, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such reviews, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Change.

 

2.37. Title to Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real or personal property which are material to the business of the Company, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, claims and defects that do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company, and under which the Company holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and the Company has not received any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

 

2.38. Contracts Affecting Capital. There are no transactions, arrangements or other relationships between and/or among the Company, any of its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity that could reasonably be expected to materially affect the Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements for their capital resources required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which have not been described as required.

 

2.39. Loans to Directors or Officers. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company, or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

2.40. Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations) of the Public Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to such Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.

 

2.41. Emerging Growth Company. From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged in oral or written communications within the meaning of Section 5(d) of the Securities Act) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) the time when a prospectus relating to the Public Shares is not required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations or any similar rule) and (ii) the expiration of the Lock-Up Period (as defined herein).

 

2.42. Smaller Reporting Company. As of the time of filing of the Registration Statement, the Applicable Time, the date hereof and the Closing Date, the Company was a “smaller reporting company”, as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K and Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act Regulations.

 

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2.43. Free Writing Prospectus and Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, made any offer relating to the Public Shares that would constitute an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations. The Company: (a) has not engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication (as defined herein) other than with the consent of the Representative with entities that are “qualified institutional buyers” within the meaning of Rule 144A of the Securities Act Regulations or institutions that are “accredited investors” within the meaning of Rule 501 of the Securities Act Regulations (b) has not authorized anyone to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications other than its officers and the Representative and individuals engaged by the Representative. The Company has not distributed any written Testing-the-Waters Communications. “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act or Rule 163B of the Securities Act Regulations.

 

2.44. Industry Data. The statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources.

 

2.45. Electronic Road Show. The Company has made available a Bona Fide Electronic Road Show in compliance with Rule 433(d)(8)(ii) of the Securities Act Regulations such that no filing of any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433(h) of the Securities Act Regulations) is required in connection with the Offering.

 

2.46. Margin Securities. The Company owns no “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), and none of the proceeds of Offering will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the shares of Common Stock to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.

 

2.47. Dividends and Distributions. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, Registration Statement and the Prospectus, no Subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock (to the extent that any such prohibition or restriction on dividends and/or distributions would have a material effect to the Company), from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company, except as may otherwise be provided in current loan or mortgage-related documents.

 

2.48. Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

2.49. Integration. Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause the Offering to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the Securities Act that would require the registration of any such securities under the Securities Act.

 

2.50. Confidentiality and Non-Competition. To the Company’s knowledge, no director, officer, key employee or consultant of the Company is subject to any confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-competition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer (other than the Company) or prior employer that could materially affect his or her ability to be and act in his or her respective capacity of the Company or be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

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2.51. Corporate Records. The minute books of the Company have been made available to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters, and such books (i) contain a complete summary of all material meetings and actions of the board of directors (including each board committee) and stockholders of the Company (or analogous governing bodies and interest holders, as applicable), since the time of its respective incorporation or organization through the date of the latest meeting and action, and (ii) accurately in all material respects reflect all material transactions referred to in such minutes. There are no material transactions, agreements, dispositions or other actions of the Company that are not properly approved and/or accurately and fairly recorded in the minute books of the Company, as applicable.

 

2.52. Diligence Materials. The Company has provided to the Representative and counsel to the Underwriters all materials required or necessary to respond in all material respects to the diligence request submitted to the Company or counsel to the Company by the Representative.

 

2.53. Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or shareholders (without the consent of the Representative) has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Public Shares.

 

2.54.  No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency, is required for the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act and such as may be required under applicable state securities or blue sky laws or FINRA or the Exchange.

 

3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees as follows:

 

3.1. Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company shall deliver to the Representative, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative shall reasonably object in writing.

 

3.2. Federal Securities Laws.

 

3.2.1. Compliance. The Company, subject to Section 3.2.2, shall comply with the requirements of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations, and will notify the Representative promptly, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed; (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Public Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the Offering of the Public Shares. The Company shall effect all filings required under Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and shall take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

 

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3.2.2. Continued Compliance. The Company shall comply with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Public Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Public Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Public Shares, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representative notice of such event; (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representative notice of any filings made pursuant to the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations within forty-eight (48) hours prior to the Applicable Time. The Company shall give the Representative notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time until the later of the Closing Date and the exercise in full or expiration of the Over-allotment Option specified in Section 1.2 hereof and will furnish the Representative with copies of the related document(s) a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

 

3.2.3. Exchange Act Registration. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act, unless the Company is taken private in a bona fide acquisition transaction.

 

3.2.4. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, it shall not make any offer relating to the Public Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representative shall be deemed to have consented to each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representative. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Underwriters as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

 

3.2.5. Testing-the-Waters Communications. If at any time following the distribution of any written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly notify the Representative and shall promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.

 

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3.3. Delivery to the Underwriters of Registration Statements. The Company has delivered or made available or shall deliver or make available to the Representative and counsel for the Representative, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

3.4. Delivery to the Underwriters of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered or made available or will deliver or make available to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Public Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

3.5. Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Representative. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective with a current prospectus for at least nine (9) months after the Applicable Time, and shall notify the Representative promptly and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the Public Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (vi) of the happening of any event during the period described in this Section 3.5 that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in (a) the Registration Statement in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (b) in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.

 

3.6. Review of Financial Statements. For a period of two (2) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged independent registered public accounting firm to review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the three fiscal quarters immediately preceding the announcement of any quarterly financial information.

 

3.7. Listing. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the Common Stock (including the Shares) on the Exchange for at least three (3) years from the date of this Agreement.

 

3.8. Financial Public Relations Firm. As of the Effective Date, the Company shall have retained a financial public relations firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative and the Company, which shall initially be Ascent Investor Relations LLC, which firm shall be experienced in assisting issuers in initial public offerings of securities and in their relations with their security holders, and shall retain such firm or another firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative for a period of not less than two (2) years after the Effective Date.

 

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3.9. Reports to the Representative.

 

3.9.1. Periodic Reports, etc. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish or make available to the Representative copies of such financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities and also promptly furnish to the Representative: (i) a copy of each periodic report the Company shall be required to file with the Commission under the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations; (ii) a copy of every press release and every news item and article with respect to the Company or its affairs which was released by the Company; (iii) a copy of each Form 8-K prepared and filed by the Company; (iv) a copy of each registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act; (v) a copy of each report or other communication furnished to stockholders and (vi) such additional documents and information with respect to the Company and the affairs of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request. Documents filed with the Commission pursuant to its EDGAR system or press releases shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Representative pursuant to this Section 3.9.1. Any documents not filed with the Commission pursuant to its EDGAR system shall be delivered to the Representative at mjacobs@benchmarkcompany.com.

 

3.9.2. Transfer Agent; Transfer Sheets. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall retain a transfer agent and registrar acceptable to the Representative (the “Transfer Agent”) and, for a period of one (1) year after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish to the Representative at the Company’s sole cost and expense such transfer sheets of the Company’s securities as the Representative may reasonably request, including the daily and monthly consolidated transfer sheets of the Transfer Agent and DTC. VStock Transfer, LLC is acceptable to the Representative to act as Transfer Agent for the shares of Common Stock.

 

3.9.3. Trading Reports. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, during such time as any of the Shares are listed on the Exchange, the Company shall provide to the Representative, at the Company’s expense, such reports published by the Exchange relating to price trading of the Shares, as the Representative shall reasonably request.

 

3.10. Payment of Expenses.

 

3.10.1. General Expenses Relating to the Offering. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including, but not limited to: (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the shares of Common Stock to be sold in the Offering (including the Option Shares) with the Commission; (b) all filing fees and communication expenses associated with the review of the offering by FINRA; (c) all fees and expenses relating to the listing of the shares of Common Stock on the Exchange and such other stock exchanges as the Company and the Representative together determine; (d) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of the Public Shares under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate (including, without limitation, all filing and registration fees, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of “blue sky” counsel; (e) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of the Public Shares under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate; (f) the costs of all mailing and printing of the underwriting documents (including, without limitation, the Underwriting Agreement, any Blue Sky Surveys and, if appropriate, any Agreement Among Underwriters, Selected Dealers’ Agreement, Underwriters’ Questionnaire and Power of Attorney), Registration Statements, Prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final Prospectuses as the Representative may reasonably deem necessary; (g) the costs of preparing, printing and delivering certificates representing the Public Shares; (h) fees and expenses of the transfer agent for the shares of Common Stock; (i) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of securities from the Company to the Underwriters; (j) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants; (k) the fees and expenses of the Company’s legal counsel and other agents and representatives; (l) expenses incurred by the Underwriters for any roadshow for the Offering, (m) the cost associated with the Representative’s use of Ipreo’s book building, prospectus tracking and compliance software for the Offering; and (n) the fees and expenses of the counsel to the Underwriters up to a maximum of $135,000. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, to the Representative, from the gross proceeds of the Offering, for accountable expenses actually incurred by the Representative in connection with the transaction in an amount of up to $160,000. In addition to the forgoing, the Company agrees to be responsible for the costs of background checks on its senior management in an amount not to exceed $7,500. The Representative may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date, or the Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth herein to be paid by the Company to the Underwriters, less the Advance (as such term is defined in Section 8.3 hereof). The Company has advanced to the Representative the sum of $25,000 against fees and expenses of legal counsel and other out-of-pocket accountable expenses anticipated to be incurred, subject to reimbursement by the Representative to the Company if not actually incurred, in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A) and Rule 5110(g)(5)(A). Such sum shall be credited against the legal fees and expenses and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Representative.

 

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3.10.2. Non-Accountable Expense Allowance. The Company further agrees that, on the Closing Date, in addition to the expenses payable pursuant to Section 3.10.1, it shall pay to the Representative a non-accountable expense allowance equal to one percent (1.0%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the Offering.

 

3.11. Application of Net Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application thereof described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

3.12. Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company shall make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than the first (1st) day of the fifteenth (15th) full calendar month following the date of this Agreement, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by independent registered public accounting firm unless required by the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) covering a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months beginning after the date of this Agreement.

 

3.13. Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or shareholders (without the consent of the Representative) has taken or shall take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Public Shares.

 

3.14. Internal Controls. The Company shall maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

 

3.15. Accountants. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company has retained a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm, as required by the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations and the PCAOB, reasonably acceptable to the Representative, and the Company shall continue to retain a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm for a period of at least three (3) years after the date of this Agreement. The Representative acknowledges that the Auditor is acceptable to the Representative.

 

3.16. FINRA. The Company shall advise the Representative (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) if it is or becomes aware that (i) any officer or director of the Company, (ii) any beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) any beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the one hundred and eighty (180) days immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).

 

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3.17. No Fiduciary Duties. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters’ responsibility to the Company is solely contractual in nature and that none of the Underwriters or their affiliates or any selling agent shall be deemed to be acting in a fiduciary capacity, or otherwise owes any fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its affiliates in connection with the Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

3.18. Company Lock-Up Agreement. The Company, on behalf of itself and any successor entity, agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not, for a period of 180 days after the date of this Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; (ii) file or cause to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company, other than the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 or any successor form thereto with respect to the registration of securities to be offered under any employee benefit or equity incentive plans of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; or (iii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of capital stock of the Company, whether any such transaction described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of capital stock of the Company or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.

 

The restrictions contained in this Section 3.18 shall not apply to (i) the Public Shares to be sold hereunder, (ii) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of a stock option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof, which is disclosed in the Registration Statement, or (iii) the issuance by the Company of stock options or other stock-based awards or the issuance by the Company of shares of capital stock of the Company under any equity compensation plan of the Company; provided that, prior to the issuance of any such stock options or shares of capital stock of the Company that vest within the Lock-Up Period, each recipient thereof shall sign and deliver a Lock-Up Agreement.

 

3.19. Release of D&O Lock-up Period. If the Representative, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions set forth in the Lock-Up Agreements described in Section 2.24 hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three (3) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto through a major news service at least two (2) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

 

3.20. Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, if necessary, to qualify the Public Shares for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may designate with the consent of the Company and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Public Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

 

3.21. Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Public Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and Exchange Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Public Shares as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act Regulations.

 

3.22. Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company shall promptly notify the Representative if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Public Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) fifteen (15) days following the completion of the Lock-Up Period.

 

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3.23. Reservation of Common Stock. As of the date hereof, the Company has reserved and the Company shall continue to reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock for the purpose of enabling the Company to issue Option Shares pursuant to the Over-allotment Option and Representative’s Shares pursuant to any exercise of the Representative’s Warrants.

 

3.24. Press Releases. Prior to the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, the Company shall not issue any press release or other communication directly or indirectly or hold any press conference with respect to the Company, its condition, financial or otherwise, or earnings, business affairs or business prospects (except for routine oral marketing communications in the ordinary course of business and consistent with the past practices of the Company and of which the Representative is notified), without the prior written consent of the Representative, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, unless in the judgment of the Company and its counsel, and after notification to the Representative, such press release or communication is required by law.

 

3.25. Sarbanes-Oxley. For a period of one (1) year after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall at all times comply in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in effect from time to time.

 

3.26. IRS Forms. If requested by the Representative, the Company shall deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), prior to or at the Closing Date, a properly completed and executed Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form W-9, together with all required attachments to such form.

 

4. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Public Shares, as provided herein, shall be subject to (i) the continuing accuracy in all material respects of the representations and warranties of the Company as of the date hereof and as of each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any; (ii) the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof; (iii) the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and (iv) the following conditions:

 

4.1. Regulatory Matters.

 

4.1.1. Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430A Information. The Registration Statement has become effective not later than 5:30 p.m., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement or such later date and time as shall be consented to in writing by you, and, at each of the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. The Prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations.

 

4.1.2. FINRA Clearance. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement.

 

4.1.3. Exchange Stock Market Clearance. On the Closing Date, the Public Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.

 

4.2. Company Counsel Matters.

 

4.2.1. Closing Date Opinion of Counsel. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion and negative assurance letter of Hogan Lovells US LLP, counsel to the Company (“Company Counsel”), as to the federal law of the United States of America, the law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) and the law of the State of New York), dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representative, each in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

 

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4.2.2. Option Closing Date Opinions of Counsel. On the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion and negative assurance letter of Company Counsel, dated the Option Closing Date, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, confirming as of the Option Closing Date, the opinions rendered and statements made by such counsel on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 4.2.1.

 

4.3. Comfort Letters.

 

4.3.1. Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed, the Representative shall have received a “cold comfort letter” from the Auditor containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ comfort letters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to the Representative and counsel to the Underwriters, dated as of the date of this Agreement.

 

4.3.2. Bring-down Comfort Letter. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received from the Auditor a letter, dated as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, to the effect that the Auditor reaffirms the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 4.3.1.

 

4.4. Officers’ Certificates.

 

4.4.1. Officers’ Certificate. The Company shall have furnished to the Representative a certificate, dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (if such date is other than the Closing Date), of its Chief Executive Officer or President and its Chief Financial Officer stating that (i) such officers have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in their opinion, the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date) did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as of its date and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, as of the respective date thereof and as of the Closing Date, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, (ii) since the effective date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (iii) to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), and (iv) there has not been, subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company, or any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, involves a Material Adverse Change, except as set forth in the Prospectus.

 

4.4.2. Secretary’s Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Date, as the case may be, respectively, certifying: (i) that each of the Charter and Bylaws is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Offering are in full force and effect and have not been modified; (iii) as to the accuracy and completeness of all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the Commission; and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.

 

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4.4.3. CFO Certificates. At the time this Agreement is executed, on the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date (should the letter delivered by the Auditor on such Option Closing Date pursuant to Section 4.3.2 not provide negative assurance comfort to a cut-off date not more than three business days prior to such Option Closing Date), the Representative shall have received a certificate of the chief financial officer of the Company dated such date certifying as to such matters and in form and substance as the Representative may reasonably request.

 

4.5. No Material Changes. Prior to and on each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any: (i) there shall have been no Material Adverse Change from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (ii) no action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Insider before or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; (iv) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations; (v) the Registration Statement nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (vi) the Pricing Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

4.6.  No Material Misstatement or Omission. The Underwriters shall not have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date that the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of counsel to the Underwriters, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the opinion of counsel to the Underwriters, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of counsel to the Underwriters, is material and is necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

4.7.  Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of each of this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant and each Lock-Up Agreement, the Public Shares, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant and each Lock-Up Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel to the Underwriters, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

 

4.8. Delivery of Agreements.

 

4.8.1. Lock-Up Agreements. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Lock-Up Agreements from each of the Lock-Up Parties.

 

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4.8.2. Representative’s Warrants. At the Closing Date, the Representative’s Warrants and, as to each Option Closing Date, if any, the additional Representative’s Warrants, in definitive form, in such denominations and registered in such names as the Underwriters or their designees request, shall have been delivered to the several Underwriters.

 

4.9. Additional Documents. At the Closing Date and at each Option Closing Date (if any) Representative Counsel shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling Representative Counsel to deliver an opinion to the Underwriters, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public Shares as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and Representative Counsel.

 

5. Indemnification.

 

5.1. Indemnification of the Underwriters.

 

5.1.1. General. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates and each of its and their respective directors, officers, members, employees, representatives and agents and each person, if any, who controls any such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the “Underwriter Indemnified Parties,” and each an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”), against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and the Company or between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or otherwise) to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at common law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (i) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any written Testing-the-Waters Communication (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (ii) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Offering, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically); or (iii) any application or other document or written communication (in this Section 5, collectively called “application”) executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Public Shares under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, the Exchange or any other national securities exchange; or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information. With respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 5.1.1 shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter Indemnified Party to the extent that any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of such Underwriter Indemnified Party results from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus was not given or sent to the person asserting any such loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the written confirmation of sale of the Public Shares to such person as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and if the untrue statement or omission has been corrected in the Prospectus, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the Company with its obligations under Section 3.3 hereof.

 

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5.1.2. Procedure. If any action is brought against an Underwriter Indemnified Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to Section 5.1.1, such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such action and the Company shall assume the defense of such action, including the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the reasonable approval of such Underwriter Indemnified Party) and payment of actual expenses. Such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter Indemnified Party unless (i) the employment of such counsel at the expense of the Company shall have been authorized in writing by the Company in connection with the defense of such action, or (ii) the Company shall not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such action, or (iii) such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to the Company (in which case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one additional firm of attorneys selected by the Underwriter Indemnified Party (in addition to local counsel) shall be borne by the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if any Underwriter Indemnified Party shall assume the defense of such action as provided above, the Company shall have the right to approve the terms of any settlement of such action, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

5.2. Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and persons who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the several Underwriters, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any application, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information. In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the several Underwriters by the provisions of Section 5.1.2. The Company agrees promptly to notify the Representative of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers, directors or any person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public Shares or in connection with the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any written Testing-the-Waters Communication.

 

5.3. Contribution.

 

5.3.1. Contribution Rights. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 5.1 or 5.2 in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the Offering of the Public Shares, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to such Offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the Offering of the Public Shares purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the shares of the Common Stock purchased under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the other hand. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to 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 Underwriters, 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 Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 5.3.1 were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) 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, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 5.3.1 shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 5.3.1, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5.3.1 in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the Offering of the Public Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

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5.3.2. Contribution Procedure. Within fifteen (15) days after receipt by any party to this Agreement (or its representative) of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, such party will, if a claim for contribution in respect thereof is to be made against another party (“contributing party”), notify the contributing party of the commencement thereof, but the failure to so notify the contributing party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any other party other than for contribution hereunder. In case any such action, suit or proceeding is brought against any party, and such party notifies a contributing party or its representative of the commencement thereof within the aforesaid fifteen (15) days, the contributing party will be entitled to participate therein with the notifying party and any other contributing party similarly notified. Any such contributing party shall not be liable to any party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding affected by such party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding affected by such party seeking contribution without the written consent of such contributing party. The contribution provisions contained in this Section 5.3.2 are intended to supersede, to the extent permitted by law, any right to contribution under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise available. Each Underwriter’s obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5.3 are several and not joint.

 

6. Default by an Underwriter.

 

6.1. Default Not Exceeding 10% of Firm Shares or Option Shares. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase the Firm Shares or the Option Shares, if the Over-allotment Option is exercised hereunder, and if the number of the Firm Shares or Option Shares with respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Shares or Option Shares that all Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, then such Firm Shares or Option Shares to which the default relates shall be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder.

 

6.2. Default Exceeding 10% of Firm Shares or Option Shares. In the event that the default addressed in Section 6.1 relates to more than 10% of the Firm Shares or Option Shares, you may in your discretion arrange for yourself or for another party or parties to purchase such Firm Shares or Option Shares to which such default relates on the terms contained herein. If, within one (1) Business Day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Firm Shares or Option Shares, you do not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Shares or Option Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one (1) Business Day within which to procure another party or parties satisfactory to you to purchase said Firm Shares or Option Shares on such terms. In the event that neither you nor the Company arrange for the purchase of the Firm Shares or Option Shares to which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement will automatically be terminated by you or the Company without liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in Sections 3.10 and 5 hereof) or the several Underwriters (except as provided in Section 5 hereof); provided, however, that if such default occurs with respect to the Option Shares, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Shares; and provided, further, that nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the other Underwriters and to the Company for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

 

6.3. Postponement of Closing Date. In the event that the Firm Shares or Option Shares to which the default relates are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date or Option Closing Date for a reasonable period, but not in any event exceeding five (5) Business Days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 6 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such shares of Common Stock.

 

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7. Additional Covenants.

 

7.1. Board Composition and Board Designations. The Company shall ensure that: (i) the qualifications of the persons serving as members of the Board of Directors and the overall composition of the Board comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, with the Exchange Act and with the listing rules of the Exchange or any other national securities exchange, as the case may be, in the event the Company seeks to have its Common Stock listed on another exchange or quoted on an automated quotation system, and (ii) if applicable, at least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange.

 

7.2. Prohibition on Press Releases and Public Announcements. For a period ending at 5:00 p.m., New York time, on the first (1st) Business Day following the fortieth (40th) day after the Closing Date, the Company shall not issue press releases or engage in any other publicity without the Representative’s prior written consent, which consent shall not unreasonable be withheld or delayed; provided that the Representative’s consent shall not be required with regard to any press release or other public disclosure that is required by law or any normal and customary press release or any other publicity issued in the ordinary course of the Company’s business.

 

8. Effective Date and Termination.

 

8.1. Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective when both the Company and the Representative have executed the same and delivered counterparts of such signatures to the other party.

 

8.2. Termination. The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in your reasonable judgment will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required by FINRA or by order of the Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) if the United States shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in major hostilities; or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by an authority of the State of New York State or by a federal authority of the United States of America; or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States securities markets; or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in your reasonable judgment, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Firm Shares or Option Shares; or (vii) if the Company is in material breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants hereunder; or (viii) if, prior to the Closing Date, the Public Shares have not been approved for listing on the Exchange, the Company has taken any action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting shares of the Company’s Common Stock from the Exchange, or the Company has received any notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing; or (ix) if the Representative shall have become aware after the date hereof of such a material adverse change in the conditions or prospects of the Company, or such adverse material change in the securities market, or any event, act or occurrence that has materially disrupted, or in the opinion of the Representative, will in the future materially disrupt, the securities market, or there shall be such a material adverse change in general financial, political or economic conditions or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, inadvisable or impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Public Shares or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Public Shares.

 

30


 

8.3. Expenses. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, except in the case of a default by the Underwriters, pursuant to Section 6.2 above, in the event that this Agreement shall be terminated for any reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Underwriters their actual and accountable out-of-pocket and documented expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein then due and payable (including the fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters) up to $160,000, inclusive of the $25,000 advance for accountable expenses previously paid by the Company to the Representative (the “Advance”), and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters; provided, however, that such expense cap in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any advance received by the Representative will be reimbursed to the Company to the extent not actually incurred in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).

 

8.4. Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be in any way affected by, such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.

 

8.5. Representations, Warranties, Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company or (ii) delivery of and payment for the Public Shares.

 

9. Miscellaneous.

 

9.1. Notices. All communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be mailed (registered or certified mail, return receipt requested), personally delivered or sent by facsimile transmission and confirmed and shall be deemed given when so delivered or faxed and confirmed or if mailed, two (2) days after such mailing.

 

If to the Representative:

 

The Benchmark Company, LLC

150 East 58th Street, 17th Floor

New York, NY 10155

Attention: Michael Jacobs

E-mail: mjacobs@benchmarkcompany.com

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Lucosky Brookman LLP

101 Wood Avenue South, 5th Floor

Woodbridge, NJ 08830

Attention: Joseph M. Lucosky, Esq.

E-mail: jlucosky@lucbro.com

 

If to the Company:

 

Fly-E Group, Inc.

136-40 39th Avenue

Flushing, NY 11354

Attention: Zhou Ou

E-mail: andy@flyebike.com

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Hogan Lovells US LLP

390 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10017

Attention: Richard Aftanas, Esq.

E-Mail: raftanas@hoganlovells.com

 

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9.2. Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.

 

9.3. Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.

 

9.4. Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

9.5. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Representative, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their respective successors, legal representatives, heirs and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as such, of securities from any of the Underwriters.

 

9.6. Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, sitting in the City and County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 9.1 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company agrees that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

9.7. Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or email/pdf transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.

 

9.8. Waiver, etc. The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between us.

 

 

Very truly yours,

   
 

FLY-E GROUP, INC.

   
  By: /s/ Zhou Ou
    Name:  Zhou Ou
    Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

Confirmed as of the date first written above mentioned,
on behalf of itself and as Representative of the several
Underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto:

 

THE BENCHMARK COMPANY, LLC 

 
     
By: /s/ John J. Borer III  
  Name:   John J. Borer III  
  Title: Senior Managing Director  

 

Signature Page

Fly-E Group, Inc. – Underwriting Agreement

 

 


 

SCHEDULE 1

 

Underwriter   Number of
Firm
Shares to be
Purchased
   

Number of
Option
Shares to be
Purchased
if the
Over-Allotment
Option is
Fully
Exercised

 
The Benchmark Company, LLC     2,250,000       337,500  
TOTAL     2,250,000       337,500  

 

 


 

SCHEDULE 2-A

 

Pricing Information

 

Number of Firm Shares:     2,250,000  
Number of Option Shares:     337,500  
Public Offering Price per Firm Share:   $ 4.00  
Public Offering Price per Option Share:   $ 4.00  
Underwriting Discount per Firm Share:   $ 0.28  
Underwriting Discount per Option Share:   $ 0.28  
Proceeds to Company per Firm Share (before expenses):   $ 3.72  
Proceeds to Company per Option Share (before expenses):   $ 3.72  

 

 


 

SCHEDULE 2-B

 

Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus

 

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, dated April 30, 2024, filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act (File No. 333-276830).

 

 


 

SCHEDULE 2-C

 

Written Testing-the-Waters Communications

 

None.

 

 


 

SCHEDULE 3

 

List of Lock-Up Parties

 

1. Zhou Ou, Director and Chief Executive Officer
2. Ruifeng Guo, Director and Chief Financial Officer
3. Rui Feng, Chief Operating Officer
4. Ke Zhang, Chief Human Resource Officer
5. Bing Wang, Director
6. Lun Feng, Director
7. Alan Jacobs, Director

 

 


 

EXHIBIT A

 

Form of Representative’s Warrant Agreement

 

THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER OR ASSIGN THIS PURCHASE WARRANT EXCEPT AS HEREIN PROVIDED AND THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER, ASSIGN, PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATE THIS PURCHASE WARRANT FOR A PERIOD OF ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE (DEFINED BELOW) TO ANYONE OTHER THAN (I) THE BENCHMARK COMPANY, LLC OR AN UNDERWRITER OR A SELECTED DEALER IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING, OR (II) A BONA FIDE OFFICER OR PARTNER OF THE BENCHMARK COMPANY, LLC OR OF ANY SUCH UNDERWRITER OR SELECTED DEALER.

 

THIS PURCHASE WARRANT IS NOT EXERCISABLE PRIOR TO [________________] [DATE THAT IS SIX MONTHS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE OFFERING]. VOID AFTER 5:00 P.M., EASTERN TIME, [___________________] [DATE THAT IS FIVE YEARS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE OFFERING].

 

COMMON SHARE PURCHASE WARRANT

 

For the Purchase of [●] Shares of Common Stock 

of 

 

Fly-E Group, Inc.

 

1. Purchase Warrant. THIS CERTIFIES THAT, in consideration of funds duly paid by or on behalf of The Benchmark Company, LLC (“Holder”), as registered owner of this Purchase Warrant, Fly-E Group, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the law of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), Holder is entitled, at any time or from time to time from [________________] [DATE THAT IS SIX MONTHS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE OFFERING] (the “Commencement Date”), and at or before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, [____________] [DATE THAT IS FIVE YEARS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE OFFERING] (the “Expiration Date”), but not thereafter, to subscribe for, purchase and receive, in whole or in part, up to [●] shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the “Shares”), subject to adjustment as provided in Section 6 hereof. If the Expiration Date is a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized by law to close, then this Purchase Warrant may be exercised on the next succeeding day which is not such a day in accordance with the terms herein. During the period ending on the Expiration Date, the Company agrees not to take any action that would terminate this Purchase Warrant. This Purchase Warrant is initially exercisable at $[●] per Share; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 6 hereof, the rights granted by this Purchase Warrant, including the exercise price per Share and the number of Shares to be received upon such exercise, shall be adjusted as therein specified. The term “Exercise Price” shall mean the initial exercise price or the adjusted exercise price, depending on the context. The term “Effective Date” shall mean May 14, 2024, the date on which the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-276830) of the Company was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”).

 

2. Exercise.

 

2.1 Exercise Form. In order to exercise this Purchase Warrant, the exercise form attached hereto (the “Notice of Exercise”) must be duly executed and completed and delivered to the Company, together with this Purchase Warrant and payment of the Exercise Price for the Shares being purchased payable in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Company or by certified check or official bank check unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2.2 below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. If the subscription rights represented hereby shall not be exercised at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Expiration Date, this Purchase Warrant shall become and be void without further force or effect, and all rights represented hereby shall cease and expire. Each exercise hereof shall be irrevocable.

 

A-1


 

2.2 Cashless Exercise. In lieu of exercising this Purchase Warrant by payment by wire transfer or cashier’s check pursuant to Section 2.1 above, this Purchase Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive the number of Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:

 

(A) = as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(64) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws, “Regular Trading Hours”)) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (x) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (y) the Bid Price of the Shares on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of Regular Trading Hours on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof, which Bid Price shall be shown on supporting documents provided by the Holder to the Company within two (2) Trading Days of delivery of the Notice of Exercise or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of Regular Trading Hours on such Trading Day;
       
(B) = the Exercise Price of this Purchase Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and
       
(X) = the number of Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Purchase Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.

 

If Shares are issued in such a “cashless exercise”, the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Shares shall take on the securities law characteristics of the Purchase Warrants being exercised, and the holding period of the Purchase Warrants being exercised may be tacked on to the holding period of the Shares. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2.2.

 

“Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Shares are then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the Shares for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Shares are then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if the Shares are then quoted on the OTCQB or OTCQX but not listed on any Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of a Share for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Shares are not then listed or quoted for trading on any of a Trading Market, the OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Shares are then reported on the OTC Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per Share so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of the Shares as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holder and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

“Trading Day” means a day on which the Trading Market is open for trading.

 

“Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Shares are listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

A-2


 

“VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Shares are then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Shares for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Shares are then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if the Shares are then quoted on the OTCQB or OTCQX but not listed on any Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of a Share for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if Shares are not then listed or quoted for trading on the OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Shares are then reported on the OTC Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the daily volume weighted average price of the Shares for such date (or the nearest preceding date), or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of the Shares as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holder and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

2.3 Mechanics of Exercise.

 

2.3.1 Delivery of Shares Upon Exercise. The Company shall cause the Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by its transfer agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Shares to or resale of the Shares by Holder, or (B) the Shares are eligible for resale by the Holder without volume or manner-of-sale limitations pursuant to Rule 144 and, in either case, the Shares have been sold by the Holder prior to the Warrant Share Delivery Date (as defined below), and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”). If the Shares can be delivered via DWAC, the transfer agent shall have received from the Company, at the expense of the Company, any legal opinions or other documentation required by it to deliver such Warrant Shares without legend (subject to receipt by the Company of reasonable back up documentation from the Holder, including with respect to affiliate status) and, if applicable and requested by the Company prior to the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the transfer agent shall have received from the Holder a confirmation of sale of the Shares (provided the requirement of the Holder to provide a confirmation as to the sale of Shares shall not be applicable to the issuance of unlegended Shares upon a cashless exercise of this Purchase Warrant if the Shares are then eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144(b)(l)). The Shares shall be deemed to have been issued, and Holder or any other person so designated to be named therein shall be deemed to have become a holder of record of such shares for all purposes, as of the date the Purchase Warrant has been exercised, with payment to the Company of the Exercise Price (or by cashless exercise, if permitted) and all taxes required to be paid by the Holder, if any, pursuant to Section 2.3.6 prior to the issuance of such shares, having been paid. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the second Trading Day following the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Shares on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after the second Trading Day following such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise.

 

2.3.2 Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Purchase Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Purchase Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Purchase Warrant.

 

2.3.3 Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause its transfer agent to deliver to the Holder the Shares pursuant to Section 2.3.1 by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise; provided, however, that the Holder shall be required to return any Shares subject to any such rescinded exercise notice concurrently with the return to Holder of the aggregate Exercise Price paid to the Company for such Shares and the restoration of Holder’s right to acquire such Shares pursuant to this Purchase Warrant (including, issuance of a replacement warrant certificate evidencing such restored right).

 

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2.3.4 Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Shares Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause its transfer agent to transmit to the Holder the Shares pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, Shares to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the Shares so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Purchase Warrant and equivalent number of Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of Shares that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Shares having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Shares with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $l0,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver Shares upon exercise of the Purchase Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

2.3.5 No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Purchase Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either (a) pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or (b) round up to the next whole share if such fraction is greater than or equal to one-half or round down to the next whole share if such fraction is less than one-half.

 

2.3.6 Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event that Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Purchase Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all transfer agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Shares.

 

2.3.7 Closing of Books. The Company will not close its shareholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Purchase Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

2.3.8 Signature. This Section 2 and the exercise form attached hereto set forth the totality of the procedures required of the Holder in order to exercise this Purchase Warrant. Without limiting the preceding sentences, no ink-original exercise form shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any exercise form be required in order to exercise this Purchase Warrant. No additional legal opinion, other information or instructions shall be required of the Holder to exercise this Purchase Warrant. The Company shall honor exercises of this Purchase Warrant and shall deliver Shares underlying this Purchase Warrant in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth herein.

 

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2.4 Holder’s Exercise Limitations. The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Purchase Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Purchase Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates (as defined below), and any other Persons (as defined below) acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s affiliates), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of Shares beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates shall include the number of Shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of Shares which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Purchase Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Stock Equivalents (as defined below)) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2.4, beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2.4 applies, the determination of whether this Purchase Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates) and of which portion of this Purchase Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Purchase Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates) and of which portion of this Purchase Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2.4, in determining the number of outstanding Shares, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding Shares as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Company’s transfer agent setting forth the number of Shares outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within two Trading Days (as defined herein) confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of Shares then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding Shares shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Purchase Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates since the date as of which such number of outstanding Shares was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% of the number of Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of Shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2.4, provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of Shares upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2.4 shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2.4 to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Purchase Warrant.

 

“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company that would entitle the holder thereof to acquire Shares.

 

“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

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2.5 Legend. Each certificate for the securities purchased under this Purchase Warrant shall bear a legend as follows unless such securities have been registered under the Securities Act:

 

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR APPLICABLE STATE LAW. NEITHER THE SECURITIES NOR ANY INTEREST THEREIN MAY BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE LAW WHICH, IN THE OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY, IS AVAILABLE.”

 

3. Transfer.

 

3.1 General Restrictions. The registered Holder of this Purchase Warrant agrees by his, her or its acceptance hereof, that such Holder will not: (a) sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate this Purchase Warrant or the securities issuable hereunder for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date to anyone other than: (i) The Benchmark Company, LLC (“Benchmark”) or an underwriter or a selected dealer participating in the Offering, or (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of Benchmark or of any such underwriter or selected dealer, in each case in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1), or (b) for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date, cause this Purchase Warrant or the securities issuable hereunder to be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of this Purchase Warrant or the securities hereunder, except as provided for in FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2). On and after one hundred eighty (180) days after the Effective Date, transfers to others may be made subject to compliance with or exemptions from applicable securities laws. In order to make any permitted assignment, the Holder must deliver to the Company the assignment form attached hereto duly executed and completed, together with the Purchase Warrant and payment of all transfer taxes, if any, payable in connection therewith. The Company shall within five (5) business days transfer this Purchase Warrant on the books of the Company and shall execute and deliver a new Purchase Warrant or Purchase Warrants of like tenor to the appropriate assignee(s) expressly evidencing the right to purchase the aggregate number of Shares purchasable hereunder or such portion of such number as shall be contemplated by any such assignment.

 

3.2 Restrictions Imposed by the Securities Act. The securities evidenced by this Purchase Warrant shall not be transferred unless and until: (i) the Company has received the opinion of counsel for the Holder that the securities may be transferred pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, the availability of which is established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Company (the Company hereby agreeing that the opinion of Lucosky Brookman LLP shall be deemed satisfactory evidence of the availability of an exemption), or (ii) a registration statement or a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement relating to the offer and sale of such securities has been filed by the Company and declared effective by the Commission and compliance with applicable state securities law has been established.

 

4 Registration Rights.

 

4.1 Demand Registration.

 

4.1.1 Grant of Right. The Company, upon written demand (a “Demand Notice”) of the Holders of at least 51% of the Purchase Warrants and/or the underlying Shares, agrees to register, on one (1) occasion, all or any portion of the Shares underlying the Purchase Warrants (collectively, the “Registrable Securities”). On such occasion, the Company will file a registration statement with the Commission covering the Registrable Securities within sixty (60) days after receipt of a Demand Notice and use its reasonable best efforts to have the registration statement declared effective promptly thereafter, subject to compliance with review by the Commission; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to comply with a Demand Notice if the Company has filed a registration statement with respect to which the Holder is entitled to piggyback registration rights pursuant to Section 4.2 hereof and either: (i) the Holder has elected to participate in the offering covered by such registration statement or (ii) if such registration statement relates to an underwritten primary offering of securities of the Company, until the offering covered by such registration statement has been withdrawn or until thirty (30) days after such offering is consummated. The Company covenants and agrees to give written notice of its receipt of any Demand Notice by any Holders to all other registered Holders of the Purchase Warrants and/or the Registrable Securities within ten (10) days after the date of the receipt of any such Demand Notice.

 

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4.1.2 Terms. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to the registration of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 4.1.1, but the Holders shall pay any and all underwriting commissions and the expenses of any legal counsel selected by the Holders to represent them in connection with the sale of the Registrable Securities. The Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to cause the filing required herein to become effective promptly and to qualify or register the Registrable Securities in such states as are reasonably requested by the Holders; provided, however, that in no event shall the Company be required to register the Registrable Securities in a State in which such registration would cause: (i) the Company to be obligated to register or license to do business in such State or submit to general service of process in such State, or (ii) the principal shareholders of the Company to be obligated to escrow their shares of capital stock of the Company. The Company shall cause any registration statement filed pursuant to the demand right granted under Section 4.1.1 to remain effective for a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months after the date that the Holders of the Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement are first given the opportunity to sell all of such securities. The Holders shall only use the prospectuses provided by the Company to sell the shares covered by such registration statement, and will immediately cease to use any prospectus furnished by the Company if the Company advises the Holder that such prospectus may no longer be used due to a material misstatement or omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 4.1.2, the Holder shall be entitled to a demand registration under this Section 4.1.2 on only one (1) occasion and such demand registration right shall terminate on the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(C).

  

4.2 “Piggy-Back” Registration.

 

4.2.1 Grant of Right. In addition to the demand right of registration described in Section 4.1 hereof, the Holder shall have the right, for a period of no more than seven (7) years from the Effective Date in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(D), to include the Registrable Securities as part of any other registration of securities filed by the Company (other than in connection with a transaction contemplated by Rule 145(a) promulgated under the Securities Act or pursuant to Form S-8 or Form F-4 or any equivalent form); provided, however, that if, solely in connection with any primary underwritten public offering for the account of the Company, the managing underwriter(s) thereof shall, in its reasonable discretion, impose a limitation on the number of Shares which may be included in the Registration Statement because, in such underwriter(s)’ judgment, marketing or other factors dictate such limitation is necessary to facilitate public distribution, then the Company shall be obligated to include in such Registration Statement only such limited portion of the Registrable Securities with respect to which the Holder requested inclusion hereunder as the underwriter shall reasonably permit. Any exclusion of Registrable Securities shall be made pro rata among the Holders seeking to include Registrable Securities in proportion to the number of Registrable Securities sought to be included by such Holders; provided, however, that the Company shall not exclude any Registrable Securities unless the Company has first excluded all outstanding securities, the holders of which are not entitled to inclusion of such securities in such Registration Statement or are not entitled to pro rata inclusion with the Registrable Securities.

 

4.2.2 Terms. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to registering the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 4.2.1 hereof, but the Holders shall pay any and all underwriting commissions and the expenses of any legal counsel selected by the Holders to represent them in connection with the sale of the Registrable Securities. In the event of such a proposed registration, the Company shall furnish the then Holders of outstanding Registrable Securities with not less than thirty (30) days’ written notice prior to the proposed date of filing of such registration statement. Such notice to the Holders shall continue to be given for each registration statement filed by the Company until such time as all of the Registrable Securities have been sold by the Holder. The holders of the Registrable Securities shall exercise the “piggy-back” rights provided for herein by giving written notice within ten (10) days of the receipt of the Company’s notice of its intention to file a registration statement. Except as otherwise provided in this Purchase Warrant, there shall be no limit on the number of times the Holder may request registration under this Section 4.2.2; provided, however, that such registration rights shall terminate on the fifth anniversary of the Commencement Date.

 

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4.3 General Terms.

 

4.3.1 Indemnification. The Company shall indemnify the Holders of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to any registration statement hereunder and each person, if any, who controls such Holders within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from such registration statement but only to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions pursuant to which the Company has agreed to indemnify the Underwriters contained in Section 5.1 of the Underwriting Agreement between the Underwriters and the Company, dated as of [___________], 2024. The Holders of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to such registration statement, and their successors and assigns, shall severally, and not jointly, indemnify the Company, against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which they may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from information furnished by or on behalf of such Holders, or their successors or assigns, in writing, for specific inclusion in such registration statement to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions contained in Section 5.2 of the Underwriting Agreement pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to indemnify the Company.

 

4.3.2 Exercise of Purchase Warrants. Nothing contained in this Purchase Warrant shall be construed as requiring the Holders to exercise their Purchase Warrants prior to or after the initial filing of any registration statement or the effectiveness thereof.

 

4.3.3 Documents Delivered to Holders. The Company shall furnish to each Holder participating in any of the foregoing offerings and to each underwriter of any such offering, if any, a signed counterpart, addressed to such Holder or underwriter, of: (i) an opinion of counsel to the Company, dated the effective date of such registration statement (and, if such registration includes an underwritten public offering, an opinion dated the date of the closing under any underwriting agreement related thereto), and (ii) a “cold comfort” letter dated the effective date of such registration statement (and, if such registration includes an underwritten public offering, a letter dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement) signed by the independent registered public accounting firm which has issued a report on the Company’s financial statements included in such registration statement, in each case covering substantially the same matters with respect to such registration statement (and the prospectus included therein) and, in the case of such accountants’ letter, with respect to events subsequent to the date of such financial statements, as are customarily covered in opinions of issuer’s counsel and in accountants’ letters delivered to underwriters in underwritten public offerings of securities. The Company shall also deliver promptly to each Holder participating in the offering requesting the correspondence and memoranda described below and to the managing underwriter, if any, copies of all correspondence between the Commission and the Company, its counsel or auditors and all memoranda relating to discussions with the Commission or its staff with respect to the registration statement and permit each Holder and underwriter to do such investigation, upon reasonable advance notice, with respect to information contained in or omitted from the registration statement as it deems reasonably necessary to comply with applicable securities laws or rules of FINRA. Such investigation shall include access to books, records and properties and opportunities to discuss the business of the Company with its officers and independent auditors, all to such reasonable extent and at such reasonable times as any such Holder shall reasonably request.

 

4.3.4 Underwriting Agreement. The Company shall enter into an underwriting agreement with the managing underwriter(s), if any, selected by any Holders whose Registrable Securities are being registered pursuant to this Section 4, which managing underwriter shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company. Such agreement shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Company, each Holder and such managing underwriters, and shall contain such representations, warranties and covenants by the Company and such other terms as are customarily contained in agreements of that type used by the managing underwriter. The Holders shall be parties to any underwriting agreement relating to an underwritten sale of their Registrable Securities and may, at their option, require that any or all the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company to or for the benefit of such underwriters shall also be made to and for the benefit of such Holders. Such Holders shall not be required to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters except as they may relate to such Holders, their Shares and their intended methods of distribution.

 

4.3.5 Documents to be Delivered by Holders. Each of the Holders participating in any of the foregoing offerings shall furnish to the Company a completed and executed questionnaire provided by the Company requesting information customarily sought of selling security holders.

 

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4.3.6 Damages. Should the registration or the effectiveness thereof required by Sections 4.1 and 4.2 hereof be delayed by the Company or the Company otherwise fails to comply with such provisions, the Holders shall, in addition to any other legal or other relief available to the Holders, be entitled to obtain specific performance or other equitable (including injunctive) relief against the threatened breach of such provisions or the continuation of any such breach, without the necessity of proving actual damages and without the necessity of posting bond or other security.

 

4.4 Termination of Registration Rights. The registration rights afforded to the Holders under this Section 4 shall terminate on the earliest date when all Registrable Securities of such Holder either: (i) have been publicly sold by such Holder pursuant to a Registration Statement, (ii) have been covered by an effective Registration Statement on Form S-1 or Form S-3 (or successor forms thereto), which may be kept effective as an evergreen Registration Statement, or (iii) may be sold by the Holder within a 90-day period without registration pursuant to Rule 144 or consistent with applicable SEC interpretive guidance (including CD&I no. 201.04 (April 2, 2007) or similar interpretive guidance).

 

5. New Purchase Warrants to be Issued.

 

5.1 Partial Exercise or Transfer. Subject to the restrictions in Section 3 hereof, this Purchase Warrant may be exercised or assigned in whole or in part. In the event of the exercise or assignment hereof in part only, upon surrender of this Purchase Warrant for cancellation, together with the duly executed exercise or assignment form and funds sufficient to pay any Exercise Price and/or transfer tax if exercised pursuant to Section 2.1 hereto, the Company shall cause to be delivered to the Holder without charge a new Purchase Warrant of like tenor to this Purchase Warrant in the name of the Holder evidencing the right of the Holder to purchase the number of Shares purchasable hereunder as to which this Purchase Warrant has not been exercised or assigned.

 

5.2      Lost Certificate. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Purchase Warrant and of reasonably satisfactory indemnification or the posting of a bond, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Purchase Warrant of like tenor and date. Any such new Purchase Warrant executed and delivered as a result of such loss, theft, mutilation or destruction shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation on the part of the Company.

 

6. Adjustments.

 

6.1 Adjustments to Exercise Price and Number of Securities. The Exercise Price and the number of Shares underlying the Purchase Warrant shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as hereinafter set forth:

 

6.1.1 Stock Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Purchase Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on the Shares or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in Shares (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any Shares issued by the Company upon (A) exercise of this Purchase Warrant or (B) exercise, conversion or exchange of options, warrants, preferred stock, convertible notes, other convertible securities or other Common Stock Equivalents), (ii) subdivides outstanding Shares into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding Shares into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues by reclassification of any shares of capital stock of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of Shares (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Purchase Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 6.1 shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification. For the purposes of clarification, neither the Exercise Price of this Purchase Warrant nor the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant will be adjusted in the event that the Company or any subsidiary thereof, as applicable, sells or grants any option to purchase, or sells or grants any right to reprice, or otherwise disposes of or issues (or announces any offer, sale, grant or any option to purchase or other disposition) any Shares or Common Stock Equivalents.

 

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6.1.2   Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 6.1.1 above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of Shares of the Company (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder bad held the number of Shares acquirable upon complete exercise of this Purchase Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Shares are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such Shares as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

6.1.3 Pro Rata Distributions. During such time as this Purchase Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend (other than cash dividends) or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Shares, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of shares or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Purchase Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of Shares acquirable upon complete exercise of this Purchase Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Shares are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any Shares as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation). To the extent that this Purchase Warrant has not been partially or completely exercised at the time of such Distribution, such portion of the Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until the Holder has exercised this Purchase Warrant.

 

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6.1.4 Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while this Purchase Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Shares of the Company are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Company, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of Shares or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Shares are effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding Shares of the Company (not including any Shares held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Purchase Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2.4 on the exercise of this Purchase Warrant), the number of Shares of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable by holders of Shares as a result of such Fundamental Transaction for each Share for which this Purchase Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2.4 on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one Share in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Shares of the Company are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Purchase Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Purchase Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.1.4 pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Purchase Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the Shares acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Purchase Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the Shares pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Purchase Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Purchase Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Purchase Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.

 

6.1.5 Calculations. All calculations under this Section 6.1 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest l/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 6.1, the number of Shares deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of Shares (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.

 

6.1.6 Notice to Holder.

 

i. Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 6.1, the Company shall promptly mail to the Holder a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

 

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ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Shares, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Shares, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the common stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any shareholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Shares, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Shares are converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be mailed a notice to the Holder at its last address as it shall appear upon the warrant register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Shares of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Shares of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Shares for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to provide such notice or any defect therein shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Purchase Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein. 

 

6.1.7 Changes in Form of Purchase Warrant. This form of Purchase Warrant need not be changed because of any change pursuant to this Section 6.1, and Purchase Warrants issued after such change may state the same Exercise Price and the same number of Shares as are stated in the Purchase Warrants initially issued pursuant to this Agreement. The acceptance by any Holder of the issuance of new Purchase Warrants reflecting a required or permissive change shall not be deemed to waive any rights to an adjustment occurring after the Commencement Date or the computation thereof.

 

6.2 Substitute Purchase Warrant. In case of any consolidation of the Company with, or share reconstruction or amalgamation of the Company with or into, another corporation (other than a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation which does not result in any reclassification or change of the outstanding Shares), the corporation formed by such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation shall execute and deliver to the Holder a supplemental Purchase Warrant providing that the holder of each Purchase Warrant then outstanding or to be outstanding shall have the right thereafter (until the stated expiration of such Purchase Warrant) to receive, upon exercise of such Purchase Warrant, the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property receivable upon such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation, by a holder of the number of Shares for which such Purchase Warrant might have been exercised immediately prior to such consolidation, share reconstruction or amalgamation, sale or transfer. Such supplemental Purchase Warrant shall provide for adjustments which shall be identical to the adjustments provided for in this Section 6. The above provision of this Section shall similarly apply to successive consolidations or share reconstructions or amalgamations.

 

6.3 Elimination of Fractional Interests. The Company shall not be required to issue certificates representing fractions of Shares upon the exercise of the Purchase Warrant, nor shall it be required to issue scrip or pay cash in lieu of any fractional interests, it being the intent of the parties that all fractional interests shall be eliminated by rounding any fraction up or down, as the case may be, to the nearest whole number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights.

 

7. Reservation and Listing. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized Shares, solely for the purpose of issuance upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants, such number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights as shall be issuable upon the exercise thereof. The Company covenants and agrees that, upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants and payment of the Exercise Price therefor, in accordance with the terms hereby, all Shares and other securities issuable upon such exercise shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to pre-emptive rights of any shareholder. The Company further covenants and agrees that upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants and payment of the exercise price therefor, all Shares and other securities issuable upon such exercise shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to pre-emptive rights of any shareholder. As long as the Purchase Warrants shall be outstanding, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Shares issuable upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants to be listed (subject to official notice of issuance) on all national securities exchanges (or, if applicable, on the OTC Bulletin Board or any successor trading market) on which the Shares issued to the public in the Offering may then be listed and/or quoted.

 

A-12


 

8. Certain Notice Requirements.

 

8.1 Holder’s Right to Receive Notice. Nothing herein shall be construed as conferring upon the Holders the right to vote or consent or to receive notice as a shareholder for the election of directors or any other matter, or as having any rights whatsoever as a shareholder of the Company. If, however, at any time prior to the expiration of the Purchase Warrants and their exercise, any of the events described in Section 8.2 shall occur, then, in one or more of said events, the Company shall give written notice of such event at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date fixed as a record date or the date of closing the transfer books for the determination of the shareholders entitled to such dividend, distribution, conversion or exchange of securities or subscription rights, or entitled to vote on such proposed dissolution, liquidation, winding up or sale. Such notice shall specify such record date or the date of the closing of the transfer books, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall deliver to each Holder a copy of each notice given to the other shareholders of the Company at the same time and in the same manner that such notice is given to the shareholders.

 

8.2 Events Requiring Notice. The Company shall be required to give the notice described in this Section 8 upon one or more of the following events: (i) if the Company shall take a record of the holders of its Shares for the purpose of entitling them to receive a dividend or distribution payable otherwise than in cash, or a cash dividend or distribution payable otherwise than out of retained earnings, as indicated by the accounting treatment of such dividend or distribution on the books of the Company; (ii) the Company shall offer to all the holders of its Shares any additional shares of capital stock of the Company or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company, or any option, right or warrant to subscribe therefor; or (iii) a dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company (other than in connection with a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation) or a sale of all or substantially all of its property, assets and business shall be proposed.

  

8.3 Transmittal of Notices. All notices, requests, consents and other communications under this Purchase Warrant shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly made when hand delivered or mailed by express mail or private courier service: (i) if to the registered Holder of the Purchase Warrant, to the address of such Holder as shown on the books of the Company, or (ii) if to the Company, to following address or to such other address as the Company may designate by notice to the Holders:

 

If to the Holder:

 

The Benchmark Company, LLC

150 East 58th Street, 17th Floor

New York, NY 10155

Attention: Michael Jacobs

E-mail: mjacobs@benchmarkcompany.com

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Lucosky Brookman LLP

101 Wood Avenue South, 5th Floor

Woodbridge, NJ 08330

Attention: Joseph M. Lucosky, Esq.

Fax No.: (732) 395-4401

E-Mail: jlucosky@lucbro.com

 

If to the Company:

 

Fly-E Group, Inc.

136-40 39th Avenue

Flushing, NY 11354

Attention: Zhou Ou

E-mail: andy@flyebike.com

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Hogan Lovells US LLP

390 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10017

Attention: Richard Aftanas, Esq.

E-Mail: raftanas@hoganlovells.com

 

A-13


 

9. General.

 

9.1 Amendments. The Company and Benchmark may from time to time supplement or amend this Purchase Warrant without the approval of any of the Holders in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder that the Company and Benchmark may deem necessary or desirable and that the Company and Benchmark deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the Holders. All other modifications or amendments shall require the written consent of and be signed by the party against whom enforcement of the modification or amendment is sought.

 

9.2 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Purchase Warrant.

 

9.3 Entire Agreement. This Purchase Warrant (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Purchase Warrant) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

9.4 Binding Effect. This Purchase Warrant shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon, the Holder and the Company and their permitted assignees, respective successors, legal representative and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Purchase Warrant or any provisions herein contained.

 

9.5 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Purchase Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the law of the State of New York. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Purchase Warrant shall be brought and enforced in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, sitting in the City and County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 8 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company and the Holder agree that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its shareholders and affiliates) and the Holder hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

9.6 Waiver, etc. The failure of the Company or the Holder to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Purchase Warrant shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way affect the validity of this Purchase Warrant or any provision hereof or the right of the Company or any Holder to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Purchase Warrant. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Purchase Warrant shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.

 

9.7 Execution in Counterparts. This Purchase Warrant may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Such counterparts may be delivered by facsimile transmission or other electronic transmission.

 

9.8 Exchange Agreement. As a condition of the Holder’s receipt and acceptance of this Purchase Warrant, Holder agrees that, at any time prior to the complete exercise of this Purchase Warrant by Holder, if the Company and Benchmark enter into an agreement (“Exchange Agreement”) pursuant to which they agree that all outstanding Purchase Warrants will be exchanged for securities or cash or a combination of both, then Holder shall agree to such exchange and become a party to the Exchange Agreement.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

  

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Purchase Warrant to be signed by its duly authorized officer as of the ____ day of _______, 2024.

 

  Very truly yours,
     
  FLY-E GROUP, INC.
     
  By:  
    Name:
    Title:

  

A-15


 

[Form to be used to exercise Purchase Warrant]

 

Date: __________, 20___

 

The undersigned hereby elects irrevocably to exercise the Purchase Warrant for [●]shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Shares”), of Fly-E Group, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the law of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), and hereby makes payment of $[●] (at the rate of $[●] per Share) in payment of the Exercise Price pursuant thereto. Please issue the Shares as to which this Purchase Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Purchase Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Purchase Warrant has not been exercised.

 

or

 

The undersigned hereby elects irrevocably to convert its right to purchase [●] Shares of the Company under the Purchase Warrant for [●] Shares, as determined in accordance with the Section 2.2 of the Purchase Warrant.

 

The undersigned agrees and acknowledges that the calculation set forth above is subject to confirmation by the Company and any disagreement with respect to the calculation shall be resolved by the Company in its sole discretion.

 

Please issue the Shares as to which this Purchase Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Purchase Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Purchase Warrant has not been converted.

 

Signature     

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES

 

Name:    
  (Print in Block Letters)  

 

Address:    
     
     
     
     

 

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[Form to be used to assign Purchase Warrant]

 

ASSIGNMENT

 

 (To be executed by the registered Holder to effect a transfer of the within Purchase Warrant):

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, __________________ does hereby sell, assign and transfer unto the right to purchase [●] shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Fly-E Group, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the law of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), evidenced by the Purchase Warrant and does hereby authorize the Company to transfer such right on the books of the Company.

 

Dated: __________, 20__

 

Signature     

 

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EXHIBIT B

 

Form of Lock-Up Agreement

 

B-1


 

EXHIBIT C

 

Form of Press Release

 

Fly-E Group, Inc.


[Date]

 

Fly-E Group, Inc. (the “Company”) announced today that The Benchmark Company, LLC, acting as representative for the underwriters in the Company’s recent initial public offering of _______ shares of the Company’s common stock, is [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to _________ shares of the Company’s common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on _________, 20___, and the shares may be sold on or after such date.

 

This press release is not an offer or sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer or sale is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

 

C-1

 

 

EX-3.1 3 ea020743801ex3-1_flyegroup.htm AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF FLY-E GROUP, INC

Exhibit 3.1

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

FLY-E GROUP, INC.

 

June 7, 2024

 

Fly-E Group, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify as follows:

 

1. The name of the Corporation is Fly-E Group, Inc. The certificate of incorporation of the Corporation was originally filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on November 1, 2022, as amended on April 2, 2024 (the “Certificate of Incorporation”).

 

2. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Amended and Restated Certificate”), which both restates and amends the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time (the “DGCL”) and has been adopted by the written consent of the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.

 

3. This Amended and Restated Certificate shall become effective on the date of filing with the Secretary of State of Delaware.

 

4. The text of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, as heretofore amended, is hereby amended and restated by this Amended and Restated Certificate to read in its entirety as set forth in EXHIBIT A attached hereto.

 

  By: /s/ Zhou Ou
  Name:  Zhou Ou
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 


 

EXHIBIT A

 

FLY-E GROUP, INC.

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

ARTICLE I: NAME

 

The name of the corporation is Fly-E Group, Inc. (the “Corporation”).

 

ARTICLE II: AGENT FOR SERVICE OF PROCESS

 

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, New Castle County. The name of the registered agent of the Corporation at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

 

ARTICLE III: PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).

 

ARTICLE IV: AUTHORIZED STOCK

 

1. Total Authorized. The total number of shares of all classes of stock that the Corporation has authority to issue is 110,000,000 shares, consisting of two classes: 100,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Preferred Stock”).

 

2. Common Stock

 

2.1 Relative Rights

 

The Common Stock shall be subject to all of the rights, privileges, preferences and priorities set forth in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

 

2.2 Dividends

 

Except as may be provided in any resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) providing for any series of Preferred Stock outstanding at any time, whenever there shall have been paid, or declared and set aside for payment, to the holders of shares of any class or series of stock having preference over the Common Stock as to the payment of dividends, the full amount of dividends and of sinking fund or retirement payments, if any, to which such holders are respectively entitled in preference to the Common Stock, then dividends may be paid on the Common Stock and on any class or series of stock entitled to participate therewith as to dividends, out of any assets legally available for the payment of dividends thereon, but only when and as declared by the Board. Any dividends on the Common Stock will not be cumulative.

 

2


 

2.3 Dissolution, Liquidation, Winding Up

 

In the event of any dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of the Common Stock, and holders of any class or series of stock entitled to participate therewith, in whole or in part, as to the distribution of assets in such event, shall be entitled to participate in the distribution of any assets of the Corporation remaining after the Corporation shall have paid, or provided for payment of, all debts and liabilities of the Corporation and after the Corporation shall have paid, or set aside for payment, to the holders of any class or series of stock having preference over the Common Stock in the event of dissolution, liquidation or winding up the full preferential amounts (if any) to which they are entitled.

 

2.4 Voting Rights

 

Each holder of shares of the Common Stock shall be entitled to attend all special and annual meetings. Except as may otherwise be required by law, and subject to the provisions of such resolution or resolutions as may be adopted by the Board pursuant to Section 3 of this Article IV granting the holders of one or more series of the Preferred Stock exclusive or special voting powers with respect to any matter, each holder of the Common Stock shall have one vote with respect to each share of the Common Stock held on all matters voted upon by the stockholders, provided, however, that except as otherwise required by law, holders of the Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including a certificate of designations relating to any series of the Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of the Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either voting separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including a certificate of designations relating to any series of the Preferred Stock) or pursuant to the DGCL. Each holder of shares of the Common Stock may exercise its vote either in person or by proxy.

 

3. Preferred Stock

 

The Board is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by the DGCL and the provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, to provide, by resolution or resolutions from time to time and by filing certificates of designations pursuant to the DGCL, for the issuance of shares of the Preferred Stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, to fix the voting powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of the shares of each such series of the Preferred Stock and to fix the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof.

 

The authority of the Board with respect to each series shall include, but not be limited to, determination of the following: (1) the number of shares constituting that series and the distinctive designation of that series; (2) the dividend rate on the shares of that series, whether dividends shall be cumulative, and, if so, from which date or dates, and the relative rights of priority, if any, of payment of dividends on shares of that series; (3) whether that series shall have voting rights, in addition to the voting rights provided by law, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights; (4) whether that series shall have conversion privileges, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion, including provision for adjustment of the conversion rate in such events as the Board shall determine; (5) whether or not the shares of that series shall be redeemable, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such redemption, including the dates upon or after which they shall be redeemable, and the amount per share payable in case of redemption, which amount may vary under different conditions and at different redemption dates; (6) whether that series shall have a sinking fund for the redemption or purchase of shares of that series, and, if so, the terms and amount of such sinking fund; (7) the rights of the shares of that series in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, and the relative rights of priority, if any, of payment of shares of that series; and (8) any other relative powers, preferences, and rights of that series, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions on that series as the Board shall determine.

 

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Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) or pursuant to the DGCL.

 

Except as otherwise required by law, holders of any series of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to only such voting rights, if any, as shall expressly be granted thereto by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to such series of Preferred Stock).

 

ARTICLE V: AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

 

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by the DGCL, the Board is expressly authorized and empowered to adopt, alter, amend and repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation without the assent or vote of the stockholders in any manner not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Delaware or this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

 

ARTICLE VI: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

1. Director Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board. In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon them by statute or by this Amended and Restate Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation, the directors are hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation.

 

2. Number of Directors. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the total number of directors constituting the entire Board shall be as fixed from time to time by, or in the manner provided by, the Bylaws of the Corporation.

 

3. Term. Each director shall hold office until such director’s successor is elected and qualified, or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. Any director may resign at any time upon notice to the Corporation given in writing or by any electronic transmission permitted in the Corporation’s Bylaws.

 

4. Board Vacancies. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any vacancy occurring in the Board for any cause, and any newly created directorship resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, shall, unless (a) the Board determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by the stockholders or (b) as otherwise provided by law, be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and not by the stockholders. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders at which the term of office to which the director has been elected expires or until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.

 

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5. Vote by Ballot. Election of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of the Corporation shall so provide.

 

6. Officers. Except as otherwise expressly delegated by resolution of the Board, the Board shall have the exclusive power and authority to appoint and remove officers of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE VII: DIRECTOR LIABILITY

 

1. Limitation of Liability. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no director of the Corporation shall be personally liable for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. Without limiting the effect of the preceding sentence, if the DGCL is hereafter amended to authorize the further elimination or limitation of the liability of a director, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended.

 

2. Change in Rights. Neither any amendment nor repeal of this Article VII, nor the adoption of any provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article VII, shall eliminate, reduce or otherwise adversely affect any limitation on the personal liability of a director of the Corporation existing at the time of such amendment, repeal or adoption of such an inconsistent provision.

 

ARTICLE VIII: MATTERS RELATING TO STOCKHOLDERS

 

1. No Action by Written Consent of Stockholders. Subject to the rights of any series of Preferred Stock, no action shall be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation except at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders and no action shall be taken by the stockholders by written consent.

 

2. Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The annual meeting of stockholders shall be held at such place, if any, on such date and at such time as fixed by the Board.

 

3. Special Meeting of Stockholders. Subject to the rights of any holders of the Preferred Stock, only a majority of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation shall be permitted to call a special meeting of stockholders, and the business permitted to be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to matters properly brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board.

 

4. Advance Notice of Stockholder Nominations and Business Transacted at Special Meetings. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors of the Corporation and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation. Business transacted at special meetings of stockholders shall be confined to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice of meeting.

 

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ARTICLE IX: SECTION 203 OF THE DGCL OPT-OUT

 

The Corporation shall not be governed or subject to Section 203 of the DGCL.

 

ARTICLE X: CREDITOR AND STOCKHOLDER COMPROMISES

 

Whenever a compromise or arrangement is proposed between the Corporation and its creditors or any class of them and/or between the Corporation and its stockholders or any class of them, any court of equitable jurisdiction within the State of Delaware may, on the application in a summary way of the Corporation or of any creditor or stockholder thereof or on the application of any receiver or receivers appointed for the Corporation under the provisions of §291 of Title 8 of the DGCL or on the application of trustees in dissolution or of any receiver or receivers appointed for this Corporation under §279 of Title 8 of the DGCL order a meeting of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Corporation, as the case may be, to be summoned in such manner as the said court directs. If a majority in number representing three -fourths in value of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Corporation, as the case may be, agree to any compromise or arrangement and to any reorganization of the Corporation as a consequence of such compromise or arrangement, the said compromise or arrangement and the said reorganization shall, if sanctioned by the court to which the said application has been made, be binding on all the creditors or class of creditors, and/or on all the stockholders or class of stockholders, of the Corporation, as the case may be, and also on the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE XI: AMENDMENT OF CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, or repeal any provision contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by the laws of the State of Delaware, and all rights conferred herein are granted subject to this reservation.

 

 

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EX-3.2 4 ea020743801ex3-2_flyegroup.htm AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS OF FLY-E GROUP, INC

Exhibit 3.2

 

FLY-E GROUP, INC.

----

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

----

 

ARTICLE I

 

OFFICES

 

Section 1. Offices. The registered office of Fly-E Group, Inc. (the “Corporation”) shall be in the State of Delaware. The Corporation may have offices at such other places both within and without the State of Delaware as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or as may be necessary or convenient to the business of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE II

 

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

Section 1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be held on such date, at such time, and at such place (if any) within or without the State of Delaware as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors and stated in the Corporation’s notice of the meeting. In lieu of holding an annual meeting of stockholders at a designated place, the Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that any annual meeting of stockholders may be held solely by means of remote communication.

 

Section 2. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the stockholders may only be called in the manner provided in the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation as then in effect (as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Certificate of Incorporation”) and may be held at such place, if any, either within or without the State of Delaware, and at such time and date as the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall determine and state in the notice of meeting. The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that special meetings of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as described in Section 8 of these Amended and Restated Bylaws in accordance with Section 211(a)(2) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”). The Board of Directors may postpone, reschedule or cancel any special meeting of stockholders previously scheduled by the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 3. Notice of Meetings. (a) The Corporation shall give notice of any annual or special meeting of stockholders. Notices of meetings of the stockholders shall state the place, if any, date, and hour of the meeting, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, if such record date is different from the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, and the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting. In the case of a special meeting, the notice shall state the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. No business other than that specified in the notice thereof shall be transacted at any special meeting. Unless otherwise provided by applicable law or the Certificate of Incorporation, notice shall be given to each stockholder entitled to receive notice of such meeting not fewer than ten (10) days or more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting.

 

 


 

(b) Notice to stockholders may be given by personal delivery, mail, or, with the consent of the stockholder entitled to receive notice, by facsimile or other means of electronic transmission. If mailed, such notice shall be delivered by postage prepaid envelope directed to each stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears in the records of the Corporation and shall be deemed given when deposited in the United States mail. Notice given by electronic transmission pursuant to this subsection shall be deemed given: (i) if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a facsimile telecommunication number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice, (ii) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice, (iii) if by posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice, and (iv) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder. An affidavit of the secretary or an assistant secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given by personal delivery, by mail, or by a form of electronic transmission shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

 

(c) Notice of any meeting of stockholders need not be given to any stockholder if waived by such stockholder either in a writing signed by such stockholder or by electronic transmission, whether such waiver is given before or after such meeting is held. If such a waiver is given by electronic transmission, the electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder.

 

Section 4. Quorum and Adjournment. Except as otherwise required by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, or by these Amended and Restated Bylaws, the presence, in person or represented by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the aggregate voting power of the stock issued and outstanding, entitled to vote thereat, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. If such majority shall not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, a majority of the stockholders present, although less than a quorum, or the presiding officer of such meeting shall have the power to adjourn the meeting to another time and place.

 

Section 5. Adjourned Meetings. When a meeting is adjourned to another time and place, if any, unless otherwise provided by these Amended and Restated Bylaws, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the date, time, and place, if any, thereof and the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting, are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting, the stockholders may transact any business that might have been transacted at the original meeting. If an adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days or, if after an adjournment, a new record date is fixed for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting.

 

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Section 6. Voting. Except as may be otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these Amended and Restated Bylaws or the DGCL, each stockholder shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.

 

Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, at all duly called or convened meetings of stockholders at which a quorum is present, for the election of directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect a director. Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, these Amended and Restated Bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, or applicable law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, each other matter presented to the stockholders at a duly called or convened meeting at which a quorum is present shall be decided by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the votes cast (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) on such matter.

 

Section 7. Manner of Voting; Proxies. (a) At each meeting of stockholders, each stockholder having the right to vote shall be entitled to vote in person or by proxy. Each stockholder shall be entitled to vote each share of stock having voting power and registered in such stockholder’s name on the books of the Corporation on the record date fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting.

 

(b) Each person entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. A proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only so long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power. Proxies need not be filed with the Secretary of the Corporation until the meeting is called to order, but shall be filed before being voted. Without limiting the manner in which a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy, the following shall constitute valid means by which a stockholder may grant such authority:

 

(i) A stockholder may execute a writing authorizing another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy.

 

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Execution may be accomplished by the stockholder or the stockholder’s authorized officer, director, employee, or agent signing such writing or causing such person’s signature to be affixed to such writing by any reasonable means including, but not limited to, by facsimile signature; and (ii) A stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy by transmitting or authorizing the transmission of a telegram, cablegram, or other means of electronic transmission to the person or persons who will be the holder of the proxy or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support service organization, or like agent duly authorized by the person who will be the holder of the proxy to receive such transmission; provided, however, that any such telegram, cablegram, or other means of electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the telegram, cablegram, or other electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder. If it is determined that any such telegram, cablegram, or other electronic transmission is valid, the inspectors or, if there are no inspectors, such other persons making that determination, shall specify the information upon which they relied.

 

Any copy, facsimile telecommunication, or other reliable reproduction of a writing or electronic transmission authorizing a person or persons to act as proxy for a stockholder may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing or electronic transmission for any and all purposes for which the original writing or electronic transmission could be used; provided, however, that such copy, facsimile telecommunication, or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or electronic transmission.

 

Section 8. Remote Communication. For the purposes of these Amended and Restated Bylaws, if authorized by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion, and subject to such guidelines and procedures as the Board of Directors may adopt, stockholders and proxyholders may, by means of remote communication:

 

(a) participate in a meeting of stockholders; and

 

(b) be deemed present in person and vote at a meeting of stockholders whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication, provided that (i) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to verify that each person deemed present and permitted to vote at the meeting by means of remote communication is a stockholder or proxyholder, (ii) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to provide such stockholders and proxyholders a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the stockholders, including an opportunity to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting substantially concurrently with such proceedings, and (iii) if any stockholder or proxyholder votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of remote communication, a record of such vote or other action shall be maintained by the Corporation.

 

Section 9. No Stockholder Action Without a Meeting. Stockholder action by written consent in lieu of a meeting is prohibited by the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Section 10. Presiding Officer and Secretary. (a) The Chief Executive Officer shall preside at meetings of the stockholders. In the absence of the Chief Executive Officer, the President shall preside at meetings of the stockholders. In the absence of each of the Chief Executive Officer and the President, any director or officer designated by the Board of Directors shall preside at meetings of the stockholders.

 

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(b) The Secretary of the Corporation shall act as secretary of all meetings of the stockholders, but, in the absence of the Secretary, the Assistant Secretary designated in accordance with Section 11(b) of Article IV of these Amended and Restated Bylaws shall act as secretary of meetings of the stockholders. In the absence of the Secretary and any designated Assistant Secretary, the presiding officer of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

 

Section 11. Conduct of Meetings. At each meeting of stockholders, the presiding officer of the meeting shall fix and announce the date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at the meeting and shall determine the order of business and all other matters of procedure. The Board of Directors may adopt by resolution such rules, regulations, and procedures for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with any such rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Directors, the presiding officer of the meeting shall have the right and authority to convene and to adjourn the meeting and to establish rules, regulations, and procedures, which need not be in writing, for the conduct of the meeting and to maintain order and safety. Without limiting the foregoing, he or she may:

 

(a) restrict attendance at any time to bona fide stockholders of record and their proxies and other persons in attendance at the invitation of the presiding officer or Board of Directors;

 

(b) place restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof;

 

(c) restrict dissemination of solicitation materials and use of audio or visual recording devices at the meeting;

 

(d) adjourn the meeting without a vote of the stockholders, whether or not there is a quorum present; and

 

(e) make rules governing speeches and debate, including time limits and access to microphones.

 

The presiding officer of the meeting shall act in his or her absolute discretion, and his or her rulings shall not be subject to appeal.

 

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Section 12. Inspectors of Election. The Corporation may, and shall if required by law, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more inspectors of election, who may be employees of the Corporation, to act at the meeting or any adjournment thereof and to make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector so appointed or designated is able to act at a meeting of stockholders, the person presiding at the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath to execute faithfully the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. The inspector or inspectors so appointed or designated shall (a) ascertain the number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation outstanding and the voting power of each such share, (b) determine the shares of capital stock of the Corporation represented at the meeting and the validity of proxies and ballots, (c) count all votes and ballots, (d) determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspectors, and (e) certify their determination of the number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation represented at the meeting and such inspectors’ count of all votes and ballots. Such certification and report shall specify such other information as may be required by law. In determining the validity and counting of proxies and ballots cast at any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation, the inspectors may consider such information as is permitted by applicable law. No person who is a candidate for an office at an election may serve as an inspector at such election.

 

Section 13. Notice of Stockholder Business and Nominations.

 

(A) Annual Meetings of Stockholders.

 

(1) Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders only (a) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto), (b) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or (c) by any stockholder of the Corporation (i) who was a stockholder of record of the Corporation (and, with respect to any beneficial owner, if different, on whose behalf such business is proposed or such nomination or nominations are made, only if such beneficial owner was the beneficial owner of shares of the Corporation) both at the time the notice provided for in Paragraphs (A)(2) and (A)(3) of this Section 13 is delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, (ii) who is entitled to vote at the meeting upon such election of directors or upon such business, as the case may be, and (iii) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in Paragraphs (A)(2) and (A)(3) of this Section 13. Except for proposals properly made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the “Exchange Act”), and included in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, the foregoing clause (c) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders. In addition, for business (other than the nomination of persons for election to the Board of Directors) to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, such business must be a proper matter for stockholder action pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation, these Amended and Restated Bylaws, and applicable law.

 

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(2) For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting of stockholders by a stockholder pursuant to clause (c) of Paragraph (A)(1) of this Section 13, the stockholder (a) must have given timely notice thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, and (b) must provide any updates or supplements to such notice at such times and in the forms required by this Section 13. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice relating to an annual meeting shall be delivered to, or mailed to and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day and not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day before the date of the one-year anniversary of the immediately preceding year’s annual meeting (provided, however, that if the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder must be so delivered, or mailed and received, not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day before such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day before such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement (as defined below) of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation). In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting of stockholders commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

(3) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 13, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary (whether pursuant to this Paragraph (A) or Paragraph (B) of this Section 13) must set forth:

 

 

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(a) as to each Proposing Person (as defined below), (i) the name and address of such Proposing Person (including, if applicable, the name and address that appear on the Corporation’s books and records) and (ii) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned of record or beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by such Proposing Person (provided that for purposes of this Section 13, such Proposing Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation as to which such Proposing Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future); (b) as to each Proposing Person, (i) any derivative, swap, or other transaction or series of transactions engaged in, directly or indirectly, by such Proposing Person, the purpose or effect of which is to give such Proposing Person economic risk similar to ownership of shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation, including due to the fact that the value of such derivative, swap, or other transactions are determined by reference to the price, value, or volatility of any shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation, or which derivative, swap, or other transactions provide, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit from any increase in the price or value of shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation (“Synthetic Equity Interests”), which Synthetic Equity Interests shall be disclosed without regard to whether (x) the derivative, swap, or other transactions convey any voting rights in such shares to such Proposing Person, (y) the derivative, swap, or other transactions are required to be, or are capable of being, settled through delivery of such shares, or (z) such Proposing Person may have entered into other transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such derivative, swap, or other transactions, (ii) any proxy (other than a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act by way of a solicitation statement filed on Schedule 14A), agreement, arrangement, understanding, or relationship pursuant to which such Proposing Person has or shares a right to vote any shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation (including the number of shares and class or series of capital stock of the Corporation that are subject to such proxy, agreement, arrangement, understanding, or relationship), (iii) any agreement, arrangement, understanding, or relationship, including any repurchase or similar so-called “stock borrowing” agreement or arrangement, engaged in, directly or indirectly, by such Proposing Person, the purpose or effect of which is to mitigate loss to, reduce the economic risk (of ownership or otherwise) of shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation by, manage the risk of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such Proposing Person with respect to the shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation, or that provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit from any decrease in the price or value of the shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation (“Short Interests”), (iv) any rights to dividends on the shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (v) any performance related fees (other than an asset based fee) to which such Proposing Person is entitled based on any increase or decrease in the price or value of shares of any class or series of the capital stock of the Corporation, or any Synthetic Equity Interests or Short Interests, if any, and (vi) any other information relating to such Proposing Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the nominations or business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (i) through (vi) are referred to as “Disclosable Interests”); provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company, or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these Amended and Restated Bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner; (c) if such notice pertains to the nomination by the stockholder of a person or persons for election to the Board of Directors (each, a “nominee”), as to each nominee, (i) the name, age, business and residence address, and principal occupation or employment of the nominee, (ii) all other information relating to the nominee that would be required to be disclosed about such nominee if proxies were being solicited for the election of the nominee as a director in an election contest (whether or not such proxies are or will be solicited), or that is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to and in accordance with Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act, (iii) such nominee’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement, if any, as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected, and (iv) all information with respect to such nominee that would be required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice pursuant to this Section 13 if such nominee were a Proposing Person;

 

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(d) if the notice relates to any business (other than the nomination of persons for election to the Board of Directors) that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, (i) a reasonably brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, (ii) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and if such business includes a proposal to amend the Bylaws of the Corporation, the language of the proposed amendment), (iii) the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting, and (iv) any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person;

 

(e) a representation that the stockholder giving the notice is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting, will continue to be a stockholder of record of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting through the date of such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business or nomination; and

 

(f) a representation whether any Proposing Person intends or is part of a group that intends (i) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the nominee and/or (ii) otherwise to solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal or nomination.

 

The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require to determine (i) the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation, and (ii) whether such nominee qualifies as an “independent director” or “audit committee financial expert” under applicable law, securities exchange rule or regulation, or any publicly disclosed corporate governance guideline or committee charter of the Corporation.

 

(4) Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of paragraph (A)(2) of this Section 13 to the contrary, if the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Corporation at an annual meeting is increased and there is no public announcement by the Corporation naming all of the Board of Directors’ nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors at least one hundred (100) days before the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 13 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to, or mailed to and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

 

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(5) Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in Paragraph (A) of this Section 13 (including those persons nominated by or at the direction of the Board of Directors) shall be eligible to be elected at an annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to serve as directors. Only such business shall be conducted at an annual meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in Paragraph (A) of this Section 13. Except as otherwise provided by law, the chairman of an annual meeting of stockholders shall have the power and duty (a) if the facts warrant, to determine that a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting was not made or was not proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in Paragraph (A) of this Section 13, and (b) if any proposed nomination or business was not made or was not proposed in compliance with Paragraph (A) of this Section 13, to declare that such nomination shall be disregarded or that such proposed business shall not be transacted.

 

(B) Special Meetings of Stockholders.

 

(1) Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting only (a) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (b) if a purpose for such meeting as stated in the Corporation’s notice for such meeting is the election of one or more directors, by any stockholder of the Corporation (i) who was a stockholder of record of the Corporation (and, with respect to any beneficial owner, if different, on whose behalf such nomination or nominations are made, only if such beneficial owner was the beneficial owner of shares of the Corporation) both at the time the notice provided for in Paragraph (B)(2) of this Section 13 is delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the special meeting, (ii) who is entitled to vote at the meeting and upon such election, and (iii) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in Paragraph (B)(2) of this Section 13.

 

(2) If a special meeting has been called for the purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board of Directors, then for nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors to be properly brought before such special meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (b) of Paragraph (B)(1) of this Section 13, the stockholder (a) must have given timely notice thereof in writing and in the proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, and (b) must provide any updates or supplements to such notice at such times and in the forms required by this Section 13. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice relating to a special meeting shall be delivered to, or mailed to and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day before such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day before such special meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of a special meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. To be in proper form for purposes of this Paragraph (B) of this Section 13, such notice shall set forth the information required by clauses (a), (b), (c), (e), and (f) of Paragraph (A)(3) of this Section 13.

 

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(3) Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in Paragraph (B) of this Section 13 (including those persons nominated by or at the direction of the Board of Directors) shall be eligible to be elected at a special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to serve as directors. Except as otherwise provided by law, the chairman of a special meeting of stockholders shall have the power and duty (a) if the facts warrant, to determine that a nomination proposed to be made at the special meeting was not made in accordance with the procedures set forth in Paragraph (B) of this Section 13, and (b) if any proposed nomination was not made in compliance with Paragraph (B) of this Section 13, to declare that such nomination shall be disregarded.

 

(C) General.

 

(1) A stockholder providing notice of nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders or notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders shall further update and supplement such notice so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to Paragraph (A)(3)(a) through Paragraph (A)(3)(f) of this Section 13 shall be true and correct both as of the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days before the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such updated and supplemental information shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (a) in the case of information that is required to be updated and supplemented to be true and correct as of the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, not later than the later of five (5) business days after such record date or five (5) business days after the public announcement of such record date, and (b) in the case of information that is required to be updated and supplemented to be true and correct as of ten (10) business days before the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, not later than eight (8) business days before the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof (or if not practicable to provide such updated and supplemental information not later than eight (8) business days before any adjournment or postponement, on the first practicable date before any such adjournment or postponement).

 

(2) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 13, unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present a nomination or proposed business, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of this Section 13, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders.

 

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(3) For purposes of this Section 13, (a) “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press, or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, and (b) “Proposing Person” shall mean (i) the stockholder giving the notice required by Paragraph (A) or Paragraph (B) of this Section 13, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf such notice is given, and (iii) any affiliates or associates (each within the meaning of Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act for purposes of these Amended and Restated Bylaws) of such stockholder or beneficial owner.

 

(4) Paragraph (A) of this Section 13 is expressly intended to apply to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders other than any proposal made pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act. Nothing in this Section 13 shall be deemed to (a) affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 (or any successor thereto) promulgated under the Exchange Act, (b) confer upon any stockholder a right to have a nominee or any proposed business included in the Corporation’s proxy statement, or (c) affect any rights of the holders of any class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation to nominate and elect directors pursuant to and to the extent provided in any applicable provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Section 14. Record Dates.

 

(a) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) or fewer than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board of Directors so fixes a record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting, unless the Board of Directors determines, at the time it fixes the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of such meeting, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of such meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to receive notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such adjourned meeting in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this subsection (a) of this Section 14.

 

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(b) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution, or allotment of any rights, or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion, or exchange of capital stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, except as may otherwise be provided in these Amended and Restated Bylaws, the Board of Directors may fix a record date. Such record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing such record date is adopted, and shall not be more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

ARTICLE III

 

DIRECTORS

 

Section 1. Number. The number of directors of the corporation shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors but in no case shall the number of directors be less than one.

 

Section 2. Powers. Subject to any limitations set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation and to any provision of the DGCL relating to powers or rights conferred upon or reserved to the stockholders or the holders of any class or series of the Corporation’s issued and outstanding stock, the business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed, and all corporate powers shall be exercised, by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 3. Resignations and Removal. (a) Any director may resign at any time by giving notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Board of Directors or the Secretary; provided, however, that if such notice is given by electronic transmission, such electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized by the director. Such resignation shall take effect at the date of receipt of such notice or at any later time specified therein. Acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless the resignation specifies that it will not be effective unless accepted.

 

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(b) Except as otherwise may be provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed, with or without cause, by the holders of capital stock having a majority in voting power of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors.

 

(c) Without limiting the foregoing, any incumbent director who is nominated for election by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof shall, as a condition to such nomination submit, (a) in the case of a contested election, a conditional letter of resignation and, (b) in the case of an uncontested election, a conditional and irrevocable letter of resignation, in each case to the Chairman of the Board. If an incumbent director is not elected, the Nominating and Governance Committee will consider the conditional resignation of such nominee and make a recommendation to the Board of Directors on whether to accept or reject the conditional resignation, or whether other action should be taken. The Board of Directors will act on the Nominating and Governance Committee’s recommendation and publicly disclose its decision and the rationale behind it within 90 days from the date of the certification of the election results. The director whose conditional resignation is being considered will not participate in the Nominating and Governance Committee’s recommendation or the Board of Directors’ decision. In addition, if there are not at least two members of the Nominating and Governance Committee who either were elected at the meeting or did not stand for election, then each of the independent members of the Board of Directors who either were elected at the meeting or did not stand for election shall appoint a committee amongst themselves to consider the resignation offer and recommend to the Board of Directors whether to accept it (which committee of the independent members shall act in lieu of the Nominating and Governance Committee with respect to the resignation offer in such situation). Each director shall hold office for the term for which he is elected and until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified or until death, or until he or she shall have resigned or have been removed or disqualified in accordance with these Amended and Restated Bylaws and the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Section 4. Annual Meetings. The Board of Directors shall meet each year as soon as practicable following the annual meeting of stockholders, at the place where such meeting of stockholders has been held, or at such other place as shall be fixed by the Board of Directors (or if not previously fixed by the Board of Directors, by the person presiding over the meeting of the stockholders), for the purpose of election of officers and consideration of such other business as the Board of Directors considers relevant to the management of the Corporation.

 

Section 5. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held on such dates and at such times and places, within or without the State of Delaware, as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors, such determination to constitute the only notice of such regular meetings to which any director shall be entitled. In the absence of any such determination, such meetings shall be held, upon notice to each director in accordance with Section 7 of this Article III, at such times and places, within or without the State of Delaware, as shall be designated by the Chairman of the Board.

 

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Section 6. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at the call of the Chairman of the Board at such times and places, within or without the State of Delaware, as he or she shall designate, upon notice to each director in accordance with Section 7 of this Article III. Special meetings shall be called by the Chief Executive Officer, President or Secretary on like notice at the written request of any two directors then in office.

 

Section 7. Notice. Notice of any regular (if required) or special meeting of the Board of Directors may be given by personal delivery, mail, telegram, courier service (including, without limitation, Federal Express), facsimile transmission (directed to the facsimile transmission number at which the director has consented to receive notice), electronic mail (directed to the electronic mail address at which the director has consented to receive notice), or other form of electronic transmission pursuant to which the director has consented to receive notice. If notice is given by personal delivery, by facsimile transmission, by telegram, by electronic mail, or by other form of electronic transmission pursuant to which the director has consented to receive notice, then such notice shall be given on not less than twenty-four (24) hours’ notice to each director. If written notice is delivered by mail, then it shall be given on not less than four (4) calendar days’ notice to each director. If written notice is delivered by courier service, then it shall be given on not less than two (2) calendar days’ notice to each director.

 

Section 8. Waiver of Notice. Notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, need not be given to any member if waived by him or her in writing or by electronic transmission, whether before or after such meeting is held, or if he or she shall sign the minutes of such meeting or attend the meeting, except that if such director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened, then such director shall not be deemed to have waived notice of such meeting. If waiver of notice is given by electronic transmission, such electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized by the director.

 

Section 9. Quorum and Powers of a Majority. At all meetings of the Board of Directors and of each committee thereof, a majority of the total number of directors constituting the whole Board of Directors or such committee shall be necessary and sufficient to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The act of a majority of the members present at any meeting of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors or such committee, unless by express provision of applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Amended and Restated Bylaws, a different vote is required, in which case such express provision shall govern and control. In the absence of a quorum, a majority of the members present at any meeting may, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, adjourn such meeting from time to time until a quorum is present.

 

Section 10. Manner of Acting. (a) Members of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, may participate in any meeting of the Board of Directors or such committee by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating therein can hear each other, and participation in a meeting by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

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(b) Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board of Directors or such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or such committee; provided, however, that such electronic transmission or transmissions must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission or transmissions were authorized by the director. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

 

Section 11. Organization. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board, if any, or in his or her absence by a presiding person chosen at the meeting. The Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in his or her absence the presiding person at the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

 

Section 12. Committees. The Board of Directors may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more directors, which to the extent provided in said resolution or resolutions shall have and may exercise the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation (including the power and authority to designate other committees of the Board of Directors); provided, however, that no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to the following matters: (a) approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval (other than recommending the election or removal of directors) or (b) adopting, amending, or repealing any Bylaw of the Corporation. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee to replace any absent or disqualified member of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members present at any meeting of such committee and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in place of such absent or disqualified director.

 

Section 13. Committee Procedure. (a) Except as otherwise determined by the Board of Directors or provided by these Amended and Restated Bylaws, each committee shall adopt its own rules governing the time, place, and method of holding its meetings and the conduct of its proceedings and shall meet as provided by such rules or by resolution of the Board of Directors. Unless otherwise provided by these Amended and Restated Bylaws or any such rules or resolutions, notice of the time and place of each meeting of a committee shall be given to each member of such committee as provided in Section 7 of this Article III with respect to notices of meetings of the Board of Directors.

 

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(b) Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its proceedings and report the same to the Board of Directors when required.

 

(c) Any member of any committee may be removed from such committee either with or without cause, at any time, by the Board of Directors at any meeting thereof. Any vacancy in any committee may be filled by the Board of Directors in the manner prescribed by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Amended and Restated Bylaws for the original appointment of the members of such committee.

 

Section 14. Vacancies and Newly-Created Directorships. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or in these Amended and Restated Bylaws, vacancies and newly-created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors may be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office (and not by stockholders), although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and directors so chosen shall serve for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders at which the term of office to which they have been elected expires and until such directors’ successors have been duly elected and qualified. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these Amended and Restated Bylaws, when one or more directors shall resign from the Board, effective at a future date, a majority of directors then in office, including those who have resigned, shall have the power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective.

 

Section 15. Director Compensation. (a) The Board of Directors, by a resolution or resolutions, may fix, and from time to time change, the compensation of Directors.

 

(b) Each director shall be entitled to reimbursement from the Corporation for his or her reasonable expenses incurred with respect to duties as a member of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof.

 

(c) Nothing contained in these Amended and Restated Bylaws shall be construed to preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and from receiving compensation from the Corporation for service rendered to it in such other capacity.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

OFFICERS

 

Section 1. Number. The officers of the Corporation shall include a President and a Secretary. The Board of Directors also shall elect a Chairman of the Board. The Board of Directors also may elect a Chief Executive Officer, a Chief Financial Officer, one or more Vice Presidents (who may have such additional descriptive designations as the Board of Directors may determine), one or more Assistant Secretaries, one or more Treasurers, one or more Assistant Treasurers, and such other officers as the Board of Directors may from time to time deem appropriate or necessary.

 

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Section 2. Election of Officers, Term, and Qualifications. The officers of the Corporation shall be elected from time to time by the Board of Directors and shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification, or any other cause shall be filled in the manner prescribed in this Section 2 for the regular election to such office. Except for the Chairman of the Board, none of the officers of the Corporation needs to be a director of the Corporation. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person to the extent permitted by the DGCL and other applicable law.

 

Section 3. Divisional or Departmental Vice Presidents. The Board of Directors may delegate to the President the power to appoint one or more employees of the Corporation as divisional or departmental vice presidents and fix the duties of such appointees. However, no such divisional or departmental vice president shall be considered to be an officer of the Corporation, the officers of the Corporation being limited to those officers elected by the Board of Directors in accordance with this Article IV.

 

Section 4. Removal. Any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by the Board of Directors at any meeting thereof, or to the extent delegated to the Chairman of the Board, by the Chairman of the Board.

 

Section 5. Resignations. Any officer of the Corporation may resign at any time by giving notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Board of Directors or to the Chairman of the Board, subject to any other notice requirements provided under such officer’s employment agreement with the Corporation, if applicable; provided, however, that if such notice is given by electronic transmission, such electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized by the officer. Such resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of such notice or at any later time specified therein and, unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless the resignation specifies that it will not be effective unless accepted.

 

Section 6. Compensation of Officers. The salaries and other compensation of all officers of the Corporation shall be fixed by or in the manner directed by the Board of Directors from time to time, and no officer shall be prevented from receiving such salary by reason of the fact that he or she also is a director of the Corporation.

 

Section 7. The Chairman of the Board. The Chairman of the Board shall have the powers and duties customarily and usually associated with the office of the Chairman of the Board, as well as such additional powers and duties as may be from time to time assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board shall preside at meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors.

 

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Section 8. The Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall have responsibility for implementation of the policies of the Corporation, as determined by the Board of Directors, for the general management and administration of the business affairs of the Corporation, and for the supervision of other officers, together with any other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 9. The President. The President shall have, subject to the supervision, direction, and control of the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer, the general powers and duties of supervision, direction, and management of the affairs and business of the Corporation customarily and usually associated with the position of President, including, without limitation, all powers necessary to direct and control the organizational and reporting relationships within the Corporation. The President shall have such additional powers and duties as may be from time to time assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer. In the absence or disability of the President, his or her duties shall be performed by the Chief Executive Officer or such persons as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may designate.

 

Section 10. The Vice Presidents. Each Vice President shall have such powers and perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President.

 

Section 11. The Secretary and Assistant Secretaries. (a) The Secretary shall attend meetings of the Board of Directors and meetings of the stockholders and record all votes and minutes of all such proceedings in a book or books kept for such purpose. The Secretary shall have all such further powers and duties as are customarily and usually associated with the position of Secretary or as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President.

 

(b) Each Assistant Secretary shall have such powers and perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or the Secretary. In the case of absence or disability of the Secretary, the Assistant Secretary designated by the Chief Executive Officer or the President (or, in the absence of such designation, by the Secretary) shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Secretary.

 

Section 12. The Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall have all such powers and duties as are customarily and usually associated with the position of Chief Financial Officer or as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President.

 

Section 13. The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurers. (a) The Treasurer shall have custody of the Corporation’s funds and securities, shall be responsible for maintaining the Corporation’s accounting records and statements, shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation, and shall deposit or cause to be deposited moneys or other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer also shall maintain adequate records of all assets, liabilities, and transactions of the Corporation and shall assure that adequate audits thereof are currently and regularly made. The Treasurer shall have all such further powers and duties as are customarily and usually associated with the position of Treasurer or as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or the Chief Financial Officer. In the absence of a designation of a Chief Financial Officer by the Board of Directors, the Treasurer shall be the Chief Financial Officer of the Corporation unless the Board of Directors designates another person to be Treasurer.

 

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(b) Each Assistant Treasurer shall have such powers and perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the President, or the Treasurer. In the case of absence or disability of the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer designated by the Chief Executive Officer or the President (or, in the absence of such designation, by the Treasurer) shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Treasurer.

 

ARTICLE V

 

STOCK

 

Section 1. Shares With and Without Certificates. The shares of stock of the Corporation shall be uncertificated and shall not be represented by certificates, except to the extent as may be required by applicable law or as otherwise authorized by the Board of Directors. If the shares of stock of the Corporation shall be certificated, such certificates shall be in such form as is consistent with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation. Every holder of stock in the Corporation represented by certificates shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of, the Corporation by any two authorized officers of the Corporation (it being understood that each of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, a President, the Chief Financial Officer, a Vice President, any Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary and an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation shall be an authorized officer for such purpose). Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile or other electronic signature. The Board of Directors shall have the power to appoint one or more transfer agents and/or registrars for the transfer or registration of certificates of stock of any class, and may require stock certificates to be countersigned or registered by one or more of such transfer agents and/or registrars.

 

If the Board of Directors chooses to issue shares of stock without certificates, in accordance with this Section 1 of Article V, the Corporation, if required by the DGCL, shall, within a reasonable time after the issue or transfer of shares without certificates, give a notice to the registered owner thereof containing the information required to be set forth or stated on stock certificates by the applicable provisions of the DGCL. The Corporation may adopt a system of issuance, recordation and transfer of its shares of stock by electronic or other means not involving the issuance of certificates, provided the use of such system by the Corporation is permitted in accordance with applicable law.

 

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Section 2. Transfers. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferable upon its books by the holders thereof, in person or by their duly authorized attorneys or legal representatives, in the manner prescribed by law, the Certificate of Incorporation and in these Amended and Restated Bylaws, upon surrender to the Corporation by delivery thereof (to the extent evidenced by a physical stock certificate) to the person in charge of the stock and transfer books and ledgers. Certificates representing such shares, if any, shall be cancelled and new certificates, if the shares are to be certificated, shall thereupon be issued. Shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are not represented by a certificate shall be transferred in accordance with any procedures adopted by the Corporation or its agents and applicable law. A record shall be made of each transfer. Whenever any transfer of shares shall be made for collateral security, and not absolutely, it shall be so expressed in the entry of the transfer if, when the certificates are presented to the Corporation for transfer or uncertificated shares requested to be transferred, both the transferor and transferee request the Corporation to do so. The Board of Directors shall have power and authority to make such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or proper concerning the issue, transfer and registration of certificates representing shares of stock of the Corporation and uncertificated shares.

 

Section 3. Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Certificates. Any person claiming a certificate of stock to be lost, stolen, or destroyed shall make an affidavit or an affirmation of that fact, and shall give the Corporation a bond of indemnity in satisfactory form and with one or more satisfactory sureties, whereupon a new certificate (if requested) may be issued of the same tenor and for the same number of shares as the one alleged to be lost, stolen, or destroyed.

 

Section 4. Registered Stockholders. The names and addresses of the holders of record of the shares of each class and series of the Corporation’s capital stock, together with the number of shares of each class and series held by each record holder and the date of issue of such shares, shall be entered on the books of the Corporation. Except as otherwise required by the DGCL or other applicable law, the Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares of capital stock of the Corporation as the person entitled to exercise the rights of a stockholder, including, without limitation, the right to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation. The Corporation shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in any such shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise expressly required by the DGCL or other applicable law.

 

Section 5. Fractional Shares. The Corporation may, but shall not be required to, issue fractional shares of its capital stock if necessary or appropriate to effect authorized transactions. If the Corporation does not issue fractional shares, it shall (a) arrange for the disposition of fractional interests on behalf of those that otherwise would be entitled thereto, (b) pay in cash the fair value of fractions of a share as of the time when those who otherwise would be entitled to receive such fractions are determined, or (c) issue scrip or warrants in registered form (either represented by a certificate or uncertificated) or in bearer form (represented by a certificate), which scrip or warrants shall entitle the holder to receive a full share upon surrender of such scrip or warrants aggregating a full share. Fractional shares shall, but scrip or warrants for fractional shares shall not (unless otherwise expressly provided therein), entitle the holder to exercise voting rights, to receive dividends thereon, to participate in the distribution of any assets in the event of liquidation, and otherwise to exercise rights as a holder of capital stock of the class or series to which such fractional shares belong.

 

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Section 6. Additional Powers of the Board. (a) In addition to, and without limiting, those powers set forth in Section 2 of Article III, the Board of Directors shall have power and authority to make all such rules and regulations as it shall deem expedient concerning the issue, transfer, and registration of certificates for shares of stock of the Corporation, including the use of uncertificated shares of stock, subject to the provisions of the DGCL, other applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, and these Amended and Restated Bylaws.

 

(b) The Board of Directors may appoint and remove transfer agents and registrars of transfers, and may require all stock certificates to bear the signature of any such transfer agent and/or any such registrar of transfers.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 1. Indemnification. (a) Subject to Section 3 of this Article VI, the Corporation shall indemnify, to the full extent that it shall have power under applicable law to do so and in a manner permitted by such law, any person who is made or threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved (as a witness or otherwise) in any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative (hereinafter, a “Proceeding”), by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (collectively, “Another Enterprise”), against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines (including ERISA excise taxes or penalties) and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with such Proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

 

(b) The Corporation may indemnify, to the full extent that it shall have power under applicable law to do so and in a manner permitted by such law, any person who is made or threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved (as a witness or otherwise) in any threatened, pending, or completed Proceeding, by reason of the fact that such person is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation, or while not serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of Another Enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines (including ERISA excise taxes or penalties) and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with such Proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

 

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(c) To the extent that a present or former director or officer of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any threatened, pending, or completed Proceeding referred to in Section 145(a) or (b) of the DGCL, or in defense of any claim, issue, or matter therein, he or she shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith.

 

(d) The termination of any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendre or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person seeking indemnification did not act in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

 

Section 2. Advancement of Expenses. (a) Subject to Section 3 of this Article VI, with respect to any person who is made or threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved (as a witness or otherwise) in any threatened, pending, or completed Proceeding, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of Another Enterprise, the Corporation shall pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by such person in defending any such Proceeding in advance of its final disposition (hereinafter an “advancement of expenses”); provided, however, that any advancement of expenses shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking (hereinafter an “undertaking”) by such person to repay all amounts advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal that such person is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Article VI or otherwise.

 

(b) With respect to any person who is made or threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved (as a witness or otherwise) in any threatened, pending, or completed Proceeding, by reason of the fact that such person is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation, or while not serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of Another Enterprise, the Corporation may, in its discretion and upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the Corporation deems appropriate, pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by such person in defending any such Proceeding in advance of its final disposition.

 

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Section 3. Actions Initiated Against The Corporation. Anything in Section 1(a) or Section 2(a) of this Article VI to the contrary notwithstanding, except as provided in Section 5(b) of this Article VI, with respect to a Proceeding initiated against the Corporation by a person who is or was a director or officer of the Corporation (whether initiated by such person in or by reason of such capacity or in or by reason of any other capacity, including as a director, officer, employee, or agent of Another Enterprise), the Corporation shall not be required to indemnify or to advance expenses (including attorneys’ fees) to such person in connection with prosecuting such Proceeding (or part thereof) or in defending any counterclaim, cross-claim, affirmative defense, or like claim of the Corporation in such Proceeding (or part thereof) unless such Proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

 

Section 4. Contract Rights. The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred upon any current or former director or officer of the Corporation pursuant to this Article VI (whether by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of Another Enterprise) shall be contract rights, shall vest when such person becomes a director or officer of the Corporation, and shall continue as vested contract rights even if such person ceases to be a director or officer of the Corporation. Any amendment, repeal, or modification of, or adoption of any provision inconsistent with, this Article VI (or any provision hereof) shall not adversely affect any right to indemnification or advancement of expenses granted to any person pursuant hereto with respect to any act or omission of such person occurring prior to the time of such amendment, repeal, modification, or adoption (regardless of whether the Proceeding relating to such acts or omissions, or any proceeding relating to such person’s rights to indemnification or to advancement of expenses, is commenced before or after the time of such amendment, repeal, modification, or adoption), and any such amendment, repeal, modification, or adoption that would adversely affect such person’s rights to indemnification or advancement of expenses hereunder shall be ineffective as to such person, except with respect to any threatened, pending, or completed Proceeding that relates to or arises from (and only to the extent such Proceeding relates to or arises from) any act or omission of such person occurring after the effective time of such amendment, repeal, modification, or adoption.

 

Section 5. Claims. (a) If (i) a claim under Section 1(a) of this Article VI with respect to any right to indemnification is not paid in full by the Corporation within sixty (60) days after a written demand has been received by the Corporation or (ii) a claim under Section 2(a) of this Article VI with respect to any right to the advancement of expenses is not paid in full by the Corporation within twenty (20) days after a written demand has been received by the Corporation, then the person seeking to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses, as the case may be, may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim.

 

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(b) If successful in whole or in part in any suit brought pursuant to Section 5(a) of this Article VI, or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses (whether pursuant to the terms of an undertaking or otherwise), the person seeking to enforce a right to indemnification or an advancement of expenses hereunder or the person from whom the Corporation sought to recover an advancement of expenses, as the case may be, shall be entitled to be paid by the Corporation the reasonable expenses (including attorneys’ fees) of prosecuting or defending such suit.

 

(c) In any suit brought by a person seeking to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not a suit brought by a person seeking to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses hereunder), it shall be a defense that the person seeking to enforce a right to indemnification has not met any applicable standard for indemnification under applicable law. With respect to any suit brought by a person seeking to enforce a right to indemnification or right to advancement of expenses hereunder or any suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses (whether pursuant to the terms of an undertaking or otherwise), neither (i) the failure of the Corporation to have made a determination prior to commencement of such suit that indemnification of such person is proper in the circumstances because such person has met the applicable standards of conduct under applicable law, nor (ii) an actual determination by the Corporation that such person has not met such applicable standards of conduct, shall create a presumption that such person has not met the applicable standards of conduct or, in a case brought by such person seeking to enforce a right to indemnification, be a defense to such suit.

 

(d) In any suit brought by a person seeking to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses (whether pursuant to the terms of an undertaking or otherwise), the burden shall be on the Corporation to prove that the person seeking to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses or the person from whom the Corporation seeks to recover an advancement of expenses is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such an advancement of expenses, under this Article VI or otherwise.

 

Section 6. Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification. Any indemnification required or permitted under this Article VI (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the present or former director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met all applicable standards of conduct set forth in this Article VI and Section 145 of the DGCL. Such determination shall be made, with respect to a person who is a director or officer of the Corporation at the time of such determination, (a) by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such Proceeding, even though less than a quorum, (b) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, (c) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (d) by the stockholders. Such determination shall be made, with respect to any person who is not a director or officer of the Corporation at the time of such determination, in the manner determined by the Board of Directors (including in such manner as may be set forth in any general or specific action of the Board of Directors applicable to indemnification claims by such person) or in the manner set forth in any agreement to which such person and the Corporation are parties.

 

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Section 7. Non-Exclusive Rights. The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided in this Article VI shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which any person may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be such director, officer, employee, or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, and administrators of such person.

 

Section 8. Insurance. The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of Another Enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of this Article VI or otherwise.

 

Section 9. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Article VI shall be held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Article VI (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph or clause containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Article VI (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph or clause containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable.

 

Section 10. Miscellaneous. For purposes of this Article VI: (a) references to serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of Another Enterprise shall include any service as a director or officer of the Corporation that imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director or officer with respect to an employee benefit plan, (b) references to serving at the request of the Corporation as an employee or agent of Another Enterprise shall include any service as an employee or agent of the Corporation that imposes duties on, or involves services by, such employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, (c) a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and (d) references to a director of Another Enterprise shall include, in the case of any entity that is not managed by a board of directors, such other position, such as manager or trustee or member of the governing body of such entity, that entails responsibility for the management and direction of such entity’s affairs, including, without limitation, general partner of any partnership (general or limited) and manager or managing member of any limited liability company.

 

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ARTICLE VII

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 1. Books and Records. (a) Any books or records maintained by the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account, and minute books, may be kept on, or by means of, or be in the form of, any information storage device or method; provided, however, that the books and records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time. The Corporation shall so convert any books or records so kept upon the request of any person entitled to inspect such records pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation, these Amended and Restated Bylaws, or the provisions of the DGCL.

 

(b) It shall be the duty of the Secretary or other officer of the Corporation who shall have charge of the stock ledger to prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of the stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote thereat, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the stockholder’s name; provided, however, if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting is fewer than ten (10) days before the meeting date, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth day before the meeting date. Nothing contained in this subsection (b) shall require the Corporation to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the Corporation. If the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. The stock ledger shall be the only evidence of the identity of the stockholders entitled to examine such list.

 

(c) Except to the extent otherwise required by law, or by the Certificate of Incorporation, or by these Amended and Restated Bylaws, the Board of Directors shall determine from time to time whether and, if allowed, when and under what conditions and regulations the stock ledger, books, records, and accounts of the Corporation, or any of them, shall be open to inspection by the stockholders and the stockholders’ rights, if any, in respect thereof. Except as otherwise provided by law, the stock ledger shall be the only evidence of the identity of the stockholders entitled to examine the stock ledger, the books, records, or accounts of the Corporation.

 

Section 2. Voting Shares in Other Business Entities. The Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, or any other officer or officers of the Corporation designated by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President may vote, and otherwise exercise on behalf of the Corporation any and all rights and powers incident to the ownership of, any and all shares of stock or other equity interest held by the Corporation in any other corporation or other business entity. The authority herein granted may be exercised either by any such officer in person or by any other person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by any such officer.

 

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Section 3. Execution of Corporate Instruments.

 

(a) The Board of Directors may in its discretion determine the method and designate the signatory officer or officers, or other person or persons, to execute, sign, or endorse any corporate instrument or document, or to sign the corporate name without limitation, except where otherwise provided by law, and such execution or signature shall be binding upon the Corporation.

 

(b) Unless otherwise specifically determined by the Board of Directors or otherwise required by law, formal contracts of the Corporation, promissory notes, deeds of trust, mortgages, and other evidences of indebtedness of the Corporation, and other corporate instruments or documents requiring the corporate seal, shall be executed, signed, or endorsed by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, or any Assistant Secretary or Assistant Treasurer. All other instruments and documents requiring a corporate signature but not requiring the corporate seal may be executed as aforesaid or in such other manner and by such other person or persons as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors or the President.

 

(c) All checks and drafts drawn on banks or other depositaries on funds to the credit of the Corporation or in special accounts of the Corporation shall be executed, signed, or endorsed by the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, or in such other manner and by such other person or persons as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.

 

(d) Unless otherwise specifically determined by the Board of Directors or otherwise required by law, the execution, signing, or endorsement of any corporate instrument or document may be effected manually, by facsimile, or (to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to such policies and procedures as the Corporation may have in effect from time to time) by electronic signature.

 

Section 4. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be such fiscal year as the Board of Directors from time to time by resolution shall determine.

 

Section 5. Gender/Number. As used in these Amended and Restated Bylaws, the masculine, feminine, or neuter gender, and the singular and plural number, shall each include the other whenever the context so indicates.

 

Section 6. Section Titles. The titles of the sections and subsections have been inserted as a matter of reference only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the terms and provisions hereof.

 

Section 7. Electronic Transmission. For purposes of these Amended and Restated Bylaws, “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved, and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.

 

Section 8. Amendment. These Amended and Restated Bylaws, or any of them, may be altered, amended, or repealed, and new Bylaws may be made, (a) at any annual or regular meeting of the Board of Directors or at any special meeting of the Board of Directors if notice of the proposed alteration, amendment, or repeal be contained in written notice of such special meeting or (b) at any annual meeting of the stockholders (subject to Section 13 of Article II of these Amended and Restated Bylaws) or at any special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation if notice of the proposed alteration, amendment, or repeal is contained in the Corporation’s notice of such special meeting of stockholders. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, any alteration, amendment, or repeal of these Amended and Restated Bylaws, or the making of any new Bylaw, by the stockholders shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than a majority of the voting power represented by the issued and outstanding shares of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon. Any Bylaws altered, amended, or made by the stockholders may be altered, amended, or repealed by either the Board of Directors or the stockholders, in the manner set forth in this Section 8, except a Bylaw amendment adopted by the stockholders that specifies the votes that shall be necessary for the election of directors shall not be amended or repealed by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 9. Certificate of Incorporation. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, if any provision contained in these Amended and Restated Bylaws is inconsistent with or conflicts with a provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, such provision of these Amended and Restated Bylaws shall be superseded by the inconsistent provision in the Certificate of Incorporation to the extent necessary to give effect to such provision in the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

END OF BYLAWS

 

 

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EX-4.1 5 ea020743801ex4-1_flyegroup.htm REPRESENTATIVE'S WARRANT, DATED JUNE 7, 2024

Exhibit 4.1

 

Representative’s Warrant Agreement

 

THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER OR ASSIGN THIS PURCHASE WARRANT EXCEPT AS HEREIN PROVIDED AND THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER, ASSIGN, PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATE THIS PURCHASE WARRANT FOR A PERIOD OF ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE (DEFINED BELOW) TO ANYONE OTHER THAN (I) THE BENCHMARK COMPANY, LLC OR AN UNDERWRITER OR A SELECTED DEALER IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING, OR (II) A BONA FIDE OFFICER OR PARTNER OF THE BENCHMARK COMPANY, LLC OR OF ANY SUCH UNDERWRITER OR SELECTED DEALER.

 

THIS PURCHASE WARRANT IS NOT EXERCISABLE PRIOR TO DECEMBER 7, 2024. VOID AFTER 5:00 P.M., EASTERN TIME, JUNE 7, 2029.

 

COMMON SHARE PURCHASE WARRANT

 

For the Purchase of 112,500 Shares of Common Stock 

of 

 

Fly-E Group, Inc.

 

1. Purchase Warrant. THIS CERTIFIES THAT, in consideration of funds duly paid by or on behalf of The Benchmark Company, LLC (“Holder”), as registered owner of this Purchase Warrant, Fly-E Group, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the law of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), Holder is entitled, at any time or from time to time from December 7, 2024 (the “Commencement Date”), and at or before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, June 7, 2029 (the “Expiration Date”), but not thereafter, to subscribe for, purchase and receive, in whole or in part, up to 112,500 shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the “Shares”), subject to adjustment as provided in Section 6 hereof. If the Expiration Date is a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized by law to close, then this Purchase Warrant may be exercised on the next succeeding day which is not such a day in accordance with the terms herein. During the period ending on the Expiration Date, the Company agrees not to take any action that would terminate this Purchase Warrant. This Purchase Warrant is initially exercisable at $4.00 per Share; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 6 hereof, the rights granted by this Purchase Warrant, including the exercise price per Share and the number of Shares to be received upon such exercise, shall be adjusted as therein specified. The term “Exercise Price” shall mean the initial exercise price or the adjusted exercise price, depending on the context. The term “Effective Date” shall mean May 14, 2024, the date on which the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-276830) of the Company was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”).

  

2. Exercise.

 

2.1 Exercise Form. In order to exercise this Purchase Warrant, the exercise form attached hereto (the “Notice of Exercise”) must be duly executed and completed and delivered to the Company, together with this Purchase Warrant and payment of the Exercise Price for the Shares being purchased payable in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Company or by certified check or official bank check unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2.2 below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. If the subscription rights represented hereby shall not be exercised at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Expiration Date, this Purchase Warrant shall become and be void without further force or effect, and all rights represented hereby shall cease and expire. Each exercise hereof shall be irrevocable.

 

 


 

2.2 Cashless Exercise. In lieu of exercising this Purchase Warrant by payment by wire transfer or cashier’s check pursuant to Section 2.1 above, this Purchase Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive the number of Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:

 

(A) = as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(64) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws, “Regular Trading Hours”)) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (x) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (y) the Bid Price of the Shares on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of Regular Trading Hours on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof, which Bid Price shall be shown on supporting documents provided by the Holder to the Company within two (2) Trading Days of delivery of the Notice of Exercise or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of Regular Trading Hours on such Trading Day;

 

(B) = the Exercise Price of this Purchase Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and

 

(X) = the number of Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Purchase Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.

 

If Shares are issued in such a “cashless exercise”, the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Shares shall take on the securities law characteristics of the Purchase Warrants being exercised, and the holding period of the Purchase Warrants being exercised may be tacked on to the holding period of the Shares. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2.2.

 

“Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Shares are then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the Shares for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Shares are then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if the Shares are then quoted on the OTCQB or OTCQX but not listed on any Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of a Share for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Shares are not then listed or quoted for trading on any of a Trading Market, the OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Shares are then reported on the OTC Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per Share so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of the Shares as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holder and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

“Trading Day” means a day on which the Trading Market is open for trading.

 

“Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Shares are listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

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“VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Shares are then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Shares for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Shares are then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if the Shares are then quoted on the OTCQB or OTCQX but not listed on any Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of a Share for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if Shares are not then listed or quoted for trading on the OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Shares are then reported on the OTC Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the daily volume weighted average price of the Shares for such date (or the nearest preceding date), or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of the Shares as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holder and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

2.3 Mechanics of Exercise.

 

2.3.1 Delivery of Shares Upon Exercise. The Company shall cause the Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by its transfer agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Shares to or resale of the Shares by Holder, or (B) the Shares are eligible for resale by the Holder without volume or manner-of-sale limitations pursuant to Rule 144 and, in either case, the Shares have been sold by the Holder prior to the Warrant Share Delivery Date (as defined below), and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”). If the Shares can be delivered via DWAC, the transfer agent shall have received from the Company, at the expense of the Company, any legal opinions or other documentation required by it to deliver such Warrant Shares without legend (subject to receipt by the Company of reasonable back up documentation from the Holder, including with respect to affiliate status) and, if applicable and requested by the Company prior to the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the transfer agent shall have received from the Holder a confirmation of sale of the Shares (provided the requirement of the Holder to provide a confirmation as to the sale of Shares shall not be applicable to the issuance of unlegended Shares upon a cashless exercise of this Purchase Warrant if the Shares are then eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144(b)(l)). The Shares shall be deemed to have been issued, and Holder or any other person so designated to be named therein shall be deemed to have become a holder of record of such shares for all purposes, as of the date the Purchase Warrant has been exercised, with payment to the Company of the Exercise Price (or by cashless exercise, if permitted) and all taxes required to be paid by the Holder, if any, pursuant to Section 2.3.6 prior to the issuance of such shares, having been paid. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the second Trading Day following the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Shares on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after the second Trading Day following such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise.

 

2.3.2 Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Purchase Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Purchase Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Purchase Warrant.

 

2.3.3 Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause its transfer agent to deliver to the Holder the Shares pursuant to Section 2.3.1 by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise; provided, however, that the Holder shall be required to return any Shares subject to any such rescinded exercise notice concurrently with the return to Holder of the aggregate Exercise Price paid to the Company for such Shares and the restoration of Holder’s right to acquire such Shares pursuant to this Purchase Warrant (including, issuance of a replacement warrant certificate evidencing such restored right).

 

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2.3.4 Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Shares Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause its transfer agent to transmit to the Holder the Shares pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, Shares to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the Shares so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Purchase Warrant and equivalent number of Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of Shares that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Shares having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Shares with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $l0,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver Shares upon exercise of the Purchase Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

2.3.5 No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Purchase Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either (a) pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or (b) round up to the next whole share if such fraction is greater than or equal to one-half or round down to the next whole share if such fraction is less than one-half.

 

2.3.6 Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event that Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Purchase Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all transfer agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Shares.

 

2.3.7 Closing of Books. The Company will not close its shareholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Purchase Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

2.3.8 Signature. This Section 2 and the exercise form attached hereto set forth the totality of the procedures required of the Holder in order to exercise this Purchase Warrant. Without limiting the preceding sentences, no ink-original exercise form shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any exercise form be required in order to exercise this Purchase Warrant. No additional legal opinion, other information or instructions shall be required of the Holder to exercise this Purchase Warrant. The Company shall honor exercises of this Purchase Warrant and shall deliver Shares underlying this Purchase Warrant in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth herein.

 

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2.4 Holder’s Exercise Limitations. The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Purchase Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Purchase Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates (as defined below), and any other Persons (as defined below) acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s affiliates), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of Shares beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates shall include the number of Shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of Shares which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Purchase Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Stock Equivalents (as defined below)) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2.4, beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2.4 applies, the determination of whether this Purchase Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates) and of which portion of this Purchase Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Purchase Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates) and of which portion of this Purchase Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2.4, in determining the number of outstanding Shares, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding Shares as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Company’s transfer agent setting forth the number of Shares outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within two Trading Days (as defined herein) confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of Shares then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding Shares shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Purchase Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates since the date as of which such number of outstanding Shares was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% of the number of Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of Shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2.4, provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of Shares upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2.4 shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2.4 to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Purchase Warrant.

 

“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company that would entitle the holder thereof to acquire Shares.

 

“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

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2.5 Legend. Each certificate for the securities purchased under this Purchase Warrant shall bear a legend as follows unless such securities have been registered under the Securities Act:

 

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR APPLICABLE STATE LAW. NEITHER THE SECURITIES NOR ANY INTEREST THEREIN MAY BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE LAW WHICH, IN THE OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY, IS AVAILABLE.”

 

3. Transfer.

 

3.1 General Restrictions. The registered Holder of this Purchase Warrant agrees by his, her or its acceptance hereof, that such Holder will not: (a) sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate this Purchase Warrant or the securities issuable hereunder for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date to anyone other than: (i) The Benchmark Company, LLC (“Benchmark”) or an underwriter or a selected dealer participating in the Offering, or (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of Benchmark or of any such underwriter or selected dealer, in each case in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1), or (b) for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date, cause this Purchase Warrant or the securities issuable hereunder to be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of this Purchase Warrant or the securities hereunder, except as provided for in FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2). On and after one hundred eighty (180) days after the Effective Date, transfers to others may be made subject to compliance with or exemptions from applicable securities laws. In order to make any permitted assignment, the Holder must deliver to the Company the assignment form attached hereto duly executed and completed, together with the Purchase Warrant and payment of all transfer taxes, if any, payable in connection therewith. The Company shall within five (5) business days transfer this Purchase Warrant on the books of the Company and shall execute and deliver a new Purchase Warrant or Purchase Warrants of like tenor to the appropriate assignee(s) expressly evidencing the right to purchase the aggregate number of Shares purchasable hereunder or such portion of such number as shall be contemplated by any such assignment.

 

3.2 Restrictions Imposed by the Securities Act. The securities evidenced by this Purchase Warrant shall not be transferred unless and until: (i) the Company has received the opinion of counsel for the Holder that the securities may be transferred pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, the availability of which is established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Company (the Company hereby agreeing that the opinion of Lucosky Brookman LLP shall be deemed satisfactory evidence of the availability of an exemption), or (ii) a registration statement or a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement relating to the offer and sale of such securities has been filed by the Company and declared effective by the Commission and compliance with applicable state securities law has been established.

 

4 Registration Rights.

 

4.1 Demand Registration.

 

4.1.1 Grant of Right. The Company, upon written demand (a “Demand Notice”) of the Holders of at least 51% of the Purchase Warrants and/or the underlying Shares, agrees to register, on one (1) occasion, all or any portion of the Shares underlying the Purchase Warrants (collectively, the “Registrable Securities”). On such occasion, the Company will file a registration statement with the Commission covering the Registrable Securities within sixty (60) days after receipt of a Demand Notice and use its reasonable best efforts to have the registration statement declared effective promptly thereafter, subject to compliance with review by the Commission; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to comply with a Demand Notice if the Company has filed a registration statement with respect to which the Holder is entitled to piggyback registration rights pursuant to Section 4.2 hereof and either: (i) the Holder has elected to participate in the offering covered by such registration statement or (ii) if such registration statement relates to an underwritten primary offering of securities of the Company, until the offering covered by such registration statement has been withdrawn or until thirty (30) days after such offering is consummated. The Company covenants and agrees to give written notice of its receipt of any Demand Notice by any Holders to all other registered Holders of the Purchase Warrants and/or the Registrable Securities within ten (10) days after the date of the receipt of any such Demand Notice.

 

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4.1.2 Terms. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to the registration of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 4.1.1, but the Holders shall pay any and all underwriting commissions and the expenses of any legal counsel selected by the Holders to represent them in connection with the sale of the Registrable Securities. The Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to cause the filing required herein to become effective promptly and to qualify or register the Registrable Securities in such states as are reasonably requested by the Holders; provided, however, that in no event shall the Company be required to register the Registrable Securities in a State in which such registration would cause: (i) the Company to be obligated to register or license to do business in such State or submit to general service of process in such State, or (ii) the principal shareholders of the Company to be obligated to escrow their shares of capital stock of the Company. The Company shall cause any registration statement filed pursuant to the demand right granted under Section 4.1.1 to remain effective for a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months after the date that the Holders of the Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement are first given the opportunity to sell all of such securities. The Holders shall only use the prospectuses provided by the Company to sell the shares covered by such registration statement, and will immediately cease to use any prospectus furnished by the Company if the Company advises the Holder that such prospectus may no longer be used due to a material misstatement or omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 4.1.2, the Holder shall be entitled to a demand registration under this Section 4.1.2 on only one (1) occasion and such demand registration right shall terminate on the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(C).

  

4.2 “Piggy-Back” Registration.

 

4.2.1 Grant of Right. In addition to the demand right of registration described in Section 4.1 hereof, the Holder shall have the right, for a period of no more than seven (7) years from the Effective Date in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(D), to include the Registrable Securities as part of any other registration of securities filed by the Company (other than in connection with a transaction contemplated by Rule 145(a) promulgated under the Securities Act or pursuant to Form S-8 or Form F-4 or any equivalent form); provided, however, that if, solely in connection with any primary underwritten public offering for the account of the Company, the managing underwriter(s) thereof shall, in its reasonable discretion, impose a limitation on the number of Shares which may be included in the Registration Statement because, in such underwriter(s)’ judgment, marketing or other factors dictate such limitation is necessary to facilitate public distribution, then the Company shall be obligated to include in such Registration Statement only such limited portion of the Registrable Securities with respect to which the Holder requested inclusion hereunder as the underwriter shall reasonably permit. Any exclusion of Registrable Securities shall be made pro rata among the Holders seeking to include Registrable Securities in proportion to the number of Registrable Securities sought to be included by such Holders; provided, however, that the Company shall not exclude any Registrable Securities unless the Company has first excluded all outstanding securities, the holders of which are not entitled to inclusion of such securities in such Registration Statement or are not entitled to pro rata inclusion with the Registrable Securities.

 

4.2.2 Terms. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to registering the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 4.2.1 hereof, but the Holders shall pay any and all underwriting commissions and the expenses of any legal counsel selected by the Holders to represent them in connection with the sale of the Registrable Securities. In the event of such a proposed registration, the Company shall furnish the then Holders of outstanding Registrable Securities with not less than thirty (30) days’ written notice prior to the proposed date of filing of such registration statement. Such notice to the Holders shall continue to be given for each registration statement filed by the Company until such time as all of the Registrable Securities have been sold by the Holder. The holders of the Registrable Securities shall exercise the “piggy-back” rights provided for herein by giving written notice within ten (10) days of the receipt of the Company’s notice of its intention to file a registration statement. Except as otherwise provided in this Purchase Warrant, there shall be no limit on the number of times the Holder may request registration under this Section 4.2.2; provided, however, that such registration rights shall terminate on the fifth anniversary of the Commencement Date.

 

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4.3 General Terms.

 

4.3.1 Indemnification. The Company shall indemnify the Holders of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to any registration statement hereunder and each person, if any, who controls such Holders within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from such registration statement but only to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions pursuant to which the Company has agreed to indemnify the Underwriters contained in Section 5.1 of the Underwriting Agreement between the Underwriters and the Company, dated as of June 5, 2024. The Holders of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to such registration statement, and their successors and assigns, shall severally, and not jointly, indemnify the Company, against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which they may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from information furnished by or on behalf of such Holders, or their successors or assigns, in writing, for specific inclusion in such registration statement to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions contained in Section 5.2 of the Underwriting Agreement pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to indemnify the Company.

 

4.3.2 Exercise of Purchase Warrants. Nothing contained in this Purchase Warrant shall be construed as requiring the Holders to exercise their Purchase Warrants prior to or after the initial filing of any registration statement or the effectiveness thereof.

 

4.3.3 Documents Delivered to Holders. The Company shall furnish to each Holder participating in any of the foregoing offerings and to each underwriter of any such offering, if any, a signed counterpart, addressed to such Holder or underwriter, of: (i) an opinion of counsel to the Company, dated the effective date of such registration statement (and, if such registration includes an underwritten public offering, an opinion dated the date of the closing under any underwriting agreement related thereto), and (ii) a “cold comfort” letter dated the effective date of such registration statement (and, if such registration includes an underwritten public offering, a letter dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement) signed by the independent registered public accounting firm which has issued a report on the Company’s financial statements included in such registration statement, in each case covering substantially the same matters with respect to such registration statement (and the prospectus included therein) and, in the case of such accountants’ letter, with respect to events subsequent to the date of such financial statements, as are customarily covered in opinions of issuer’s counsel and in accountants’ letters delivered to underwriters in underwritten public offerings of securities. The Company shall also deliver promptly to each Holder participating in the offering requesting the correspondence and memoranda described below and to the managing underwriter, if any, copies of all correspondence between the Commission and the Company, its counsel or auditors and all memoranda relating to discussions with the Commission or its staff with respect to the registration statement and permit each Holder and underwriter to do such investigation, upon reasonable advance notice, with respect to information contained in or omitted from the registration statement as it deems reasonably necessary to comply with applicable securities laws or rules of FINRA. Such investigation shall include access to books, records and properties and opportunities to discuss the business of the Company with its officers and independent auditors, all to such reasonable extent and at such reasonable times as any such Holder shall reasonably request.

 

4.3.4 Underwriting Agreement. The Company shall enter into an underwriting agreement with the managing underwriter(s), if any, selected by any Holders whose Registrable Securities are being registered pursuant to this Section 4, which managing underwriter shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company. Such agreement shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Company, each Holder and such managing underwriters, and shall contain such representations, warranties and covenants by the Company and such other terms as are customarily contained in agreements of that type used by the managing underwriter. The Holders shall be parties to any underwriting agreement relating to an underwritten sale of their Registrable Securities and may, at their option, require that any or all the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company to or for the benefit of such underwriters shall also be made to and for the benefit of such Holders. Such Holders shall not be required to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters except as they may relate to such Holders, their Shares and their intended methods of distribution.

 

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4.3.5 Documents to be Delivered by Holders. Each of the Holders participating in any of the foregoing offerings shall furnish to the Company a completed and executed questionnaire provided by the Company requesting information customarily sought of selling security holders.

 

4.3.6 Damages. Should the registration or the effectiveness thereof required by Sections 4.1 and 4.2 hereof be delayed by the Company or the Company otherwise fails to comply with such provisions, the Holders shall, in addition to any other legal or other relief available to the Holders, be entitled to obtain specific performance or other equitable (including injunctive) relief against the threatened breach of such provisions or the continuation of any such breach, without the necessity of proving actual damages and without the necessity of posting bond or other security.

 

4.4 Termination of Registration Rights. The registration rights afforded to the Holders under this Section 4 shall terminate on the earliest date when all Registrable Securities of such Holder either: (i) have been publicly sold by such Holder pursuant to a Registration Statement, (ii) have been covered by an effective Registration Statement on Form S-1 or Form S-3 (or successor forms thereto), which may be kept effective as an evergreen Registration Statement, or (iii) may be sold by the Holder within a 90-day period without registration pursuant to Rule 144 or consistent with applicable SEC interpretive guidance (including CD&I no. 201.04 (April 2, 2007) or similar interpretive guidance).

 

5. New Purchase Warrants to be Issued.

 

5.1 Partial Exercise or Transfer. Subject to the restrictions in Section 3 hereof, this Purchase Warrant may be exercised or assigned in whole or in part. In the event of the exercise or assignment hereof in part only, upon surrender of this Purchase Warrant for cancellation, together with the duly executed exercise or assignment form and funds sufficient to pay any Exercise Price and/or transfer tax if exercised pursuant to Section 2.1 hereto, the Company shall cause to be delivered to the Holder without charge a new Purchase Warrant of like tenor to this Purchase Warrant in the name of the Holder evidencing the right of the Holder to purchase the number of Shares purchasable hereunder as to which this Purchase Warrant has not been exercised or assigned.

 

5.2 Lost Certificate. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Purchase Warrant and of reasonably satisfactory indemnification or the posting of a bond, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Purchase Warrant of like tenor and date. Any such new Purchase Warrant executed and delivered as a result of such loss, theft, mutilation or destruction shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation on the part of the Company.

 

6. Adjustments.

 

6.1 Adjustments to Exercise Price and Number of Securities. The Exercise Price and the number of Shares underlying the Purchase Warrant shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as hereinafter set forth:

 

6.1.1 Stock Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Purchase Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on the Shares or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in Shares (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any Shares issued by the Company upon (A) exercise of this Purchase Warrant or (B) exercise, conversion or exchange of options, warrants, preferred stock, convertible notes, other convertible securities or other Common Stock Equivalents), (ii) subdivides outstanding Shares into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding Shares into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues by reclassification of any shares of capital stock of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of Shares (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Purchase Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 6.1 shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification. For the purposes of clarification, neither the Exercise Price of this Purchase Warrant nor the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant will be adjusted in the event that the Company or any subsidiary thereof, as applicable, sells or grants any option to purchase, or sells or grants any right to reprice, or otherwise disposes of or issues (or announces any offer, sale, grant or any option to purchase or other disposition) any Shares or Common Stock Equivalents.

 

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6.1.2 Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 6.1.1 above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of Shares of the Company (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder bad held the number of Shares acquirable upon complete exercise of this Purchase Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Shares are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such Shares as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

6.1.3 Pro Rata Distributions. During such time as this Purchase Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend (other than cash dividends) or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Shares, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of shares or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Purchase Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of Shares acquirable upon complete exercise of this Purchase Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Shares are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any Shares as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation). To the extent that this Purchase Warrant has not been partially or completely exercised at the time of such Distribution, such portion of the Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until the Holder has exercised this Purchase Warrant.

 

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6.1.4 Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while this Purchase Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Shares of the Company are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Company, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of Shares or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Shares are effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding Shares of the Company (not including any Shares held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Purchase Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2.4 on the exercise of this Purchase Warrant), the number of Shares of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable by holders of Shares as a result of such Fundamental Transaction for each Share for which this Purchase Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2.4 on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one Share in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Shares of the Company are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Purchase Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Purchase Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.1.4 pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Purchase Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the Shares acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Purchase Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the Shares pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Purchase Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Purchase Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Purchase Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.

 

6.1.5 Calculations. All calculations under this Section 6.1 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest l/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 6.1, the number of Shares deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of Shares (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.

 

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6.1.6 Notice to Holder.

 

i.  Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 6.1, the Company shall promptly mail to the Holder a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

 

ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Shares, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Shares, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the common stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any shareholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Shares, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Shares are converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be mailed a notice to the Holder at its last address as it shall appear upon the warrant register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Shares of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Shares of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Shares for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to provide such notice or any defect therein shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Purchase Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein. 

 

6.1.7 Changes in Form of Purchase Warrant. This form of Purchase Warrant need not be changed because of any change pursuant to this Section 6.1, and Purchase Warrants issued after such change may state the same Exercise Price and the same number of Shares as are stated in the Purchase Warrants initially issued pursuant to this Agreement. The acceptance by any Holder of the issuance of new Purchase Warrants reflecting a required or permissive change shall not be deemed to waive any rights to an adjustment occurring after the Commencement Date or the computation thereof.

 

6.2 Substitute Purchase Warrant. In case of any consolidation of the Company with, or share reconstruction or amalgamation of the Company with or into, another corporation (other than a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation which does not result in any reclassification or change of the outstanding Shares), the corporation formed by such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation shall execute and deliver to the Holder a supplemental Purchase Warrant providing that the holder of each Purchase Warrant then outstanding or to be outstanding shall have the right thereafter (until the stated expiration of such Purchase Warrant) to receive, upon exercise of such Purchase Warrant, the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property receivable upon such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation, by a holder of the number of Shares for which such Purchase Warrant might have been exercised immediately prior to such consolidation, share reconstruction or amalgamation, sale or transfer. Such supplemental Purchase Warrant shall provide for adjustments which shall be identical to the adjustments provided for in this Section 6. The above provision of this Section shall similarly apply to successive consolidations or share reconstructions or amalgamations.

 

6.3 Elimination of Fractional Interests. The Company shall not be required to issue certificates representing fractions of Shares upon the exercise of the Purchase Warrant, nor shall it be required to issue scrip or pay cash in lieu of any fractional interests, it being the intent of the parties that all fractional interests shall be eliminated by rounding any fraction up or down, as the case may be, to the nearest whole number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights.

 

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7. Reservation and Listing. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized Shares, solely for the purpose of issuance upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants, such number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights as shall be issuable upon the exercise thereof. The Company covenants and agrees that, upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants and payment of the Exercise Price therefor, in accordance with the terms hereby, all Shares and other securities issuable upon such exercise shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to pre-emptive rights of any shareholder. The Company further covenants and agrees that upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants and payment of the exercise price therefor, all Shares and other securities issuable upon such exercise shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to pre-emptive rights of any shareholder. As long as the Purchase Warrants shall be outstanding, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Shares issuable upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants to be listed (subject to official notice of issuance) on all national securities exchanges (or, if applicable, on the OTC Bulletin Board or any successor trading market) on which the Shares issued to the public in the Offering may then be listed and/or quoted.

 

8. Certain Notice Requirements.

 

8.1 Holder’s Right to Receive Notice. Nothing herein shall be construed as conferring upon the Holders the right to vote or consent or to receive notice as a shareholder for the election of directors or any other matter, or as having any rights whatsoever as a shareholder of the Company. If, however, at any time prior to the expiration of the Purchase Warrants and their exercise, any of the events described in Section 8.2 shall occur, then, in one or more of said events, the Company shall give written notice of such event at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date fixed as a record date or the date of closing the transfer books for the determination of the shareholders entitled to such dividend, distribution, conversion or exchange of securities or subscription rights, or entitled to vote on such proposed dissolution, liquidation, winding up or sale. Such notice shall specify such record date or the date of the closing of the transfer books, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall deliver to each Holder a copy of each notice given to the other shareholders of the Company at the same time and in the same manner that such notice is given to the shareholders.

 

8.2 Events Requiring Notice. The Company shall be required to give the notice described in this Section 8 upon one or more of the following events: (i) if the Company shall take a record of the holders of its Shares for the purpose of entitling them to receive a dividend or distribution payable otherwise than in cash, or a cash dividend or distribution payable otherwise than out of retained earnings, as indicated by the accounting treatment of such dividend or distribution on the books of the Company; (ii) the Company shall offer to all the holders of its Shares any additional shares of capital stock of the Company or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company, or any option, right or warrant to subscribe therefor; or (iii) a dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company (other than in connection with a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation) or a sale of all or substantially all of its property, assets and business shall be proposed.

  

8.3 Transmittal of Notices. All notices, requests, consents and other communications under this Purchase Warrant shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly made when hand delivered or mailed by express mail or private courier service: (i) if to the registered Holder of the Purchase Warrant, to the address of such Holder as shown on the books of the Company, or (ii) if to the Company, to following address or to such other address as the Company may designate by notice to the Holders:

 

If to the Holder:

 

The Benchmark Company, LLC

150 East 58th Street, 17th Floor

New York, NY 10155

Attention: Michael Jacobs

E-mail: mjacobs@benchmarkcompany.com

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Lucosky Brookman LLP

101 Wood Avenue South, 5th Floor

Woodbridge, NJ 08330

Attention: Joseph M. Lucosky, Esq.

Fax No.: (732) 395-4401

E-Mail: jlucosky@lucbro.com

 

13


 

If to the Company:

 

Fly-E Group, Inc.

136-40 39th Avenue

Flushing, NY 11354

Attention: Zhou Ou

E-mail: andy@flyebike.com

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Hogan Lovells US LLP

390 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10017

Attention: Richard Aftanas, Esq.

E-Mail: raftanas@hoganlovells.com

 

9. General.

 

9.1 Amendments. The Company and Benchmark may from time to time supplement or amend this Purchase Warrant without the approval of any of the Holders in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder that the Company and Benchmark may deem necessary or desirable and that the Company and Benchmark deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the Holders. All other modifications or amendments shall require the written consent of and be signed by the party against whom enforcement of the modification or amendment is sought.

 

9.2 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Purchase Warrant.

 

9.3 Entire Agreement. This Purchase Warrant (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Purchase Warrant) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

9.4 Binding Effect. This Purchase Warrant shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon, the Holder and the Company and their permitted assignees, respective successors, legal representative and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Purchase Warrant or any provisions herein contained.

 

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9.5 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Purchase Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the law of the State of New York. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Purchase Warrant shall be brought and enforced in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, sitting in the City and County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 8 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company and the Holder agree that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its shareholders and affiliates) and the Holder hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

9.6 Waiver, etc. The failure of the Company or the Holder to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Purchase Warrant shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way affect the validity of this Purchase Warrant or any provision hereof or the right of the Company or any Holder to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Purchase Warrant. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Purchase Warrant shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.

 

9.7 Execution in Counterparts. This Purchase Warrant may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Such counterparts may be delivered by facsimile transmission or other electronic transmission.

 

9.8 Exchange Agreement. As a condition of the Holder’s receipt and acceptance of this Purchase Warrant, Holder agrees that, at any time prior to the complete exercise of this Purchase Warrant by Holder, if the Company and Benchmark enter into an agreement (“Exchange Agreement”) pursuant to which they agree that all outstanding Purchase Warrants will be exchanged for securities or cash or a combination of both, then Holder shall agree to such exchange and become a party to the Exchange Agreement.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Purchase Warrant to be signed by its duly authorized officer as of the 7th day of June, 2024.

 

  Very truly yours,
       
  FLY-E GROUP, INC.
       
  By: /s/ Zhou Ou
    Name:  Zhou Ou
    Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 


 

[Form to be used to exercise Purchase Warrant]

 

Date: __________, 20___

 

The undersigned hereby elects irrevocably to exercise the Purchase Warrant for [●]shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Shares”), of Fly-E Group, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the law of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), and hereby makes payment of $[●] (at the rate of $[●] per Share) in payment of the Exercise Price pursuant thereto. Please issue the Shares as to which this Purchase Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Purchase Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Purchase Warrant has not been exercised.

 

or

 

The undersigned hereby elects irrevocably to convert its right to purchase [●] Shares of the Company under the Purchase Warrant for [●] Shares, as determined in accordance with the Section 2.2 of the Purchase Warrant.

 

The undersigned agrees and acknowledges that the calculation set forth above is subject to confirmation by the Company and any disagreement with respect to the calculation shall be resolved by the Company in its sole discretion.

 

Please issue the Shares as to which this Purchase Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Purchase Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Purchase Warrant has not been converted.

 

Signature      

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES

 

Name:    
  (Print in Block Letters)  

 

Address:    
     
     
     
     

 

 


 

[Form to be used to assign Purchase Warrant]

 

ASSIGNMENT

 

(To be executed by the registered Holder to effect a transfer of the within Purchase Warrant):

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, __________________ does hereby sell, assign and transfer unto the right to purchase [●] shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Fly-E Group, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the law of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), evidenced by the Purchase Warrant and does hereby authorize the Company to transfer such right on the books of the Company.

 

Dated: __________, 20__

 

Signature    

 

 

 

 

 

EX-99.1 6 ea020743801ex99-1_flyegroup.htm PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON JUNE 5, 2024

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

Fly-E Group Announces Pricing of Initial Public Offering

 

June 05, 2024 18:00 ET | Source: Fly-E Group, Inc.

 

New York, N.Y., June 5, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fly-E Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: FLYE) (“FLYE”) today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 2,250,000 shares of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share, at an initial public offering price to the public of $4.00 per share. FLYE has granted the underwriters a 30-day overallotment option to purchase up to an additional 337,500 shares of common stock from FLYE at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

FLYE’s shares of common stock have been approved for listing and are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “FLYE” on June 6, 2024.

 

The offering is expected to close on June 7, 2024, subject to customary closing conditions.

 

The gross proceeds to FLYE from the offering, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses, will be $9.0 million (or $10.35 million if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of common stock from us is exercised in full). FLYE intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to cover the purchase of inventory and production costs of its vehicles, the expansion of its retail stores, its technology, research and development initiatives, and for general corporate purposes.

 

The Benchmark Company, LLC is the sole book-running manager for the offering.

 

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and became effective on May 14, 2024. The proposed offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus, when available, may be obtained from The Benchmark Company, LLC, 150 East 58th Street, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10155, by telephone: (212) 312-6700, or by email at prospectus@benchmarkcompany.com.

 

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

 

About Fly-E Group, Inc.

 

Fly-E Group, Inc. is an electric vehicle company that is principally engaged in designing, installing and selling smart electric motorcycles, electric bikes, electric scooters and related accessories under the brand “Fly E-Bike.” Our commitment is to encourage people to incorporate eco-friendly transportation into their active lifestyles, ultimately contributing towards building a more environmentally friendly future. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: https://investors.flyebike.com.

 

 


 

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

 

This news release and statements of FLYE’s management in connection with this news release or related events contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expected”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements (which includes statements regarding the commencement of trading in our common stock and the closing of the offering described herein) are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including our ability to obtain additional funding to market our vehicles and develop new products; our ability to produce vehicles with sufficient volume and quality to satisfy customers; the ability of our principal vendors to deliver the necessary components for our vehicles at prices and volumes acceptable to us; our principal vendors’ ability to perform quality control on our products; our ability to obtain sufficient intellectual property protection for our brand and technologies; our vehicles’ ability to perform as expected; our facing product warranty claims or product recalls; our facing adverse determinations in significant product liability claims; customers’ acceptance of electric vehicles; the development of alternative technology that adversely affects our business; the lingering impact of COVID-19 on our business; increased government regulation of our industry; and tariffs and currency exchange rates. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Fly-E Group, Inc.

Investor Relations Department

Email: ir@flyebike.com

 

Ascent Investor Relations LLC

Tina Xiao

Phone: +1-646-932-7242

Email: investors@ascent-ir.com

 

 

 

 

EX-99.2 7 ea020743801ex99-2_flyegroup.htm PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON JUNE 7, 2024

Exhibit 99.2

 

 

 

Fly-E Group, Inc. Announces Closing of its Initial Public Offering

June 07, 2024 15:10 ET | Source: Fly-E Group, Inc.

 

New York, N.Y., June 7, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fly-E Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: FLYE) (“FLYE”) today announced the closing of its initial public offering of 2,250,000 shares of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share, at an initial public offering price to the public of $4.00 per share. FLYE granted the underwriters a 30-day overallotment option to purchase up to an additional 337,500 shares of common stock from FLYE at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

FLYE’s shares of common stock began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “FLYE” on June 6, 2024.

 

The gross proceeds to FLYE from the offering, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses, were $9.0 million. FLYE intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to cover the purchase of inventory and production costs of its vehicles, the expansion of its retail stores, its technology, research and development initiatives, and for general corporate purposes.

 

The Benchmark Company, LLC (“Benchmark”) was the sole book-running manager for the offering. Hogan Lovells US LLP acted as counsel to FLYE and Lucosky Brookman LLP acted as counsel to Benchmark in connection with the offering.

 

A registration statement relating to these securities was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and became effective on May 14, 2024. The proposed offering was made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus may be obtained from The Benchmark Company, LLC, 150 East 58th Street, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10155, by telephone: (212) 312-6700, or by email at prospectus@benchmarkcompany.com.

 

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

 

About Fly-E Group, Inc.

 

Fly-E Group, Inc. is an electric vehicle company that is principally engaged in designing, installing and selling smart electric motorcycles, electric bikes, electric scooters and related accessories under the brand “Fly E-Bike.” Our commitment is to encourage people to incorporate eco-friendly transportation into their active lifestyles, ultimately contributing towards building a more environmentally friendly future. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: https://investors.flyebike.com.

 

 


 

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

 

This news release and statements of FLYE’s management in connection with this news release or related events contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expected”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including our ability to obtain additional funding to market our vehicles and develop new products; our ability to produce vehicles with sufficient volume and quality to satisfy customers; the ability of our principal vendors to deliver the necessary components for our vehicles at prices and volumes acceptable to us; our principal vendors’ ability to perform quality control on our products; our ability to obtain sufficient intellectual property protection for our brand and technologies; our vehicles’ ability to perform as expected; our facing product warranty claims or product recalls; our facing adverse determinations in significant product liability claims; customers’ acceptance of electric vehicles; the development of alternative technology that adversely affects our business; the lingering impact of COVID-19 on our business; increased government regulation of our industry; and tariffs and currency exchange rates. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Fly-E Group, Inc.

Investor Relations Department

Email: ir@flyebike.com

 

Ascent Investor Relations LLC

Tina Xiao

Phone: +1-646-932-7242

Email: investors@ascent-ir.com