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Exhibit 1.1
2,000,000 SHARES
OF COMMON STOCK OF
AdStar.com, Inc.
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
_____________, 2000
Paulson Investment Company, Inc.
As Representative of the
Several Underwriters
811 SW Naito Parkway, Suite 200
Portland, Oregon 97204
Gentlemen:
AdStar.com, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes to
sell to the several underwriters (the "Underwriters") named in Schedule I hereto
for whom you are acting as Representative (the "Representative") an aggregate of
2,000,000 Shares (the "Firm Shares"). The respective number of the Firm Shares
to be so purchased by the several Underwriters are set forth opposite their
names in Schedule I hereto. The Company also proposes to grant to the
Representative an option to purchase in aggregate up to 300,000 additional
Shares, identical to the Firm Shares (the "Option Shares"), as set forth below.
As the Representative, you have advised the Company (a) that you are
authorized to enter into this Agreement for yourself as Representative and on
behalf of the several Underwriters, and (b) that the several Underwriters are
willing, acting severally and not jointly, to purchase the numbers of Firm
Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I. The Firm Shares
and the Option Shares (to the extent the aforementioned option is exercised) are
herein collectively called the "Shares."
In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and of the
interests of the parties in the transactions contemplated hereby, the parties
hereto agree as follows:
1. Representations and Warranties of the Company.
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The Company represents and warrants to each of the Underwriters as
follows:
(a) A registration statement on Form SB-2 (File No.
333-43408) with respect to the Shares has been prepared by the Company in
conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Act"), and the Rules and Regulations (the "Rules and Regulations") of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") thereunder and has been
filed with the Commission. Copies of such registration statement, including any
amendments thereto, the preliminary prospectuses (meeting the requirements of
the Rules and Regulations) contained therein and the exhibits, financial
statements and schedules, as finally amended and revised, have heretofore been
delivered by the Company to you. Such registration statement, together with any
registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462 (b) of the Act,
herein referred to as the "Registration Statement," which shall be deemed to
include all information omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rule 430A and
contained in the Prospectus referred to below, has become effective under the
Act and no post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed
as of the date of this Agreement. "Prospectus" means (a) the form of prospectus
first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or (b) the last
preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement filed prior to the
time it becomes effective or filed pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Act that is
delivered by the Company to the Underwriters for delivery to purchasers of the
Shares, together with the term sheet or abbreviated term sheet filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(7) under the Act. Each preliminary prospectus
included in the Registration Statement prior to the time it becomes effective is
herein referred to as a "Preliminary Prospectus."
(b) The Company has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and
conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement. The Company
does not own and never has owned a controlling interest in any other corporation
or other business entity that has or ever has had any material assets,
liabilities or operations. The Company is duly qualified to transact business in
all jurisdictions in which the conduct of its business requires such
qualification.
(c) The outstanding shares of each class or series of capital
stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully
paid and non-assessable and, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement,
have been issued and sold by the Company in compliance in all material respects
with applicable securities laws; the issuance and sale of the Shares have been
duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and, when issued and paid for
as contemplated herein, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable; and no preemptive rights of shareholders exist with respect to
any security of the Company or the issue and sale thereof. Except as set forth
in the Registration Statement, neither the filing of the Registration Statement
nor the offering or sale of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement gives
rise to any rights, other than those which have been waived or satisfied, for or
relating to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or other securities
of the Company.
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(d) The information set forth under the caption
"Capitalization" in the Prospectus is true and correct. The Common Stock
conforms and the Representative's Warrant will conform to the description
thereof contained in the Registration Statement. The forms of certificates for
the securities comprising the Shares conform to the requirements of the
corporate law of Delaware.
(e) The Commission has not issued an order preventing or
suspending the use of any Prospectus relating to the proposed offering of the
Shares nor instituted proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement
contains, and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto will
contain, all statements which are required to be stated therein by, and will
conform to, the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations. The
Registration Statement and any amendment thereto do not contain, and will not
contain, any untrue statement of a material fact and do not omit, and will not
omit, to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendments
and supplements thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any untrue
statement of material fact; and do not omit, and will not omit, to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or
warranties as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance
upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by or
on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representative, specifically for use in
the preparation thereof.
(f) The financial statements of the Company, together with
related notes and schedules as set forth in the Registration Statement, present
fairly the financial position and the results of operations and cash flows of
the Company at the indicated dates and for the indicated periods. Such financial
statements and related schedules have been prepared in accordance with generally
accepted principles of accounting, consistently applied throughout the periods
involved, except as disclosed herein and in the Registration Statement, and all
adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of results for such periods have
been made. The summary financial and statistical data of the Company included in
the Registration Statement presents fairly the information shown therein and
such data has been compiled on a basis consistent with the financial statements
presented therein and the books and records of the Company.
(g) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain of
the financial statements filed with the Commission as part of the Registration
Statement, are independent public accountants as required by the Act and the
Rules and Regulations.
(h) There is no action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or,
to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company before any court
or administrative agency or otherwise which if determined adversely to the
Company might result in any material adverse change in the earnings, business,
management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or
otherwise) or prospects of the Company or prevent the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, except as set forth in the Registration
Statement.
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(i) The Company has good and marketable title to all
properties and assets, tangible and intangible, reflected in the financial
statements (or as described in the Registration Statement) hereinabove
described, subject to no lien, mortgage, pledge, charge or encumbrance of any
kind except those reflected in such financial statements (or as described in the
Registration Statement) or which are not material. The Company's ownership
rights in its patents, patent licenses and other material technology is
consistent with (i) the description thereof in the Registration Statement, and
(ii) the business needs of the Company. All of the leases and subleases under
which the Company holds properties are in full force and effect (with only such
exceptions as are commonly accepted by prudent companies engaged in the
Company's business) and the Company has not received notice of any claim that is
materially adverse to the rights of the Company under any of such leases or
subleases.
(j) The Company has filed all federal, state, local and
foreign income tax returns which have been required to be filed and has paid all
taxes indicated by said returns and all assessments received by it to the extent
that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith. All
tax liabilities have been adequately provided for in the financial statements of
the Company.
(k) Since the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement, as it may have been amended or
supplemented, there has not been any material adverse change or any development
involving a prospective material adverse change in or affecting the earnings,
business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition
(financial or otherwise), or prospects of the Company, whether or not occurring
in the ordinary course of business, and there has not been any material
transaction entered into or any material transaction that is probable of being
entered into by the Company, other than transactions in the ordinary course of
business and changes and transactions described in the Registration Statement,
as it may be amended or supplemented. The Company has no material contingent
obligations which are not disclosed in the Company's financial statements or
elsewhere in the Prospectus which are included in the Registration Statement.
(l) The Company is not, nor, with the giving of notice or
lapse of time or both, will it be, in violation of or in default under its
Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws or under any agreement, lease, contract,
indenture or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which
it, or any of its properties, is bound and which default is of material
significance in respect of the condition, financial or otherwise of the Company
or the business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition
(financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company. The execution and delivery
of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated
and the fulfillment of the terms hereof will not conflict with or result in a
breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which any
member of the Company is a party, or of the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws
of the Company or any order, rule or regulation applicable to the
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Company of any court or of any regulatory body or administrative agency or other
governmental body having jurisdiction.
(m) Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other
governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the
Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
contemplated (except such additional steps as may be required by the Commission,
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or such
additional steps as may be necessary to qualify the Shares for public offering
by the Underwriters under state securities or Blue Sky laws) has been obtained
or made and is in full force and effect.
(n) The Company holds all material patents, patent rights
trademarks, trade names, copyrights, trade secrets and licenses of any of the
foregoing (collectively, "Intellectual Property Rights") that are necessary to
the conduct of its businesses; there is no claim pending or, to the best
knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its officers,
directors or employees, in their capacities as such, alleging any infringement
of Intellectual Property Rights, or any violation of the terms of any license
relating to Intellectual Property Rights, nor does the Company know of any basis
for any such claim. The Company knows of no material infringement by others of
Intellectual Property Rights owned by or licensed to the Company. The Company
has obtained, is in compliance in all material respect with and maintains in
full force and effect all material licenses, certificates, permits, orders or
other, similar authorizations granted or issued by any governmental agency
(collectively "Government Permits") required to conduct its business as it is
presently conducted. No proceeding to revoke, limit or otherwise materially
change any Government Permit has been commenced or, to the Company's best
knowledge, is threatened against the Company, and the Company has no reason to
anticipate that any such proceeding will be commenced against the Company.
Except as disclosed or contemplated in the Prospectus, the Company has no reason
to believe that any pending application for a Government Permit will be denied
or limited in a manner inconsistent with the Company's business plan as
described in the Prospectus.
(o) The Company is in all material respects in compliance with
all applicable Environmental Laws. The Company has no knowledge of any past,
present or, as anticipated by the Company, future events, conditions,
activities, investigation, studies, plans or proposals that (i) would interfere
with or prevent compliance with any Environmental Law by the Company or (ii)
could reasonably be expected to give rise to any common law or other liability,
or otherwise form the basis of a claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing or
investigation, involving the Company and related to Hazardous Substances or
Environmental Laws. Except for the prudent and safe use and management of
Hazardous Substances in the ordinary course of the Company's business, (i) no
Hazardous Substance is or has been used, treated, stored, generated,
manufactured or otherwise handled on or at any Facility and (ii) to the
Company's best knowledge, no Hazardous Substance has otherwise come to be
located in, on or under any Facility. No Hazardous Substances are stored at any
Facility except in quantities necessary to satisfy the reasonably anticipated
use or consumption by the Company. No litigation, claim, proceeding or
governmental investigation is pending
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regarding any environmental matter for which the Company has been served or
otherwise notified or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened or asserted
against the Company, or the officers or directors of the Company in their
capacities as such, or any Facility or the Company's business. There are no
orders, judgments or decrees of any court or of any governmental agency or
instrumentality under any Environmental Law which specifically apply to the
Company, any Facility or any of the Company's operations. The Company has not
received from a governmental authority or other person (i) any notice that it is
a potentially responsible person for any Contaminated site or (ii) any request
for information about a site alleged to be Contaminated or regarding the
disposal of Hazardous Substances. There is no litigation or proceeding against
any other person by the Company regarding any environmental matter. The Company
has disclosed in the Prospectus or made available to the Underwriters and their
counsel true, complete and correct copies of any reports, studies,
investigations, audits, analyses, tests or monitoring in the possession of or
initiated by the Company pertaining to any environmental matter relating to the
Company, its past or present operations or any Facility.
For the purposes of the foregoing paragraph, "Environmental Laws" means
any applicable federal, state or local statute, regulation, code, rule,
ordinance, order, judgment, decree, injunction or common law pertaining in any
way to the protection of human health or the environment, including without
limitation, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the Toxic Substances
Control Act, the Clean Air Act, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and any
similar or comparable state or local law; "Hazardous Substance" means any
hazardous, toxic, radioactive or infectious substance, material or waste as
defined, listed or regulated under any Environmental Law; "Contaminated" means
the actual existence on or under any real property of Hazardous Substances, if
the existence of such Hazardous Substances triggers a requirement to perform any
investigatory, remedial, removal or other response action under any
Environmental Laws or if such response action legally could be required by any
governmental authority; "Facility" means any property currently owned, leased or
occupied by the Company.
(p) Neither the Company, nor to the Company's best knowledge,
any of its affiliates, has taken or intends to take, directly or indirectly, any
action which is designed to cause or result in, or which constitutes or might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of the shares of Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Shares.
(q) The Company is not an "investment company" within the
meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(r) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are
executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (ii)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management's
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general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for
assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate
action is taken with respect to any differences.
(s) The Company carries, or is covered by, insurance in such
amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of their
respective businesses and the value of their respective properties and as is
customary for companies engaged in similar industries.
(t) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with
all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations
thereunder ("ERISA"); no "reportable event" (as defined in ERISA) has occurred
with respect to any "pension plan" (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company
would have any liability; the Company has not incurred and does not expect to
incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or
withdrawal from, any "pension plan" or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder (the "Code"); and each "pension plan" for which the
Company would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section
401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has
occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of
such qualification.
(u) The Company confirms as of the date hereof that it is in
compliance with all provisions of Section 1 of Laws of Florida, Chapter 92-198,
An Act Relating to Disclosure of Doing Business with Cuba, and the Company
further agrees that if it commences engaging in business with the government of
Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba after the date the
Registration Statement becomes or has become effective with the Commission or
with the Florida Department of Banking and Finance (the "Department"), whichever
date is later, or if the information reported or incorporated by reference in
the Prospectus, if any, concerning the Company's business with Cuba or with any
person or affiliate located in Cuba changes in any material way, the Company
will provide the Department notice of such business or change, as appropriate,
in a form acceptable to the Department.
(v) The Company is in material compliance with all laws,
rules, regulations, orders of any court or administrative agency, operating
licenses or other requirements imposed by any governmental body applicable to
it, including, without limitation, all applicable laws, rules, regulations,
licenses or other governmental standards applicable to the its business; and the
conduct of the business of the Company, as described in the Prospectus, will not
cause the Company to be in violation of any such requirements.
(w) The Representative's Warrants (as defined in Paragraph (d)
of Section 2 hereof) have been authorized for issuance to the Representative or
its designees, as the case may be, and will, when issued, possess rights,
privileges, and characteristics as represented in the most recent form of
Representative's Warrants filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; the
securities to be issued upon exercise of the Representative's Warrants, when
issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the terms
thereof, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid,
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nonassessable and free of preemptive rights, and all corporate action required
to be taken for the authorization and issuance of the Representative's Warrants,
and the securities to be issued upon their exercise, have been validly and
sufficiently taken.
(x) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the Company
nor any of its officers, directors or affiliates have caused any person, other
than the Underwriters, to be entitled to reimbursement of any kind, including,
without limitation, any compensation that would be includable as underwriter
compensation under the NASD's Corporate Financing Rule with respect to the
offering of the Shares, as a result of the consummation of such offering based
on any activity of such person as a finder, agent, broker, investment adviser or
other financial service provider.
(y) Except as described in the Prospectus, the Company does
not directly or indirectly control or have a material interest in any other
business entity.
(z) The Common Stock and certain publicly traded warrants of
the Company are listed on the NASDAQ Small-cap Market ("NASDAQ"); following this
offering, the Company will satisfy all of the requirements of NASDAQ for
continued listing and for the trading of its Common Stock and such warrants on
NASDAQ.
(aa) The Company has filed in a timely manner all reports and
other documents that it is required to file with the Commission under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") and the rules
and regulations thereunder. Each such report or other document contained such
information as was required to be included in such report or other document; all
such information was correct and complete in all material respects and did not
omit any information required to make such information not misleading; the
Company has made all reports to shareholders required by law or its Certificate
of Incorporation or the provisions of any agreement to be made by the Company
and each such report was correct and complete in all material respects and did
not omit any information required to make such information not misleading; to
the Company's best knowledge, no event has occurred or is likely to occur that
has required or would require an amendment to any report or other document
described in this Section 1(aa) that has not been filed or distributed as
required.
2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Shares.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and
covenants herein contained, and subject to the conditions herein set forth, the
Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters and each Underwriter agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase, at a price of $___ per Share, the number
of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of each Underwriter in Schedule I
hereof, subject to adjustments in accordance with Section 9 hereof.
(b) Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold hereunder is to be
made in New York Clearing House funds and, at the option of the Representative,
by bank wire to an account specified
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by the Company, certified or bank cashier's checks drawn to the order of the
Company, against either uncertificated delivery of Firm Shares or of
certificates therefor (which delivery, if certificated, shall take place in such
location in New York, New York as may be specified by the Representative) to the
Representative for the several accounts of the Underwriters. Such payment is to
be made at the offices of the Representative at the address set forth on the
first page of this agreement, at 7:00 a.m., Pacific time, on the third business
day after the date of this Agreement or at such other time and date not later
than five business days thereafter as you and the Company shall agree upon, such
time and date being herein referred to as the "Closing Date." (As used herein,
"business day" means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for
trading and on which banks in New York are open for business and not permitted
by law or executive order to be closed.) Except to the extent uncertificated
Firm Shares are delivered at closing, the certificates for the Firm Shares will
be delivered in such denominations and in such registrations as the
Representative requests in writing not later than the second full business day
prior to the Closing Date, and will be made available for inspection by the
Representative at least one business day prior to the Closing Date.
(c) In addition, on the basis of the representations and
warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters to purchase the
Option Shares at the price per Share as set forth in the first paragraph of this
Section 2. The Company may assign the obligation to deliver the Common Stock
component of the Option Shares to certain shareholders of the Company as more
fully described in the Prospectus; however, no such assignment shall affect the
obligation of the Company to deliver or cause to be delivered securities
representing the Option Shares as to which the option is exercised upon such
exercise. The option granted hereby may be exercised in whole or in part by
giving written notice (i) at any time before the Closing Date and (ii) only once
thereafter within 45 days after the date of this Agreement, by the
Representative to the Company setting forth the number of Option Shares as to
which the Underwriters are exercising the option, the names and denominations in
which the Option Shares are to be registered and the time and date at which
certificates representing such Shares are to be delivered. The time and date at
which certificates for Option Shares are to be delivered shall be determined by
the Representative but shall not be earlier than three nor later than 10 full
business days after the exercise of such option, nor in any event prior to the
Closing Date (such time and date being herein referred to as the "Option Closing
Date"). If the date of exercise of the option is three or more days before the
Closing Date, the notice of exercise shall set the Closing Date as the Option
Closing Date. The option with respect to the Option Shares granted hereunder may
be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Firm Shares by the
Underwriters. The Representative may cancel such option at any time prior to its
expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company. To the
extent, if any, that the option is exercised, payment for the Option Shares
shall be made on the Option Closing Date in New York Clearing House funds and,
at the option of the Representative, by bank wire to an account specified by the
Company, or certified or bank cashier's check drawn to the order of the Company
for the Option Shares to be sold by the Company in consideration either of
uncertificated delivery of Option Shares or delivery of certificates therefor
(which delivery, if certificated, shall take place in such location in New York,
New York as may be specified by the Representative) to the Representative for
the several accounts of the Underwriters. Except to the extent uncertificated
Option Shares are
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delivered at closing, the certificates for the Option Shares will be delivered
in such denominations and in such registrations as the Representative requests
in writing not later than the second full business day prior to the Option
Closing Date, and will be made available for inspection by the Representative at
least one business day prior to the Option Closing Date.
(d) In addition to the sums payable to the Representative as
provided elsewhere herein, the Representative shall be entitled to receive at
the Closing, for itself alone and not as Representative of the Underwriters, as
additional compensation for its services, purchase warrants (the
"Representative's Warrants") for the purchase of up to 200,000 Shares at a price
of $____ per Share, upon the terms and subject to adjustment and conversion as
described in the form of Representative's Warrants filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.
3. Offering by the Underwriters.
It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a
public offering of the Firm Shares as soon as the Representative deems it
advisable to do so. The Firm Shares are to be initially offered to the public at
the initial public offering price set forth in the Prospectus. The
Representative may from time to time thereafter change the public offering price
and other selling terms. To the extent, if at all, that any Option Shares are
purchased pursuant to Section 2 hereof, the Representative will offer them to
the public on the foregoing terms.
It is further understood that you will act as the
Representative for the Underwriters in the offering and sale of the Shares in
accordance with an Agreement Among Underwriters entered into by you and the
several other Underwriters.
4. Covenants of the Company.
The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that:
(a) The Company will (A) use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to become effective or, if the procedure in Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations is followed, to prepare and timely file with the
Commission under Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations a Prospectus in a form
approved by the Representative containing information previously omitted at the
time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations, and (B) not file any amendment to the Registration
Statement or supplement to the Prospectus of which the Representative shall not
previously have been advised and furnished with a copy or to which the
Representative shall have reasonably objected in writing or which is not in
compliance with the Rules and Regulations.
(b) The Company will advise the Representative promptly (A)
when the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto shall
have become effective, (B) of receipt of any comments from the Commission, (C)
of any request of the Commission for amendment of the
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Registration Statement or for supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional
information, and (D) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of the
Prospectus or of the institution of any proceedings for that purpose. The
Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order
preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus and to obtain as soon as
possible the lifting thereof, if issued.
(c) The Company will cooperate with the Representative in
endeavoring to qualify the Shares for sale under the securities laws of such
jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably have designated in writing
and will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such
information as may be reasonably required for that purpose, provided the Company
shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general
consent to service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so
qualified or required to file such a consent. The Company will, from time to
time, prepare and file such statements, reports, and other documents, as are or
may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period
as the Representative may reasonably request for distribution of the Shares.
(d) The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the
Representative, from time to time, as many copies of any Preliminary Prospectus
as the Representative may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to, or
upon the order of, the Representative during the period when delivery of a
Prospectus is required under the Act, as many copies of the Prospectus in final
form, or as thereafter amended or supplemented, as the Representative may
reasonably request. The Company will deliver to the Representative at or before
the Closing Date, four signed copies of the Registration Statement and all
amendments thereto including all exhibits filed therewith, and will deliver to
the Representative such number of copies of the Registration Statement
(including such number of copies of the exhibits filed therewith that may
reasonably be requested), and of all amendments thereto, as the Representative
may reasonably request.
(e) The Company will comply with the Act and the Rules and
Regulations, and the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the
Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and the Prospectus. If during the
period in which a prospectus is required by law to be delivered by an
Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur as a result of which, in the
judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of the Underwriters, it
becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time the
Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or, if it is necessary
at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, the
Company promptly will prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate
amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus so that
the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the
circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is so delivered, be
misleading, or so that the Prospectus will comply with the law.
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(f) The Company will make generally available to its security
holders, as soon as it is practicable to do so, but in any event not later than
15 months after the effective date of the Registration Statement, an earning
statement (which need not be audited) in reasonable detail, covering a period of
at least 12 consecutive months beginning after the effective date of the
Registration Statement, which earning statement shall satisfy the requirements
of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations and will
advise you in writing when such statement has been so made available.
(g) The Company will, for a period of five years from the
Closing Date, deliver to the Representative copies of annual reports and copies
of all other documents, reports and information furnished by the Company to its
stockholders or filed with any securities exchange pursuant to the requirements
of such exchange or with the Commission pursuant to the Act or the Exchange Act.
The Company will deliver to the Representative similar reports with respect to
significant subsidiaries, as that term is defined in the Rules and Regulations,
which are not consolidated in the Company's financial statements.
(h) No offering, sale, short sale or other disposition of any
shares of Common Stock of the Company or other securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock or derivatives of Common
Stock (or agreement therefor) will be made for a period of one year after the
date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, by the Company otherwise than
hereunder, or pursuant to contractual obligations existing on the date hereof or
pursuant to employee benefit plans in effect on the date hereof, or with the
prior written consent of the Representative, which consent will not be
unreasonably withheld.
(i) The Company has taken all required action to list the Firm
Shares and the Option Shares on NASDAQ, effective upon issuance, and will use
its best efforts to cause the listing of its Common Stock and publicly traded
warrants on NASDAQ to remain in effect with respect to each such security unless
and until (i) such security expires; (ii) such security is listed on another
exchange of at least comparable reputation; or (iii) the Company is no longer
required to file reports under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.
(j) The Company has caused each officer and director and each
person who owns, beneficially or of record, 5% or more of the shares of the
Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the date hereof to furnish to you,
on or prior to the date of this agreement, a letter or letters, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Underwriters ("Lockup Agreements"), pursuant to
which each such person shall agree (A) not to offer, sell, sell short or
otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock or other capital stock of the
Company, or any other securities convertible, exchangeable or exercisable for
Common Stock or derivatives of Common Stock owned by such person or request the
registration for the offer or sale of any of the foregoing (or as to which such
person has the right to direct the disposition) for a period of one year after
the date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, except with the prior
written consent of the Representative; and (B) to give prior written notice to
the Representative for a period of two years from the effective date
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of the Registration Statement, with respect to any sales of Common Stock of the
Company pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any similar rule.
(k) The Company shall apply the net proceeds of its sale of
the Shares as set forth in the Prospectus and shall file such reports with the
Commission with respect to the sale of the Shares and the application of the
proceeds therefrom as may be required in accordance with Rule 463 under the Act.
(l) The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the
proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as
would require the Company to register as an investment company under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").
(m) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if
necessary under the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, a registrar
for the Common Stock.
(n) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any
action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any securities of the Company.
5. Costs and Expenses.
(a) The Representative shall be entitled to reimbursement from
the Company, for itself alone and not as Representative of the Underwriters, to
a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 3% of the aggregate initial public
offering price of the Firm Shares and any Option Shares purchased by the
Underwriters. The Representative shall be entitled to withhold this allowance on
the Closing Date related to the purchase of the Firm Shares or the Option
Shares, as the case may be.
(b) In addition to the payment described in Paragraph (a) of
this Section 5, the Company will pay all costs, expenses and fees incident to
the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement,
including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following:
accounting fees of the Company; the fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Company; the cost of printing and delivering to, or as requested by, the
Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectuses, the
Prospectus, this Agreement, the NASDAQ listing application, the costs of due
diligence investigation of the principals of the Company, the Blue Sky Survey
and any supplements or amendments thereto; the filing fees of the Commission;
the filing fees and expenses (including any fees and disbursements) incident to
securing the required review by the NASD Regulation, Inc.) of the underwriting
terms and arrangements; the NASDAQ listing fee; and the expenses, including the
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters, incurred in connection
with the qualification of the Shares under state securities or Blue Sky laws.
Any transfer taxes imposed on the sale of the Shares to the several Underwriters
will be paid by the Company. The Company agrees to pay all costs and expenses of
the Underwriters, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters, incident to the offer and sale of directed Shares
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<PAGE> 14
by the Underwriters to employees and persons having business relationships with
the Company. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay for any of the
Underwriters' expenses (other than those related to qualification under NASD
regulation and state securities or Blue Sky laws) except that, if this Agreement
shall not be consummated, then the Company shall reimburse the several
Underwriters for accountable out-of-pocket expenses, including fees and
disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred in connection with investigating,
marketing and proposing to market the Shares or in contemplation of performing
their obligations hereunder; but the Company shall not in any event be liable to
any of the several Underwriters for damages on account of loss of anticipated
profits from the sale by them of the Shares.
6. Conditions of Obligations of the Underwriters.
The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the
Firm Shares on the Closing Date and the Option Shares, if any, on the Option
Closing Date are subject to the accuracy, as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, of the representations and warranties of the
Company contained herein, and to the performance by the Company of their
covenants and obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement and all post-effective
amendments thereto shall have become effective and any and all filings required
by Rule 424 and Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations shall have been made, and
any request of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the
Registration Statement or otherwise) shall have been disclosed to the
Representative and complied with to their reasonable satisfaction. No stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended from time
to time, shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have
been taken or, to the knowledge of the Company, shall be contemplated by the
Commission and no injunction, restraining order, or order of any nature by a
Federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of
the Closing Date which would prevent the issuance of the Shares.
(b) The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date
or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the opinion of Morse, Zelnick,
Rose & Lander, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Underwriters (and stating
that it may be relied upon by counsel to the Underwriters) to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly organized and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State
of Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties
and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement; the Company
is duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct
of its business requires such qualification, or in which the failure to qualify
would have a material adverse effect upon the business of the Company.
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<PAGE> 15
(ii) The Company has authorized and outstanding
capital stock as set forth under the caption "Capitalization" in the Prospectus;
the outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly
issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; all of the securities of the
Company conform to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; the
certificates for the Common Stock are in due and proper form; the shares of
Common Stock to be sold by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, including
shares of Common Stock to be sold as a part of the Option Shares, have been duly
authorized and, upon issuance and delivery thereof as contemplated in this
Agreement and the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable; no preemptive rights of shareholders exist with respect to any
of the Common Stock or the issuance or sale thereof pursuant to any applicable
statute or the provisions of the Company's Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws
or, to such counsel's best knowledge, pursuant to any contractual obligation.
The Representative's Warrants have been authorized for issuance to the
purchasers of Shares or the Representative, as the case may be, and will, when
issued, possess rights, privileges, and characteristics as represented in the
most recent form of Representative's Warrants filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement; the securities to be issued upon exercise of the
Representative's Warrants when issued and delivered against payment therefor in
accordance with the terms thereof, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid,
nonassessable and free of preemptive rights, and all corporate action required
to be taken for the authorization and issuance of the Representative's Warrants,
and the securities to be issued upon their exercise, has been validly and
sufficiently taken.
(iii) Except as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel, there are no outstanding
securities of the Company convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the
right to purchase or subscribe for any shares of capital stock of the Company
and there are no outstanding or authorized options, warrants or rights of any
character obligating the Company to issue any shares of its capital stock or any
securities convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase
or subscribe for any shares of such stock; and except as described in the
Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel, no holder of any securities of the
Company or any other person has the right, contractual or otherwise, which has
not been satisfied or effectively waived, to cause the Company to sell or
otherwise issue to them, or to permit them to underwrite the sale of, any of the
Shares or the right to have any Common Stock or other securities of the Company
included in the Registration Statement or the right, as a result of the filing
of the Registration Statement, to require registration under the Act of any
shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company.
(iv) The Registration Statement has become effective
under the Act and, to the best of the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order
proceedings with respect thereto have been instituted or are pending or
threatened under the Act.
(v) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and
each amendment or supplement thereto comply as to form in all material respects
with the requirements of the Act and the applicable rules and regulations
thereunder (except that such counsel need express no opinion as to the financial
statements and related schedules therein).
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(vi) The statements under the captions "Shares
Eligible for Future Sale" and "Description of Securities" in the Prospectus and
in Items 24 and 26 of the Registration Statement, insofar as such statements
constitute a summary of documents referred to therein or matters of law, fairly
summarize in all material respects the information called for with respect to
such documents and matters.
(vii) Such counsel does not know of any contracts or
documents required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or
described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not so filed
or described as required, and such contracts and documents as are summarized in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus are fairly summarized in all
material respects.
(viii) Such counsel knows of no material legal or
governmental proceedings pending or threatened against the Company.
(ix) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and
the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated do not and will not
conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the
Company, or any agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the
Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound.
(x) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Company.
(xi) No approval, consent, order, authorization,
designation, declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or
other governmental body is necessary in connection with the execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
contemplated (other than as may be required by the NASD, as to which such
counsel need express no opinion) except such as have been obtained or made,
specifying the same.
(xii) The Company is not, and will not become, as a
result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
and application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus,
required to register as an investment company under the 1940 Act.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters
governed by the laws of states other than California, the Delaware General
Corporation Law or Federal laws on local counsel in such jurisdictions, provided
that in each case such counsel shall state that they believe that they and the
Underwriters are justified in relying on such other counsel. In addition to the
matters set forth above, the opinion of Morse, Zelnick, Rose and Lander LLP
shall also include a statement to the effect that nothing has come to the
attention of such counsel that has caused them to believe that (i) the
Registration Statement, at the time it became effective under the Act (but after
giving
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<PAGE> 17
effect to any modifications incorporated therein pursuant to Rule 430A under the
Act) and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, and (ii) the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date
it was filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not
misleading (except that such counsel need express no view as to financial
statements, schedules and statistical information therein).
(c) The Representative shall have received from Stoel Rives
LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, an opinion dated the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, substantially to the effect specified
in subparagraphs (i), (iv) and (v) of Paragraph (b) of this Section 6. In
rendering such opinion Stoel Rives LLP may rely as to all matters governed other
than by the laws of the State of California, the Delaware General Corporation
Law or Federal laws on the opinion of counsel referred to in Paragraph (b) of
this Section 6. In addition to the matters set forth above, such opinion shall
also include a statement to the effect that nothing has come to the attention of
such counsel that has caused them to believe that (i) the Registration
Statement, or any amendment thereto, as of the time it became effective under
the Act (but after giving effect to any modifications incorporated therein
pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act) and as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) the
Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed pursuant to the
Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of
the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading (except that such
counsel need express no view as to financial statements, schedules and
statistical information therein). With respect to such statement, Stoel Rives
LLP may state that their belief is based upon the procedures set forth therein,
but is without independent check and verification.
(d) The Representative shall have received at or prior to the
Closing Date from Stoel Rives LLP a memorandum or summary, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representative, with respect to the qualification for
offering and sale by the Underwriters of the Shares under the state securities
or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably have
designated to the Company.
(e) The Representative, on behalf of the several Underwriters,
shall have received, on each of the dates hereof, the Closing Date and the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter dated the date hereof, the
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Representative, of Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP
confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of
the Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations thereunder and
stating that in their opinion the financial statements and
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<PAGE> 18
schedules examined by them and included in the Registration Statement comply in
form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the
Act and the related published Rules and Regulations and containing such other
statements and information as is ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort
letters" to Underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain
financial and statistical information contained in the Registration Statement
and Prospectus.
(f) The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date
or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate or certificates of
the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company to
the effect that, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, each of them severally represents as follows:
(i) The Registration Statement has become effective
under the Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been taken
or are, to his knowledge, contemplated by the Commission;
(ii) The representations and warranties of the
Company contained in Section 1 hereof are true and correct as of the Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be;
(iii) All filings required to have been made pursuant
to Rules 424 or 430A under the Act have been made;
(iv) He has carefully examined the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus and, in his or her opinion, as of the effective
date of the Registration Statement, the statements contained in the Registration
Statement were true and correct, and such Registration Statement and Prospectus
did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
in order to make the statements therein not misleading, and since the effective
date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been
set forth in a supplement to or an amendment of the Prospectus which has not
been so set forth in such supplement or amendment; and
(v) Since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has not
been any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective
material adverse change in or affecting the condition, financial or otherwise,
of the Company or the earnings, business, management, properties, assets,
rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the
Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business.
(g) The Company shall have furnished to the Representative
such further certificates and documents confirming the representations and
warranties, covenants and conditions contained herein and related matters as the
Representative may reasonably have requested.
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(h) The Firm Shares and the Option Shares been approved for
listing upon notice of issuance on NASDAQ.
(i) The Lockup Agreements described in Section 4(j) are in
full force and effect.
The opinions and certificates mentioned in this Agreement
shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are
in all material respects satisfactory to the Representative and to Stoel Rives
LLP, counsel for the Underwriters.
If any of the conditions hereinabove provided for in this
Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement
to be fulfilled, the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated
by the Representative by notifying the Company of such termination in writing or
by telegram at or prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the
case may be.
In such event, the Company and the Underwriters shall not be
under any obligation to each other (except to the extent provided in Sections 5
and 8 hereof).
7. Conditions of the Obligations of the Company.
The obligations of the Company to sell and deliver the portion
of the Shares required to be delivered as and when specified in this Agreement
are subject to the conditions that at the Closing Date or the Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement shall have been issued and in effect or proceedings
therefor initiated or threatened.
8. Indemnification.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the
meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which
such Underwriter or any such controlling person may become subject under the Act
or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions
or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading; and will reimburse each Underwriter and
each such controlling person upon demand for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection
with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage or liability,
action or proceeding or in responding to a subpoena or governmental inquiry
related to the offering of the Shares, whether or not such Underwriter or
controlling person is a party to any
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action or proceeding; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in
any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability
arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement,
or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or such amendment or supplement, in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by or through the Representative specifically for use in the preparation
thereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the
Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly will indemnify
and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who
have signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling
person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
or (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and
will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or
any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action or
proceeding; provided, however, that each Underwriter will be liable in each case
to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or such
amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by or through the Representative
specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This indemnity agreement will
be in addition to any liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.
(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental
investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which
indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Section 8, such person (the
"indemnified party") shall promptly notify the person against whom such
indemnity may be sought (the "indemnifying party") in writing. No
indemnification provided for in Section 8(a) or (b) shall be available to any
party who shall fail to give notice as provided in this Section 8(c) if the
party to whom notice was not given was unaware of the proceeding to which such
notice would have related and was materially prejudiced by the failure to give
such notice, but the failure to give such notice shall not relieve the
indemnifying party or parties from any liability which it or they may have to
the indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than on account of the
provisions of Section 8(a) or (b). In case any such proceeding shall be brought
against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party and shall pay as incurred the
fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such
proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the
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right to retain its own counsel at its own expense. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the indemnifying party shall pay as incurred (or within 30 days of
presentation) the fees and expenses of the counsel retained by the indemnified
party in the event (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall
have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the named parties to
any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties
by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing
interests between them or (iii) the indemnifying party shall have failed to
assume the defense and employ counsel acceptable to the indemnified party within
a reasonable period of time after notice of commencement of the action. It is
understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any
proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the
reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm for all such
indemnified parties. Such firm shall be designated in writing by you in the case
of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a) and by the Company in the case
of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b). The indemnifying party shall
not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written
consent but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the
plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from
and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. In
addition, the indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of
the indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any
judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding of which
indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any indemnified party is
an actual or potential party to such claim, action or proceeding) unless such
settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action or
proceeding.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
Section 8(a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to therein,
then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares. If,
however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not
permitted by applicable law then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities, (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof),
as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits
received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall
be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the
offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bears to the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each
case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative
fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the
untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact relates to
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information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the
other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be
just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(d) were
determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one
entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not
take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section
8(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect
thereof) referred to above in this Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in
connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), (i) no Underwriter shall
be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and
commissions applicable to the Shares purchased by such Underwriter, and (ii) no
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in
this Section 8(d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective
underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement,
any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment
thereto, each party against whom contribution may be sought under this Section 8
hereby consents to the jurisdiction of any court having jurisdiction over any
other contributing party, agrees that process issuing from such court may be
served upon him or it by any other contributing party and consents to the
service of such process and agrees that any other contributing party may join
him or it as an additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other
contributing party is a party.
(f) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for
which an indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or contribution under
this Section 8 shall be paid by the indemnifying party to the indemnified party
as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are incurred. The
indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 8 and the
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall
remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person controlling
any Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers or any persons
controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of any Shares and payment therefor
hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A successor to any
Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or officers, or any person
controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity,
contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 8.
9. Default by Underwriters.
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<PAGE> 23
If on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, any Underwriter shall fail to purchase and pay for the portion of the
Shares which such Underwriter has agreed to purchase and pay for on such date
(otherwise than by reason of any default on the part of the Company), you, as
Representative of the Underwriters, shall use reasonable efforts to procure
within 36 hours thereafter one or more of the other Underwriters, or any others,
to purchase from the Company such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the
terms set forth herein, the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be,
which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase. If during
such 36 hours you, as such Representative, shall not have procured such other
Underwriters, or any others, to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as
the case may be, agreed to be purchased by the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters, then (a) if the aggregate number of Shares with respect to which
such default shall occur does not exceed 10% of the Firm Shares or Option
Shares, as the case may be, covered hereby, the other Underwriters shall be
obligated, severally, in proportion to the respective numbers of Firm Shares or
Option Shares, as the case may be, which they are obligated to purchase
hereunder, to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be,
which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase, or (b) if
the aggregate number of Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, with
respect to which such default shall occur exceeds 10% of the Firm Shares or
Option Shares, as the case may be, covered hereby, the Company or you as the
Representative of the Underwriters will have the right, by written notice given
within the next 36-hour period to the parties to this Agreement, to terminate
this Agreement without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters
or of the Company except to the extent provided in Section 8 hereof. In the
event of a default by any Underwriter or Underwriters, as set forth in this
Section 9, the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, may be
postponed for such period, not exceeding seven days, as you, as Representative,
may determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement
or in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected.
The term "Underwriter" includes any person substituted for a defaulting
Underwriter. Any action taken under this Section 9 shall not relieve any
defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such
Underwriter under this Agreement.
10. Notices.
All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, except
as otherwise provided herein, will be mailed, delivered, telecopied or
telegraphed and confirmed as follows: if to the Underwriters, to Paulson
Investment Company, Inc., 811 SW Naito Parkway, Portland, Oregon 97204,
Attention: Chester L.F. Paulson; with a copy to Stoel Rives LLP, 900 SW Fifth
Avenue, Suite 2300, Portland, Oregon 97204, Attention: John J. Halle; if to the
Company, to AdStar.com., Inc., at 4553 Glencoe Avenue, Suite 325, Marina del
Rey, California 90292, Attention: Benjamin J. Douek; with copy to Morse Zelnick
Rose & Lander, LLP, 450 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022-2605, Attention:
Stephen A. Zelnick.
11. Termination.
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<PAGE> 24
This Agreement may be terminated by you by notice to the
Company as follows:
(a) at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the time the
Shares are released by you for sale by notice to the Underwriters, or (ii) 11:30
a.m. on the first business day following the date of this Agreement;
(b) at any time prior to the Closing Date if any of the
following has occurred: (i) since the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, any material adverse
change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in or
affecting the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company, the earnings,
business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition
(financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company, whether or not arising in
the ordinary course of business, (ii) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities
or declaration of war or national emergency or other national or international
calamity or crisis or change in economic or political conditions if the effect
of such outbreak, escalation, declaration, emergency, calamity, crisis or change
on the financial markets of the United States would, in your reasonable
judgment, make it impracticable to market the Shares or to enforce contracts for
the sale of the Shares, (iii) the Dow Jones Industrial Average shall have fallen
by 15 percent or more from its closing price on the day immediately preceding
the date that the Registration Statement is declared effective by the
Commission, (iv) suspension of trading in securities generally on the New York
Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or limitation on prices (other
than limitations on hours or numbers of days of trading) for securities on
either such Exchange, (v) the enactment, publication, decree or other
promulgation of any statute, regulation, rule or order of any court or other
governmental authority which in your opinion materially and adversely affects or
may materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company,
(vi) declaration of a banking moratorium by United States or New York State
authorities, (vii) any downgrading in the rating of the Company's debt
securities by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization" (as
defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Exchange Act); (viii) the
suspension of trading of the Common Stock by the Commission or NASDAQ, or (ix)
the taking of any action by any governmental body or agency in respect of its
monetary or fiscal affairs which in your reasonable opinion has a material
adverse effect on the securities markets in the United States; or
(c) as provided in Sections 6 and 9 of this Agreement.
12. Successors.
This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of
the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors, executors,
administrators, heirs and assigns, and the officers, directors and controlling
persons referred to herein, and no other person will have any right or
obligation hereunder. No purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter
shall be deemed a successor or assign merely because of such purchase.
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<PAGE> 25
13. Information Provided by Underwriters.
The Company and the Underwriters acknowledge and agree that
the only information furnished or to be furnished by any Underwriter to the
Company for inclusion in the Prospectus or the Registration Statement consists
of the information set forth in the last paragraph on the front cover page
(insofar as such information relates to the Underwriters), legends required by
Item 502(b) of Regulation S-K under the Act and the information under the
caption "Underwriting" in the Prospectus.
14. Miscellaneous.
The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution agreements
contained in this Agreement and the representations, warranties and covenants in
this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of (a) any
termination of this Agreement, (b) any investigation made by or on behalf of any
Underwriter or controlling person thereof, or by or on behalf of the Company or
its directors or officers and (c) delivery of and payment for the Shares under
this Agreement.
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall
constitute one and the same instrument.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of Oregon. All disputes relating to this
Underwriting Agreement shall be adjudicated before a court located in Multnomah
County, Oregon to the exclusion of all other courts that might have
jurisdiction.
If the foregoing letter is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicates hereof,
whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Company and the several
Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
AdStar.com, Inc.
By:
-------------------------------
Leslie Bernhard, President
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the
date first above written.
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<PAGE> 26
PAULSON INVESTMENT COMPANY, INC.
As Representative of the several
Underwriters listed on Schedule I
By:
-----------------------------------
Authorized Officer
26
<PAGE> 27
SCHEDULE I
Schedule of Underwriters
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Number of Firm Shares
Underwriter to be Purchased
----------- ---------------
<S> <C>
Paulson Investment Company, Inc.
Total 2,000,000
=========
</TABLE>
27
