EXHIBIT 10.1
STANDBY EQUITY DISTRIBUTION
AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT dated as of the 22 nd day of July
2005 (the “ Agreement ”) between CORNELL
CAPITAL PARTNERS, LP , a Delaware limited partnership (the
“ Investor ”), and SPHERIX INCORPORATED ,
a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of
Delaware (the “ Company ”).
WHEREAS , the parties desire that, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions contained herein, the Company shall issue
and sell to the Investor, from time to time as provided herein, and
the Investor shall purchase from the Company, up to Four Million
Dollars ($4,000,000) of the Company’s common stock, par
value $0.005 per share (the “ Common Stock ”);
and
WHEREAS , such investments will be made in reliance upon
the provisions of Regulation D (“ Regulation D
”) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the
regulations promulgated thereunder (the “ Securities
Act ”), and or upon such other exemption from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act as may be available
with respect to any or all of the investments to be made
hereunder.
WHEREAS , the Company has engaged Newbridge Securities
Corporation (the “ Placement Agent ”), to
act as the Company’s exclusive placement agent in connection
with the sale of the Common Stock to the Investor hereunder
pursuant to the Placement Agent Agreement dated the date hereof by
and among the Company, the Placement Agent and the Investor (the
“ Placement Agent Agreement ”).
NOW ,
THEREFORE , the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I.
Certain Definitions
Section
1.1.
“
Advance ” shall mean the portion of the Commitment
Amount requested by the Company in the Advance Notice.
Section
1.2.
“
Advance Date ” shall mean the date the David Gonzalez
Attorney Trust Account is in receipt of the funds from the Investor
and David Gonzalez, Esq., is in possession of free trading shares
from the Company and therefore an Advance by the Investor to the
Company can be made and David Gonzalez, Esq. can release the free
trading shares to the Investor. The Advance Date shall be the first
(1 st ) Trading Day after expiration of the applicable
Pricing Period for each Advance.
Section
1.3.
“
Advance Notice ” shall mean a written notice to the
Investor setting forth the Advance amount that the Company requests
from the Investor and the Advance Date.
Section
1.4.
“
Advance Notice Date ” shall mean each date the Company
delivers to the Investor an Advance Notice requiring the Investor
to advance funds to the Company, subject to the terms of this
Agreement. No Advance Notice Date shall be less than five (5)
Trading Days after the prior Advance Notice Date.
Section
1.5.
“ Bid
Price ” shall mean, on any date, the closing bid price
(as reported by Bloomberg L.P.) of the Common Stock on the
Principal Market or if the Common Stock is not
traded on a
Principal Market, the highest reported bid price for the Common
Stock, as furnished by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc.
Section
1.6.
“
Closing ” shall mean one of the closings of a purchase
and sale of Common Stock pursuant to Section 2.3.
Section
1.7.
“
Commitment Amount ” shall mean the aggregate amount of
up to Four Million Dollars ($4,000,000) which the Investor has
agreed to provide to the Company in order to purchase the Common
Stock pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
provided that the Company shall not have the right to
request an Advance if the issuance of the full number of shares of
Common Stock issuable in connection with such Advance would,
together with all shares of Common Stock previously issued under
this Agreement, exceed 2,378,726 shares of Common Stock (which is
no more than 19.99% of the 11,953,398 outstanding shares of Common
Stock as of the date of this Agreement) unless the necessary
shareholder approval or consent has been received prior to such
request.
Section
1.8.
“
Commitment Period ” shall mean the period commencing
on the earlier to occur of (i) the Effective Date, or (ii) such
earlier date as the Company and the Investor may mutually agree in
writing, and expiring on the earliest to occur of (x) the date on
which the Investor shall have made payment of Advances pursuant to
this Agreement in the aggregate amount of Four Million
Dollars ($4,000,000), (y) the date this Agreement is
terminated pursuant to Section 2.4, or (z) the date occurring
twenty-four (24) months after the Effective Date.
Section
1.9.
“ Common
Stock ” shall mean the Company’s common stock, par
value $0.005 per share.
Section
1.10.
“
Condition Satisfaction Date ” shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 7.2.
Section
1.11.
“
Damages ” shall mean any loss, claim, damage,
liability, costs and expenses (including, without limitation,
reasonable attorney’s fees and disbursements and costs and
expenses of expert witnesses and investigation).
Section
1.12.
“
Effective Date ” shall mean the date on which the SEC
first declares effective a Registration Statement registering the
resale of the Registrable Securities as set forth in Section
7.2(a).
Section
1.13.
“ Escrow
Agreement ” shall mean the escrow agreement among the
Company, the Investor, and David Gonzalez, Esq., dated the date
hereof.
Section
1.14.
“
Exchange Act ” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
Section
1.15.
“
Material Adverse Effect ” shall mean any condition,
circumstance, or situation that would prohibit or otherwise
materially interfere with the ability of the Company to enter into
and perform any of its obligations under this Agreement or the
Registration Rights Agreement in any material respect.
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Section
1.16.
“ Market
Price ” shall mean the lowest VWAP of the Common Stock
during the Pricing Period.
Section
1.17.
“
Maximum Advance Amount ” shall be Three Hundred Fifty
Thousand Dollars ($350,000) per Advance Notice.
Section
1.18.
“
NASD ” shall mean the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc.
Section
1.19.
“
Person ” shall mean an individual, a corporation, a
partnership, an association, a trust or other entity or
organization, including a government or political subdivision or an
agency or instrumentality thereof.
Section
1.20.
“
Placement Agent ” shall mean Newbridge Securities
Corporation, a registered broker-dealer.
Section
1.21.
“
Pricing Period ” shall mean the five (5) consecutive
Trading Days after the Advance Notice Date.
Section
1.22.
“
Principal Market ” shall mean the Nasdaq National
Market, the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, the American Stock Exchange,
the OTC Bulletin Board (“ OTCBB ”) or the New
York Stock Exchange (but not the Pink Sheets or the Grey Sheets),
whichever is at the time the principal trading exchange or market
for the Common Stock.
Section
1.23.
“
Purchase Price ” shall be set at ninety five percent
(95%) of the Market Price during the Pricing Period.
Section
1.24.
“
Registrable Securities ” shall mean the shares of
Common Stock to be issued hereunder (i) in respect of which the
Registration Statement has not been declared effective by the SEC,
(ii) which have not been sold under circumstances meeting all of
the applicable conditions of Rule 144 (or any similar provision
then in force) under the Securities Act (“ Rule 144
”) or (iii) which have not been otherwise transferred to a
holder who may trade such shares without restriction under the
Securities Act, and the Company has delivered a new certificate or
other evidence of ownership for such securities not bearing a
restrictive legend.
Section
1.25.
“
Registration Rights Agreement ” shall mean the
Registration Rights Agreement dated the date hereof, regarding the
filing of the Registration Statement for the resale of the
Registrable Securities, entered into between the Company and the
Investor.
Section
1.26.
“
Registration Statement ” shall mean a registration
statement on Form S-2 (if use of such form is then available to the
Company pursuant to the rules of the SEC and, if not, on such other
form promulgated by the SEC for which the Company then qualifies
and which counsel for the Company shall deem appropriate, and which
form shall be available for the resale of the Registrable
Securities to be registered thereunder in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement,
and in accordance with the intended method of distribution of such
securities), for the registration of the resale by the Investor of
the Registrable Securities under the Securities Act.
Section
1.27.
“
Regulation D ” shall have the meaning set forth in the
recitals of this Agreement.
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Section
1.28.
“
SEC ” shall mean the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Section
1.29.
“
Securities Act ” shall have the meaning set forth in
the recitals of this Agreement.
Section
1.30.
“ SEC
Documents ” shall mean Annual Reports on Form 10-K,
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and
Proxy Statements of the Company as supplemented to the date hereof,
filed by the Company for a period of at least twelve (12) months
immediately preceding the date hereof or the Advance Date, as the
case may be, until such time as the Company no longer has an
obligation to maintain the effectiveness of a Registration
Statement as set forth in the Registration Rights
Agreement.
Section
1.31.
“
Trading Day ” shall mean any day during which the New
York Stock Exchange shall be open for business.
Section
1.32.
“
VWAP ” shall mean the volume weighted average price of
the Common Stock as quoted by Bloomberg, LP.
ARTICLE II.
Advances
Section
2.1.
Investments
.
(a)
Advances
. Upon the
terms and conditions set forth herein (including, without
limitation, the provisions of Article VII hereof), on any Advance
Notice Date the Company may request an Advance by the Investor by
the delivery of an Advance Notice. The number of shares of
Common Stock that the Investor shall receive for each Advance shall
be determined by dividing the amount of the Advance by the Purchase
Price. No fractional shares shall be issued. Fractional
shares shall be rounded to the next higher whole number of
shares. The aggregate maximum amount of all Advances that the
Investor shall be obligated to make under this Agreement shall not
exceed the Commitment Amount.
Section
2.2.
Mechanics
.
(a)
Advance
Notice . At any time during
the Commitment Period, the Company may deliver an Advance Notice to
the Investor, subject to the conditions set forth in
Section 7.2; provided, however, the amount for each Advance as
designated by the Company in the applicable Advance Notice, shall
not be more than the Maximum Advance Amount. The aggregate
amount of the Advances pursuant to this Agreement shall not exceed
the Commitment Amount. The Company acknowledges that the
Investor may sell shares of the Company’s Common Stock
corresponding with a particular Advance Notice on the day the
Advance Notice is received by the Investor. There shall be a
minimum of five (5) Trading Days between each Advance Notice
Date.
(b)
Date of
Delivery of Advance Notice . An Advance Notice
shall be deemed delivered on (i) the Trading Day it is received by
facsimile or otherwise by the Investor if such notice is received
prior to 12:00 noon Eastern Time, or (ii) the immediately
succeeding Trading Day if it is received by facsimile or otherwise
after 12:00 noon Eastern Time on a Trading Day
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or at any time on
a day which is not a Trading Day. No Advance Notice may be
deemed delivered on a day that is not a Trading Day.
Section
2.3.
Closings
. On each
Advance Date, which shall be the first (1 st ) Trading
Day after expiration of the applicable Pricing Period for each
Advance, (i) the Company shall deliver to David Gonzalez, Esq. (the
“ Escrow Agent ”) shares of the Company’s
Common Stock, representing the amount of the Advance by the
Investor pursuant to Section 2.1 herein, registered in the name of
the Investor which shall be delivered to the Investor, or otherwise
in accordance with the Escrow Agreement and (ii) the Investor shall
deliver to Escrow Agent the amount of the Advance specified in the
Advance Notice by wire transfer of immediately available funds
which shall be delivered to the Company, or otherwise in accordance
with the Escrow Agreement. In addition, on or prior to the
Advance Date, each of the Company and the Investor shall deliver to
the other through the Investor’s counsel, all documents,
instruments and writings required to be delivered by either of them
pursuant to this Agreement in order to implement and effect the
transactions contemplated herein. Payment of funds to the
Company and delivery of the Company’s Common Stock to the
Investor shall occur in accordance with the conditions set forth
above and those contained in the Escrow Agreement; provided
, however , that to the extent the Company has not paid the
fees, expenses, and disbursements of the Investor, the
Investor’s counsel, or the Company’s counsel in
accordance with Section 12.4, the amount of such fees, expenses,
and disbursements may be deducted by the Investor (and shall be
paid to the relevant party) from the amount of the Advance with no
reduction in the amount of shares of the Company’s Common
Stock to be delivered on such Advance Date.
Section
2.4.
Termination of
Investment . The obligation of the
Investor to make an Advance to the Company pursuant to this
Agreement shall terminate permanently (including with respect to an
Advance Date that has not yet occurred) in the event that (i) there
shall occur any stop order or suspension of the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement for an aggregate of fifty (50) Trading
Days, other than due to the acts of the Investor, during the
Commitment Period, or (ii) the Company shall at any time fail
materially to comply with the requirements of Article VI and such
failure is not cured within thirty (30) days after receipt of
written notice from the Investor, provided , however
, that this termination provision shall not apply to any period
commencing upon the filing of a post-effective amendment to such
Registration Statement and ending upon the date on which such post
effective amendment is declared effective by the SEC.
Section
2.5.
Agreement to
Advance Funds . The Investor agrees
to advance the amount specified in the Advance Notice to the
Company after the completion of each of the following conditions
and the other conditions set forth in this Agreement:
(a)
the execution and delivery by the
Company, and the Investor, of this Agreement and the Exhibits
hereto;
(b)
the Escrow Agent shall have received
the shares of Common Stock applicable to the Advance in accordance
with Section 2.3. Such shares shall be free of restrictive
legends.
(c)
the Company’s Registration
Statement with respect to the resale of the Registrable Securities
in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement
shall have been declared effective by the SEC;
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(d)
the Company shall have obtained all
material permits and qualifications required by any applicable
state for the offer and sale of the Registrable Securities, or
shall have the availability of exemptions therefrom. The sale
and issuance of the Registrable Securities shall be legally
permitted by all laws and regulations to which the Company is
subject;
(e)
the Company shall have filed with
the Commission in a timely manner all reports, notices and other
documents required of a “reporting company” under the
Exchange Act and applicable Commission regulations;
(f)
the fees as set forth in Section
12.4 below shall have been paid or can be withheld as provided in
Section 2.3; and
(g)
the conditions set forth in Section
7.2 shall have been satisfied.
(h)
The Company’s transfer agent
shall be DWAC eligible.
Section
2.6.
Lock Up
Period . On the date hereof,
the Company shall obtain from each officer and director a lock-up
agreement, as defined below, in the form annexed hereto as
Schedule 2.6 agreeing to only sell in compliance with the
volume limitation of Rule 144.
Section 2.7.
Hardship . In the event the Investor sells shares
of the Company’s Common Stock after receipt of an Advance
Notice and the Company fails to perform its obligations as mandated
in Section 2.3, and specifically the Company fails to deliver to
the Escrow Agent on the Advance Date the shares of Common Stock
corresponding to the applicable Advance, the Company acknowledges
that the Investor shall suffer financial hardship and therefore
shall be liable for any and all losses, commissions, fees, or
financial hardship caused to the Investor.
ARTICLE III.
Representations and Warranties of Investor
Investor hereby represents and warrants to, and
agrees with, the Company that the following are true and correct as
of the date hereof and as of each Advance Date:
Section
3.1.
Organization
and Authorization . The Investor is duly
incorporated or organized and validly existing in the jurisdiction
of its incorporation or organization and has all requisite power
and authority to purchase and hold the securities issuable
hereunder. The decision to invest and the execution and
delivery of this Agreement by such Investor, the performance by
such Investor of its obligations hereunder and the consummation by
such Investor of the transactions contemplated hereby have been
duly authorized and requires no other proceedings on the part of
the Investor. The undersigned has the right, power and
authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and all other
instruments (including, without limitations, the Registration
Rights Agreement), on behalf of the Investor. This Agreement
has been duly executed and delivered by the Investor and, assuming
the execution and delivery hereof and acceptance thereof by the
Company, will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations
of the Investor, enforceable against the Investor in accordance
with its terms.
Section
3.2.
Evaluation of
Risks . The Investor has such
knowledge and experience in financial, tax and business matters as
to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of,
and
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bearing the
economic risks entailed by, an investment in the Company and of
protecting its interests in connection with this transaction.
It recognizes that its investment in the Company involves a high
degree of risk.
Section
3.3.
No Legal
Advice From the Company . The Investor
acknowledges that it had the opportunity to review this Agreement
and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement with his or its
own legal counsel and investment and tax advisors. The
Investor is relying solely on such counsel and advisors and not on
any statements or representations of the Company or any of its
representatives or agents for legal, tax or investment advice with
respect to this investment, the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or the securities laws of any jurisdiction.
Section
3.4.
Investment
Purpose . The securities are being
purchased by the Investor for its own account, and for investment
purposes. The Investor agrees not to assign or in any way
transfer the Investor’s rights to the securities or any
interest therein and acknowledges that the Company will not
recognize any purported assignment or transfer except in accordance
with applicable Federal and state securities laws. No other
person has or will have a direct or indirect beneficial interest in
the securities. The Investor agrees not to sell, hypothecate
or otherwise transfer the Investor’s securities unless the
securities are registered under Federal and applicable state
securities laws or unless, in the opinion of counsel satisfactory
to the Company, an exemption from such laws is
available.
Section
3.5.
Accredited
Investor . The Investor is an
“ Accredited Investor ” as that term is defined
in Rule 501(a)(3) of Regulation D of the Securities
Act.
Section
3.6.
Information
. The
Investor and its advisors (and its counsel), if any, have been
furnished with all materials relating to the business, finances and
operations of the Company and information it deemed material to
making an informed investment decision. The Investor and its
advisors, if any, have been afforded the opportunity to ask
questions of the Company and its management. Neither such
inquiries nor any other due diligence investigations conducted by
such Investor or its advisors, if any, or its representatives shall
modify, amend or affect the Investor’s right to rely on the
Company’s representations and warranties contained in this
Agreement. The Investor understands that its investment
involves a high degree of risk. The Investor is in a position
regarding the Company, which, based upon employment, family
relationship or economic bargaining power, enabled and enables such
Investor to obtain information from the Company in order to
evaluate the merits and risks of this investment. The
Investor has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice, as it
has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision
with respect to this transaction.
Section
3.7.
Receipt of
Documents . The Investor and its
counsel have received and read in their entirety: (i) this
Agreement and the Exhibits annexed hereto; (ii) all due diligence
and other information necessary to verify the accuracy and
completeness of such representations, warranties and covenants;
(iii) the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2004 and Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2005; and
(iv) answers to all questions the Investor submitted to the
Company regarding an investment in the Company; and the Investor
has relied on the information contained therein and has not been
furnished any other documents, literature, memorandum or
prospectus.
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Section
3.8.
Registration
Rights Agreement and Escrow Agreement . The parties have
entered into the Registration Rights Agreement and the Escrow
Agreement, each dated the date hereof.
Section
3.9.
No General
Solicitation . Neither the Company,
nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their
behalf, has engaged in any form of general solicitation or general
advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D under the
Securities Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the shares
of Common Stock offered hereby.
Section
3.10.
Not an
Affiliate . The Investor is not
an officer, director or a person that directly, or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by,
or is under common control with the Company or any “
Affiliate ” of the Company (as that term is defined in
Rule 405 of the Securities Act).
Section 3.11.
Trading Activities
. The Investor’s trading
activities with respect to the Company’s Common Stock shall
be in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities
laws, rules and regulations and the rules and regulations of the
Principal Market on which the Company’s Common Stock is
listed or traded. Neither the Investor nor its affiliates has an
open short position in the Common Stock of the Company, the
Investor agrees that it shall not, and that it will cause its
affiliates not to, engage in any short sales of or hedging
transactions with respect to the Common Stock, provided that
the Company acknowledges and agrees that upon receipt of an Advance
Notice the Investor has the right to sell the shares to be issued
to the Investor pursuant to the Advance Notice during the
applicable Pricing Period.
ARTICLE IV.
Representations and Warranties of the Company
Except as stated below, on the disclosure
schedules attached hereto or in the SEC Documents (as defined
herein), the Company hereby represents and warrants to, and
covenants with, the Investor that the following are true and
correct as of the date hereof:
Section
4.1.
Organization
and Qualification . The Company is duly
incorporated or organized and validly existing in the jurisdiction
of its incorporation or organization and has all requisite
corporate power to own its properties and to carry on its business
as now being conducted. Each of the Company and its
subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to do
business and is in good standing in every jurisdiction in which the
nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification
necessary, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified
or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect on
the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.
Section
4.2.
Authorization,
Enforcement, Compliance with Other Instruments
. (i) The
Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter
into and perform this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement,
the Escrow Agreement, the Placement Agent Agreement and any related
agreements, in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, (ii)
the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Registration
Rights Agreement, the Escrow Agreement, the Placement Agent
Agreement and any related agreements by the Company and the
consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby, have been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of
Directors and no further consent or authorization is required by
the Company, its Board of Directors or its stockholders,
(iii) this Agreement, the
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Registration
Rights Agreement, the Escrow Agreement, the Placement Agent
Agreement and any related agreements have been duly executed and
delivered by the Company, (iv) this Agreement, the Registration
Rights Agreement, the Escrow Agreement, the Placement Agent
Agreement and assuming the execution and delivery thereof and
acceptance by the Investor and any related agreements constitute
the valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable
against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as such
enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
liquidation or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally,
the enforcement of creditors’ rights and
remedies.
Section
4.3.
Capitalization
. As of the
date hereof, the authorized capital stock of the Company consists
of 50,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.005 per share
and 2,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share
(“ Preferred Stock ”), of which 11,953,398
shares of Common Stock and no shares of Preferred Stock were issued
and outstanding. All of such outstanding shares have been
validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. Except
as disclosed in the SEC Documents, no shares of Common Stock are
subject to preemptive rights or any other similar rights or any
liens or encumbrances suffered or permitted by the Company.
Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, as of the date hereof,
(i) there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights
to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever
relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, any shares
of capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or
contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may become bound to issue
additional shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to,
calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or
securities or rights convertible into, any shares of capital stock
of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) there are no
outstanding debt securities ( iii) there are no
outstanding registration statements other than on Form S-8 and (iv)
there are no agreements or arrangements under which the Company or
any of its subsidiaries is obligated to register the sale of any of
their securities under the Securities Act (except pursuant to the
Registration Rights Agreement). Except with respect to the
warrants outstanding, there are no securities or instruments
containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be
triggered by this Agreement or any related agreement or the
consummation of the transactions described herein or therein.
The Company has furnished to the Investor true and correct copies
of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended and
as in effect on the date hereof (the “ Certificate of
Incorporation ”), and the Company’s By-laws, as in
effect on the date hereof (the “ By-laws ”), and
the terms of all securities convertible into or exercisable for
Common Stock and the material rights of the holders thereof in
respect thereto.
Section
4.4.
No
Conflict . The execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the
consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby
will not (i) result in a violation of the Certificate of
Incorporation, any certificate of designations of any outstanding
series of preferred stock of the Company or By-laws or (ii)
conflict with or constitute a default (or an event which with
notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or
give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration
or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which
the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party, or result in a
violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree
(including federal and state securities laws and regulations and
the rules and regulations of the Principal Market on which the
Common Stock is quoted) applicable to the Company or
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any of its
subsidiaries or by which any material property or asset of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or affected and which
would cause a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in
the SEC Documents, neither the Company nor its subsidiaries is in
violation of any term of or in default under its Articles of
Incorporation or By-laws or their organizational charter or
by-laws, respectively, or any material contract, agreement,
mortgage, indebtedness, indenture, instrument, judgment, decree or
order or any statute, rule or regulation applicable to the Company
or its subsidiaries. The business of the Company and its
subsidiaries is not being conducted in violation of any material
law, ordinance, regulation of any governmental entity. Except
as specifically contemplated by this Agreement and as required
under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws,
the Company is not required to obtain any consent, authorization
or
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