HCMC Healthier Choices Management Corporation (PK)

 

 

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): January 18, 2024

 

HEALTHIER CHOICES MANAGEMENT CORP.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware		001-36469		84-1070932
(State or Other Jurisdiction		(Commission		(I.R.S. Employer
of Incorporation)		File Number)		Identification No.)

 

3800 North 28th Way

Hollywood, Florida 33020

(Address of Principal Executive Office) (Zip Code)

 

(888) 766-5351

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

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

 

	☐	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))

 

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).

 

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

 

Title of each class		Trading symbol(s)		Name of each exchange on which registered
Common		HCMC		OTC Pink

 

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 January 18, 2024, Healthy Choice Wellness Corp. (“HCWC”), a subsidiary of the Issuer, entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “SPA”) with institutional investors (the “Purchasers”) pursuant to which HCWC agreed to issue (1) unsecured promissory notes with an aggregate principal amount of $1.889 million (the “Notes”) and (2) shares of HCWC Class A common stock (the “Bridge Shares,” and together with the Notes, the “Securities”) in an aggregate amount equal to $1.889 million divided by the price of such stock sold in HCWC’s initial public offering of its Class A common stock (the “IPO”). The aggregate subscription price for the Securities was $1.7 million. The Notes were issued at a 10% original issue discount and accrue interest at a rate of 10% per annum. All accrued principal and interest on the Notes shall be due and payable upon the earlier of (1) at the closing of the IPO, (2) January 18, 2025 or (3) the time at which the balance is due and payable upon an event of default (as defined in the Notes).

 

Pursuant to the SPA, Purchasers will also be required to purchase an aggregate of $1.7 million of shares of Class A common stock in the IPO.

 

The issuances of the Notes and the Bridge Shares are exempt from registration pursuant to the provisions Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 506(b) of Regulation D, as promulgated by the Commission, on the basis that the Issuer and HCWC had a pre-existing relationship with the investor and there was no public offering. The Notes and the Bridge Shares may not be offered or sold absent their registration for resale or the availability of an exemption therefrom.

 

HCWC expects to use the proceeds from the sale of the Securities for general working capital purposes.

 

The foregoing description of the Securities Purchase Agreement and the Notes is a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the provisions thereof, copies of which are attached to this Current Report as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2, which are incorporated by reference herein.

 

ITEM 2.03. CREATION OF A DIRECT FINANCIAL OBLIGATION OR AN OBLIGATION UNDER AN OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENT OF A REGISTRANT.

 

On January 18, 2024, HCWC issued the Notes. The terms of the Notes are described in Item 1.01 above, which descriptions are incorporated in their entirety by reference herein.

 

ITEM 3.02. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES.

 

The information regarding the Notes and the Bridge Shares set forth in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated in its entirety by reference in this Item 3.02.

 

ITEM 9.01. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit Number		Description
10.1		Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of January 18, 2024, by and between Healthy Choice Wellness Corp. and the purchasers named therein
10.2		Form of Promissory Note
104		Cover Page Interactive Data File (Embedded within the Inline XBRL document and included in Exhibit)

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

	Healthier Choices Management Corp.
Date: January 23, 2024	By:	/s/ Jeffrey E. Holman
		Jeffrey E. Holman
		Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 10.1

 

SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

This Securities Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”) is dated as of January 18, 2024, by and between Healthy Choice Wellness Corp. (the “Company”), and each investor that executes the signature page hereto as a purchaser (each, a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”).

 

WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of Section 5 of the Securities Act, as defined, contained in Section 4(a)(2) thereof and/or Rule 506(b) thereunder, the Company desires to issue and sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser desires to purchase from the Company, securities of the Company as more fully described in this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Purchaser agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1.

DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 Definitions. In addition to the words and terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, for all purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth in this Section 1.1:

 

“Acquiring Person” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5.5.

 

“Action” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.10.

 

“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.

 

“Bridge Shares” means shares of the Company’s Common Stock issued to each Purchaser equal to the Face Value of the Purchaser’s Notes divided by the IPO Price.

 

“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.

 

“Closing” means the closing of the purchase and sale of the Notes pursuant to Section 2.1.

 

“Closing Date” means the Trading Day on which all of the Transaction Documents have been executed and delivered by the applicable parties thereto, and all conditions precedent to (i) the Purchaser’s obligations to pay the Subscription Amount and (ii) the Company’s obligations to deliver the Securities to be issued and sold, in each case, have been satisfied or waived, but in no event later than the second Trading Day following the date hereof.

 

“Common Stock” means the Class A common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

 

 

“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

 

“Company” means Healthy Choice Wellness Corp. and any successor company.

 

“DWAC” means the Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system at The Depository Trust Company.

 

“Evaluation Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.19.

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

“Exempt Issuance” means the issuance of (a) shares of Common Stock, restricted stock units or options, and the underlying shares of Common Stock to consultants, employees, officers or directors of the Company pursuant to any stock or option plan duly adopted for such purpose, by a majority of the non-employee members of the Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of non-employee directors established for such purpose for services rendered to the Company, (b) securities issued upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any Securities issued hereunder and/or other securities issuable pursuant to existing agreements, exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided that such securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities (other than in connection with stock dividends, stock splits or combinations) or to extend the term of such securities, (c) securities issued pursuant, acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, provided that such securities are issued as “restricted securities” (as defined in Rule 144) and carry no registration rights that require or permit the filing of any registration statement in connection therewith during the prohibition period in Section 4.13(a) herein and that any such issuance shall only be to a Person (or to the equity holders of a Person) which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or an owner of an asset in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and which shall reasonably be expected to provide to the Company additional benefits, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities, (d) securities issued pursuant to any purchase money equipment loan or capital leasing arrangement, purchasing agent or debt financing from a commercial bank or similar financial institution provided that such securities are issued as “restricted securities” (as defined in Rule 144) and carry no registration rights that require or permit the filing of any registration statement in connection therewith during the prohibition period in Section 4.13(a) herein; and (f) securities upon a stock split, stock dividend or subdivision of the Common Stock and shares of common stock in a public offering; (g) non-convertible loans from traditional commercials banks with interest per annum not to exceed 12% which will rank pari passu with the Notes issued to investors by the Company.

 

 

“Face Value” means the Subscription Amount plus original issue discount as described in the Notes.

 

“FCPA” means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.

 

“Fundamental Transaction” means.(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 Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, (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 whereby such other Person acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination).

 

“GAAP” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.8.

 

“Indebtedness” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.27.

 

“Intellectual Property” means all of the following in any jurisdiction throughout the world: (a) all inventions (whether patentable or unpatentable and whether or not reduced to practice), all improvements thereto, and all U.S. and foreign patents, patent applications, and patent disclosures, together with all reissuances, continuations, continuations-in-part, revisions, extensions, and reexaminations thereof, (b) all trademarks, service marks, brand names, certification marks, trade dress, logos, trade names, domain names, assumed names and corporate names, together with all colorable imitations thereof, and including all goodwill associated therewith, and all applications, registrations, and renewals in connection therewith, (c) all copyrights, and all applications, registrations, and renewals in connection therewith, (d) all trade secrets under applicable state laws and the common law and know-how (including formulas, techniques, technical data, designs, drawings, specifications, customer and supplier lists, pricing and cost information, and business and marketing plans and proposals), (e) all computer software (including source code, object code, diagrams, data and related documentation), and (f) all copies and tangible embodiments of the foregoing (in whatever form or medium).

 

“IPO” shall mean an initial public offering by the Company that results in a listing of the Company’s Common Stock on a national securities exchange.

 

 

“IPO Price” means 100% of the Face Value of each Purchaser’s Note divided by the Company’s IPO price upon the pricing of the Company’s IPO.

 

“Licensed Intellectual Property Agreement” means all licenses, sublicenses, agreements and permissions (each as amended to date) that any third party owns and that the Company uses, including off-the-shelf software purchased or licensed by the Company.

 

“Liens” means a lien, charge, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.

 

“Material Adverse Effect” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1.

 

“Maturity Date” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Note.

 

“Notes” means the Original Issue Discount Promissory Notes issued to the Purchaser, in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.

 

“Original Issue Date” means the date of the first issuance of the Notes, regardless of any transfers of any Note and regardless of the number of instruments which may be issued to evidence such Notes.

 

“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.

 

“Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.

 

“Purchaser Party” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5.8.

 

“Registrable Securities” shall mean, collectively, the Bridge Shares.

 

“Regulation FD” means Regulation FD promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act, as such Regulation may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Regulation.

 

“Required Approvals” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.4.

 

“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.

 

“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Securities” means the Notes and the Bridge Shares.

 

 

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

“Short Sales” means all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act (but shall not be deemed to include the location and/or reservation of borrowable shares of Common Stock).

 

“Subscription Amount” means, as to the Purchaser, the aggregate amount to be paid for the Note purchased hereunder as specified below the Purchaser’s name on the signature page of this Agreement and next to the heading “Subscription Amount,” in United States dollars and in immediately available funds.

 

“Subsidiary” means with respect to any entity at any date, any direct or indirect corporation, limited or general partnership, limited liability company, trust, estate, association, joint venture or other business entity of which (A) more than 50% of (i) the outstanding capital stock having (in the absence of contingencies) ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the Board of Directors or other managing body of such entity, (ii) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, the interest in the capital or profits of such partnership or limited liability company or (iii) in the case of a trust, estate, association, joint venture or other entity, the beneficial interest in such trust, estate, association or other entity business is, at the time of determination, owned or controlled directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, by such entity, or (B) is under the actual control of the Company.

 

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

 

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

 

“Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Notes and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder, including, but not limited to, the documents referenced in Section 2.2(a).

 

“Transfer Agent” means Equity Stock Transfer, LLC, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

 

“Variable Rate Transaction” means any Equity Line of Credit or similar agreement, nor issue nor agree to issue any Common Stock, floating or Variable Priced Equity Linked Instruments nor any of the foregoing or equity with price reset rights (subject to adjustment for stock splits, distributions, dividends, recapitalizations and the like) (collectively, the “Variable Rate Transaction”). For purposes of this Agreement, “Equity Line of Credit” shall include any transaction involving a written agreement between the Company and an investor or underwriter whereby the Company has the right to “put” its securities to the investor or underwriter over an agreed period of time and at an agreed price or price formula, and “Variable Priced Equity Linked Instruments” shall include: (A) any debt or equity securities which are convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for, or carry the right to receive additional shares of Common Stock either (1) at any conversion, exercise or exchange rate or other price that is based upon and/or varies with the trading prices of or quotations for Common Stock at any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security, or (2) with a fixed conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date at any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security due to a change in the market price of the Company’s Common Stock since date of initial issuance, and (B) any amortizing convertible security which amortizes prior to its maturity date, where the Company is required or has the option to (or any investor in such transaction has the option to require the Company to) make such amortization payments in shares of Common Stock which are valued at a price that is based upon and/or varies with the trading prices of or quotations for Common Stock at any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security (whether or not such payments in stock are subject to certain equity conditions). For purposes of determining the total consideration for a convertible instrument (including a right to purchase equity of the Company) issued, subject to an original issue or similar discount or which principal amount is directly or indirectly increased after issuance, the consideration will be deemed to be the actual cash amount received by the Company in consideration of the original issuance of such convertible instrument.

 

 

“VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)) (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), (b) if no volume weighted average price of the Common Stock is reported for the Trading Market, the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (c) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holder and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

ARTICLE 2.

PURCHASE AND SALE

 

2.1 Closing. On the Closing Dates, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, substantially concurrent with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the parties hereto, the Company agrees to sell, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase an aggregate of Notes with a Face Value listed on the Purchaser’s signature page. On the Closing Date, the Purchaser shall deliver to the Company a signed copy of the Transaction Documents and, via wire transfer, immediately available funds equal to the Purchaser’s Subscription Amount. After receipt of the Subscription Amount, the Company shall deliver to the Purchaser countersigned copies of the Transaction Documents. Upon satisfaction of the closing conditions set forth in Section 2.3, the Closing shall occur at the Company’s offices or such other location as the parties shall mutually agree.

 

2.2 Deliveries.

 

(a) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Purchaser the following:

 

(i) this Agreement duly executed by the Company;

 

(ii) a Note in the principal amount of <PRINCIPAL AMOUNT> registered in the name of the Purchaser;

 

(iii) a Board Consent approving the issuance of the Notes and the execution of the Transaction Documents listed above on behalf of the Company.

 

 

(b) On or prior to the Closing Date each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company the following:

 

(i) this Agreement duly executed by the Purchaser; and

 

(ii) the Purchaser’s Subscription Amount by wire transfer to the Company.

 

(c) On the (i) date of the pricing of the Company’s IPO, the Company shall deliver to each Purchaser Bridge Shares of the Company’s common stock equal to 100% of the Face Value of each Purchaser’s Note divided by the IPO Price.

 

2.3 Closing Conditions.

 

(a) The obligations of the Company hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

 

(i) the accuracy in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Purchaser contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein in which case they shall be accurate as of such date);

 

(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the Purchaser required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed; and

 

(iii) the delivery by the Purchaser of the items set forth in Section 2.2(b) of this Agreement.

 

(b) The respective obligations of the Purchaser hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

 

(i) accuracy in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) when made and on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein in which case they shall be accurate as of such date);

 

(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed;

 

 

(iii) the delivery by the Company of the items set forth in Section 2.2(a) of this Agreement; and

 

(iv) there shall have been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company since the date hereof.

 

ARTICLE 3.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF COMPANY

 

The Company hereby makes the following representations and warranties to each Purchaser as of the date hereof:

 

3.1 Organization and Qualification. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation nor default of any of the provisions of its respective Certificate of Incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, would not have or reasonably be expected to result in: (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Material Adverse Effect”) and no Proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.

 

3.2 Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Board of Directors or the Company’s stockholders in connection herewith or therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals. Subject to obtaining the Required Approvals, this Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which it is a party has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

 

3.3 No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not (i) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s Certificate of Incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as would not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

3.4 Filings, Consents and Approvals. The Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents, other than: (i) blue sky filings or a Form D filing and (ii) such filings as are required to be made under applicable state securities laws (the “Required Approvals”).

 

3.5 Issuance of the Securities. The Securities are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Bridge Shares, when issued will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Company shall reserve from its duly authorized capital stock a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Bridge Shares issuable hereunder.

 

3.6 Capitalization. The capitalization of the Company is as set forth on Schedule 3.6. The Company has not issued any capital stock since its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, other than pursuant to the exercise of employee stock awards under the Company’s equity incentive plans, the issuance of shares of Common Stock to employees pursuant to the Company’s employee stock purchase plans and pursuant to the conversion and/or exercise of Common Stock Equivalents outstanding as of the date of the most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act. No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.6, as a result of the purchase and sale of the Securities, there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any shares of Common Stock or the capital stock of any Subsidiary, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents or capital stock of any Subsidiary. The issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company or any Subsidiary to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the Purchaser) and will not result in a right of any holder of Company securities to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price under any of such securities. There are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary that contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or such Subsidiary. The Company does not have any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws, and none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. No further approval or authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors or others is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities. There are no stockholders’ agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company’s capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s stockholders.

 

 

3.7 Subsidiaries. All of the direct and indirect Subsidiaries of the Company are set forth in Schedule 3.7. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any Liens, and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities.

 

3.8 Financial Statements. The consolidated financial statements of the Company, together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company and any of its Subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Company for the periods specified and have been prepared in compliance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved.

 

3.9 Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Since the date of the latest financial statements: (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company equity incentive plans. Except for the issuance of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement, no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, prospects, properties, operations, assets or financial condition that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least one Trading Day prior to the date that this representation is made.

 

 

3.10 Litigation. There is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation, inquiry or other similar proceeding of any federal or state government unit pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”) which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the issuance of the Securities or (ii) would, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no reason to believe that an Action will be filed against it in the future. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim for fraud or breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation or inquiry by the SEC involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company. The SEC has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Securities Act, and the Company has no reason to believe it will do so in the future.

 

3.11 Labor Relations. No labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company, which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company or such Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good. To the knowledge of the Company, no effort is underway to unionize or organize the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary. To the knowledge of the Company, no executive officer of the Company or any Subsidiary, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no workmen’s compensation liability matter, employment-related charge, complaint, grievance, investigation, inquiry or obligation of any kind pending, or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, relating to an alleged violation or breach by the Company or its Subsidiaries of any law, regulation or contract that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

3.12 Compliance. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.12, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any judgment, decree or order of any court, arbitrator or other governmental authority or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule, ordinance or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws relating to taxes, environmental protection, occupational health and safety, product quality and safety and employment and labor matters, except in each case as would not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

3.13 Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with all federal, state, local and foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands, or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations, issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder (“Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received all permits licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval where in each clause (i), (ii) and (iii), the failure to so comply would be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

3.14 Regulatory Permits. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure to possess such certificates, authorizations or permits would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit. There is no agreement, commitment, judgment, injunction, order or decree binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party which has or would reasonably be expected to have the effect of prohibiting or materially impairing any business practice of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any acquisition of property by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or the conduct of business by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as currently conducted other than such effects, individually or in the aggregate, which have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

3.15 Title to Assets. Subject to the Liens of the outstanding secured Indebtedness, the Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries. The Company owns no real property. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance.

 

 

3.16 Intellectual Property.

 

(a) Subject to the Liens of the outstanding secured senior debt, to the Company’s knowledge, the Company owns or possesses or has the right to use pursuant to a valid and enforceable written license, sublicense, agreement, or permission all Intellectual Property necessary for the operation of the business of the Company as presently conducted.

 

(b) To the Company’s knowledge, the Intellectual Property does not interfere with, infringe upon, misappropriate, or otherwise come into conflict with, any Intellectual Property rights of third parties, and the Company has no knowledge that facts exist which indicate a likelihood of the foregoing. The Company has not received any charge, complaint, claim, demand, or notice alleging any such interference, infringement, misappropriation, or conflict (including any claim that the Company must license or refrain from using any Intellectual Property rights of any third party). To the knowledge of the Company, no third party has interfered with, infringed upon, misappropriated, or otherwise come into conflict with, any Intellectual Property rights of the Company.

 

(i) With respect to each Licensed Intellectual Property Agreement:

 

(A) The Licensed Intellectual Property Agreement is legal, valid, binding, enforceable, and in full force and effect;

 

(B) To the Company’s knowledge, no party to the Licensed Intellectual Property Agreement is in breach or default, and no event has occurred that with notice or lapse of time would constitute a breach or default or permit termination, modification, or acceleration thereunder, which as to any such breach, default or event could have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company;

 

(C) No party to such Licensed Intellectual Property Agreement has repudiated any provision thereof;

 

(D) Except as set forth in such Licensed Intellectual Property Agreement, the Company has not received written or verbal notice or otherwise has knowledge that the underlying item of Intellectual Property is subject to any outstanding injunction, judgment, order, decree, ruling, or charge; and

 

(E) The Company has not granted any sublicense or similar right with respect to the license, sublicense, agreement, or permission.

 

(ii) The Company has complied with and is presently in compliance with all foreign, federal, state, local, governmental (including, but not limited to, the Federal Trade Commission and State Attorneys General), administrative, or regulatory laws, regulations, guidelines, and rules applicable to any personal identifiable information.

 

 

(iii) Each Person who participated in the creation, conception, invention or development of the Intellectual Property currently used in the business of the Company (each, a “Developer”) which is not licensed from third parties has executed one or more agreements containing industry standard confidentiality, work for hire and assignment provisions, whereby the Developer has assigned to the Company all copyrights, patent rights, Intellectual Property rights and other rights in the Intellectual Property, including all rights in the Intellectual Property that existed prior to the assignment of rights by such Person to the Company.

 

(iv) Each Developer has signed a perpetual non-disclosure agreement with the Company.

 

3.17 Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in cost.

 

3.18 Transactions With Affiliates and Employees. None of the officers or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, providing for the borrowing of money from or lending of money to or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee, stockholder, member or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) other employee benefits, including stock award agreements under any equity incentive plan of the Company.

 

3.19 Intentionally Omitted.

 

3.20 Certain Fees. No brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company or any Subsidiary to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Purchaser shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section that may be due by the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

 

3.21 Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Securities, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become an “investment company” subject to registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

 

3.22 Registration Rights. No Person has any right to cause the Company or any Subsidiary to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

3.23 Listing and Maintenance Requirements; Shell Company. The Company’s Common Stock is not quoted or listed on any Trading Market. The Company is not and has never been a shell company as such term is defined in Rule 12(b)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.

 

3.24 Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and the Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company’s certificate of incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its state of incorporation that is or could become applicable to the Purchaser as a result of the Purchaser and the Company fulfilling their obligations or exercising their rights under the Transaction Documents, including without limitation as a result of the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Purchaser’s ownership of the Securities.

 

3.25 Disclosure. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided the Purchaser or its agent or counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information which is not otherwise disclosed on Schedule 3.25. The Company understands and confirms that the Purchaser will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All of the disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Purchaser regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries, their respective businesses and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Disclosure Schedules to this Agreement, is true and correct and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading. The press releases disseminated by the Company during the 12 months preceding the date of this Agreement do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Article IV hereof.

 

3.26 No Integrated Offering. Assuming the accuracy of the Purchaser’s representations and warranties set forth in Article IV, neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Securities to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of any applicable stockholder approval provisions of any Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated.

 

 

3.27 Solvency. Based on the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of the Closing Date, after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder, (i) the Company’s assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted including its capital needs taking into account the particular capital requirements of the business conducted by the Company, consolidated and projected capital requirements and capital availability thereof, and (ii) the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, would be sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid. The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). The Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Date. Schedule 3.27 sets forth as of the date hereof all outstanding secured and unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the Company or any Subsidiary has commitments. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Indebtedness” means (x) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $100,000 (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (y) all guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect of indebtedness of others, whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (z) the present value of any lease payments in excess of $100,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with GAAP. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any Indebtedness.

 

3.28 Tax Status. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed and paid all taxes shown thereon through the date hereof, to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith, except where the failure to so file or pay would not have a Material Adverse Effect. No tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which has had, or would have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no knowledge of any federal, state or other governmental tax deficiency, penalty or assessment which has been or might be asserted or threatened against it which would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

3.29 Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, any agent or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company or any Subsidiary (or made by any person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is in violation of law, or (iv) violated any provision of FCPA.

 

 

3.30 Acknowledgment Regarding Purchaser’s Purchase of Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Purchaser is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby. The Company further acknowledges that no Purchaser is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby and any advice given by any Purchaser or any of their respective representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby is merely incidental to the Purchaser’s purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to the Purchaser that the Company’s decision to enter into this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company and its representatives.

 

3.31 Acknowledgement Regarding Purchaser’s Trading Activity. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or elsewhere to the contrary (except for Sections 4.7 and 5.12 hereof), it is understood and acknowledged by the Company that: (i) the Purchaser has not been asked by the Company to agree, nor has the Purchaser agreed, to desist from purchasing or selling, long and/or short, securities of the Company, or “derivative” securities based on securities issued by the Company or to hold the Securities for any specified term; (ii) past or future open market or other transactions by any Purchaser, specifically including, without limitation, Short Sales or “derivative” transactions, before or after the closing of this or future private placement transactions, may negatively impact the market price of the Company’s publicly-traded securities; (iii) any Purchaser, and counter-parties in “derivative” transactions to which the Purchaser is a party, directly or indirectly, presently may have a “short” position in the Common Stock, and (iv) the Purchaser shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm’s length counter-party in any “derivative” transaction. The Company further understands and acknowledges that (y) the Purchaser may engage in hedging activities at various times during the period that the Securities are outstanding, including, without limitation, during the periods that the value of the Registrable Securities deliverable with respect to Securities are being determined, and (z) such hedging activities (if any) could reduce the value of the existing stockholders’ equity interests in the Company at and after the time that the hedging activities are being conducted. The Company acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging activities do not constitute a breach of any of the Transaction Documents.

 

3.32 Regulation M Compliance. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or, paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company.

 

3.33 Private Placement. Assuming the accuracy of each Purchaser’s representations and warranties set forth in Article IV, no registration under the Securities Act is required for the offer and sale of the Notes or the Registrable Securities issuable upon conversion thereof by the Company to the Purchasers as contemplated hereby.

 

3.34 No General Solicitation. Neither the Company nor any person acting on behalf of the Company has offered or sold any of the Securities by any form of general solicitation or general advertising. The Company offered the Securities for sale only to the Purchaser and certain other “accredited investors” within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act.

 

 

3.35 No Disqualification Events. With respect to the Securities to be offered and sold hereunder in reliance on Rule 506(b) under the Securities Act, none of the Company, any of its predecessors, any affiliated issuer, any director, executive officer, other officer of the Company participating in the offering hereunder, any beneficial owner of 20% or more of the Company’s outstanding voting equity securities, calculated on the basis of voting power, nor any promoter (as that term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) connected with the Company in any capacity at the time of sale, nor any Person, including a placement agent, who will receive a commission or fees for soliciting purchasers (each, an “Issuer Covered Person” and, together, “Issuer Covered Persons”) is subject to any of the “Bad Actor” disqualifications described in Rule 506(d)(1)(i) to (viii) under the Securities Act (a “Disqualification Event”), except for a Disqualification Event covered by Rule 506(d)(2) or (d)(3). The Company has exercised reasonable care to determine whether any Issuer Covered Person is subject to a Disqualification Event. The Company has complied, to the extent applicable, with its disclosure obligations under Rule 506(e), and has furnished to the Purchaser a copy of any disclosures provided thereunder.

 

3.36 Notice of Disqualification Events. The Company will notify the Purchaser in writing, prior to the Closing Date of (i) any Disqualification Event relating to any Issuer Covered Person and (ii) any event that would, with the passage of time, reasonably be expected to become a Disqualification Event relating to any Issuer Covered Person, in each case of which it is aware.

 

3.37 Office of Foreign Assets Control. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”).

 

3.38 U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. The Company is not and has never been a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Company shall so certify upon Purchaser’s request.

 

3.39 Bank Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.

 

3.40 Money Laundering. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no Action or Proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, threatened.

 

 

ARTICLE 4.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PURCHASERS

 

4.1 Representations and Warranties of the Purchaser. Each Purchaser, for itself and for no other Purchaser, hereby represents and warrants as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as follows (unless as of a specific date therein):

 

4.2 Organization; Authority. The Purchaser is either an individual or an entity duly incorporated or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation with full right, corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and performance by the Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar action, as applicable, on the part of the Purchaser. Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has been duly executed by the Purchaser, and when delivered by the Purchaser in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of the Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except: (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

4.3 Understandings or Arrangements. The Purchaser is acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities (this representation and warranty not limiting the Purchaser’s right to sell the Securities in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws). The Purchaser is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary course of its business. The Purchaser understands that the Securities are “restricted securities” and have not been registered under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and is acquiring such Securities as principal for its own account and not with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Securities or any part thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law, has no present intention of distributing any of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law (this representation and warranty not limiting the Purchaser’s right to sell such Securities in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws).

 

4.4 Purchaser Status. At the time the Purchaser was offered the Securities, it was, and as of the date hereof it is, an accredited investor within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act. The Purchaser is not subject to any of the “Bad Actor” disqualifications described in Rule 506(d)(1)(i) to (viii) under the Securities Act (a “Disqualification Event”), except for a Disqualification Event covered by Rule 506(d)(2) or (d)(3).

 

 

4.5 Experience of the Purchaser. The Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment. The Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.

 

4.6 Access to Information. The Purchaser acknowledges that it has had the opportunity to review the Transaction Documents (including all exhibits and schedules thereto) and has been afforded, subject to Regulation FD, (i) the opportunity to ask such questions as it has deemed necessary of, and to receive answers from, representatives of the Company concerning the terms and conditions of the offering of the Securities and the merits and risks of investing in the Securities; (ii) access to information about the Company and its financial condition, results of operations, business, properties, management and prospects sufficient to enable it to evaluate its investment; and (iii) the opportunity to obtain such additional information that the Company possesses or can acquire without unreasonable effort or expense that is necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to the investment; provided, however, that the Purchaser has not requested nor been provided by the Company with any non-public information regarding the Company, its financial condition, results of operations, business, properties, management and prospects. The Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that neither the Company nor anyone else has provided the Purchaser with any information or advice with respect to the Securities nor is such information or advice necessary or desired.

 

4.7 Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. Other than consummating the transactions contemplated hereunder, the Purchaser has not, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with the Purchaser, directly or indirectly executed any purchases or sales, including Short Sales, of the securities of the Company during the period commencing as of the time that the Purchaser first received a term sheet (written or oral) from the Company or any other Person representing the Company setting forth the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereunder and ending immediately prior to the execution hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of the Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of the Purchaser’s assets, the representation set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered by this Agreement. Other than to other Persons party to this Agreement or to the Purchaser’s representatives, including, without limitation, its officers, directors, partners, legal and other advisors, employees, agents and Affiliates, the Purchaser has maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with this transaction (including the existence and terms of this transaction). Notwithstanding the foregoing, for avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty, or preclude any actions, with respect to the identification of the availability of, or securing of, available shares to borrow in order to effect Short Sales or similar transactions in the future.

 

 

The Company acknowledges and agrees that the representations contained in this Article 4 shall not modify, amend or affect the Purchaser’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any representations and warranties contained in any other Transaction Document or any other document or instrument executed and/or delivered in connection with this Agreement or the consummation of the transaction contemplated hereby.

 

ARTICLE 5.

OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

 

5.1 Removal of Legends. The Registrable Securities may only be disposed of in compliance with state and federal securities laws. In connection with any transfer of the Registrable Securities other than pursuant to an effective registration statement or Rule 144, to the Company or to an Affiliate of a Purchaser or in connection with a pledge as contemplated in Section 5.1(b), the Company may require the transferor to provide to the Company an opinion of counsel selected by the transferor and reasonably acceptable to the Company at the cost of the Company, the form and substance of which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such transfer does not require registration of such transferred Registrable Securities under the Securities Act.

 

(a) Each Purchaser agrees to the imprinting, so long as is required by this Section 5.1, of a legend on any of the Registrable Securities in the following form:

 

THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THIS SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT WITH A REGISTERED BROKER-DEALER OR OTHER LOAN WITH A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT IS AN “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(a) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.

 

(b) The Company acknowledges and agrees that a Purchaser may from time to time pledge pursuant to a bona fide margin agreement with a registered broker-dealer or grant a security interest in some or all of the Registrable Securities to a financial institution that is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act and who agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement and, if required under the terms of such arrangement, such Purchaser may transfer pledged or secured Registrable Securities to the pledgees or secured parties. Such a pledge or transfer would not be subject to approval of the Company and no legal opinion of legal counsel of the pledgee, secured party or pledgor shall be required in connection therewith. Further, no notice shall be required of such pledge. At the appropriate Purchaser’s expense, the Company will execute and deliver such reasonable documentation as a pledgee or secured party of Registrable Securities may reasonably request in connection with a pledge or transfer of the Registrable Securities.

 

 

(c) Certificates evidencing the Registrable Securities (or the Transfer Agent’s records if held in book entry form) shall not contain any legend (including the legend set forth in Section 5.1(a) hereof): (i) while a registration statement covering the resale of such securities is effective under the Securities Act (the “Effective Date”), (ii) following any sale of such Registrable Securities pursuant to Rule 144, (iii) if such Registrable Securities are eligible for sale under Rule 144, without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144 as to such Registrable Securities and without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions or (iv) if such legend is not required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including Sections 4(a)(1) and 4(a)(7) judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the SEC). The Company shall, if any of the provisions in clause (i)–(iv) above are applicable, at its expense, cause its counsel to issue a legal opinion to the Transfer Agent promptly after the Effective Date if required by the Transfer Agent to effect the removal of the legend hereunder. If all or any portion of a Warrant is exercised at a time when there is an effective registration statement to cover the resale of the Registrable Securities, or if such Registrable Securities may be sold under Rule 144 and the Company is then in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144, or if the Registrable Securities may be sold under Rule 144 without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144 as to such Registrable Securities and without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions or if such legend is not otherwise required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including Sections 4(a)(1) and 4(a)(7), judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the SEC) then such Registrable Securities shall be issued or reissued free of all legends. The Company agrees that following the effective date of any registration statement or at such time as such legend is no longer required under this Section 5.1(c), it will, no later than two Trading Days following the delivery by a Purchaser to the Company or the Transfer Agent of a certificate representing restricted Registrable Securities, as applicable, issued with a restrictive legend (such second Trading Day, the “Legend Removal Date”), deliver or cause to be delivered to such Purchaser a certificate representing such Registrable Securities that is free from all restrictive and other legends. The Company may not make any notation on its records or give instructions to the Transfer Agent that enlarge the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Section 5.1. Certificates for Registrable Securities subject to legend removal hereunder shall be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Purchaser by crediting the account of the Purchaser’s prime broker with the Depository Trust Company system as directed by such Purchaser. The Company shall be responsible for any delays caused by its Transfer Agent.

 

(d) In addition to such Purchaser’s other available remedies, (i) the Company shall pay to a Purchaser, in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for the value of the Registrable Securities, $20 per Trading Day for each Trading Day after the Legend Removal Date (increasing to $20 per Trading Day after the fifth Trading Day) until such certificate is delivered without a legend. Nothing herein shall limit such Purchaser’s right to pursue actual damages for the Company’s failure to deliver certificates representing any Securities as required by the Transaction Documents, and such Purchaser shall have the right to pursue all remedies available to it at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief, and (ii) if after the Legend Removal Date such Purchaser purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by such Purchaser of all or any portion of the number of shares of Common Stock, or a sale of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to all or any portion of the number of shares of Common Stock that such Purchaser anticipated receiving from the Company without any restrictive legend, then, the Company shall pay to such Purchaser, in cash, an amount equal to the excess of such Purchaser’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket expenses, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased (including brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket expenses, if any) (the “Buy-In Price”) over the product of (A) such number of Registrable Securities that the Company was required to deliver to such Purchaser by the Legend Removal Date multiplied by (B) the highest closing sale price of the Common Stock on any Trading Day during the period commencing on the date of the delivery by such Purchaser to the Company of the applicable Registrable Securities (as the case may be) and ending on the date of such delivery and payment under this Section 5.1(d).

 

 

(e) In the event a Purchaser shall request delivery of unlegended shares as described in this Section 5.1 and the Company is required to deliver such unlegended shares, (i) it shall pay all fees and expenses associated with or required by the legend removal and/or transfer including but not limited to legal fees, Transfer Agent fees and overnight delivery charges and taxes, if any, imposed by any applicable government upon the issuance of Common Stock; and (ii) the Company may not refuse to deliver unlegended shares based on any claim that such Purchaser or anyone associated or affiliated with such Purchaser has not complied with Purchaser’s obligations under the Transaction Documents, or for any other reason, unless, an injunction or temporary restraining order from a court, on notice, restraining and or enjoining delivery of such unlegended shares shall have been sought and obtained by the Company and the Company has posted a surety bond for the benefit of such Purchaser in the amount of the greater of (i) 150% of the amount of the aggregate purchase price of the Bridge Shares (based on the market price of the Bridge Shares) which is subject to the injunction or temporary restraining order, or (ii) the VWAP of the Common Stock on the Trading Day before the issue date of the injunction multiplied by the number of unlegended shares to be subject to the injunction, which bond shall remain in effect until the completion of the litigation of the dispute and the proceeds of which shall be payable to such Purchaser to the extent Purchaser obtains judgment in Purchaser’s favor.

 

5.2 Furnishing of Information.

 

(a) Until the earliest of the time that no Purchaser owns Bridge Shares or the Company covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the pricing of the IPO pursuant to the Exchange Act even if the Company is not then subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.

 

(b) At any time during the period commencing after the pricing of the IPO and ending at such time or that all of the Bridge Shares may be sold without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with Rule 144(c)(1) and otherwise without restriction or limitation pursuant to Rule 144, if the Company (i) shall fail for any reason to satisfy the current public information requirement under Rule 144(c) or (ii) has ever been an issuer described in Rule 144(i)(1)(i) or becomes an issuer in the future, and the Company shall fail to satisfy any condition set forth in Rule 144(i)(2) (a “Public Information Failure”) then, in addition to such Purchaser’s other available remedies, the Company shall pay to a Purchaser, in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, by reason of any such delay in or reduction of its ability to sell the Bridge Shares, an amount in cash equal $1,000 per day and on every 30^th day (pro-rated for periods totaling less than thirty days) thereafter until the earlier of (a) the date such Public Information Failure is cured and (b) such time that such public information is no longer required for the Purchasers to transfer the Bridge Shares pursuant to Rule 144. Public Information Failure Payments shall be paid on the earlier of (i) the last day of the calendar month during which such Public Information Failure Payments are incurred and (ii) the second Trading Day after the event or failure giving rise to the Public Information Failure payments is cured. In the event the Company fails to make Public Information Failure payments in a timely manner, such Public Information Failure payments shall bear interest at the rate of one and one-half percent per month (prorated for partial months) until paid in full. Nothing herein shall limit such Purchaser’s right to pursue actual damages for the Public Information Failure, and such Purchaser shall have the right to pursue all remedies available to it at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief.

 

 

5.3 Integration. The Company shall not sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in Section 2(a)(1) of the Securities Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities for purposes of the rules and regulations of any Trading Market such that it would require stockholder approval prior to the closing of such other transaction unless stockholder approval is obtained before the closing of such subsequent transaction.

 

5.4 Securities Laws Disclosure; Publicity. The Company shall not publicly disclose the name of any Purchaser, or include the name of any Purchaser in any filing with the SEC or any regulatory agency or Trading Market, without the prior written consent of the Purchaser, except (a) as required by federal securities law in connection with the filing of final Transaction Documents with the SEC and (b) to the extent such disclosure is required by law or Trading Market regulations, in which case the Company shall provide the Purchaser with prior notice of such disclosure permitted under this clause (b).

 

5.5 Stockholder Rights Plan. No claim will be made or enforced by the Company or, with the consent of the Company, any other Person, that any Purchaser is an “Acquiring Person” under any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or similar anti-takeover plan or arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that any Purchaser could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or arrangement, by virtue of receiving Securities under the Transaction Documents or under any other agreement between the Company and the Purchaser.

 

5.6 Non-Public Information. When the Company’s Common Stock is quoted or listed on a Trading Market, to the extent that any notice provided pursuant to any Transaction Document or any other communications made by the Company, or information provided, to the Purchaser constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice or other material information with the SEC pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. In addition to any other remedies provided by this Agreement or other Transaction Documents, if the Company knowingly provides any material, non-public information to the Purchasers without their prior written consent, and it fails to immediately (no later than that Trading Day) file a Form 8-K, once it is required to do so, disclosing this material, non-public information, it shall pay the Purchasers as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty a sum equal to $1,000 per day for each $100,000 of each Purchaser’s Subscription Amount beginning with the day the information is disclosed to the Purchaser and ending and including the day the Form 8-K disclosing this information is filed.

 

 

5.7 Use of Proceeds. The Company shall use the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder for working capital purposes, and shall not use such proceeds: (a) for the satisfaction of any Indebtedness as defined in the Note, (b) for the redemption of any Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents, (c) in violation of FCPA or OFAC regulations, or (d) to lend money, give credit, or make advances to any officers, directors, employees or affiliates of the Company.

 

5.8 Indemnification of Purchaser. Subject to the provisions of this Section 5.8, the Company will indemnify and hold each Purchaser and its directors, officers, stockholders, members, partners, employees and agents (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title), each Person who controls the Purchaser (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, stockholders, agents, members, partners or employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling persons (each, a “Purchaser Party”) harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments, amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of investigation (including local counsel, if retained) that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur as a result of or relating to (a) any breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents, (b) any action instituted against the Purchaser Parties in any capacity, or any of them or their respective Affiliates, by any stockholder of the Company who is not an Affiliate of such Purchaser Party, with respect to any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (unless such action is solely based upon a breach of such Purchaser Party’s representations, warranties or covenants under the Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings such Purchaser Party may have with any such stockholder or any violations by such Purchaser Party of state or federal securities laws or any conduct by such Purchaser Party which constitutes fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct or malfeasance) or (c) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any registration statement, any prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading. If any action shall be brought against any Purchaser Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Purchaser Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right to assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser Party. Any Purchaser Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Purchaser Party except to the extent that (i) the employment thereof has been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (ii) the Company has failed after a reasonable period of time to assume such defense and to employ counsel or (iii) in such action there is, in the reasonable opinion of counsel, a material conflict on any material issue between the position of the Company and the position of such Purchaser Party, in which case the Company shall be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one such separate counsel (in addition to local counsel, if retained). The Company will not be liable to any Purchaser Party under this Agreement (y) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party effected without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; or (z) to the extent, but only to the extent that a loss, claim, damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Party’s breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by such Purchaser Party in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents. The Purchaser Parties shall have the right to settle any action against any of them by the payment of money provided that they cannot agree to any equitable relief and the Company, its officers, directors and Affiliates receive unconditional releases in customary form. The indemnification required by this Section 5.8 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or are incurred. The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in addition to any cause of action or similar right of any Purchaser Party against the Company or others and any liabilities the Company may be subject to pursuant to law.

 

 

5.9 Settlement Without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for reasonable fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 5.8 effected without its written consent if (1) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (2) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (3) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

 

5.10 Listing of Common Stock. The Company agrees, if the Company applies to have the Common Stock traded on any Trading Market, it will then include in such application all of the Registrable Securities and will take such other action as is necessary to cause all of the Registrable Securities to be listed or quoted on such other Trading Market as promptly as possible. The Company will then take all action necessary to continue the listing and trading of its Common Stock on a Trading Market and will comply in all respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules of the Trading Market. The Company agrees to maintain the eligibility of the Common Stock for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation, including, without limitation, by timely payment of fees to the Depository Trust Company or such other established clearing corporation in connection with such electronic transfer.

 

5.11 Senior Debt. Except for Permitted Indebtedness (as defined in the Note), the Company shall not issue any new indebtedness which is senior in rank to the Notes while the Notes are outstanding.

 

5.12 Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. The Purchaser covenants that neither it nor any Affiliate acting on its behalf or pursuant to any understanding with it will execute any purchases or sales, including Short Sales of any of the Company’s securities during the period commencing with the execution of this Agreement and ending at such time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release. Each Purchaser covenants that until such time as the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are publicly disclosed by the Company pursuant to the initial press release, the Purchaser will maintain the confidentiality of the existence and terms of this transaction and the information included in the Disclosure Schedules. Notwithstanding the foregoing and notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that (i) no Purchaser makes any representation, warranty or covenant hereby that it will not engage in effecting transactions in any securities of the Company after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release, (ii) no Purchaser shall be restricted or prohibited from effecting any transactions in any securities of the Company in accordance with applicable securities laws from and after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release and (iii) no Purchaser shall have any duty of confidentiality or duty not to trade in the securities of the Company to the Company or its Subsidiaries after the issuance of the initial press release. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of the Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of the Purchaser’s assets, the covenant set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered by this Agreement.

 

 

5.13 DTC Program. For so long as any of the Notes are outstanding, the Company will employ as the Transfer Agent for the Common Stock a participant in the Depository Trust Company Automated Securities Transfer Program and cause the Common Stock to be transferable pursuant to such program.

 

5.14 Maintenance of Property. The Company shall keep all of its property necessary for the operations of its business, which is necessary or useful to the conduct of its business, in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.

 

5.15 Preservation of Corporate Existence. The Company shall preserve and maintain its corporate existence, rights, privileges and franchises in the jurisdiction of its incorporation, and qualify and remain qualified, as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is necessary in view of its business or operations and where the failure to qualify or remain qualified would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect upon the financial condition, business or operations of the Company taken as a whole.

 

5.16 Intentionally Omitted.

 

5.17 Variable Rate Transactions. While any of the Notes are outstanding, the Company shall be prohibited from entering a Variable Rate Transaction without the prior consent of each Holder.

 

5.18 Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement.

 

(a) With respect to the Registrable Securities, the Company shall:

 

(i) With the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed by the Company with the IPO, the Company shall include the Registrable Securities in such Registration Statement.

 

 

(ii) Prepare and file with the SEC such amendments, including post-effective amendments, to the Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable Securities until such time as all of the Registerable Securities have been sold by the Holder or he is eligible to otherwise remove the restrictive legend and effect a sale other than through the Registration Statement.

 

(iii) Use its best efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of, (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any U.S. jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.

 

(iv) Furnish to the Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and all exhibits to the extent requested by the Holder (including those previously furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the SEC.

 

(b) The Purchaser agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Company, the Purchaser shall not, during the period ending 90 days after the pricing of the IPO: (1) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, 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, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Registrable Securities or (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership or the Registrable Securities.

 

5.19 Right of Participation. The Purchasers shall be given the right to purchase, in the aggregate, 20% of the shares issued in the Company’s IPO on a pro rata basis based on each Purchaser’s Subscription Amount hereunder as compared with the Subscription Amounts of all participating Purchasers (if a Purchaser does not participate, or does not participate in its full share, such amount of the IPO shall first be offered to the other Purchasers ratably. The Company shall provide five (5) Trading Days prior written notice of the pricing of the IPO and the Purchaser shall have up to the time of pricing to determine whether to participate.

 

ARTICLE 6.

MISCELLANEOUS

 

6.1 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated by the Purchaser by written notice to the other parties, if the Closing has not been consummated on or before January 24, 2024; provided, however, that no such termination will affect the right of any party to sue for any breach by any other party (or parties).

 

6.2 Fees and Expenses. Except as expressly set forth below and in the Transaction Documents to the contrary, each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees (including, without limitation, any fees required for same-day processing of any instruction letter delivered by the Company and any exercise notice delivered by a Purchaser), stamp taxes and other taxes and duties levied in connection with the delivery of any Securities to the Purchaser. The Company shall pay up to $10,000 in legal fees to one Purchaser approved by the Company.

 

 

6.3 Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and schedules thereto, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.

 

6.4 Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of: (a) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered by email attachment at the email address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto at or prior to 5:30 p.m. ( Eastern Standard or Daylight Savings Time, as applicable) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via email attachment at the email address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the second Trading Day following the date of transmission, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight delivery service or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto. To the extent that any notice provided pursuant to any Transaction Document constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any Subsidiaries, the Company shall, if the Company’s Common Stock is quoted or listed on a Trading Market, simultaneously file such notice with the SEC pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K, or which failure to do so will subject the Company to the liquidated damages provided for in Article 5.

 

6.5 Amendments; Waivers. Except as provided in the last sentence of this Section 6.5, no provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and each Holder. No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right. Any amendment effected in accordance with accordance with this Section 6.5 shall be binding upon the Purchaser and holder of Securities and the Company.

 

6.6 Headings. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

 

6.7 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns. The Company may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Purchaser. Each Purchaser may assign any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom such Purchaser assigns or transfers any Securities, provided that such transferee agrees in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Securities, by the provisions of the Transaction Documents that apply to the Purchaser.

 

 

6.8 No Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, except as otherwise set forth in Section 6.7 and this Section 6.8.

 

6.9 Governing Law; Exclusive Jurisdiction; Attorneys’ Fees. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal Proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, stockholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the New York County, New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the New York County, New York for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any Action or Proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such Action or Proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such Proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such Action or Proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If any party shall commence an Action or Proceeding to enforce any provisions of the Transaction Documents, then, in addition to the obligations of the Company elsewhere in this Agreement, the prevailing party in such Action or Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the non-prevailing party for its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such Action or Proceeding.

 

6.10 Survival. The representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the Closing and the delivery of the Securities.

 

6.11 Execution. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to each other party, it being understood that the parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf’ format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf’ signature page were an original thereof.

 

 

6.12 Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

 

6.13 Rescission and Withdrawal Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) any of the other Transaction Documents, whenever any Purchaser exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document and the Company does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then that Purchaser may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company, any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its future actions and rights.

 

6.14 Replacement of Securities. If any certificate or instrument evidencing any Securities is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation thereof (in the case of mutilation), or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction without requiring the posting of any bond.

 

6.15 Remedies. In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each Purchaser and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the Transaction Documents and hereby agree to waive and not to assert in any Action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

6.16 Payment Set Aside. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser enforces or exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other Person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.

 

 

6.17 Independent Nature of Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance or non-performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any Proceeding for such purpose. Each Purchaser has been represented by its own separate legal counsel in its review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents. The Company has elected to provide all Purchasers with the same terms and Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any of the Purchasers. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement and in each other Transaction Document is between the Company and a Purchaser, solely, and not between the Company and the Purchasers collectively and not between and among the Purchasers.

 

6.18 Liquidated Damages. The Company’s obligations to pay any partial liquidated damages or other amounts owing under the Transaction Documents is a continuing obligation of the Company and shall not terminate until all unpaid partial liquidated damages and other amounts have been paid notwithstanding the fact that the instrument or security pursuant to which such partial liquidated damages or other amounts are due and payable shall have been canceled.

 

6.19 Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Trading Day, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Trading Day.

 

6.20 Construction. The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel have reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents or any amendments thereto. In addition, each and every reference to share prices and shares of Common Stock in any Transaction Document shall be subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Common Stock that occur after the date of this Agreement.

 

6.21 Waiver of jury trial. In any action, suit, or proceeding in any jurisdiction brought by any party against any other party, the parties each knowingly and intentionally, to the greatest extent permitted by applicable law, hereby absolutely, unconditionally, irrevocably and expressly waive forever trial by jury.

 

 

6.22 Non-Circumvention. The Company hereby covenants and agrees that the Company will not, by amendment of its Certificate of Incorporation, including any Certificates of Designation, or Bylaws or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issue or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Agreement, and will at all times in good faith carry out all of the provision of this Agreement and take all action as may be required to protect the rights of all holders of the Securities. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing or any other provision of this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents, the Company (a) shall not increase the par value of any Registrable Securities and (b) shall take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Registrable Securities.

 

6.23 Usury. To the extent it may lawfully do so, the Company hereby agrees not to insist upon or plead or in any manner whatsoever claim, and will resist any and all efforts to be compelled to take the benefit or advantage of, usury laws wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, in connection with any Action or Proceeding that may be brought by any Purchaser in order to enforce any right or remedy under any Transaction Document. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in any Transaction Document, it is expressly agreed and provided that the total liability of the Company under the Transaction Documents for payments in the nature of interest shall not exceed the maximum lawful rate authorized under applicable law (the “Maximum Rate”), and, without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall any rate of interest or default interest, or both of them, when aggregated with any other sums in the nature of interest that the Company may be obligated to pay under the Transaction Documents exceed such Maximum Rate. It is agreed that if the maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law and applicable to the Transaction Documents is increased or decreased by statute or any official governmental action subsequent to the date hereof, the new maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law will be the Maximum Rate applicable to the Transaction Documents from the effective date thereof forward, unless such application is precluded by applicable law. If under any circumstances whatsoever, interest in excess of the Maximum Rate is paid by the Company to any Purchaser with respect to indebtedness evidenced by the Transaction Documents, such excess shall be applied by such Purchaser to the unpaid principal balance of any such indebtedness or be refunded to the Company, the manner of handling such excess to be at such Purchaser’s election.

 

(Signature Pages Follow)

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

 

 

Healthy Choice Wellness Corp.			Address for Notice:
			3800 N 28th Way, #1
By:	/S/ John Ollet		Hollywood, FL 33020
Name:	John Ollet
Title:	Chief Financial Officer

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

SIGNATURE PAGE FOR PURCHASER FOLLOWS]

 

 

PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGE TO

SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

 

Name of Purchaser: ______________________________________

 

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser: ______________________________________

 

Name of Authorized Signatory: ______________________________________

 

Title of Authorized Signatory: ______________________________________

 

Email Address of Authorized Signatory: _______________________________________

 

Facsimile Number of Authorized Signatory: ______________________________________

 

Address for Notice to Purchaser:

 

Address for Delivery of Securities to Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):

 

______________________________________

 

______________________________________

 

Face Value: ____________________________

 

Subscription Amount: ____________________

 

EIN Number: ___________________________

 

Purchaser Signature Page

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 10.2

 

NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THIS SECURITY IS CONVERTIBLE HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR TO SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY. THIS SECURITY AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.

 

Original Issue Date: January 18, 2024

 

$_______ Principal and Face Value

$_______ Purchase Price and Subscription Amount

$_______ Original Issue Discount

 

ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT

PROMISSORY NOTE

 

THIS ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT CONVERTIBLE PROMISSORY NOTE (the “Note”) is duly authorized and validly issued at a 10% original issue discount by Healthy Choice Wellness Corp. (the “Company”).

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the Company promises to pay to __________, or its permitted assigns (the “Holder”), the principal sum of ____ on the earlier of January 18, 2025, the date of the closing of the Company’s IPO, or such earlier date as this Note is required or permitted to be repaid as provided hereunder, and to pay interest to the Holder on the aggregate then outstanding principal amount of this Note in accordance with the provisions hereof. This Note is subject to the following additional provisions:

 

Section 1. Definitions. For the purposes hereof, (a) capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Purchase Agreement and (b) the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:

 

“Acquisition” means any acquisition by the Company or its Subsidiaries (whether by merger, equity purchase, or otherwise) of all or substantially all of the assets of, the equity interests of, or a business line or unit or division of, any entity (the “Target”), consisting of a single transaction or a series of related transactions, provided that: (i) Target is a company or companies organized under the laws of the United States or any state or territory thereof or the District of Columbia; (ii) Target is engaged in a similar line of business as the Company and its Subsidiaries both prior to and after giving effect to such acquisition; and (iii) such acquisition is non-hostile in nature and has been approved by Target’s board of directors.

 

 

“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.

 

“Alternate Consideration” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(e).

 

“Bankruptcy Event” means any of the following events: (a) the Company or any Subsidiary thereof commences a case or other proceeding under any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment of debt, relief of debtors, dissolution, insolvency or liquidation or similar law of any jurisdiction relating to the Company or any Subsidiary thereof, (b) there is commenced against the Company or any Subsidiary thereof any such case or proceeding that is not dismissed within 60 days after commencement, (c) the Company or any Subsidiary thereof is adjudicated insolvent or bankrupt or any order of relief or other order approving any such case or proceeding is entered, (d) the Company or any Subsidiary thereof suffers any appointment of any custodian or the like for it or any substantial part of its property that is not discharged or stayed within 60 calendar days after such appointment, (e) the Company or any Subsidiary thereof makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, (f) the Company or any Subsidiary thereof calls a meeting of its creditors with a view to arranging a composition, adjustment or restructuring of its debts or (g) the Company or any Subsidiary thereof, by any act or failure to act, expressly indicates its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any of the foregoing or takes any corporate or other action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing.

 

“Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(f).

 

“Buy-In” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(d)(v).

 

“Change of Control Transaction” means the occurrence after the date hereof of any of (a) an acquisition after the date hereof by an individual or legal entity or “group” (as described in Rule 13d-5(b)(1) promulgated under the Exchange Act) of effective control (whether through legal or beneficial ownership of capital stock of the Company, by contract or otherwise) of in excess of 40% of the voting securities of the Company (other than by means of conversion, exercise or exchange of this Note, (b) the Company merges into or consolidates with any other Person, or any Person merges into or consolidates with the Company and, after giving effect to such transaction, the shareholders of the Company immediately prior to such transaction own less than 60% of the aggregate voting power of the Company or the successor entity of such transaction, (c) the Company sells or transfers all or substantially all of its assets to another Person, (d) a replacement at one time or within a three year period of more than one-half of the members of the Board of Directors which is not approved by a majority of those individuals who are members of the Board of Directors on the Original Issue Date (or by those individuals who are serving as members of the Board of Directors on any date whose nomination to the Board of Directors was approved by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors who are members on the date hereof), or (d) the execution by the Company of an agreement to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound, providing for any of the events set forth in clauses (a) through (d) above.

 

 

“Default Interest Rate” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

 

“Event of Default” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a).

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

“IPO” shall have the meaning set forth in Securities Purchase Agreement.

 

“Liens” shall have the meaning set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

 

“Note Register” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(c).

 

“Mandatory Default Amount” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b).

 

“Maturity Date” means the earlier of (1) the closing of the IPO, (2) the one year anniversary of the Original Issue Date or (3) the time at which the balance is due and payable upon an Event of Default (as defined below).

 

“Original Issue Date” means the date of the first issuance of this Note, regardless of any transfers of this Note and regardless of the number of instruments which may be issued to evidence this Note.

 

“Permitted Indebtedness” means (a) the indebtedness evidenced by this Note, (b) senior secured non-convertible loans from traditional commercials banks with interest per annum not to exceed 12%, (c) capital lease obligations and purchase money indebtedness incurred in connection with the acquisition of machinery and equipment, (d) Indebtedness up to, in the aggregate during the term of this Note, $25,000,000 in connection with any Acquisitions and (e) the Indebtedness set forth on Schedule 3.27 to the Purchase Agreement.

 

“Permitted Lien” means the individual and collective reference to the following: (a) Liens for taxes, assessments and other governmental charges or levies not yet due or Liens for taxes, assessments and other governmental charges or levies being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves (in the good faith judgment of the management of the Company) have been established in accordance with GAAP, (b) Liens imposed by law which were incurred in the ordinary course of the Company’s business, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s and mechanics’ Liens, statutory landlords’ Liens, and other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of the Company’s business, and which (x) do not individually or in the aggregate materially detract from the value of such property or assets or materially impair the use thereof in the operation of the business of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries or (y) are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, which proceedings have the effect of preventing for the foreseeable future the forfeiture or sale of the property or asset subject to such Lien, (c) Liens incurred in connection with Permitted Indebtedness under clauses (a) through (d) thereunder, and Liens set forth on Schedule 3.1(aa) to the Purchase Agreement.

 

“Purchase Agreement” means the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of January __, 2024, among the Company and the original Holders, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with its terms.

 

 

“Transaction Documents” means the Note and the Purchase Agreement.

 

Section 2. Payments of Principal and Interest.

 

Commencing on the 60^th day following the Original Issue Date, interest shall accrue to the Holder on the aggregate then outstanding principal amount of this Note at the rate of 10% per annum, calculated on the basis of a 360 day year and shall accrue daily commencing on the Original Issue Date until payment in full of the outstanding principal, together with all accrued and unpaid interest, liquidated damages and other amounts which may become due hereunder, except as set forth below. Additionally, during the existence of an Event of Default, interest shall accrue at the lesser of (i) the rate of 15% per annum, or (ii) the maximum amount permitted by law (the lesser of clause (i) or (ii), the “Default Interest Rate”). Once an Event of Default is cured, the interest rate shall return to 10%. All principal, accrued interest and other amounts due shall be paid in U.S. Dollars by wire transfer of immediately available funds. The Company may repay the Holder before the Maturity Date without penalty. Any interest payable upon an Event of Default will be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year.

 

Section 3. Registration of Transfers and Exchanges.

 

(a) Different Denominations. This Note is exchangeable for an equal aggregate principal amount of Notes of different authorized denominations, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same. No service charge or other fees will be payable for such registration of transfer or exchange.

 

(b) Investor Representations. This Note has been issued subject to certain investment representations of the Holder set forth in the Purchase Agreement and may be transferred or exchanged only in compliance with the Purchase Agreement and applicable federal and state securities laws and regulations.

 

(c) Reliance on Note Register. Prior to due presentment for transfer to the Company of this Note, the Company and any agent of the Company may treat the Person in whose name this Note is duly registered on the Note Register as the owner hereof for the purpose of receiving payment as herein provided and for all other purposes, whether or not this Note is overdue, and neither the Company nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

Section 4. Conversion. This Note does not have a conversion feature.

 

Section 5. Negative Covenants. As long as any portion of this Note remains outstanding, unless all of the Holders of the then outstanding Notes shall have otherwise given prior written consent, the Company shall not, and shall not permit any of the Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:

 

(a) other than Permitted Indebtedness, enter into, create, incur, assume, guarantee or suffer to exist any indebtedness for borrowed money of any kind, including, but not limited to, a guarantee, on or with respect to any of its property or assets now owned or hereafter acquired or any interest therein or any income or profits therefrom;

 

 

(b) other than Permitted Liens, enter into, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Liens of any kind, on or with respect to any of its property or assets now owned or hereafter acquired or any interest therein or any income or profits therefrom;

 

(c) amend its charter documents, including, without limitation, its certificate of incorporation and bylaws, in any manner that materially and adversely affects any rights of the Holder; provided, however, the increases in authorized shares and stock splits shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affects any rights of the Holder;

 

(d) purchase or otherwise acquire more than a de minimis number of shares of its Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents;

 

(e) repay, or offer to repay, any Indebtedness, other than Permitted Indebtedness, as such terms Indebtedness and Permitted Indebtedness are in effect as of the Original Issue Date;

 

(f) pay cash dividends or distributions on any equity securities of the Company;

 

(g) enter into any transaction with any Affiliate of the Company which would be required to be disclosed in any public filing with the SEC assuming that the Company is subject to the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, unless such transaction is made on an arm’s-length basis and expressly approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company (even if less than a quorum otherwise required for board approval);

 

(h) issue any equity securities of the Company other than pursuant to the provisions of the Purchase Agreement, the IPO or an Exempt Issuance; or

 

(i) enter into any agreement with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

Section 6. Events of Default.

 

(a) “Event of Default” means, wherever used herein, any of the following events (whatever the reason for such event and whether such event shall be voluntary or involuntary or effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court, or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

 

(i) any default in the payment of (A) principal and interest payment under this Note or any other material Indebtedness, or (B) late fees, liquidated damages and other amounts owing to the Holder of this Note, as and when the same shall become due and payable (on the Maturity Date, or by acceleration or otherwise), which default, solely in the case of a default under clause (B) above, is not cured within five Trading Days;

 

(ii) the Company shall fail to observe or perform any other covenant or agreement contained in this Note (other than a breach by the Company of its obligations to deliver Shares, which breach is addressed in clause (xiv) below) or any Transaction Document which failure is not cured, if possible to cure, within the earlier to occur of 15 Trading Days after notice of such failure is sent by the Holder or by any other Holder to the Company and (B) 10 Trading Days after the Company has become aware of such failure;

 

 

(iii) except for payment defaults covered under Section 7(a)(i), the Company shall breach, or a default or event of default (subject to any grace or cure period provided in the applicable agreement, document or instrument) shall occur under, (A) any of the Transaction Documents or (B) any other material agreement, lease, document or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is obligated (and not covered by any other clause of this Section 7) which default or event of default if not cured, if possible to cure, within the earlier to occur of (i) 10 Trading Days after notice of such default sent by Holder or by any other holder to the Company and (ii) five Trading Days after the Company has become aware of such default;

 

(iv) any representation or warranty made in this Note, any other Transaction Document, any written statement pursuant hereto or thereto or any other report, financial statement or certificate made or delivered to the Holder or any other Holder shall be untrue or incorrect in any material respect as of the date when made or deemed made, which failure is not cured, if possible to cure, within the earlier to occur of 10 Trading Days after notice of such failure is sent by the Holder or by any other Holder to the Company;

 

(v) the Company or any Subsidiary shall be subject to a Bankruptcy Event;

 

(vi) the Company or any Subsidiary shall: (A) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or liquidator of it or any of its properties; (B) admit in writing its inability to pay its debts as they mature; (C) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (D) be adjudicated as bankrupt or insolvent or be the subject of an order for relief under Title 11 of the United States Code or any bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, readjustment of debt, dissolution or liquidation law or statute of any other jurisdiction or foreign country; or (E) file a voluntary petition in bankruptcy, or a petition or an answer seeking reorganization or an arrangement with creditors or to take advantage or any bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, readjustment of debt, dissolution or liquidation law or statute, or an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any proceeding under any such law, or (F) take or permit to be taken any action in furtherance of or for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;

 

(vii) if any order, judgment or decree shall be entered, without the application, approval or consent of the Company or any Subsidiary, by any court of competent jurisdiction, approving a petition seeking liquidation or reorganization of the Company or any Subsidiary, or appointing a receiver, trustee, custodian or liquidator of the Company or any Subsidiary, or of all or any substantial part of its assets, and such order, judgment or decree shall continue unstayed and in effect for any period of 60 days;

 

(viii) the occurrence of any levy upon or seizure or attachment of, or any uninsured loss of or damage to, any property of the Company or any Subsidiary having an aggregate fair value or repair cost (as the case may be) in excess of $100,000 individually or in the aggregate, and any such levy, seizure or attachment shall not be set aside, bonded or discharged within 45 days after the date thereof;

 

(ix) any monetary judgment, writ or similar final process shall be entered or filed against the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective property or other assets for more than $100,000, and such judgment, writ or similar final process shall remain unvacated, unbonded or unstayed for a period of 30 days;

 

 

(x) any Material Adverse Effect occurs;

 

(xi) any provision of any Transaction Document shall at any time for any reason (other than pursuant to the express terms thereof) cease to be valid and binding on or enforceable against the parties thereto, or the validity or enforceability thereof shall be contested by any party thereto, or a proceeding shall be commenced by the Company or any Subsidiary or any governmental authority having jurisdiction over any of them, seeking to establish the invalidity or unenforceability thereof, or the Company or any Subsidiary shall deny in writing that it has any liability or obligation purported to be created under any Transaction Document;

 

(xii) the Company fails to use the proceeds in the manner as described in Section 5.7 of the Purchase Agreement;

 

(xiii) the Company shall be a party to any Change of Control Transaction or shall agree to sell or dispose of all or in excess of 50% of its assets in one transaction or a series of related transactions (whether or not such sale would constitute a Change of Control Transaction);

 

(xiv) from and after 90 days after the Original Issue Date, the Company fails to have authorized and reserved the amount of shares designated in Section 3.5 of the Purchase Agreement (including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation); or

 

(xv) the Company fails to file with the SEC any required reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act within the time required (including any applicable extension period) by the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

(b) Remedies Upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs, the outstanding principal amount of this Note, plus liquidated damages and other amounts owing in respect thereof through the date of acceleration, shall become, at the Holder’s election, immediately due and payable in cash (the “Mandatory Default Amount”). Upon the payment in full of the Mandatory Default Amount, the Holder shall promptly surrender this Note to or as directed by the Company. In connection with such acceleration described herein, the Holder need not provide, and the Company hereby waives, any presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, and the Holder may immediately and without expiration of any grace period enforce any and all of its rights and remedies hereunder and all other remedies available to it under applicable law. Such acceleration may be rescinded and annulled by Holder at any time prior to payment hereunder and the Holder shall have all rights as a holder of the Note until such time, if any, as the Holder receives full payment pursuant to this Section 6(b). No such rescission or annulment shall affect any subsequent Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

(c) Interest Rate Upon Event of Default. Commencing on the occurrence of any Event of Default and until such Event of Default is cured, this Note shall accrue interest at an interest rate equal to the Default Interest Rate.

 

 

Section 7. Miscellaneous.

 

(a) No Rights as Stockholder. This Note does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a stockholder of the Company.

 

(b) Notices. All notices, offers, acceptance and any other acts under this Agreement (except payment) shall be in writing, and shall be sufficiently given if delivered to the addressees in person, by FedEx or similar receipted next day delivery, or at the Company’s registered address or such other address as any of them, by notice to the other may designate from time to time. Time shall be counted to, or from, as the case may be, the date of delivery.

 

(c) Absolute Obligation. Except as expressly provided herein, no provision of this Note shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, liquidated damages and accrued interest and late fees, as applicable, on this Note at the time, place, and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed. This Note is a direct debt obligation of the Company.

 

(d) Lost or Mutilated Note. If this Note shall be mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall execute and deliver, in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation of a mutilated Note, or in lieu of or in substitution for a lost, stolen or destroyed Note, a new Note for the principal amount of this Note so mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, but only upon receipt of evidence of such loss, theft or destruction of this Note, and of the ownership hereof, reasonably satisfactory to the Company.

 

(e) Exclusive Jurisdiction; Governing Law; Prevailing Party Attorneys’ Fees. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Note and venue shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with Section 6.9 of the Purchase Agreement. If any party shall commence an Action or Proceeding to enforce or otherwise relating to this Note, then, in addition to the other obligations of the Company elsewhere in this Note, the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the non-prevailing party for its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such Action or Proceeding.

 

(f) Waiver. Any waiver by the Company or the Holder of a breach of any provision of this Note shall not operate as or be construed to be a waiver of any other breach of such provision or of any breach of any other provision of this Note. The failure of the Company or the Holder to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Note on one or more occasions shall not be considered a waiver or deprive that party of the right thereafter to insist upon strict adherence to that term or any other term of this Note on any other occasion. Any waiver by the Company or the Holder must be in writing.

 

(g) Severability. If any provision of this Note is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the balance of this Note shall remain in effect, and if any provision is inapplicable to any Person or circumstance, it shall nevertheless remain applicable to all other Persons and circumstances. If it shall be found that any interest or other amount deemed interest due hereunder violates the applicable law governing usury, the applicable rate of interest due hereunder shall automatically be lowered to equal the maximum rate of interest permitted under applicable law. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law or other law which would prohibit or forgive the Company from paying all or any portion of the principal of or interest on this Note as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Note, and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefits or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Holder, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such as though no such law has been enacted.

 

 

(h) Remedies, Characterizations, Other Obligations, Breaches and Injunctive Relief. The remedies provided in this Note shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under this Note and any of the other Transaction Documents at law or in equity (including a decree of specific performance and/or other injunctive relief), and nothing herein shall limit the Holder’s right to pursue actual and consequential damages for any failure by the Company to comply with the terms of this Note. The Company covenants to the Holder that there shall be no characterization concerning this instrument other than as expressly provided herein. Amounts set forth or provided for herein with respect to payments, conversion and the like (and the computation thereof) shall be the amounts to be received by the Holder and shall not, except as expressly provided herein, be subject to any other obligation of the Company (or the performance thereof). The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Holder and that the remedy at law for any such breach would be inadequate. The Company therefore agrees that, in the event of any such breach or threatened breach, the Holder shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an injunction restraining any such breach or any such threatened breach, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required. The Company shall provide all information and documentation to the Holder that is requested by the Holder to enable the Holder to confirm the Company’s compliance with the terms and conditions of this Note.

 

(i) Next Trading Day. Whenever any payment or other obligation hereunder shall be due on a day other than a Trading Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Trading Day.

 

(j) Headings. The headings contained herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Note and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

 

(Signature Pages Follow)

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be duly executed by a duly authorized officer as of the date first above indicated.

 

	Healthy Choice Wellness Corp.
	Jeffrey E. Holman, CEO

 

 

v3.23.4

Cover	Jan. 18, 2024
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	8-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Jan. 18, 2024
Entity File Number	001-36469
Entity Registrant Name	HEALTHIER CHOICES MANAGEMENT CORP.
Entity Central Index Key	0000844856
Entity Tax Identification Number	84-1070932
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Address, Address Line One	3800 North 28th Way
Entity Address, City or Town	Hollywood
Entity Address, State or Province	FL
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	33020
City Area Code	(888)
Local Phone Number	766-5351
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Title of 12(b) Security	Common
Trading Symbol	HCMC
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false

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