ESSEX CORPORATION
Exhibit 99(a)
SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
<PAGE>
SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (the "Agreement"), dated as of September
7, 2000, by and among Essex Corporation, a Virginia corporation, with
headquarters located at 9150 Guilford Road, Columbia, Maryland 21046 (the
"Company"), and the investors listed on the Schedule of Buyers attached hereto
(individually, a "Buyer" and collectively, the "Buyers").
WHEREAS:
A. The Company and the Buyers are executing and delivering this
Agreement in reliance upon the exemption from securities registration afforded
by Rule 506 of Regulation D ("Regulation D") as promulgated by the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "1933 Act").
B. The Company has authorized the following new class of its Preferred
Stock ("Preferred Stock"): the Company's Series B Convertible Preferred Stock
(the "Series B Preferred"), which shall be convertible into shares of the
Company's Common Stock, (the "Common Stock") (as converted, the "Conversion
Shares"), in accordance with the terms of the Company's Articles of Amendment,
in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the "Articles of Amendment").
C. The Buyers wish to purchase, upon the terms and conditions stated in
this Agreement, an aggregate of 500,000 shares of Series B Preferred (the
"Shares") in the respective amounts set forth opposite each Buyer's name on the
Schedule of Buyers.
D. The Buyers wish to purchase, on the terms and conditions stated in
this Agreement, Warrants to purchase an aggregate of 2,000,000 shares of the
Common Stock (the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants
are referred to herein as the "Warrant Shares"), in accordance with the terms of
the form of Warrant attached hereto as Exhibit B (the "Warrants") in the
respective amounts set forth each Buyer's name on the Schedule of Buyers.
E. Contemporaneously with the execution and delivery of this Agreement,
the parties hereto are executing and delivering a Registration Rights Agreement
in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "Registration Rights Agreement")
pursuant to which the Company has agreed to provide certain registration rights
under the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and
applicable state securities laws.
<PAGE>
NOW THEREFORE, the Company and the Buyers hereby agree as follows:
1. PURCHASE AND SALE OF SHARES; ISSUANCE OF WARRANTS.
-------------------------------------------------
(a) Purchase of Shares; Issuance of Warrants. At the Initial
Closing or a Subsequent Closing, as defined below, the Company shall issue and
sell to each Buyer and each Buyer severally agrees to purchase from the Company
the respective number of Shares set forth opposite such Buyer's name on the
Schedule of Buyers at such Closing at a price of $4.00 per Share. In addition,
the Company shall issue and sell to each Buyer at the Initial Closing a Warrant
to purchase the number of shares of Common Stock set forth opposite such Buyer's
name on the Schedule of Buyers.
(b) The Initial Closing. The initial closing of the
transaction contemplated hereby (the "Initial Closing") shall take place at the
offices of the Company, 9150 Guilford Road, Columbia, Maryland 21046 at 9:00
a.m. on September 15, 2000 or such later date on which the conditions specified
in Section 7 below have been satisfied or waived by the Buyers, but in no event
later than October 15, 2000. At the Initial Closing, (A) each Buyer shall pay
the purchase price to the Company for the Shares to be issued and sold to such
Buyer by check or wire transfer, and (B) the Company shall deliver to each
Buyer, (1) a stock certificate (collectively, the "Preferred Stock
Certificates") representing the number of the Shares which such Buyer is then
purchasing hereunder and (2) a Warrant for the number of shares of Common Stock
covered by Warrants indicated with respect to such Buyer on the Schedule of
Buyers, duly executed on behalf of the Company and registered in the name of
such Buyer or its designee. If at the Initial Closing any of the conditions
specified in Section 7 below have not been fulfilled, each of the Buyers shall
at its election, be relieved of all of its obligations under this Agreement
without thereby waiving any other rights it may have by reason of such failure
or such non-fulfillment.
(c) Subsequent Closings. Subsequent closings of the
transaction contemplated hereby (the "Subsequent Closings") shall be held as
shown on the Schedule of Buyers. At each Subsequent Closing, (A) each Buyer
shall pay the purchase price to the Company for the Shares to be issued and sold
at such Subsequent Closing to such Buyer by check or wire transfer, and (B) the
Company shall deliver to each Buyer, a Preferred Stock Certificate representing
the number of the Shares which such Buyer is then purchasing hereunder. If, at a
Subsequent Closing, a Buyer fails to purchase the full number of Shares to be
purchased by it at such Subsequent Closing, and if such Buyer does not
thereafter purchase such Shares within 10 days after its receipt of written
notice of such failure, such Buyer shall no longer have the right to purchase
Shares at Subsequent Closings.
(d) Acceleration. If elected by the Company's Board of
Directors, including all of the directors appointed by the Buyers, the Company
may accelerate the obligation of the Buyers to purchase the Shares they are
required to purchase at Subsequent Closings. In such event, the Company shall
give at least 10 days written notice to the Buyers of the date, time and place
of the accelerated closing, including the number of Shares to be purchased and
the aggregate purchase price therefor. At the accelerated closing, (A) each
Buyer shall pay the purchase price to the Company for the Shares to be issued
and sold at such closing to such Buyer by check or wire transfer, and (B) the
Company shall deliver to each Buyer, a Preferred Stock Certificate representing
the number of the Shares which such Buyer is then purchasing hereunder.
2
<PAGE>
2. BUYERS' REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.
--------------------------------------
Each Buyer represents and warrants with respect only to itself
that:
(a) Investment Purpose. Such Buyer (i) is acquiring the Shares
and Warrants being purchased by it, (ii) upon conversion of such Shares, will
acquire the Conversion Shares then issuable and (iii) upon exercise of such
Warrants, will acquire the Warrant Shares then issuable (the Shares, the
Conversion Shares and the Warrant Shares collectively are referred to herein as
the "Securities"), for its own account for investment only and not with a view
towards, or for resale in connection with, the public sale or distribution
thereof, except pursuant to sales registered or exempted under the 1933 Act;
provided, however, that by making the representations herein, such Buyer does
not agree to hold any of the Securities for any minimum or other specific term
and reserves the right to dispose of the Securities at any time, provided
further, however, that such disposition shall be in accordance with or pursuant
to a registration statement or an exemption under the 1933 Act.
(b) Accredited Investor Status. Such Buyer is an "accredited
investor" as that term is defined in Rule 501(a)(3) of Regulation D under the
1933 Act.
(c) Reliance on Exemptions. Such Buyer understands that the
Securities are being offered and sold to it in reliance on specific exemptions
from the registration requirements of the United States federal and state
securities laws and that the Company is relying in part upon the truth and
accuracy of, and such Buyer's compliance with, the representations, warranties,
agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of such Buyer set forth herein in
order to determine the availability of such exemptions and the eligibility of
such Buyer to acquire the Securities.
(d) Information. Such Buyer and its advisors, if any, have
been furnished with all materials relating to the business, finances and
operations of the Company and materials relating to the offer and sale of the
Securities which have been requested by such Buyer. Such Buyer and its advisors,
if any, have been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of the Company.
Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigations conducted by
such Buyer or its advisors, if any, or its representatives shall modify, amend
or affect such Buyer's right to rely on the Company's representations and
warranties contained in Sections 3 and 9(l) below.
(e) Residency. Such Buyer is purchasing the Securities from
its office specified in its address on the Schedule of Buyers.
3
<PAGE>
3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.
---------------------------------------------
The Company represents and warrants to each of the Buyers
that:
(a) Organization and Qualification. The Company and its
"Subsidiaries" (which for purposes of this Agreement means any entity in which
the Company, directly or indirectly, owns capital stock or holds an equity or
similar interest which ownership entitles the Company to elect a majority of the
board of directors or similar governing body of such entity) are corporations
duly organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction in which they are incorporated, and have the requisite corporate
power and authorization to own their properties and to carry on their 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 its ownership of property or 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. As used in this Agreement, "Material Adverse Effect"
means any material adverse effect on the business, properties, assets,
operations, results of operations, or financial condition of the Company and its
Subsidiaries, if any, taken as a whole, or on the transactions contemplated
hereby or by the agreements and instruments to be entered into in connection
herewith, or on the authority or ability of the Company to perform its
obligations under the Transaction Documents (as defined below) or the Articles
of Amendment. A complete list of entities in which the Company, directly or
indirectly, owns capital stock or holds an equity or similar interest is set
forth on Schedule 3(a).
(b) Authorization; Enforcement; Validity. The Company has the
requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its
obligations under this Agreement, the Warrants, the Registration Rights
Agreement, and each of the other agreements entered into by the parties hereto
in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
(collectively, the "Transaction Documents"), and to issue the Securities in
accordance with the terms hereof and thereof. The execution and delivery of the
Transaction Documents by the Company and the execution and filing of the
Articles of Amendment 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. The Transaction
Documents have been duly executed and delivered by the Company. The Transaction
Documents 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 or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the
enforcement of creditors' rights and remedies. The Articles of Amendment, which
shall have been filed prior to the Initial Closing with the Virginia State
Corporation Commission, shall thereafter be in full force and effect,
enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and shall not
have been amended.
(c) Capitalization. The authorized capital stock of the
Company consists of (i) 25,000,000 shares of Common Stock, of which as of the
date hereof 4,397,861 shares are issued and outstanding, 1,159,850 shares are
reserved for issuance pursuant to the Company's stock option and purchase plans,
and 439,868 shares are issuable and reserved for issuance pursuant to securities
(other than the Preferred Stock, and stock option and purchase plans)
exercisable or exchangeable
4
<PAGE>
for, or convertible into, shares of Common Stock, and (ii) 1,000,000 shares
of Preferred Stock, of which as of the date hereof, 2,500 shares are designated
as Class A Preferred Stock, all of which is held in the Company's treasury and
500,000 shares are designated as Series B Preferred, none of which are issued or
outstanding. All of such outstanding shares have been, or upon issuance will be,
validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. Except as disclosed in
Schedule 3(c), (A) no shares of the Company's capital stock are subject to
preemptive rights or any other similar rights (arising under Virginia law, the
Company's Articles of Incorporation or By-laws or any agreement or instrument to
which the Company is a party) or any liens or encumbrances granted or created by
the Company; (B) there are no outstanding debt securities issued by the Company;
(C) 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; (D) 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 1933 Act
(except the Registration Rights Agreement); (E) there are no outstanding
securities or instruments of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which
contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts,
commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries; (F) there are no securities or instruments containing
anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of
the Securities as described in this Agreement; and (G) the Company does not have
any stock appreciation rights or "phantom stock" plans or agreements or any
similar plan or agreement. The Company has furnished to each Buyer true and
correct copies of the Company's Articles of Incorporation, as amended and as in
effect on the date hereof (the "Articles of Incorporation"), the Company's
By-laws, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the "By-laws"), and the
terms of all securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for
Common Stock and the material rights of the holders thereof in respect thereto.
(d) Issuance of Securities. The Shares are duly authorized
and, upon issuance at the Closing at which they are issued, shall be (i) validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable, (ii) free from all taxes, liens and
charges with respect to the issuance thereof and (iii) entitled to the rights
and preferences set forth in the Articles of Amendment. As of the Initial
Closing, at least 2,000,000 shares of Common Stock (subject to adjustment as
provided in the Articles of Amendment) will have been duly authorized and
reserved for issuance upon conversion of the Shares and 2,000,000 shares of
Common Stock (subject to adjustment as provided in the Warrants) will have been
duly authorized for issuance upon exercise of the Warrants. Upon conversion in
accordance with the Articles of Amendment or issuance in accordance with the
Warrants, the Conversion Shares and the Warrant Shares, as the case may be, will
be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens
and charges with respect to the issue thereof, with the holders being entitled
to all rights accorded to a holder of Common Stock. The issuance by the Company
of the Securities is exempt from registration under the 1933 Act.
5
<PAGE>
(e) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of
the Transaction Documents by the Company, the performance by the Company of its
obligations under the Articles of Amendment and the consummation by the Company
of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without
limitation, the reservation for issuance and issuance of the Conversion Shares
and Warrant Shares) will not (i) result in a violation of the Articles of
Incorporation or the By-laws; (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 material agreement, indenture or instrument to which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party; (iii) result in a violation of
any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and
state securities laws and regulations) applicable to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or by which any property or asset of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is bound or affected. Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries is
in violation of any term of its Articles of Incorporation or its By-laws or
their organizational charter or by-laws, respectively. Except as disclosed in
Schedule 3(e), neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation
of any term of or in default under any contract, agreement, mortgage,
indebtedness, indenture, instrument, judgment, decree or order or any statute,
rule or regulation applicable to the Company or its Subsidiaries, except where
such violations and defaults would not result, either individually or in the
aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect. The business of the Company and its
Subsidiaries is not being conducted, and shall not be conducted, in violation of
any law, ordinance or regulation of any governmental entity, except where such
violations would not result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a
Material Adverse Effect. Except as specifically contemplated by this Agreement,
as required under the 1933 Act, or as required by Blue Sky filings, the Company
is not required to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any
filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency or any regulatory
or self-regulatory agency in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of
its obligations under or contemplated by the Transaction Documents or to perform
its obligations under the Articles of Amendment in accordance with the terms
hereof or thereof. Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(e), all consents of
security agencies and all other consents, authorizations, orders, filings and
registrations which the Company is required to obtain pursuant to the preceding
sentence have been obtained or effected on or prior to the date hereof. The
Company and its Subsidiaries are unaware of any facts or circumstances which
might give rise to any of the foregoing.
(f) SEC Documents; Financial Statements. Since December 31,
1997, the Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other
documents required to be filed by it with the SEC pursuant to the reporting
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act")
(all of the foregoing filed prior to the date hereof and all exhibits included
therein and financial statements and schedules thereto and documents
incorporated by reference therein being hereinafter referred to as the "SEC
Documents"). A complete list of the Company's SEC Documents is set forth on
Schedule 3(f). Except as disclosed on Schedule 3(f), as of the date hereof, the
SEC Documents, as they may have been subsequently amended by filings made by the
Company with the SEC prior to the date hereof, complied in all material respects
with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC
promulgated thereunder applicable to the SEC Documents. None of the SEC
Documents, as of the date hereof and as they may have been subsequently amended
by filings made by the Company with the SEC prior to the date hereof, contained
any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
6
<PAGE>
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. Except as disclosed on Schedule 3(f), as of their respective dates,
the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents complied
as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and
the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto. Except as
disclosed on Schedule 3(f), such financial statements have been prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied,
during the periods involved (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in such
financial statements or the notes thereto, or (ii) in the case of unaudited
interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed
or summary statements) and fairly present in all material respects the financial
position of the Company as of the dates thereof and the results of its
operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of
unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments). No other
information provided by or on behalf of the Company to the Buyers which is not
included in the SEC Documents, including, without limitation, information
referred to in Section 2(d), contains any untrue statement of a material fact or
omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstance under which they are or were made, not
misleading. The Company is not required to file and will not be required to file
any agreement, note, lease, mortgage, deed or other instrument entered into
prior to the date hereof and to which the Company is a party or by which the
Company is bound which has not been previously filed as an exhibit to its
reports filed with the SEC under the 1934 Act.
(g) Absence of Certain Changes. Except as disclosed in
Schedule 3(g) or as disclosed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for
the year ended December 26, 1999 or Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the
period ending June 25, 2000, since December 26, 1999, there has been no change
or development that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect. The Company has not taken any steps, and does not currently
expect to take any steps, to seek protection pursuant to any bankruptcy law nor
does the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have any knowledge or reason to
believe that its creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy proceedings
or any actual knowledge of any fact which would reasonably lead a creditor to do
so. Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(g) or as disclosed in the Company's
Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the period ending June 30, 2000, since
December 31, 1999, the Company has not declared or paid any dividends, sold any
assets, individually or in the aggregate, in excess of $100,000 outside of the
ordinary course of business or had capital expenditures, individually or in the
aggregate, in excess of $250,000.
(h) Absence of Litigation. There is no action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by any court, public board,
government agency, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, threatened against or
affecting the Company, the Common Stock or any of the Company's Subsidiaries or
any of the Company's or the Company's Subsidiaries' officers or directors in
their capacities as such, except as expressly set forth in Schedule 3(h) or,
with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries, to the extent that such action
or threatened action does not set forth potential liability, claims or charges,
individually or in the aggregate, in excess of $100,000. Except as set forth in
Schedule 3(h), to the knowledge of the Company none of the directors or officers
of the Company have been involved in securities-related litigation during the
past five years.
7
<PAGE>
(i) Acknowledgment Regarding Buyers' Purchase of Shares. The
Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the Buyers is acting solely in the
capacity of an arm's length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents
and the Articles of Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby. The Company further acknowledges that each Buyer is not acting as a
financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with
respect to the Transaction Documents and the Articles of Amendment and the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and any advice given by any of the
Buyers or any of their respective representatives or agents in connection with
the Transaction Documents and the Articles of Amendment and the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby is merely incidental to such Buyer's purchase of
the Securities. The Company further represents to each Buyer that the Company's
decision to enter into the Transaction Documents has been based solely on the
independent evaluation by the Company and its representatives.
(j) No Undisclosed Events, Liabilities, Developments or
Circumstances. Except for the issuance of the Series B Preferred and Warrants
contemplated by this Agreement, no event, liability, development or circumstance
has occurred or exists, or is contemplated to occur, with respect to the Company
or its Subsidiaries or their respective business, properties, operations or
financial condition, that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under
applicable securities laws on a registration statement on Form S-1 filed with
the SEC relating to an issuance and sale by the Company of its Common Stock and
which has not been publicly disclosed.
(k) 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 1933 Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the
Securities.
(l) No Integrated Offering. Neither the Company, nor any of
its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or
indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to
buy any security, under circumstances that would require registration of the
issuance by the Company of any of the Securities under the 1933 Act or cause
this offering of the Securities to be integrated with prior offerings by the
Company for purposes of the 1933 Act or, except as set forth on Schedule 3(l),
any applicable stockholder approval provisions, nor will the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries take any action or steps that would require registration of the
issuance by the Company of any of the Securities under the 1933 Act or, except
as set forth on Schedule 3(l), cause the offering of the Securities to be
integrated with other offerings.
(m) Employee Relations. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is involved in any union labor dispute nor, to the knowledge of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, is any such dispute threatened. None of the
Company's or its Subsidiaries' employees is a member of a union which relates to
such employee's relationship with the Company, neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the
Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relations with their employees
are good. No executive officer (as defined in Rule 501(f) of the 1933 Act) has
notified the Company that such officer intends to leave the Company or otherwise
terminate such officer's employment with the Company. No executive officer, to
the best knowledge of the Company and its Subsidiaries, is, or is now expected
to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract,
confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary
8
<PAGE>
information agreement, non-competition agreement, or any other contract or
agreement or any restrictive covenant, and the continued employment of each such
executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any
liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters.
(n) Intellectual Property Rights. To the best of the Company's
knowledge, the Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights or
licenses to use all trademarks, trade names, service marks, service mark
registrations, service names, patents, patent rights, copyrights, inventions,
licenses, approvals, governmental authorizations, trade secrets and other
intellectual property rights necessary to conduct their respective businesses as
now conducted, except where the failure to own or possess such rights would not
result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect.
Except as set forth on Schedule 3(n), to the best of the Company's knowledge,
none of the Company's trademarks, trade names, service marks, service mark
registrations, service names, patents, patent rights, copyrights, inventions,
licenses, approvals, governmental authorizations, trade secrets or other
intellectual property rights have expired or terminated, or are expected to
expire or terminate within two years from the date of this Agreement, except
where such expiration or termination would not result, either individually or in
the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries do
not have any knowledge of any infringement by the Company or its Subsidiaries of
trademarks, trade names, service marks, service mark registrations, service
names, patents, patent rights, copyrights, inventions, licenses, trade secrets
or other intellectual property rights of others, or of any development of
identical trade secrets or technical information by others and, except as set
forth on Schedule 3(n), there is no claim, action or proceeding being made or
brought against, or to the Company's knowledge, being threatened against, the
Company or its Subsidiaries regarding its trademarks, trade names, service
marks, service mark registrations, service names, patents, patent rights,
copyrights, inventions, licenses, trade secrets, or infringement of other
intellectual property rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken
reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value
of all of their intellectual properties.
(o) Title. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and
marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable
title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business
of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances and defects except such as are described in Schedule 3(o) or such
as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with
the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and any of
its Subsidiaries. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the
Company and any of its Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and
enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere
with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and facilities by the
Company and its Subsidiaries.
(p) Insurance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are
insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses
and risks and in such amounts as management of the Company believes to be
prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and its
Subsidiaries are engaged. Neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has been
refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for and neither the Company nor
any such Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew
its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain
similar coverage from similar insurers as may be
9
<PAGE>
necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material
Adverse Effect, taken as a whole.
(q) Regulatory Permits. Except for Permits (as defined below)
the absence of which would not result, either individually or in the aggregate,
in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries possess all
certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal,
state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective
businesses (the "Permits"), and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has
received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of
any such Permit.
(r) Internal Accounting Controls. The Company and each of its
Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to
provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance
with management's general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are
recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset
accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with
management's general or specific authorization and (iv) the recorded
accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable
intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(s) No Materially Adverse Contracts, Etc. Neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any charter, corporate or other legal
restriction, or any judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation which in the
judgment of the Company's officers has or is expected in the future to have a
Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a
party to any contract or agreement which in the judgment of the Company's
officers has or is expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(t) Tax Status. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries (i)
has made or filed all federal and state income and all other tax returns,
reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject
(unless and only to the extent that the Company and each of its Subsidiaries has
set aside on its books provisions reasonably adequate for the payment of all
unpaid and unreported taxes), (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental
assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be
due on such returns, reports and declarations, except those being contested in
good faith and for which the Company has made appropriate reserves for on its
books, and (iii) has set aside on its books provisions reasonably adequate for
the payment of all taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such
returns, reports or declarations (referred to in clause (i) above) apply. There
are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing
authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company know of no basis
for any such claim.
(u) Transactions With Affiliates. Except as set forth on
Schedule 3(u), and other than the grant of stock options disclosed on Schedule
3(c), none of the officers, directors or employees of the Company is presently a
party to any transaction with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than
for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract,
agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or
by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, or otherwise
requiring payments to or from any such officer, director or employee or, to the
knowledge of the Company, any corporation, partnership, trust or
10
<PAGE>
other entity in which any such officer, director, or employee has a substantial
interest or is an officer, director, trustee or partner.
(v) Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and its
board of directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render
inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill
(including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar
anti-takeover provision under the Articles of Amendment or the laws of the state
of its incorporation which is or could become applicable to the Buyers as a
result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without
limitation, the Company's issuance of the Securities and the Buyers' ownership
of the Securities.
(w) Rights Agreement. The Company has not adopted a
shareholder rights plan or similar arrangement relating to accumulations of
beneficial ownership of Common Stock or a change in control of the Company.
(x) No Other Agreements. The Company has not, directly or
indirectly, made any agreements with any Buyers relating to the terms or
conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents except
as set forth in the Transaction Documents.
4. COVENANTS.
---------
(a) Best Efforts. Each party shall use its best efforts to
timely satisfy each of the conditions to be satisfied by it as provided in
Sections 6 and 7 of this Agreement.
(b) Form D and Blue Sky. The Company agrees to file a Form D
with respect to the Securities as required under Regulation D and to provide a
copy thereof to each Buyer promptly after such filing. The Company shall, take
such action as the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary in order to
obtain an exemption for or to qualify the Securities for, sale to the Buyers
pursuant to this Agreement under applicable securities or "Blue Sky" laws of the
states of the United States, and shall provide evidence of any such action so
taken to the Buyers. The Company shall make all other filings and reports
relating to the offer and sale of the Securities required under applicable
securities or "Blue Sky" laws of the states of the United States.
(c) Reporting Status. Until the date which is one year after
the date as of which the Stockholders (as that term is defined in the
Registration Rights Agreement) may sell all of the Conversion Shares and Warrant
Shares without restriction pursuant to Rule 144(k) promulgated under the 1933
Act (or successor thereto) (the "Reporting Period"), the Company shall file all
reports required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the 1934 Act, and the
Company shall not terminate its status as an issuer required to file reports
under the 1934 Act even if the 1934 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder
would otherwise permit such termination.
(d) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the proceeds from
the sale of the Shares substantially for the development of the optical
channelizer and optical CDMA.
(e) Financial Information. The Company agrees to send the
following to each Stockholder (as that term is defined in the Registration
Rights Agreement) during the Reporting Period: (i) within two (2) days after the
filing thereof with the SEC, a copy of its Annual Reports on
11
<PAGE>
Form 10-KSB (or 10-K), its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-QSB (or 10-Q), any
Current Reports on Form 8-K and any registration statements (other than on Form
S-8) or amendments filed pursuant to the 1933 Act, provided that if any such
report is not filed with the SEC through EDGAR then the Company shall deliver a
copy of such report to each Stockholder by facsimile on the same day it is filed
with the SEC; (ii) on the same day as the release thereof, facsimile copies of
all press releases issued by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and (iii)
copies of any notices and other information made available or given to the
stockholders of the Company generally, contemporaneously with the making
available or giving thereof to the stockholders.
(f) Reservation of Shares. The Company shall take all action
necessary to at all times have authorized, and reserved for the purpose of
issuance, no less than the number of shares of Common Stock needed to provide
for the issuance of the shares of Common Stock upon conversion of all
outstanding Shares and exercise of all Warrants.
(g) Listing. The Company shall as soon as practicable secure
the listing of all of the Registrable Shares (as defined in the Registration
Rights Agreement) upon the Nasdaq Stock Market and shall maintain, so long as
any other shares of Common Stock shall be so listed, such listing of all
Registrable Shares from time to time issuable under the terms of the Transaction
Documents and the Articles of Amendment.
(h) Filing of Form 8-K. Promptly following the Initial
Closing, the Company shall file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC
describing the terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction
Documents and including as exhibits to such Current Report on Form 8-K this
Agreement, the Articles of Amendment and the Registration Rights Agreement, in
the form required by the 1934 Act.
(i) Meeting of Shareholders. In the event that designees of
the Buyers do not at any time comprise a majority of the directors of the
Corporation, the Company shall, at the request of the Buyers, convene a meeting
of shareholders for the election of directors as soon as possible; provided,
however, that this Section 4(i) shall be applicable only so long as Buyers (i)
hold Series B Preferred and (b) are not in default beyond the applicable grace
and cure provisions in their obligations to make payments on Subsequent Closings
under Section 1(c) of this Agreement.
5. TRANSFER AGENT INSTRUCTIONS.
---------------------------
The Company shall issue irrevocable instructions to its
transfer agent in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D (the "Irrevocable
Transfer Agent Instructions"), and any subsequent transfer agent, to issue
certificates, registered in the name of each Buyer or its respective nominee(s),
for the Conversion Shares and Warrant Shares in such amounts as specified from
time to time by each Buyer to the Company upon conversion of the Shares or
exercise of the Warrants. The Company warrants that no instruction other than
the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions referred to in this Section 5 will
be given by the Company to its transfer agent and that the Securities shall
otherwise be freely transferable on the books and records of the Company as and
to the extent provided in this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
If a Buyer provides the Company with an opinion of counsel, in a generally
acceptable form (it being stipulated that an opinion of Hale and Dorr LLP shall
be acceptable), to the effect that a public sale, assignment or
12
<PAGE>
transfer of Securities may be made without registration under the 1933 Act or
the Buyer provides the Company with reasonable assurances (including, if
requested by the Company, delivering such reasonable assurances to the Company's
counsel in connection with such counsel rendering an opinion on the validity of
a sale by such Buyer pursuant to Rule 144) that the Securities can be sold
pursuant to Rule 144 without any restriction as to the number of securities
acquired as of a particular date that can then be immediately sold, the Company
shall permit the transfer, and, in the case of the Conversion Shares and the
Warrant Shares, promptly instruct its transfer agent to issue one or more
certificates in such name and in such denominations as specified by such Buyer
and without any restrictive legend. The Company acknowledges that a breach by it
of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Buyers by
vitiating the intent and purpose of the transaction contemplated hereby.
Accordingly, the Company acknowledges that the remedy at law for a breach of its
obligations under this Section 5 will be inadequate and agrees, in the event of
a breach or threatened breach by the Company of the provisions of this Section
5, that the Buyers shall be entitled, in addition to all other available
remedies, to an order and/or injunction restraining any breach and requiring
immediate issuance and transfer, without the necessity of showing economic loss
and without any bond or other security being required.
6. CONDITIONS TO THE COMPANY'S OBLIGATIONS. The obligation of the
Company to issue and sell the Shares to each Buyer is subject to the
satisfaction, at or before the date of the Initial Closing, or a Subsequent
Closing, as applicable of each of the following conditions, provided that these
conditions are for the Company's sole benefit and may be waived by the Company
at any time in its sole discretion by providing each Buyer with prior written
notice thereof:
(a) As of the Initial Closing, such Buyer shall have executed
each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and delivered
the same to the Company.
(b) As of the Initial Closing, the Articles of Amendment shall
have been filed with the Virginia State Corporation Commission;
(c) The representations and warranties of such Buyer shall be
true and correct in all material respects as of the date when made and
as of the Initial Closing and such Subsequent Closings as though made
at that time, and such Buyer shall have performed, satisfied and
complied with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by the
Transaction Documents to be performed, satisfied or complied with by
such Buyer at or prior to the Initial Closing.
7. CONDITIONS TO EACH BUYER'S OBLIGATIONS. The obligation of each Buyer
hereunder to purchase the Shares from the Company is subject to the
satisfaction, at or before the date of the Initial Closing, of each of the
following conditions, provided that these conditions are for each Buyer's sole
benefit and may be waived by such Buyer at any time in its sole discretion by
providing the Company with prior written notice thereof:
(a) The Company shall have executed each of the Transaction
Documents and delivered the same to such Buyer.
13
<PAGE>
(b) The Articles of Amendment shall have been filed with the
Virginia State Corporation Commission, and a copy thereof certified by
the Virginia State Corporation Commission shall have been delivered to
such Buyer.
(c) The representations and warranties of the Company shall be
true and correct (except that representations and warranties which are
not qualified by the terms "material" or "Material Adverse Effect" need
only be true and correct in all material respects) as of the date when
made and as of the date of the Initial Closing as though made at that
time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a
specific date) and the Company shall have performed, satisfied and
complied with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by the
Transaction Documents to be performed, satisfied or complied with by
the Company at or prior to the date of Initial Closing. Such Buyer
shall have received a certificate, executed by the Chief Executive
Officer of the Company, dated as of the date of Initial Closing, to the
foregoing effect and as to such other matters as may be reasonably
requested by such Buyer.
(d) Such Buyer shall have received the opinion of Whiteford,
Taylor & Preston L.L.P., dated as of the date of Initial Closing, in a
form reasonably acceptable to such Buyer to the effect that:
(i) the Company has been duly incorporated and
organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws
of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Company has the corporate power
and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and to enter
into and perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents. The
Company is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a
foreign corporation in the State of Maryland.
(ii) the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares
and the Warrants by the Company and the issuance and delivery of the
Conversion Shares and the Warrant Shares have been duly authorized and
reserved for issuance, as the case may be, by all necessary corporate
action on the part of the Company. The Shares and the Warrants, when so
issued, sold and delivered against payment therefore as contemplated by
this Agreement, and the Conversion Shares and the Warrant Shares, when
issued upon conversion of the Shares or exercise of the Warrants, will
be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(iii) the execution, delivery and performance by the
Company of each of the Transaction Documents have been duly authorized
by all requisite corporate action, and the Company has duly executed
and delivered the Transaction Documents. Each of the Transaction
Documents are valid and binding obligations of the Company and are
enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except
as the same may be limited by applicable insolvency laws or equitable
considerations, and except that no opinion need be expressed as to the
enforceability of provisions requiring indemnification for violations
of federal securities laws. The Company's execution and delivery of the
Transaction Documents and the Company's performance of its obligations
thereunder do not conflict with or result in a violation of the
Company's Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, each as amended to date
and presently in effect, or any indenture, lease, agreement or other
14
<PAGE>
instrument known to such counsel to which the Company is a party or by
which it or its property is bound, or any decree, judgment or order
known to such counsel that is binding upon the Company.
(iv) except as obtained and in effect at the Initial
Closing, no approval, consent or authorization of any governmental
authority (other than filings required to be made after such Initial
Closing under applicable federal and state securities laws) is required
of the Company in connection with the execution of delivery of the
Transaction Documents, or the offer, issuance, sale and delivery of the
Shares or the other transactions to be consummated pursuant to this
Agreement.
(v) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, except
as set forth in Schedule 3(h) to this Agreement, there is no action,
suit or proceeding, or governmental inquiry or investigation, pending
or threatened against the Company.
(e) The Company shall have executed and delivered to such
Buyer the Preferred Stock Certificates (in such denominations as such
Buyer shall request) for the Shares being purchased by such Buyer at
the Initial Closing and the Warrants being purchased by such Buyer at
the Initial Closing.
(f) The Board of Directors of the Company shall have adopted
resolutions consistent with Section 3(b) above and in a form reasonably
acceptable to such Buyer (the "Resolutions").
(g) As of the date of Initial Closing, the Company shall have
reserved out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock, solely for
the purpose of effecting the conversion of the Shares and the exercise
of the Warrants, at least 4,000,000 shares of Common Stock.
(h) The Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions, in the form
of Exhibit D attached hereto, shall have been delivered to and
acknowledged in writing by the Company's transfer agent.
(i) The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a
certificate evidencing the incorporation and good standing of the
Company and each Subsidiary in such entity's state of incorporation or
organization issued by the Secretary of State of such state of
incorporation or organization as of a date within ten days prior to the
date of Initial Closing and the Company shall have delivered to such
Buyer a certificate evidencing the Company's qualification to do
business in Maryland as of a date within ten days prior to the date of
Initial Closing.
(j) The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a certified
copy of the Articles of Incorporation as certified by the Virginia
State Corporation Commission as of a date within ten days prior to the
date of Initial Closing.
(k) The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a
secretary's certificate, dated as of the date of Initial Closing,
certifying as to (A) the Resolutions, (B) the Articles of Incorporation
and (C) the By-laws, each as in effect at the Initial Closing.
15
<PAGE>
(l) The Company shall have obtained all consents required in
connection with the transaction contemplated by the Transaction
Documents, including without limitation all requisite consents of
security agencies, and shall have delivered copies of such consents to
the Buyers.
(m) The Company shall have made all filings under all
applicable federal and state securities laws necessary to consummate
the issuance of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement in compliance
with such laws.
(n) The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a letter
from the Company's transfer agent certifying the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding as of a date within five days prior to the
date of Initial Closing.
(o) The members of the Board of Directors of the Company shall
be Leonard Moodispaw, Terry Turpin, Robert Hicks, Frank Manning, Ray
Keeler, Harold Hanson, John Hannon, Caroline Pisano and H. Jeffrey
Leonard.
(p) All of the issued and outstanding capital stock of
Veriterre Corporation shall have been assigned to the Company on terms
acceptable to the Buyers.
(q) The Company shall have entered into Employment Agreements
in the form of Exhibit E attached here to with those persons specified
by the Buyers.
(r) The Company shall have obtained the written consent to the
transactions contemplated hereby of those persons specified by the
Buyers in a form satisfactory to the Buyer.
(s) The Company shall have renegotiated the terms and
conditions of its agreement with Rumsey Associates Limited Partnership
so that none of the amounts paid to the Company hereunder shall be paid
to or for the benefit of Rumsey Associates Limited Partnership and such
negotiated terms and conditions are otherwise acceptable to Buyers.
(t) The Company shall have delivered to the Buyers such other
documents relating to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction
Documents as the Buyers or their counsel may reasonably request.
8. INDEMNIFICATION. In consideration of each Buyer's execution and
delivery of the Transaction Documents and acquiring the Securities thereunder
and in addition to all of the Company's other obligations under the Transaction
Documents and the Articles of Amendment, the Company shall defend, protect,
indemnify and hold harmless each Buyer and each other holder of the Securities
and all of their stockholders, officers, directors, employees and direct or
indirect investors and any of the foregoing persons' agents or other
representatives (including, without limitation, those retained in connection
with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) (collectively, the
"Indemnitees") from and against any and all actions, causes of action, suits,
claims, losses, costs, penalties, fees, liabilities and damages, and expenses in
connection therewith (irrespective of whether any such Indemnitee is a party to
the action for which indemnification hereunder is sought), and including
reasonable attorneys' fees and disbursements (the "Indemnified
16
<PAGE>
Liabilities"), incurred by any Indemnitee as a result of, or arising out of, or
relating to (a) any misrepresentation or breach of any representation or
warranty made by the Company in the Transaction Documents or any other
certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, (b) any
breach of any covenant, agreement or obligation of the Company contained in the
Transaction Documents or any other certificate, instrument or document
contemplated hereby or thereby, (c) any cause of action, suit or claim brought
or made against such Indemnitee (other than a cause of action, suit or claim
which is (x) brought or made by the Company and (y) is not a shareholder
derivative suit) and arising out of or resulting from (i) the execution,
delivery, performance or enforcement of the Transaction Documents or any other
certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) any
transaction financed or to be financed in whole or in part, directly or
indirectly, with the proceeds of the issuance of the Securities or (iii) the
status of such Buyer or holder of the Securities as an investor in the Company.
To the extent that the foregoing undertaking by the Company may be unenforceable
for any reason, the Company shall make the maximum contribution to the payment
and satisfaction of each of the Indemnified Liabilities which is permissible
under applicable law. Except as otherwise set forth herein, the mechanics and
procedures with respect to the rights and obligations under this Section 8 shall
be the same as those set forth in Section 2 of the Registration Rights
Agreement, including, without limitation, those procedures with respect to the
settlement of claims and the Company's rights to assume the defense of claims.
9. MISCELLANEOUS.
-------------
(a) Governing Law; Jury Trial. All questions concerning the
construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall
be governed by the internal laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving
effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule. EACH PARTY
HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A
JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION
HEREWITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED
HEREBY.
(b) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or
more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same
agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each
party and delivered to the other party; provided that a facsimile signature
shall be considered due execution and shall be binding upon the signatory
thereto with the same force and effect as if the signature were an original, not
a facsimile signature.
(c) Headings. The headings of this Agreement are for
convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the
interpretation of, this Agreement.
(d) Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be
invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or
unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the
remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or
enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
17
<PAGE>
(e) Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement supersedes
all other prior oral or written agreements between each Buyer, the Company,
their affiliates and persons acting on their behalf with respect to the matters
discussed herein, and this Agreement and the instruments referenced herein
contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the matters
covered herein and therein and, except as specifically set forth herein or
therein, neither the Company nor any Buyer makes any representation, warranty,
covenant or undertaking with respect to such matters. No provision of this
Agreement may be amended or waived other than by an instrument in writing signed
by the Company and the Buyers.
(f) Notices. Any notices, consents, waivers or other
communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this
Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon
receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile
(provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically
generated and kept on file by the sending party); or (iii) one (1) business day
after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each
case properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses and
facsimile numbers for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
Essex Corporation
9150 Guilford Road
Columbia, Maryland 21046
Telephone: 301-939-7000
Facsimile: 301-953-7880
Attention: Leonard E. Moodispaw, President
18
<PAGE>
With a copy to:
D. Scott Freed, Esq.
Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, L.L.P.
7 Saint Paul Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202-1626
Telephone: 410-347-8700
Facsimile: 410-752-7092
If to the Transfer Agent:
Registrar and Transfer Company
10 Commerce Drive
Cranford, New Jersey 07016-3572
If to a Buyer, to it at the address and facsimile number set
forth on the Schedule of Buyers, with copies to such Buyer's representatives as
set forth on the Schedule of Buyers, or at such other address and/or facsimile
number and/or to the attention of such other person as the recipient party has
specified by written notice given to each other party five days prior to the
effectiveness of such change. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the
recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (B)
mechanically or electronically generated by the sender's facsimile machine
containing the time, date, recipient facsimile number and an image of the first
page of such transmission or (C) provided by a nationally recognized overnight
delivery service shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by
facsimile or receipt from a nationally recognized overnight delivery service in
accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.
(g) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding
upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and
assigns, including any purchasers of the Shares. The Company shall not assign
this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder including by merger or
consolidation without the prior written consent of the Buyers. A Buyer may
assign some or all of its rights hereunder without the consent of the Company,
provided, however, that the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the
applicable provisions of this Agreement and the Company has consented to such
assignment and assumption, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Buyer may transfer Shares only to a partner,
member, stockholder or affiliate of such Buyer, but a Buyer may transfer freely
Conversion Shares or any other securities of the Company a Buyer may hold.
(h) No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended
for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors
and assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be
enforced by, any other person.
(i) Survival. The representations and warranties of the
Company and the Buyers contained in Sections 2 and 3, the agreements and
covenants set forth in Sections 4, 5 and 9, and the indemnification provisions
set forth in Section 8, shall survive the Initial Closing. Each Buyer shall be
responsible only for its own representations, warranties, agreements and
covenants hereunder.
19
<PAGE>
(j) Publicity. The Company and each Buyer shall have the right
to approve before issuance any press releases or any other public statements
with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, such consent not to be
unreasonably withheld.
(k) Further Assurances. Each party shall do and perform, or
cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall
execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and
documents, as the other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the
intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby.
(l) Brokers; Placement Agent. The Company acknowledges that it
has not engaged a broker or placement agent in connection with the sale of the
Shares, or the Warrants. The Company shall pay, and hold each Buyer harmless
against, any liability, loss or expense (including, without limitation,
attorney's fees and out-of-pocket expenses) arising in connection with any such
claim for brokers', financial advisory or similar fees in connection with such
transaction.
(m) Remedies. Each Buyer and each holder of the Securities
shall have all rights and remedies set forth in the Transaction Documents and
the Articles of Amendment and all rights and remedies which such holders have
been granted at any time under any other agreement or contract and all of the
rights which such holders have under any law. Any person having any rights under
any provision of this Agreement shall be entitled to enforce such rights
specifically (without posting a bond or other security), to recover damages by
reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all
other rights granted by law.
(n) Voting of Common Stock by Buyers. Each Buyer agrees that,
so long as it holds Series B Preferred which it has the right to vote as
provided in Section (c)(B)(4)(a) of the Articles of Amendment, such Buyer shall
vote any shares of Common Stock held by it or any of its affiliates on any
matter voted on by shareholders of the Company in the same proportions as all
other shares of the Common Stock of the Company, excluding any shares of Common
Stock held by a Buyer, are voted on such matter. It shall be a condition of any
transfer by a Buyer of shares of Common Stock acquired by a Buyer pursuant to
conversion of Series B Preferred or exercise of a Warrant (but not shares of
Common Stock acquired by the Buyer in the open market), that the transferee
agree to be bound by the provisions of this subsection (n) to the same extent as
the Buyer.
20
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Buyers and the Company have caused
this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first
written above.
COMPANY:
ESSEX CORPORATION
By: /s/ Leonard E. Moodispaw
--------------------------------
Name: Leonard E. Moodispaw
Title: President & CEO
BUYERS:
GEF OPTICAL INVESTMENT
COMPANY, LLC
By: /s/ H. Jeffrey Leonard
-------------------------------
Name: H. Jeffrey Leonard
Title: President
NETWORKING VENTURES, L.L.C.
By: /s/ John G. Hannon
-------------------------------
Name: John G. Hannon
Title: Partner
21
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
SCHEDULE OF BUYERS
<CAPTION>
Shares Covered
Investor Address Number of Shares Number of Shares by
Invester Name and Facsimile Number (Initial Closing) Subsequent Closings Warrants
-------------- -------------------- ----------------- --------------------------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
GEF Optical Investment 1225 Eye Street, N.W. 125,000 December 15, 2000: 31,250 1,000,000
Company, LLC Suite 900 March 15, 2001: 31,250
Washington, DC 20005 June 15, 2001: 31,250
September 15, 2001: 31,250
Networking Ventures, 8970 Route 108 125,000 December 15, 2000: 31,250 1,000,000
L.L.C. Columbia, MD 21045 March 15, 2001: 31,250
June 15, 2001: 31,250
September 15, 2001: 31,250
</TABLE>
22
<PAGE>
SCHEDULES
Schedule 3(a) - Subsidiaries
Schedule 3(c) - Capitalization
Schedule 3(e) - Conflicts
Schedule 3(f) - SEC Documents
Schedule 3(g) - Material Changes
Schedule 3(h) - Litigation
Schedule 3(l) - Integration
Schedule 3(n) - Intellectual Property
Schedule 3(o) - Liens
Schedule 3(u) - Transactions with Affiliates
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A - Form of Articles of Amendment
Exhibit B - Form of Warrant
Exhibit C - Form of Registration Rights Agreement
Exhibit D - Form of Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions
Exhibit E - Form of Employment Agreement
23
<PAGE>
Schedule 3(a)
SUBSIDIARIES
NONE
24
<PAGE>
Schedule 3(c)
CAPITALIZATION
3(c)B $375,714 of outstanding 10% Convertible Debentures due November
2000
3(c)C 1. 125,000 share option to Rumsey Associates Limited Partnership
expires December 31, 2004
2. 75,000 nonqualified stock option to Mr. Leonard E. Moodispaw
expires June 8, 2008
3. 21,500 nonqualified stock option to Mr. Joseph R. Kurry, Jr.
expires march 15, 2010
4. Placement agent warrants convertible into 28,571 shares of
common stock which expire November 30, 2000
5. Debenture holder warrants convertible into 78,400 shares of
common stock which expires November 30, 2000
3(c)D 1. Obligation to register shares from convertible debentures
2. Obligation to register shares from option issued to Rumsey
Associates Limited Partnership
3. Obligation to register debenture holder warrants
4. Obligation to register placement agent warrants
3(c)F Option Agreement with Rumsey Associates Limited Partnership
contains anti-dilution provision as to Option Exercise Price.
3(c)G The Company's Stock Option Plans all contain provisions for
issuance of stock appreciation rights.
25
<PAGE>
Schedule 3(e)
CONFLICTS
1. Under the Settlement agreement with Rumsey Associates Limited
Partnership dated July 1, 1994 (as amended), the Company is
required to make a pro rata payment from the proceeds of this
transaction.
26
<PAGE>
SEC DOCUMENTS
1. 1997 Form 10-KSB/A No. 1 dated September 14, 1998
2. 1998 Form 10-QSB for the quarterly period ended March 29, 1998 dated
August 12, 1998
3. 1998 Form 10-QSB for the quarterly period ended June 28, 1998 dated
August 12, 1998
4. 1998 Form 10-QSB for the quarterly period ended September 28, 1998
dated October 21, 1998
5. Proxy Statement for Annual Meeting of Shareholders dated October 12,
1998
6. 1998 Form 10-KSB dated march 25, 1999
7. 1999 Form 10-QSB for the quarterly period ended March 28, 1999 dated
May 12, 1999
8. 1999 Form 10-QSB for the quarterly period ended June 27, 1999 dated
July 23, 1999
9. 1999 Form 10-QSB for the quarterly period ended September 26, 1999
dated October 14, 1999
10. Proxy Statement for Annual Meeting of Shareholders dated October 11,
1999
11. 1999 Form 10-KSB dated March 17, 2000
12. 2000 From 10-QSB for the quarterly period ended March 26, 2000 dated
May 3, 2000
13. 2000 Form 10-QSB for the quarterly period ended June 25, 2000 dated
August 7, 2000
14. Form S-8 for the 1999, 1998 and 1997 Stock Option and Appreciation
Rights Plan dated May 11, 2000
27
<PAGE>
Schedule 3(g)
MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGES
NONE
28
<PAGE>
Schedule 3(h)
ABSENCE OF LITIGATION
NONE
29
<PAGE>
Schedule 3(l)
NO INTEGRATED OFFERING
NONE
30
<PAGE>
Schedule 3(n)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
NONE
31
<PAGE>
Schedule 3(o)
TITLE
1. Security interest granted in assets except patents and fixed
assets in connection with Assignment and Transfer of Receivable
Agreement dated July 30, 1998 with Commerce Funding Corporation
2. Security Agreement dated December 29, 1995 between Essex
Corporation and holders of the 10% Convertible Collateralized
Debentures Due November 2000 granting security interest in
current assets except: bank lock box cash; accounts receivable;
general intangibles including patents and patent applications;
and certain fixed assets subject to liens.
32
<PAGE>
Schedule 3(u)
TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES
HarryLetaw, Jr., an employee of Essex Corporation, is the sole owner
of VeriTerre Corporation. Essex had a contract to provide professional
services to VeriTerre in 1998 and 1999.
33
<PAGE>
Exhibit A
Form of Articles of Amendment
<PAGE>
Exhibit B
Form of Warrant
<PAGE>
Exhibit C
Form of Registration Rights Agreement
<PAGE>
Exhibit D
Form of Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions
<PAGE>
ESSEX CORPORATION
September ____, 2000
VIA FACSIMILE
Mr. Nick Giancaspro
Registrar and Transfer Company
10 Commerce Drive
Cranford, New Jersey 07016-3572
Dear Mr. Giancaspro:
Reference is made to that certain Securities Purchase Agreement to be
entered into by and among Essex Corporation, a Virginia corporation (the
"Company"), and Global Environment Strategic Technology Partners, L.P. and
Networking Ventures, L.L.C. (collectively, the "Holders") pursuant to which the
Company is issuing to the Holders shares of its Series B Convertible Preferred
Stock (the "Preferred Shares"), which shall be convertible into shares of the
Company's Common Stock (the "Common Stock"). This letter shall serve as our
irrevocable authorization and direction to you (provided that you are the
transfer agent of the Company at such time) to issue shares of Common Stock upon
conversion of the Preferred Shares (the "Conversion Shares") to or upon the
order of a Holder from time to time upon surrender to you of a properly
completed and duly executed Conversion Notice, as the case may be, in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit I. So long as you have previously received (x)
written confirmation from counsel to the Company that a registration statement
covering resales of the Conversion Shares has been declared effective by the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "1933 Act"), and (y) a copy of such registration statement, then
the certificates representing the Conversion Shares shall not bear any legend
restricting transfer of the Conversion Shares and should not be subject to any
stop-transfer restriction; provided, however, that if you have not previously
received (i) written confirmation from counsel to the Company that a
registration statement covering resales of the Conversion Shares has been
declared effective by the SEC under the 1933 Act, and (ii) a copy of such
registration statement, then the certificates for the Conversion Shares shall
bear the following legend:
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE
SECURITIES LAWS. THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD,
TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED (I) IN THE ABSENCE OF (A) AN EFFECTIVE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF
1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR (B) AN OPINION
OF COUNSEL REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY THAT REGISTRATION
<PAGE>
IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER SAID ACT OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR
(II) UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO RULE 144 UNDER SAID ACT.
A form of written confirmation from counsel to the Company that a
registration statement covering resales of the Conversion Shares has been
declared effective by the SEC under the 1933 Act is attached hereto as Exhibit
II.
Please be advised that the Holders are relying upon this letter as an
inducement to enter into the Securities Purchase Agreement and, accordingly,
each Holder is a third party beneficiary to these instructions.
Please execute this letter in the space indicated to acknowledge your
agreement to act in accordance with these instructions. Should you have any
questions concerning this matter, please contact me at 301-953-8833.
Very truly yours,
ESSEX CORPORATION
By: ____________________________
Name: __________________________
Title: _________________________
ACKNOWLEDGED AND AGREED:
Registrar and Transfer Company
By:_________________________________
Title:_______________________________
2
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT I
ESSEX CORPORATION
CONVERSION NOTICE
Reference is made to the Articles of Amendment of Essex Corporation for
its Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Articles of Amendment"). In
accordance with and pursuant to the Articles of Amendment, the undersigned
hereby elects to convert the number of shares of Series B Convertible Preferred
Stock, (the "Preferred Shares"), of Essex Corporation, a Virginia corporation
(the "Company"), indicated below into shares of Common Stock (the "Common
Stock"), of the Company, as of the date specified below.
Date of Conversion:_________________________________________________________
Number of Preferred Shares to be converted:_________________________________
Stock certificate no(s). of Preferred Shares to be converted:_______________
Please confirm the of number of shares of Common Stock to be issued:___________
Please issue the Common Stock into which the Preferred Shares are being
converted and, if applicable, any check drawn on an account of the Company in
the following name and to the following address:
Issue to:_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Facsimile Number:_________________________________________________________
Authorization:____________________________________________________________
By: __________________________________________________
Title: _______________________________________________
Dated:____________________________________________________________________
Account Number (if electronic book entry transfer):_______________________
Transaction Code Number (if electronic book entry transfer):______________
3
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT II
FORM OF NOTICE OF EFFECTIVENESS
OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Mr. Nick Giancaspro
Registrar and Transfer Company
10 Commerce Drive
Cranford, New Jersey 07016-3572
Dear Mr.Giancaspro:
We are counsel to Essex Corporation, a Virginia corporation (the
"Company"), and have represented the Company in connection with that certain
Securities Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") entered into by and
among the Company and the Buyers named therein (collectively, the "Holders")
pursuant to which the Company issued to the Holders shares of its Series B
Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Shares"), which shall be convertible
into shares of the Company's Class A Common Stock (the "Common Stock"). Pursuant
to the Purchase Agreement, the Company also has entered into a Registration
Rights Agreement with the Holders (the "Registration Rights Agreement") pursuant
to which the Company agreed, among other things, to register the Registrable
Shares (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), including the shares
of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Shares, under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). In connection with the
Company's obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, on ____________,
____, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No.
333-____________) (the "Registration Statement") with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "SEC") relating to the Registrable Shares which names
each of the Holders as a selling stockholder thereunder.
In connection with the foregoing, we advise you that a member of the
SEC's staff has advised us by telephone that the SEC has entered an order
declaring the Registration Statement effective under the 1933 Act at [TIME OF
EFFECTIVENESS] on [DATE OF EFFECTIVENESS] and we have no knowledge, after
telephonic inquiry of a member of the SEC's staff, that any stop order
suspending its effectiveness has been issued or that any proceedings for that
purpose are pending before, or threatened by, the SEC and the Registrable
Securities are available for resale under the 1933 Act pursuant to the
Registration Statement.
Very truly yours,
[Counsel for Company]
cc: [LIST NAMES OF HOLDERS]
4
<PAGE>
Exhibit E
Form of Employment Agreement
<PAGE>
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the "Agreement"), made this 1st day of
September, is entered into by Essex Corporation, a Virginia corporation with its
principal place of business at 9150 Guilford Road, Columbia, Maryland 21046 (the
"Company"), and _______________, residing at______________________ (the
"Employee").
The Company desires to employ the Employee, and the Employee desires to
be employed by the Company. In consideration of the mutual covenants and
promises contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged by the parties hereto,
the parties agree as follows:
1. Term of Employment. The Company hereby agrees to employ the Employee, and the
Employee hereby accepts employment with the Company, upon the terms set forth in
this Agreement, for the period commencing on September 1, 2000 (the
"Commencement Date") and ending on August 31, 2002 (such period, as it may be
extended, the "Employment Period"), unless sooner terminated in accordance with
the provisions of Section 4.
2. Title; Capacity. The Employee shall serve as ____________________ or in such
other reasonably comparable position as the Company or its Board of Directors
(the "Board") may determine from time to time. The Employee shall be based at
the Company's headquarters in Columbia, Maryland, or such place or places in the
continental United States as the Board shall determine. The Employee shall be
subject to the supervision of, and shall have such authority as is delegated to
the Employee by, the Board or such officer of the Company as may be designated
by the Board.
The Employee hereby accepts such employment and agrees to undertake the
duties and responsibilities inherent in such position and such other duties and
responsibilities as the Board or its designee shall from time to time reasonably
assign to the Employee. The Employee agrees to devote his or her entire business
time, attention and energies to the business and interests of the Company during
the Employment Period. The Employee agrees to abide by the rules, regulations,
instructions, personnel practices and policies of the Company and any changes
therein which may be adopted from time to time by the Company.
3. Compensation and Benefits.
3.1 Salary. The Company shall pay the Employee, in periodic installments in
accordance with the Company's customary payroll practices, an annual base salary
of $__________ commencing on September 11, 2000. Such salary shall be subject to
adjustment thereafter as determined by the Board.
3.2 Bonus: The Company shall pay to the Employee , upon execution of this
Agreement, a bonus of $ ------. If Employee terminates employment with the
Company before 31 August, 2001, for any reason other than death or disability,
the bonus must promptly be repaid to Company.
<PAGE>
3.3 Fringe Benefits. The Employee shall be entitled to participate in all
bonus and benefit programs that the Company establishes and makes available to
its employees, if any, to the extent that Employee's position, tenure, salary,
age, health and other qualifications make him or her eligible to participate.
3.4 Reimbursement of Expenses. The Company shall reimburse the Employee for
all reasonable travel, entertainment and other expenses incurred or paid by the
Employee in connection with, or related to, the performance of his or her
duties, responsibilities or services under this Agreement, in accordance with
policies and procedures, and subject to limitations, adopted by the Company from
time to time.
3.5 Withholding. All salary, bonus and other compensation payable to the
Employee shall be subject to applicable withholding taxes.
4. Termination of Employment Period. The employment of the Employee by the
Company pursuant to this Agreement shall terminate upon the occurrence of any of
the following:
4.1 Expiration of the Employment Period;
4.2 At the election of the Company, for Cause (as defined below),
immediately upon written notice by the Company to the Employee, which notice
shall identify the Cause upon which the termination is based. For the purposes
of this Section 4.2, "Cause" shall mean (a) a good faith finding by the Company
that (i) the Employee has failed to perform his or her reasonably assigned
duties for the Company and has failed to remedy such failure within 10 days
following written notice from the Company to the Employee notifying him or her
of such failure, or (ii) the Employee has engaged in dishonesty, gross
negligence or misconduct, or (b) the conviction of the Employee of, or the entry
of a pleading of guilty or nolo contendere by the Employee to, any crime
involving moral turpitude or any felony;
4.3 At the election of the Employee, for Good Reason (as defined below),
immediately upon written notice by the Employee to the Company, which notice
shall identify the Good Reason upon which the termination is based. For the
purposes of this Section 4.3, "Good Reason" for termination shall mean (i) a
material adverse change in the Employee's authority, duties or compensation
without the prior consent of the Employee, (ii) a material breach by the Company
of the terms of this Agreement, which breach is not remedied by the Company
within 10 days following written notice from the Employee to the Company
notifying it of such breach or (iii) the relocation of the Employee's place of
work more than 30 miles from the Company's current executive offices.
4.4 Upon the death or disability of the Employee. As used in this
Agreement, the term "disability" shall mean the inability of the Employee, due
to a physical or mental disability, for a period of 90 days, whether or not
consecutive, during any 360-day period to perform the services contemplated
under this Agreement, with or without reasonable accommodation as that term is
defined under state or federal law. A determination of disability shall be made
by a physician satisfactory to both the Employee and the Company, provided that
if the Employee and the Company do not agree on a physician, the Employee and
the Company
2
<PAGE>
shall each select a physician and these two together shall select a third
physician, whose determination as to disability shall be binding on all parties;
4.5 At the election of either party, upon not less than 30 days prior
written notice of termination.
5. Effect of Termination.
5.1 At-Will Employment. If the Employment Period expires pursuant to
Section 1 hereof, then, unless the Company notifies the Employee to the
contrary, the Employee shall continue his or her employment on an at-will basis
following the expiration of the Employment Period. Such at-will employment
relationship may be terminated by either party at any time and shall not be
governed by the terms of this Agreement.
5.2 Payments Upon Termination.
(a) In the event the Employee's employment is terminated the Company shall
pay to the Employee the compensation and benefits otherwise payable to him or
her under Section 3 through the last day of his or her actual employment by the
Company and such other payments as provided in the written policy of Company.
5.3 Survival. The provisions of Sections 6 and 7 shall survive the
termination of this Agreement.
6. Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation.
6.1 Restricted Activities. During the period of the Employee's employment
with the Company and for a period of twelve (12) months after the termination or
expiration thereof, the Employee will not directly or indirectly (i) within
North America, as an individual proprietor, partner, stockholder, officer,
employee, director, joint venturer, investor, lender, or in any other capacity
whatsoever (other than as the holder of not more than one percent (1%) of the
total outstanding stock of a publicly-held company), engage in the business of
developing, producing, marketing, furnishing or selling opto-electronic products
or services of the kind or type used, acquired, developed or being developed,
produced, marketed, furnished or sold by the Company while the Employee was
employed by the Company; or (ii) recruit, solicit or induce, or attempt to
induce, any employee or employees of the Company to terminate their employment
with, or otherwise cease their relationship with, the Company; or (iii) solicit,
divert or take away, or attempt to divert or take away, the business or
patronage (with respect to products or services of the kind or type developed,
produced, marketed, furnished or sold by the Company) of any of the clients,
customers or accounts, or prospective clients, customers or accounts, of the
Company which were contacted, solicited or served by the Employee while employed
by the Company.
6.2 Interpretation. If any restriction set forth in this Section 6 is found
by any court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable because it extends
for too long a period of time or over too great a range of activities or in too
broad a geographic area, it shall be interpreted to extend only over the maximum
period of time, range of activities or geographic area as to which it may be
enforceable.
3
<PAGE>
6.3 Equitable Remedies. The restrictions contained in this Section 6 are
necessary for the protection of the business and goodwill of the Company and are
considered by the Employee to be reasonable for such purpose. The Employee
agrees that any breach of this Section 6 is likely to cause the Company
substantial and irrevocable damage and therefore, in the event of any such
breach, the Employee agrees that the Company, in addition to such other remedies
which may be available, shall be entitled to specific performance and other
injunctive relief.
7. Proprietary Information and Developments.
7.1 Proprietary Information.
(a) The Employee agrees that all information, whether or not in writing, of
a private, secret or confidential nature concerning the Company's business,
business relationships or financial affairs (collectively, "Proprietary
Information") is and shall be the exclusive property of the Company. By way of
illustration, but not limitation, Proprietary Information may include
inventions, products, processes, methods, techniques, formulas, compositions,
compounds, projects, developments, plans, research data, clinical data,
financial data, personnel data, computer programs, customer and supplier lists,
and contacts at or knowledge of customers or prospective customers of the
Company. The Employee will not disclose any Proprietary Information to any
person or entity other than employees of the Company or use the same for any
purposes (other than in the performance of his or her duties as an employee of
the Company) without written approval by an officer of the Company, either
during or after his or her employment with the Company, unless and until such
Proprietary Information has become public knowledge without fault by the
Employee.
(b) The Employee agrees that all files, letters, memoranda, reports,
records, data, sketches, drawings, laboratory notebooks, program listings, or
other written, photographic, or other tangible material containing Proprietary
Information, whether created by the Employee or others, which shall come into
his or her custody or possession, shall be and are the exclusive property of the
Company to be used by the Employee only in the performance of his or her duties
for the Company. All such materials or copies thereof and all tangible property
of the Company in the custody or possession of the Employee shall be delivered
to the Company, upon the earlier of (i) a request by the Company or (ii)
termination of his or her employment. After such delivery, the Employee shall
not retain any such materials or copies thereof or any such tangible property.
(c) The Employee agrees that his or her obligation not to disclose or to
use information and materials of the types set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b)
above, and his or her obligation to return materials and tangible property, set
forth in paragraph (b) above, also extends to such types of information,
materials and tangible property of customers of the Company or suppliers to the
Company or other third parties who may have disclosed or entrusted the same to
the Company or to the Employee.
4
<PAGE>
7.2 Developments.
(a) The Employee will make full and prompt disclosure to the Company of all
inventions, improvements, discoveries, methods, developments, software, and
works of authorship, whether patentable or not, which are created, made,
conceived or reduced to practice by him or her or under his or her direction or
jointly with others during his or her employment by the Company, whether or not
during normal working hours or on the premises of the Company (all of which are
collectively referred to in this Agreement as "Developments").
(b) The Employee agrees to assign and does hereby assign to the Company (or
any person or entity designated by the Company) all his or her right, title and
interest in and to all Developments and all related patents, patent
applications, copyrights and copyright applications. However, this paragraph (b)
shall not apply to Developments which do not relate to the present or planned
business or research and development of the Company and which are made and
conceived by the Employee not during normal working hours, not on the Company's
premises and not using the Company's tools, devices, equipment or Proprietary
Information. The Employee understands that, to the extent this Agreement shall
be construed in accordance with the laws of any state which precludes a
requirement in an employee agreement to assign certain classes of inventions
made by an employee, this paragraph (b) shall be interpreted not to apply to any
invention which a court rules and/or the Company agrees falls within such
classes. The Employee also hereby waives all claims to moral rights in any
Developments.
(c) The Employee agrees to cooperate fully with the Company, both during
and after his or her employment with the Company, with respect to the
procurement, maintenance and enforcement of copyrights, patents and other
intellectual property rights (both in the United States and foreign countries)
relating to Developments. The Employee shall sign all papers, including, without
limitation, copyright applications, patent applications, declarations, oaths,
formal assignments, assignments of priority rights, and powers of attorney,
which the Company may deem necessary or desirable in order to protect its rights
and interests in any Development. The Employee further agrees that if the
Company is unable, after reasonable effort, to secure the signature of the
Employee on any such papers, any officer of the Company shall be entitled to
execute any such papers as the agent and the attorney-in-fact of the Employee,
and the Employee hereby irrevocably designates and appoints each officer of the
Company as his or her agent and attorney-in-fact to execute any such papers on
his or her behalf, and to take any and all actions as the Company may deem
necessary or desirable in order to protect its rights and interests in any
Development, under the conditions described in this sentence.
7.3 United States Government Obligations. The Employee acknowledges that
the Company from time to time may have agreements with other parties or with the
United States Government, or agencies thereof, which impose obligations or
restrictions on the Company regarding inventions made during the course of work
under such agreements or regarding the confidential nature of such work. The
Employee agrees to be bound by all such obligations and restrictions which are
made known to the Employee and to take all appropriate action necessary to
discharge the obligations of the Company under such agreements.
5
<PAGE>
7.4 Equitable Remedies. The restrictions contained in this Section 7 are
necessary for the protection of the business and goodwill of the Company and are
considered by the Employee to be reasonable for such purpose. The Employee
agrees that any breach of this Section 7 is likely to cause the Company
substantial and irrevocable damage which is difficult to measure. Therefore, in
the event of any such breach, the Employee agrees that the Company, in addition
to such other remedies which may be available, shall have the right to obtain an
injunction from a court restraining such a breach or threatened breach and the
right to specific performance of the provisions of this Section 7.
8. Other Agreements. The Employee represents that his or her performance of all
the terms of this Agreement and the performance of his or her duties as an
employee of the Company do not and will not breach any agreement with any prior
employer or other party to which the Employee is a party (including without
limitation any nondisclosure or non-competition agreement). Any agreement to
which the Employee is a party with any prior employer or relating to
nondisclosure, non-competition or no-solicitation of employees or customers is
listed on Schedule A attached hereto.
9. Miscellaneous.
9.1 Notices. Any notices delivered under this Agreement shall be deemed
duly delivered four business days after it is sent by registered or certified
mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or one business day after it is
sent for next-business day delivery via a reputable nationwide overnight courier
service, in each case to the address of the recipient set forth in the
introductory paragraph hereto. Either party may change the address to which
notices are to be delivered by giving notice of such change to the other party
in the manner set forth in this Section 9.1.
9.2 Pronouns. Whenever the context may require, any pronouns used in this
Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms,
and the singular forms of nouns and pronouns shall include the plural, and vice
versa.
9.3 Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement
between the parties and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings,
whether written or oral, relating to the subject matter of this Agreement.
9.4 Amendment. This Agreement may be amended or modified only by a written
instrument executed by both the Company and the Employee.
9.5 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland. Any action, suit or other
legal matter arising under or relating to any provision of this Agreement shall
be commenced only in a court of the State of Maryland (or, if appropriate, a
federal court located within Maryland), and the Company and the Employee each
consents to the jurisdiction of such a court. The Company and the Employee each
hereby irrevocably waive any right to a trial by jury in any action, suit or
other legal proceeding arising under or relating to any provision of this
Agreement.
6
<PAGE>
9.6 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure
to the benefit of both parties and their respective successors and assigns,
including any corporation with which or into which the Company may be merged or
which may succeed to its assets or business, provided, however, that the
obligations of the Employee are personal and shall not be assigned by him or
her.
9.7 Waivers. No delay or omission by the Company in exercising any right
under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of that or any other right. A
waiver or consent given by the Company on any one occasion shall be effective
only in that instance and shall not be construed as a bar or waiver of any right
on any other occasion.
9.8 Captions. The captions of the sections of this Agreement are for
convenience of reference only and in no way define, limit or affect the scope or
substance of any section of this Agreement.
9.9 Severability. In case any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid,
illegal or otherwise unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of
the remaining provisions shall in no way be affected or impaired thereby.
THE EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT HE/SHE HAS CAREFULLY READ THIS AGREEMENT
AND UNDERSTANDS AND AGREES TO ALL OF THE PROVISIONS IN THIS AGREEMENT.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as
of the day and year set forth above.
ESSEX CORPORATION
By:__________________________________
Title:_______________________________
EMPLOYEE
Signature: __________________________
_____________________________________
Printed Name of Employee
7
<PAGE>
SCHEDULE A
Prior Agreements
8
<PAGE>
ESSEX CORPORATION
Exhibit 99 (b)
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
<PAGE>
ESSEX CORPORATION
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Agreement dated as of September 7, 2000 is entered into by and
among Essex Corporation, a Virginia corporation (the "Company"), and the
individuals and entities listed on Exhibit A attached hereto (the "Purchasers").
Recitals
WHEREAS, the Company and the Purchasers have entered into a Securities
Purchase Agreement of even date herewith (the "Purchase Agreement"); and
WHEREAS, the Company and the Purchasers desire to provide for certain
arrangements with respect to the registration of shares of capital stock of the
Company under the Securities Act of 1933;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants
contained in this Agreement, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Certain Definitions.
-------------------
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following
respective meanings:
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or
any other federal agency at the time administering the Securities Act.
"Common Stock" means the common stock of the Company.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, or any successor federal statute, and the rules and regulations of the
Commission issued under such Act, as they each may, from time to time, be in
effect.
"Initiating Holders" means the Stockholders initiating a
request for registration pursuant to Section 2.1(a) or 2.1(b), as the case may
be.
"Other Holders" shall mean holders of securities of the
Company (other than the Stockholders) who are entitled, by contract with the
Company, to have securities included in a Registration Statement.
"Prospectus" means the prospectus included in any Registration
Statement, as amended or supplemented by an amendment or prospectus supplement,
including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference
or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
"Registration Statement" means a registration statement filed
by the Company with the Commission for a public offering and sale of securities
of the Company (other than a
<PAGE>
registration statement on Form S-8 or Form S-4, or their successors, or any
other form for a similar limited purpose, or any registration statement covering
only securities proposed to be issued in exchange for securities or assets of
another corporation).
"Registration Expenses" means the expenses described in
Section 2.4.
"Registrable Shares" means (i) the shares of Common Stock
issued or issuable upon conversion of the Shares, (ii) the shares of Common
Stock issued or issuable upon exercise of the Warrants issued pursuant to the
Purchase Agreement and (iii) any other shares of Common Stock issued in respect
of such shares (because of stock splits, stock dividends, reclassifications,
recapitalizations, or similar events); provided, however, that shares of Common
Stock which are Registrable Shares shall cease to be Registrable Shares upon (i)
any sale pursuant to a Registration Statement or Rule 144 under the Securities
Act or (ii) any sale in any manner to a person or entity which, by virtue of
Section 3 of this Agreement, is not entitled to the rights provided by this
Agreement. Wherever reference is made in this Agreement to a request or consent
of holders of a certain percentage of Registrable Shares, the determination of
such percentage shall include shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of
the Shares even if such conversion has not been effected.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
or any successor federal statute, and the rules and regulations of the
Commission issued under such Act, as they each may, from time to time, be in
effect.
"Selling Stockholder" means any Stockholder owning Registrable
Shares included in a Registration Statement.
"Shares" shall mean the Preferred Stock sold under the
Purchase Agreement.
"Stockholders" means the Purchasers and any persons or
entities to whom the rights granted under this Agreement are transferred by any
Purchasers, their successors or assigns pursuant to Section 3 hereof.
2. Registration Rights
2.1 Required Registrations.
----------------------
(a) At any time after June 30, 2001, a Stockholder or Stockholders holding
in the aggregate at least 51% of the Registrable Shares then outstanding may
request, in writing, that the Company effect the registration on Form S-1 or
Form S-2 (or any successor form) of Registrable Shares owned by such Stockholder
or Stockholders having an aggregate value of at least $1,000,000 (based on the
then current market price or fair value).
(b) At any time after the Company becomes eligible to file a Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (or any successor form relating to secondary offerings), a
Stockholder or Stockholders holding in the aggregate at least 51% of the
Registrable Shares then outstanding may request, in writing, that the Company
effect the registration on Form S-3 (or such successor form), of Registrable
Shares having an aggregate value of at least $1,000,000 (based on the then
current public market price).
2
<PAGE>
(c) Upon receipt of any request for registration pursuant to this Section
2, the Company shall promptly give written notice of such proposed registration
to all other Stockholders. Such Stockholders shall have the right, by giving
written notice to the Company within 30 days after the Company provides its
notice, to elect to have included in such registration such of their Registrable
Shares as such Stockholders may request in such notice of election, subject in
the case of an underwritten offering to the approval of the managing underwriter
as provided in Section 2.1(d) below. Thereupon, the Company shall, as
expeditiously as possible, use its best efforts to effect the registration on an
appropriate registration form of all Registrable Shares which the Company has
been requested to so register (provided, however, that in the case of a
registration requested under Section 2.1(b), the Company will only be obligated
to effect such registration on Form S-3 (or any successor form)).
(d) If the Initiating Holders intend to distribute the Registrable Shares
covered by their request by means of an underwriting, they shall so advise the
Company as a part of their request made pursuant to Section 2.1(a) or (b), as
the case may be, and the Company shall include such information in its written
notice referred to in Section 2.1(c). The right of any other Stockholder to
include its Registrable Shares in such registration pursuant to Section 2.1(a)
or (b), as the case may be, shall be conditioned upon such other Stockholder's
participation in such underwriting on the terms set forth herein. If the
managing underwriter determines that the marketing factors require a limitation
of the number of shares to be underwritten, the number of Registrable Shares to
be included in a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Section 2.1,
shall be reduced pro rata among the requesting Stockholders based on the
quotient of (1) the total Registrable Shares to be included in the Registration
Statement, divided by (2) the total number of Registrable Shares that requested
registration.
(e) The Initiating Holders shall have the right to select the managing
underwriter(s) for any underwritten offering requested pursuant to Section
2.1(a) or (b), subject to the approval of the Company, which approval will not
be unreasonably withheld.
(f) The Company shall not be required to effect more than two registrations
pursuant to Section 2.1(a). In addition, the Company shall not be required to
effect any registration on Form S-3 or any successor form relating to secondary
offerings more than once in any twelve-month period. For purposes of this
Section 2.1(f), a Registration Statement shall not be counted until such time as
such Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission
(unless the Initiating Holders withdraw their request for such registration
(other than as a result of information concerning the business or financial
condition of the Company which is made known to the Stockholders after the date
on which such registration was requested) and elect not to pay the Registration
Expenses therefor pursuant to Section 2.4). For purposes of this Section 2.1(f),
a Registration Statement shall not be counted if, as a result of an exercise of
the underwriter's cut-back provisions, less than 50% of the total number of
Registrable Shares that Stockholders have requested to be included in such
Registration Statement are so included.
(g) If at the time of any request to register Registrable Shares by
Initiating Holders pursuant to this Section 2.1, the Company is engaged or has
plans to engage in a registered public offering or is engaged in any other
activity which, in the good faith determination of the Company's Board of
Directors, would be adversely affected by the
3
<PAGE>
requested registration, then the Company may at its option direct that such
request be delayed for a period not in excess of 90 days from the date of such
request, such right to delay a request to be exercised by the Company not more
than once in any 12-month period.
2.2 Incidental Registration.
-----------------------
(a) Whenever the Company proposes to file a Registration Statement (other
than a Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2.1) at any time and
from time to time, it will, prior to such filing, give written notice to all
Stockholders of its intention to do so; provided, that no such notice need be
given if no Registrable Shares are to be included therein as a result of a
determination of the managing underwriter pursuant to Section 2.2(b). Upon the
written request of a Stockholder or Stockholders given within 20 days after the
Company provides such notice (which request shall state the intended method of
disposition of such Registrable Shares), the Company shall use its best efforts
to cause all Registrable Shares which the Company has been requested by such
Stockholder or Stockholders to register to be registered under the Securities
Act to the extent necessary to permit their sale or other disposition in
accordance with the intended methods of distribution specified in the request of
such Stockholder or Stockholders; provided that the Company shall have the right
to postpone or withdraw any registration effected pursuant to this Section 2.2
without obligation to any Stockholder.
(b) If the registration for which the Company gives notice pursuant to
Section 2.2(a) is a registered public offering involving an underwriting, the
Company shall so advise the Stockholders as a part of the written notice given
pursuant to Section 2.2(a). In such event, the right of any Stockholder to
include its Registrable Shares in such registration pursuant to Section 2.2
shall be conditioned upon such Stockholder's participation in such underwriting
on the terms set forth herein. All Stockholders proposing to distribute their
securities through such underwriting shall enter into an underwriting agreement
in customary form with the underwriter or underwriters selected for the
underwriting by the Company, provided that such underwriting agreement shall not
provide for indemnification or contribution obligations on the part of
Stockholders materially greater than the obligations of the Stockholders
pursuant to Section 2.5. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section
2.2, if the managing underwriter determines that the inclusion of all shares
requested to be registered would adversely affect the offering, the Company may
limit the number of Registrable Shares to be included in the registration and
underwriting. The Company shall so advise all holders of Registrable Shares
requesting registration, and the number of shares that are entitled to be
included in the registration and underwriting shall be allocated in the
following manner. The securities of the Company held by holders other than
Stockholders and Other Holders shall be excluded from such registration and
underwriting to the extent deemed advisable by the managing underwriter, and, if
a further limitation on the number of shares is required, the number of shares
that may be included in such registration and underwriting shall be allocated
among all Stockholders and Other Holders requesting registration in proportion,
as nearly as practicable, to the respective number of shares of Common Stock (on
an as-converted basis) which they held at the time the Company gives the notice
specified in Section 2.2(a), provided that the number of Registrable Shares
permitted to be included therein shall in any event be at least 50% of the
securities included therein that are not being sold for the account of the
Company (based on aggregate market values). If any Stockholder or Other Holder
would thus be entitled to include more
4
<PAGE>
securities than such holder requested to be registered, the excess shall be
allocated among other requesting Stockholders and Other Holders pro rata in the
manner described in the preceding sentence. If any holder of Registrable Shares
or any officer, director or Other Holder disapproves of the terms of any such
underwriting, such person may elect to withdraw therefrom by written notice to
the Company, and any Registrable Shares or other securities excluded or
withdrawn from such underwriting shall be withdrawn from such registration.
2.3 Registration Procedures.
-----------------------
(a) If and whenever the Company is required by the provisions of this
Agreement to use its best efforts to effect the registration of any Registrable
Shares under the Securities Act, the Company shall:
(i) file with the Commission a Registration Statement with respect to
such Registrable Shares and use its best efforts to cause that Registration
Statement to become effective as soon as possible;
(ii) as expeditiously as possible prepare and file with the Commission
any amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement and the
prospectus included in the Registration Statement as may be necessary to
comply with the provisions of the Securities Act (including the anti-fraud
provisions thereof) and to keep the Registration Statement effective for
six months from the effective date or such lesser period until all such
Registrable Shares are sold;
(iii) as expeditiously as possible furnish to each Selling Stockholder
such reasonable numbers of copies of the Prospectus, including any
preliminary Prospectus, in conformity with the requirements of the
Securities Act, and such other documents as such Selling Stockholder may
reasonably request in order to facilitate the public sale or other
disposition of the Registrable Shares owned by such Selling Stockholder;
(iv) as expeditiously as possible use its best efforts to register or
qualify the Registrable Shares covered by the Registration Statement under
the securities or Blue Sky laws of such states as the Selling Stockholders
shall reasonably request, and do any and all other acts and things that may
be necessary or desirable to enable the Selling Stockholders to consummate
the public sale or other disposition in such states of the Registrable
Shares owned by the Selling Stockholder; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be required in connection with this paragraph (iv) to
qualify as a foreign corporation or execute a general consent to service of
process in any jurisdiction;
(v) as expeditiously as possible, cause all such Registrable Shares to
be listed on each securities exchange or automated quotation system on
which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed;
(vi) promptly provide a transfer agent and registrar for all such
Registrable Shares not later than the effective date of such registration
statement;
(vii) promptly make available for inspection by the Selling
Stockholders, any managing underwriter participating in any disposition
pursuant to such
5
<PAGE>
Registration Statement, and any attorney or accountant or other agent
retained by any such underwriter or selected by the Selling Stockholders,
all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and
properties of the Company and cause the Company's officers, directors,
employees and independent accountants to supply all information reasonably
requested by any such seller, underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in
connection with such Registration Statement;
(viii) as expeditiously as possible, notify each Selling Stockholder,
promptly after it shall receive notice thereof, of the time when such
Registration Statement has become effective or a supplement to any
Prospectus forming a part of such Registration Statement has been filed;
and
(ix) as expeditiously as possible following the effectiveness of such
Registration Statement, notify each seller of such Registrable Shares of
any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of such
Registration Statement or Prospectus.
(b) If the Company has delivered a Prospectus to the Selling Stockholders
and after having done so the Prospectus is amended to comply with the
requirements of the Securities Act, the Company shall promptly notify the
Selling Stockholders and, if requested, the Selling Stockholders shall
immediately cease making offers of Registrable Shares and return all
Prospectuses to the Company. The Company shall promptly provide the Selling
Stockholders with revised Prospectuses and, following receipt of the revised
Prospectuses, the Selling Stockholders shall be free to resume making offers of
the Registrable Shares.
(c) In the event that, in the judgment of the Company, it is advisable to
suspend use of a Prospectus included in a Registration Statement due to pending
material developments or other events that have not yet been publicly disclosed
and as to which the Company believes public disclosure would be detrimental to
the Company, the Company shall notify all Selling Stockholders to such effect,
and, upon receipt of such notice, each such Selling Stockholder shall
immediately discontinue any sales of Registrable Shares pursuant to such
Registration Statement until such Selling Stockholder has received copies of a
supplemented or amended Prospectus or until such Selling Stockholder is advised
in writing by the Company that the then current Prospectus may be used and has
received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated
or deemed incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
2.4 Allocation of Expenses. The Company will pay all Registration Expenses for
all registrations under this Agreement; provided, however, that if a
registration under Section 2.1 is withdrawn at the request of the Initiating
Holders (other than as a result of information concerning the business or
financial condition of the Company which is made known to the Stockholders after
the date on which such registration was requested) and if the Initiating Holders
elect not to have such registration counted as a registration requested under
Section 2.1, the requesting Stockholders shall pay the Registration Expenses of
such registration pro rata in accordance with the number of their Registrable
Shares included in such registration. For purposes of this Section, the term
"Registration Expenses" shall mean all expenses incurred by the Company in
complying with this Agreement, including, without limitation, all registration
6
<PAGE>
and filing fees, exchange listing fees, printing expenses, fees and expenses of
counsel for the Company and the fees and expenses of one counsel selected by the
Selling Stockholders to represent the Selling Stockholders, state Blue Sky fees
and expenses, and the expense of any special audits incident to or required by
any such registration, but excluding underwriting discounts, selling commissions
and the fees and expenses of Selling Stockholders' own counsel (other than the
counsel selected to represent all Selling Stockholders).
2.5 Indemnification and Contribution.
--------------------------------
(a) In the event of any registration of any of the Registrable Shares under
the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement, the Company will indemnify and
hold harmless each Selling Stockholder, each underwriter of such Registrable
Shares, and each other person, if any, who controls such Selling Stockholder or
underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against
any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such
Selling Stockholder, underwriter or controlling person may become subject under
the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, state securities or Blue Sky laws or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Registration Statement
under which such Registrable Shares were registered under the Securities Act,
any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained in the Registration
Statement, or any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement, or
arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading; and the Company will reimburse such Selling Stockholder,
underwriter and each such controlling person for any legal or any other expenses
reasonably incurred by such Selling Stockholder, underwriter or controlling
person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action; 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 any untrue statement or omission made
in such Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus or prospectus, or any
such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Company, in writing, by or on behalf of such
Selling Stockholder, underwriter or controlling person specifically for use in
the preparation thereof.
(b) In the event of any registration of any of the Registrable Shares under
the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement, each Selling Stockholder,
severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of
its directors and officers and each underwriter (if any) and each person, if
any, who controls the Company or any such underwriter within the meaning of the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, joint or several, to which the Company, such directors and
officers, underwriter or controlling person may become subject under the
Securities Act, Exchange Act, state securities or Blue Sky laws or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement under which
such Registrable Shares were registered under the Securities Act, any
preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained in the Registration
Statement, or any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, or
arise out of or are based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
7
<PAGE>
statements therein not misleading, if the statement or omission was made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to such Selling
Stockholder furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of such Selling
Stockholder specifically for use in connection with the preparation of such
Registration Statement, prospectus, amendment or supplement; provided, however,
that the obligations of a Selling Stockholder hereunder shall be limited to an
amount equal to the net proceeds to such Selling Stockholder of Registrable
Shares sold in connection with such registration.
(c) Each party entitled to indemnification under this Section (the
"Indemnified Party") shall give notice to the party required to provide
indemnification (the "Indemnifying Party") promptly after such Indemnified Party
has actual knowledge of any claim as to which indemnity may be sought, and shall
permit the Indemnifying Party to assume the defense of any such claim or any
litigation resulting therefrom; provided, that counsel for the Indemnifying
Party, who shall conduct the defense of such claim or litigation, shall be
approved by the Indemnified Party (whose approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld); and, provided, further, that the failure of any Indemnified Party to
give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its
obligations under this Section except to the extent that the Indemnifying Party
is adversely affected by such failure. The Indemnified Party may participate in
such defense at such party's expense; provided, however, that the Indemnifying
Party shall pay such expense if representation of such Indemnified Party by the
counsel retained by the Indemnifying Party would be inappropriate due to actual
or potential differing interests between the Indemnified Party and any other
party represented by such counsel in such proceeding; provided further that in
no event shall the Indemnifying Party be required to pay the expenses of more
than one law firm per jurisdiction as counsel for the Indemnified Party. The
Indemnifying Party also shall be responsible for the expenses of such defense if
the Indemnifying Party does not elect to assume such defense. No Indemnifying
Party, in the defense of any such claim or litigation shall, except with the
consent of each Indemnified Party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter
into any settlement which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the
giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnified Party of a release from
all liability in respect of such claim or litigation, and no Indemnified Party
shall consent to entry of any judgment or settle such claim or litigation
without the prior written consent of the Indemnifying Party, which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld.
(d) In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in
circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in this Section 2.5 is
due in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be unavailable to
an Indemnified Party in respect to any losses, claims, damages and liabilities
referred to herein, then the Indemnifying Party shall, in lieu of indemnifying
such Indemnified Party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
Indemnified Party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities to
which such party may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Selling Stockholders
on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company and the Selling
Stockholders shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether
the untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact related to information
supplied by the Company or the Selling Stockholders and the parties' relative
intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission. The Company and the Selling
8
<PAGE>
Stockholders agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this Section 2.5 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any
other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
paragraph of Section 2.5, (a) in no case shall any one Selling Stockholder be
liable or responsible for any amount in excess of the net proceeds received by
such Selling Stockholder from the offering of Registrable Shares and (b) the
Company shall be liable and responsible for any amount in excess of such
proceeds; provided, however, that no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. Any party entitled to contribution will, promptly
after receipt of notice of commencement of any action, suit or proceeding
against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made
against another party or parties under this Section, notify such party or
parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission so to notify such
party or parties from whom contribution may be sought shall not relieve such
party from any other obligation it or they may have thereunder or otherwise
under this Section. No party shall be liable for contribution with respect to
any action, suit, proceeding or claim settled without its prior written consent,
which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
2.6 Other Matters with Respect to Underwritten Offerings. In the event that
Registrable Shares are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement in an
underwritten offering pursuant to Section 2.1, the Company agrees to (a) enter
into an underwriting agreement containing customary representations and
warranties with respect to the business and operations of the Company and
customary covenants and agreements to be performed by the Company, including
without limitation customary provisions with respect to indemnification by the
Company of the underwriters of such offering; (b) use its best efforts to cause
its legal counsel to render customary opinions to the underwriters with respect
to the Registration Statement; and (c) use its best efforts to cause its
independent public accounting firm to issue customary "cold comfort letters" to
the underwriters with respect to the Registration Statement.
2.7 Information by Holder. Each holder of Registrable Shares included in any
registration shall furnish to the Company such information regarding such holder
and the distribution proposed by such holder as the Company may reasonably
request in writing and as shall be required in connection with any registration,
qualification or compliance referred to in this Agreement.
2.8 "Stand-Off" Agreement; Confidentiality of Notices. Each Stockholder, if
requested by the Company and the managing underwriter of an underwritten public
offering by the Company of Common Stock, shall not sell or otherwise transfer or
dispose of any Registrable Shares or other securities of the Company held by
such Stockholder for a period of 90 days following the effective date of a
Registration Statement; provided, that all stockholders of the Company then
holding at least 5% of the outstanding Common Stock (on an as-converted basis)
and all officers and directors of the Company enter into similar agreements.
The Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to the
Registrable Shares or other securities subject to the foregoing restriction
until the end of such 90-day period.
9
<PAGE>
Any Stockholder receiving any written notice from the Company regarding
the Company's plans to file a Registration Statement shall treat such notice
confidentially and shall not disclose such information to any person other than
as necessary to exercise its rights under this Agreement.
2.9 Limitations on Subsequent Registration Rights. The Company shall not,
without the prior written consent of Stockholders holding at least 51% of the
Registrable Shares then held by all Stockholders, enter into any agreement
(other than this Agreement) with any holder or prospective holder of any
securities of the Company which grant such holder or prospective holder rights
to include securities of the Company in any Registration Statement, unless (a)
such rights to include securities in a registration initiated by the Company or
by Stockholders are not more favorable than the rights granted to Other Holders
under Section 2.2 of this Agreement, and (b) no rights are granted to initiate a
registration, other than registration pursuant to a registration statement on
Form S-3 (or its successor) in which Stockholders are entitled to include
Registrable Shares on a pro rata basis with such holders based on the number of
shares of Common Stock (on an as-converted basis) owned by Stockholders and such
holders.
2.10 Rule 144 Requirements. After the earliest of (i) the closing of the sale of
securities of the Company pursuant to a Registration Statement, (ii) the
registration by the Company of a class of securities under Section 12 of the
Exchange Act, or (iii) the issuance by the Company of an offering circular
pursuant to Regulation A under the Securities Act, the Company agrees to:
(a) make and keep current public information about the Company available,
as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144;
(b) use its best efforts to file with the Commission in a timely manner all
reports and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and
the Exchange Act (at any time after it has become subject to such reporting
requirements); and
(c) furnish to any holder of Registrable Shares upon request (i) a written
statement by the Company as to its compliance with the reporting requirements of
Rule 144 and of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act (at any time after it
has become subject to such reporting requirements), (ii) a copy of the most
recent annual or quarterly report of the Company, and (iii) such other reports
and documents of the Company as such holder may reasonably request to avail
itself of any similar rule or regulation of the Commission allowing it to sell
any such securities without registration.
2.11 Termination. All of the Company's obligations to register Registrable
Shares under Sections 2.1 and 2.2 of this Agreement shall terminate five years
after the date of this Agreement.
3. Transfers of Rights. This Agreement, and the rights and obligations of each
Purchaser hereunder, may be assigned by such Purchaser to any partner, member,
stockholder or affiliate of such Purchaser, and such transferee shall be deemed
a "Purchaser" for purposes of this Agreement; provided that the transferee
provides written notice of such assignment to the Company and agrees in writing
to be bound hereby.
10
<PAGE>
4. General.
-------
(a) Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of
this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other
provision of this Agreement.
(b) Specific Performance. In addition to any and all other remedies that
may be available at law in the event of any breach of this Agreement, each
Purchaser shall be entitled to specific performance of the agreements and
obligations of the Company hereunder and to such other injunctive or other
equitable relief as may be granted by a court of competent jurisdiction.
(c) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia (without
reference to the conflicts of law provisions thereof).
(d) Notices. All notices, requests, consents, and other communications
under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed delivered (i) two
business days after being sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt
requested, postage prepaid or (ii) one business day after being sent via a
reputable nationwide overnight courier service guaranteeing next business day
delivery, in each case to the intended recipient as set forth below:
If to the Company, at 9150 Guilford Road, Columbia, MD 21046,Attention:
President, or at such other address or addresses as may have been furnished in
writing by the Company to the Purchasers, with a copy to Whiteford, Taylor &
Preston, L.L.P., 7 Saint Paul Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202-1626, Attention:
D. Scott Freed; or
If to a Purchaser, at his or its address set forth on Exhibit A, or at
such other address or addresses as may have been furnished to the Company in
writing by such Purchaser, with a copy to Hale and Dorr LLP, 11951 Freedom
Drive, Reston, VA 20190, Attention: William F. Winslow.
Any party may give any notice, request, consent or other communication
under this Agreement using any other means (including, without limitation,
personal delivery, messenger service, telecopy, first class mail or electronic
mail), but no such notice, request, consent or other communication shall be
deemed to have been duly given unless and until it is actually received by the
party for whom it is intended. Any party may change the address to which
notices, requests, consents or other communications hereunder are to be
delivered by giving the other parties notice in the manner set forth in this
Section.
(e) Complete Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and
understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof
and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to such subject
matter.
(f) Amendments and Waivers. Any term of this Agreement may be amended or
terminated and the observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived with
respect to all parties to this Agreement (either generally or in a particular
instance and either retroactively or prospectively), with the written consent of
the Company and the holders of at
11
<PAGE>
least 51% of the Registrable Shares held by all of the Stockholders.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be amended or terminated, and
any right hereunder may be waived with respect to all parties to this Agreement
with the consent of the holders of less than all Registrable Shares only in a
manner which applies to all such holders in the same fashion. Any such
amendment, termination or waiver effected in accordance with this Section 4(f)
shall be binding on all parties hereto, even if they do not execute such consent
and the Company. No waivers of or exceptions to any term, condition or provision
of this Agreement, in any one or more instances, shall be deemed to be, or
construed as, a further or continuing waiver of any such term, condition or
provision.
(g) Pronouns. Whenever the context may require, any pronouns used in this
Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms,
and the singular form of nouns and pronouns shall include the plural, and vice
versa.
(h) Counterparts; Facsimile Signatures. This Agreement may be executed in
any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and
all of which together shall constitute one and the same document. This Agreement
may be executed by facsimile signatures.
(i) Section Headings. The section headings are for the convenience of the
parties and in no way alter, modify, amend, limit or restrict the contractual
obligations of the parties.
12
<PAGE>
Executed as of the date first written above.
COMPANY:
ESSEX CORPORATION
By: /s/ Leonard E. Moodispaw
-----------------------------
Name: Leonard E. Moodispaw
-----------------------
Title: President and CEO
----------------------
PURCHASERS:
GEF OPTICAL INVESTMENT COMPANY, LLC
By: /s/ H. Jeffrey Leonard
----------------------
Name: H. Jeffrey Leonard
Title: President
NETWORKING VENTURES, L.L.C.
By: /s/ John G. Hannon
------------------
Name: John G. Hannon
Title: Partner
13
<PAGE>
Exhibit A
Purchasers
Name and Address
----------------
GEF Optical Investment Company, LLC
1225 Eye Street, N.W., Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005
Networking Ventures, L.L.C.
8970 Route 108
Suite B
Columbia, MD 21045
A-1
<PAGE>
ESSEX CORPORATION
Exhibit 99 (c)
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANTS
<PAGE>
THIS WARRANT AND THE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK ISSUED UPON ITS
EXERCISE ARE SUBJECT TO THE RESTRICTIONS ON
TRANSFER SET FORTH IN SECTION 4 OF THIS WARRANT
Warrant No. 1 Number of Shares: 1,000,000
(subject to adjustment)
Date of Issuance: September 12, 2000
ESSEX CORPORATION
Common Stock Purchase Warrant
(Void after September 12, 2005)
Essex Corporation, a Virginia corporation (the "Company"), for value
received, hereby certifies that GEF Optical Investment Company, LLC, or its
registered assigns (the "Registered Holder"), is entitled, subject to the terms
and conditions set forth below, to purchase from the Company, at any time or
from time to time on or after the date of issuance and on or before 5:00 p.m.
(Eastern time) on September 12, 2005, 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock, of the
Company, at a purchase price of $.001 per share. The shares purchasable upon
exercise of this Warrant, and the purchase price per share, each as adjusted
from time to time pursuant to the provisions of this Warrant, are hereinafter
referred to as the "Warrant Shares" and the "Purchase Price," respectively.
1. Exercise.
--------
(a) Subject to subsection 1(c) below, this Warrant may be exercised by the
Registered Holder, in whole or in part, by surrendering this Warrant, with the
purchase form appended hereto as Exhibit I duly executed by the Registered
Holder or by the Registered Holder's duly authorized attorney, at the principal
office of the Company, or at such other office or agency as the Company may
designate, accompanied by payment in full, in lawful money of the United States,
of the Purchase Price payable in respect of the number of Warrant Shares
purchased upon such exercise.
(b) Subject to subsection 1(c) below, the Registered Holder may, at its
option, elect to pay some or all of the Purchase Price payable upon an exercise
of this Warrant by canceling a portion of this Warrant exercisable for such
number of Warrant Shares as is determined by dividing (i) the total Purchase
Price payable in respect of the number of Warrant Shares being purchased upon
such exercise by (ii) the excess of the Fair Market Value per share of Common
Stock (as defined below) averaged over the five trading days immediately
preceding the Exercise Date (as defined in subsection 1(d) below) over the
Purchase Price per share. If the Registered Holder wishes to exercise this
Warrant pursuant to this method of payment with respect to the maximum number of
Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to this method, then the number of Warrant
Shares so purchasable shall be equal to the total number of Warrant Shares,
minus the product obtained by multiplying (x) the total number of Warrant Shares
by (y) a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Purchase Price per share
and the denominator of which shall be the Fair Market Value per share of Common
Stock averaged over the five trading days
<PAGE>
immediately preceding the Exercise Date. The Fair Market Value per share of
Common Stock shall be determined as follows:
(i) If the Common Stock is listed on a national securities exchange, Nasdaq
Stock Market, OTC Bulletin Board or another nationally recognized trading system
as of the Exercise Date, the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock shall
be deemed to be the average of the high and low reported sale prices per share
of Common Stock (provided that if no such price is reported on such day, the
Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock shall be determined pursuant to
clause (ii)).
(ii) If the Common Stock is not listed on a national securities exchange,
Nasdaq Stock Market, OTC Bulletin Board or another nationally recognized trading
system as of the Exercise Date, the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock
shall be deemed to be the amount most recently determined by the Board of
Directors to represent the fair market value per share of the Common Stock
(including without limitation a determination for purposes of granting Common
Stock options or issuing Common Stock under an employee benefit plan of the
Company); and, upon request of the Registered Holder, the Board of Directors (or
a representative thereof) shall promptly notify the Registered Holder of the
Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if
the Board of Directors has not made such a determination within the three-month
period prior to the Exercise Date, then (A) the Board of Directors shall make a
determination of the Fair Market Value per share of the Common Stock within 15
days of a request by the Registered Holder that it do so, and (B) the exercise
of this Warrant pursuant to this subsection 1(b) shall be delayed until such
determination is made.
(c) This Warrant shall be exercisable only to the extent set forth in this
subsection 1(c):
(i) If the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock (determined as provided in
subsection 1(b)(i) above), for five consecutive trading days, with aggregate
volume on the market on which the Common Stock is traded for such five
consecutive trading days of at least 100,000 shares, exceeds the amount set
forth below under the heading "Share Price" (adjusted for stock splits, stock
dividends and similar recapitalizations), this Warrant shall immediately be
exercisable to purchase the number of Warrant Shares set forth below under the
heading "Cumulative Shares Exercisable:"
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Share Price Cumulative Shares Exercisable
----------- -----------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
$10 250,000
$12 375,000
$14 500,000
$16 625,000
$18 750,000
$20 1,000,000
</TABLE>
2
<PAGE>
(ii) In addition, this Warrant shall be exercisable to purchase all of the
Warrant Shares covered by this Warrant immediately prior to the closing of (A) a
sale of securities by the Company by means of a private placement or pursuant to
a registration statement, which results in gross proceeds to the Company of at
least $10,000,000 and which values the Company immediately prior to such sale of
securities at $50,000,000 or more, (B) any sale of all or substantially all of
the assets of the Company, or (C) any merger, consolidation, sale of stock or
other transaction or series of related transactions in which the holders of
capital stock of the Company before the transaction no longer hold at least 50%
of the capital stock of the Company after the transaction.
(d) Each exercise of this Warrant shall be deemed to have been effected
immediately prior to the close of business on the day on which this Warrant
shall have been surrendered to the Company as provided in subsection 1(a) above
(the "Exercise Date"). At such time, the person or persons in whose name or
names any certificates for Warrant Shares shall be issuable upon such exercise
as provided in subsection 1(d) below shall be deemed to have become the holder
or holders of record of the Warrant Shares represented by such certificates.
(e) As soon as practicable after the exercise of this Warrant in full or in
part, and in any event within 10 days thereafter, the Company, at its expense,
will cause to be issued in the name of, and delivered to, the Registered Holder,
or as such Holder (upon payment by such Holder of any applicable transfer taxes)
may direct:
(i) a certificate or certificates for the number of full Warrant Shares to
which the Registered Holder shall be entitled upon such exercise plus, in lieu
of any fractional share to which the Registered Holder would otherwise be
entitled, cash in an amount determined pursuant to Section 3 hereof; and
(ii) in case such exercise is in part only, a new warrant or warrants
(dated the date hereof) of like tenor, calling in the aggregate on the face or
faces thereof for the number of Warrant Shares equal (without giving effect to
any adjustment therein) to the number of such shares called for on the face of
this Warrant minus the sum of (a) the number of such shares purchased by the
Registered Holder upon such exercise plus (b) the number of Warrant Shares (if
any) covered by the portion of this Warrant cancelled in payment of the Purchase
Price payable upon such exercise pursuant to subsection 1(b) above.
2. Adjustments.
-----------
(a) Adjustment for Stock Splits and Combinations. If the Company shall at
any time or from time to time after the date on which this Warrant was first
issued (the "Original Issue Date") effect a subdivision of the outstanding
Common Stock, the Purchase Price then in effect immediately before that
subdivision shall be proportionately decreased. If the Company shall at any time
or from time to time after the Original Issue Date combine the outstanding
shares of Common Stock, the Purchase Price then in effect immediately before the
combination shall be proportionately increased. Any adjustment under this
paragraph shall become effective at the close of business on the date the
subdivision or combination becomes effective.
3
<PAGE>
(b) Adjustment for Certain Dividends and Distributions. In the event the
Company at any time, or from time to time after the Original Issue Date shall
make or issue, or fix a record date for the determination of holders of Common
Stock entitled to receive, a dividend or other distribution payable in
additional shares of Common Stock, then and in each such event the Purchase
Price then in effect immediately before such event shall be decreased as of the
time of such issuance or, in the event such a record date shall have been fixed,
as of the close of business on such record date, by multiplying the Purchase
Price then in effect by a fraction:
(1) the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of
Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
time of such issuance or the close of business on such record
date, and
(2) the denominator of which shall be the total number of shares
of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to
the time of such issuance or the close of business on such
record date plus the number of shares of Common Stock issuable
in payment of such dividend or distribution;
provided, however, if such record date shall have been fixed and such dividend
is not fully paid or if such distribution is not fully made on the date fixed
therefor, the Purchase Price shall be recomputed accordingly as of the close of
business on such record date and thereafter the Purchase Price shall be adjusted
pursuant to this paragraph as of the time of actual payment of such dividends or
distributions.
(c) Adjustment in Number of Warrant Shares. When any adjustment is required
to be made in the Purchase Price pursuant to subsections 2(a) or 2(b), the
number of Warrant Shares purchasable upon the exercise of this Warrant shall be
changed to the number determined by dividing (i) an amount equal to the number
of shares issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant immediately prior to such
adjustment, multiplied by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment, by (ii) the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such
adjustment.
(d) Adjustments for Other Dividends and Distributions. In the event the
Company at any time or from time to time after the Original Issue Date shall
make or issue, or fix a record date for the determination of holders of Common
Stock entitled to receive, a dividend or other distribution payable in
securities of the Company (other than shares of Common Stock) or in cash or
other property (other than cash out of earnings or earned surplus, determined in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles), then and in each such
event provision shall be made so that the Registered Holder shall receive upon
exercise hereof, in addition to the number of shares of Common Stock issuable
hereunder, the kind and amount of securities of the Company and/or cash and
other property which the Registered Holder would have been entitled to receive
had this Warrant been exercised into Common Stock on the date of such event and
had the Registered Holder thereafter, during the period from the date of such
event to and including the Exercise Date, retained any such securities
receivable, giving application to all adjustments called for during such period
under this Section 2 with respect to the rights of the Registered Holder.
4
<PAGE>
(e) Adjustment for Mergers or Reorganizations, etc. If there shall occur
any reorganization, recapitalization, consolidation or merger involving the
Company in which the Common Stock is converted into or exchanged for securities,
cash or other property (other than a transaction covered by subsections 2(a),
2(b) or 2(d)), then, following any such reorganization, recapitalization,
consolidation or merger, the Registered Holder shall receive upon exercise
hereof the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property which the
Registered Holder would have been entitled to receive if, immediately prior to
such reorganization, recapitalization, consolidation or merger, the Registered
Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock subject to this Warrant. In
such case, appropriate adjustment (as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company) shall be made in the application of the provisions set
forth herein with respect to the rights and interests thereafter of the
Registered Holder, to the end that the provisions set forth in this Section 2
(including provisions with respect to changes in and other adjustments of the
Purchase Price) shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be,
in relation to any securities, cash or other property thereafter deliverable
upon the exercise of this Warrant.
(f) Certificate as to Adjustments. Upon the occurrence of each adjustment
or readjustment of the Purchase Price pursuant to this Section 2, the Company at
its expense shall promptly compute such adjustment or readjustment in accordance
with the terms hereof and furnish to the Registered Holder a certificate setting
forth such adjustment or readjustment (including the kind and amount of
securities, cash or other property for which this Warrant shall be exercisable
and the Purchase Price) and showing in detail the facts upon which such
adjustment or readjustment is based. The Company shall, upon the written request
at any time of the Registered Holder, furnish or cause to be furnished to the
Registered Holder a certificate setting forth (i) the Purchase Price then in
effect and (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock and the amount, if any, of
other securities, cash or property which then would be received upon the
exercise of this Warrant.
3. Fractional Shares. The Company shall not be required upon the exercise of
this Warrant to issue any fractional shares, but shall make an adjustment
therefor in cash on the basis of the Fair Market Value per share of Common
Stock, as determined pursuant to subsection 1(b) above.
4. Requirements for Transfer.
-------------------------
(a) This Warrant and the Warrant Shares shall not be sold or transferred
unless either (i) they first shall have been registered under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), or (ii) the Company first shall have been
furnished with an opinion of legal counsel, reasonably satisfactory to the
Company (it being stipulated that an opinion of Hale and Dorr LLP shall be
satisfactory), to the effect that such sale or transfer is exempt from the
registration requirements of the Act.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no registration or opinion of counsel
shall be required for (i) a transfer by a Registered Holder to a party specified
in Section 10(b) below, or (ii) a transfer made in accordance with Rule 144
under the Act.
(c) Each certificate representing Warrant Shares shall bear a legend
substantially in the following form:
5
<PAGE>
"The securities represented by this certificate have not been
registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
may not be offered, sold or otherwise transferred, pledged or
hypothecated unless and until such securities are registered
under such Act or an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the
Company is obtained to the effect that such registration is not
required."
The foregoing legend shall be removed from the certificates
representing any Warrant Shares, at the request of the holder thereof, at such
time as they become eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Act.
5. No Impairment. The Company will not, by amendment of its charter or through
reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or
sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the
observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all
times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the
taking of all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order to protect
the rights of the holder of this Warrant against impairment.
6. Notices of Record Date, etc. In the event:
----------------------------
(a) the Company shall take a record of the holders of its Common Stock (or
other stock or securities at the time deliverable upon the exercise of this
Warrant) for the purpose of entitling or enabling them to receive any dividend
or other distribution, or to receive any right to subscribe for or purchase any
shares of stock of any class or any other securities, or to receive any other
right; or
(b) of any capital reorganization of the Company, any reclassification of
the Common Stock of the Company, any consolidation or merger of the Company with
or into another corporation (other than a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the surviving entity and its Common Stock is not converted into or
exchanged for any other securities or property), or any transfer of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Company; or
(c) of the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding-up
of the Company,
then, and in each such case, the Company will mail or cause to be mailed to the
Registered Holder a notice specifying, as the case may be, (i) the record date
for such dividend, distribution or right, and the amount and character of such
dividend, distribution or right, or (ii) the effective date on which such
reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, transfer, dissolution,
liquidation or winding-up is to take place, and the time, if any is to be fixed,
as of which the holders of record of Common Stock (or such other stock or
securities at the time deliverable upon the exercise of this Warrant) shall be
entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock (or such other stock or
securities) for securities or other property deliverable upon such
reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, transfer, dissolution,
liquidation or winding-up. Such notice shall be mailed at least ten days prior
to the record date or effective date for the event specified in such notice.
6
<PAGE>
7. Reservation of Stock. The Company will at all times reserve and keep
available, solely for issuance and delivery upon the exercise of this Warrant,
such number of Warrant Shares and other securities, cash and/or property, as
from time to time shall be issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant.
8. Exchange of Warrants. Upon the surrender by the Registered Holder, properly
endorsed, to the Company at the principal office of the Company, the Company
will, subject to the provisions of Section 4 hereof, issue and deliver to or
upon the order of such Holder, at the Company's expense, a new Warrant or
Warrants of like tenor, in the name of the Registered Holder or as the
Registered Holder (upon payment by the Registered Holder of any applicable
transfer taxes) may direct, calling in the aggregate on the face or faces
thereof for the number of shares of Common Stock (or other securities, cash
and/or property) then issuable upon exercise of this Warrant.
9. Replacement of Warrants. Upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to
the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant and
(in the case of loss, theft or destruction) upon delivery of an indemnity
agreement (with surety if reasonably required) in an amount reasonably
satisfactory to the Company, or (in the case of mutilation) upon surrender and
cancellation of this Warrant, the Company will issue, in lieu thereof, a new
Warrant of like tenor.
10. Transfers, etc.
(a) The Company will maintain a register containing the name and address of
the Registered Holder of this Warrant. The Registered Holder may change its or
his address as shown on the warrant register by written notice to the Company
requesting such change.
(b) Subject to the provisions of Section 4 hereof, this Warrant and all
rights hereunder are transferable, in whole or in part, to any partner, member,
stockholder or affiliate of the holder, and any such transferee shall have the
rights of the Registered Holder to the extent of the portion of this Warrant so
transferred. Such transfer shall be effective upon surrender of this Warrant
with a properly executed assignment (in the form of Exhibit II hereto) at the
principal office of the Company. Nothing contained in this Section 10 shall
limit the transferability of the Warrant Shares.
(c) Until any transfer of this Warrant is made in the warrant register, the
Company may treat the Registered Holder as the absolute owner hereof for all
purposes; provided, however, that if and when this Warrant is properly assigned
in blank, the Company may (but shall not be obligated to) treat the bearer
hereof as the absolute owner hereof for all purposes, notwithstanding any notice
to the contrary.
11. Mailing of Notices, etc. All notices and other communications from the
Company to the Registered Holder shall be mailed by first-class certified or
registered mail, postage prepaid, to the address last furnished to the Company
in writing by the Registered Holder. All notices and other communications from
the Registered Holder or in connection herewith to the Company shall be mailed
by first-class certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, to the Company at
its principal office set forth below. If the Company should at any time change
the location of its principal office to a place other than as set forth below,
it shall give prompt written
7
<PAGE>
notice to the Registered Holder and thereafter all references in this Warrant to
the location of its principal office at the particular time shall be as so
specified in such notice.
12. No Rights as Shareholder. Until the exercise of this Warrant, the Registered
Holder shall not have or exercise any rights by virtue hereof as a shareholder
of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event (i) the Company
effects a split of the Common Stock by means of a stock dividend and the
Purchase Price of and the number of Warrant Shares are adjusted as of the date
of the distribution of the dividend (rather than as of the record date for such
dividend), and (ii) the Registered Holder exercises this Warrant between the
record date and the distribution date for such stock dividend, the Registered
Holder shall be entitled to receive, on the distribution date, the stock
dividend with respect to the shares of Common Stock acquired upon such exercise,
notwithstanding the fact that such shares were not outstanding as of the close
of business on the record date for such stock dividend.
13. Change or Waiver. Any term of this Warrant may be changed or waived
only by an instrument in writing signed by the party against which enforcement
of the change or waiver is sought.
14. Section Headings. The section headings in this Warrant are for the
convenience of the parties and in no way alter, modify, amend, limit or restrict
the contractual obligations of the parties.
15. Governing Law. This Warrant will be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia (without
reference to the conflicts of law provisions thereof).
8
<PAGE>
EXECUTED as of the Date of Issuance indicated above.
ESSEX CORPORATION
By: /s/ Leonard E. Moodispaw
--------------------------
[Corporate Seal] Title: President & CEO
---------------
ATTEST:
/s/ Sarah E. Roberts
--------------------
9
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT I
PURCHASE FORM
To:_________________ Dated:____________
The undersigned, pursuant to the provisions set forth in the attached
Warrant (No. 1), hereby irrevocably elects to purchase (check applicable box):
0 _____ shares of the Common Stock covered by such Warrant; or
0 the maximum number of shares of Common Stock covered by such
Warrant pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth
in Section 1(b).
The undersigned herewith makes payment of the full purchase price for
such shares at the price per share provided for in such Warrant, which is
$________. Such payment takes the form of (check applicable box or boxes):
0 $______ in lawful money of the United States; and/or
0 the cancellation of such portion of the attached Warrant as is
exercisable for a total of _____ Warrant Shares (using a Fair
Market Value of $_____ per share for purposes of this
calculation); and/or
0 the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is
necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in Section
1(b), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum
number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless
exercise procedure set forth in Section 1(b).
Signature: _______________________
Address: _______________________
_______________________
10
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT II
ASSIGNMENT FORM
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, ________________________________________ hereby
sells, assigns and transfers all of the rights of the undersigned under the
attached Warrant (No. 1) with respect to the number of shares of Common Stock
covered thereby set forth below, unto:
Name of Assignee Address No. of Shares
---------------- ------- -------------
Dated:_____________________ Signature:________________________________
Signature Guaranteed:
By: _______________________
The signature should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (banks,
stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with membership in
an approved signature guarantee medallion program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
11
<PAGE>
THIS WARRANT AND THE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK ISSUED UPON ITS
EXERCISE ARE SUBJECT TO THE RESTRICTIONS ON
TRANSFER SET FORTH IN SECTION 4 OF THIS WARRANT
Warrant No. 2 Number of Shares: 1,000,000
(subject to adjustment)
Date of Issuance: September 12, 2000
ESSEX CORPORATION
Common Stock Purchase Warrant
(Void after September 12, 2005)
Essex Corporation, a Virginia corporation (the "Company"), for value
received, hereby certifies that Networking Ventures, L.L.C., or its registered
assigns (the "Registered Holder"), is entitled, subject to the terms and
conditions set forth below, to purchase from the Company, at any time or from
time to time on or after the date of issuance and on or before 5:00 p.m.
(Eastern time) on September 12, 2005, 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock, of the
Company, at a purchase price of $.001 per share. The shares purchasable upon
exercise of this Warrant, and the purchase price per share, each as adjusted
from time to time pursuant to the provisions of this Warrant, are hereinafter
referred to as the "Warrant Shares" and the "Purchase Price," respectively.
1. Exercise.
--------
(a) Subject to subsection 1(c) below, this Warrant may be exercised by the
Registered Holder, in whole or in part, by surrendering this Warrant, with the
purchase form appended hereto as Exhibit I duly executed by the Registered
Holder or by the Registered Holder's duly authorized attorney, at the principal
office of the Company, or at such other office or agency as the Company may
designate, accompanied by payment in full, in lawful money of the United States,
of the Purchase Price payable in respect of the number of Warrant Shares
purchased upon such exercise.
(b) Subject to subsection 1(c) below, the Registered Holder may, at its
option, elect to pay some or all of the Purchase Price payable upon an exercise
of this Warrant by canceling a portion of this Warrant exercisable for such
number of Warrant Shares as is determined by dividing (i) the total Purchase
Price payable in respect of the number of Warrant Shares being purchased upon
such exercise by (ii) the excess of the Fair Market Value per share of Common
Stock (as defined below) averaged over the five trading days immediately
preceding the Exercise Date (as defined in subsection 1(d) below) over the
Purchase Price per share. If the Registered Holder wishes to exercise this
Warrant pursuant to this method of payment with respect to the maximum number of
Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to this method, then the number of Warrant
Shares so purchasable shall be equal to the total number of Warrant Shares,
minus the product obtained by multiplying (x) the total number of Warrant Shares
by (y) a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Purchase Price per share
and the denominator of which shall be the Fair Market Value per share of Common
Stock averaged over the five trading days
<PAGE>
immediately preceding the Exercise Date. The Fair Market Value per share of
Common Stock shall be determined as follows:
(i) If the Common Stock is listed on a national securities exchange, Nasdaq
Stock Market, OTC Bulletin Board or another nationally recognized trading system
as of the Exercise Date, the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock shall
be deemed to be the average of the high and low reported sale prices per share
of Common Stock (provided that if no such price is reported on such day, the
Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock shall be determined pursuant to
clause (ii)).
(ii) If the Common Stock is not listed on a national securities exchange,
Nasdaq Stock Market, OTC Bulletin Board or another nationally recognized trading
system as of the Exercise Date, the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock
shall be deemed to be the amount most recently determined by the Board of
Directors to represent the fair market value per share of the Common Stock
(including without limitation a determination for purposes of granting Common
Stock options or issuing Common Stock under an employee benefit plan of the
Company); and, upon request of the Registered Holder, the Board of Directors (or
a representative thereof) shall promptly notify the Registered Holder of the
Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if
the Board of Directors has not made such a determination within the three-month
period prior to the Exercise Date, then (A) the Board of Directors shall make a
determination of the Fair Market Value per share of the Common Stock within 15
days of a request by the Registered Holder that it do so, and (B) the exercise
of this Warrant pursuant to this subsection 1(b) shall be delayed until such
determination is made.
(c) This Warrant shall be exercisable only to the extent set forth in this
subsection 1(c):
(i) If the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock (determined as provided in
subsection 1(b)(i) above), for five consecutive trading days, with aggregate
volume on the market on which the Common Stock is traded for such five
consecutive trading days of at least 100,000 shares, exceeds the amount set
forth below under the heading "Share Price" (adjusted for stock splits, stock
dividends and similar recapitalizations), this Warrant shall immediately be
exercisable to purchase the number of Warrant Shares set forth below under the
heading "Cumulative Shares Exercisable:"
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Share Price Cumulative Shares Exercisable
----------- -----------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
$10 250,000
$12 375,000
$14 500,000
$16 625,000
$18 750,000
$20 1,000,000
</TABLE>
2
<PAGE>
(ii) In addition, this Warrant shall be exercisable to purchase all of the
Warrant Shares covered by this Warrant immediately prior to the closing of (A) a
sale of securities by the Company by means of a private placement or pursuant to
a registration statement, which results in gross proceeds to the Company of at
least $10,000,000 and which values the Company immediately prior to such sale of
securities at $50,000,000 or more, (B) any sale of all or substantially all of
the assets of the Company, or (C) any merger, consolidation, sale of stock or
other transaction or series of related transactions in which the holders of
capital stock of the Company before the transaction no longer hold at least 50%
of the capital stock of the Company after the transaction.
(d) Each exercise of this Warrant shall be deemed to have been effected
immediately prior to the close of business on the day on which this Warrant
shall have been surrendered to the Company as provided in subsection 1(a) above
(the "Exercise Date"). At such time, the person or persons in whose name or
names any certificates for Warrant Shares shall be issuable upon such exercise
as provided in subsection 1(d) below shall be deemed to have become the holder
or holders of record of the Warrant Shares represented by such certificates.
(e) As soon as practicable after the exercise of this Warrant in full or in
part, and in any event within 10 days thereafter, the Company, at its expense,
will cause to be issued in the name of, and delivered to, the Registered Holder,
or as such Holder (upon payment by such Holder of any applicable transfer taxes)
may direct:
(i) a certificate or certificates for the number of full Warrant Shares to
which the Registered Holder shall be entitled upon such exercise plus, in lieu
of any fractional share to which the Registered Holder would otherwise be
entitled, cash in an amount determined pursuant to Section 3 hereof; and
(ii) in case such exercise is in part only, a new warrant or warrants
(dated the date hereof) of like tenor, calling in the aggregate on the face or
faces thereof for the number of Warrant Shares equal (without giving effect to
any adjustment therein) to the number of such shares called for on the face of
this Warrant minus the sum of (a) the number of such shares purchased by the
Registered Holder upon such exercise plus (b) the number of Warrant Shares (if
any) covered by the portion of this Warrant cancelled in payment of the Purchase
Price payable upon such exercise pursuant to subsection 1(b) above.
2. Adjustments.
-----------
(a) Adjustment for Stock Splits and Combinations. If the Company shall at
any time or from time to time after the date on which this Warrant was first
issued (the "Original Issue Date") effect a subdivision of the outstanding
Common Stock, the Purchase Price then in effect immediately before that
subdivision shall be proportionately decreased. If the Company shall at any time
or from time to time after the Original Issue Date combine the outstanding
shares of Common Stock, the Purchase Price then in effect immediately before the
combination shall be proportionately increased. Any adjustment under this
paragraph shall become effective at the close of business on the date the
subdivision or combination becomes effective.
3
<PAGE>
(b) Adjustment for Certain Dividends and Distributions. In the event the
Company at any time, or from time to time after the Original Issue Date shall
make or issue, or fix a record date for the determination of holders of Common
Stock entitled to receive, a dividend or other distribution payable in
additional shares of Common Stock, then and in each such event the Purchase
Price then in effect immediately before such event shall be decreased as of the
time of such issuance or, in the event such a record date shall have been fixed,
as of the close of business on such record date, by multiplying the Purchase
Price then in effect by a fraction:
(1) the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of
Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
time of such issuance or the close of business on such record
date, and
(2) the denominator of which shall be the total number of shares
of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to
the time of such issuance or the close of business on such
record date plus the number of shares of Common Stock issuable
in payment of such dividend or distribution;
provided, however, if such record date shall have been fixed and such dividend
is not fully paid or if such distribution is not fully made on the date fixed
therefor, the Purchase Price shall be recomputed accordingly as of the close of
business on such record date and thereafter the Purchase Price shall be adjusted
pursuant to this paragraph as of the time of actual payment of such dividends or
distributions.
(c) Adjustment in Number of Warrant Shares. When any adjustment is required
to be made in the Purchase Price pursuant to subsections 2(a) or 2(b), the
number of Warrant Shares purchasable upon the exercise of this Warrant shall be
changed to the number determined by dividing (i) an amount equal to the number
of shares issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant immediately prior to such
adjustment, multiplied by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment, by (ii) the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such
adjustment.
(d) Adjustments for Other Dividends and Distributions. In the event the
Company at any time or from time to time after the Original Issue Date shall
make or issue, or fix a record date for the determination of holders of Common
Stock entitled to receive, a dividend or other distribution payable in
securities of the Company (other than shares of Common Stock) or in cash or
other property (other than cash out of earnings or earned surplus, determined in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles), then and in each such
event provision shall be made so that the Registered Holder shall receive upon
exercise hereof, in addition to the number of shares of Common Stock issuable
hereunder, the kind and amount of securities of the Company and/or cash and
other property which the Registered Holder would have been entitled to receive
had this Warrant been exercised into Common Stock on the date of such event and
had the Registered Holder thereafter, during the period from the date of such
event to and including the Exercise Date, retained any such securities
receivable, giving application to all adjustments called for during such period
under this Section 2 with respect to the rights of the Registered Holder.
4
<PAGE>
(e) Adjustment for Mergers or Reorganizations, etc. If there shall occur
any reorganization, recapitalization, consolidation or merger involving the
Company in which the Common Stock is converted into or exchanged for securities,
cash or other property (other than a transaction covered by subsections 2(a),
2(b) or 2(d)), then, following any such reorganization, recapitalization,
consolidation or merger, the Registered Holder shall receive upon exercise
hereof the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property which the
Registered Holder would have been entitled to receive if, immediately prior to
such reorganization, recapitalization, consolidation or merger, the Registered
Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock subject to this Warrant. In
such case, appropriate adjustment (as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company) shall be made in the application of the provisions set
forth herein with respect to the rights and interests thereafter of the
Registered Holder, to the end that the provisions set forth in this Section 2
(including provisions with respect to changes in and other adjustments of the
Purchase Price) shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be,
in relation to any securities, cash or other property thereafter deliverable
upon the exercise of this Warrant.
(f) Certificate as to Adjustments. Upon the occurrence of each adjustment
or readjustment of the Purchase Price pursuant to this Section 2, the Company at
its expense shall promptly compute such adjustment or readjustment in accordance
with the terms hereof and furnish to the Registered Holder a certificate setting
forth such adjustment or readjustment (including the kind and amount of
securities, cash or other property for which this Warrant shall be exercisable
and the Purchase Price) and showing in detail the facts upon which such
adjustment or readjustment is based. The Company shall, upon the written request
at any time of the Registered Holder, furnish or cause to be furnished to the
Registered Holder a certificate setting forth (i) the Purchase Price then in
effect and (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock and the amount, if any, of
other securities, cash or property which then would be received upon the
exercise of this Warrant.
3. Fractional Shares. The Company shall not be required upon the exercise of
this Warrant to issue any fractional shares, but shall make an adjustment
therefor in cash on the basis of the Fair Market Value per share of Common
Stock, as determined pursuant to subsection 1(b) above.
4. Requirements for Transfer.
-------------------------
(a) This Warrant and the Warrant Shares shall not be sold or transferred
unless either (i) they first shall have been registered under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), or (ii) the Company first shall have been
furnished with an opinion of legal counsel, reasonably satisfactory to the
Company (it being stipulated that an opinion of Hale and Dorr LLP shall be
satisfactory), to the effect that such sale or transfer is exempt from the
registration requirements of the Act.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no registration or opinion of counsel
shall be required for (i) a transfer by a Registered Holder to a party specified
in Section 10(b) below, or (ii) a transfer made in accordance with Rule 144
under the Act.
5
<PAGE>
(c) Each certificate representing Warrant Shares shall bear a legend
substantially in the following form:
"The securities represented by this certificate have not been
registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
may not be offered, sold or otherwise transferred, pledged or
hypothecated unless and until such securities are registered
under such Act or an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the
Company is obtained to the effect that such registration is not
required."
The foregoing legend shall be removed from the certificates
representing any Warrant Shares, at the request of the holder thereof, at such
time as they become eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Act.
5. No Impairment. The Company will not, by amendment of its charter or through
reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or
sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the
observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all
times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the
taking of all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order to protect
the rights of the holder of this Warrant against impairment.
6. Notices of Record Date, etc. In the event:
----------------------------
(a) the Company shall take a record of the holders of its Common Stock (or
other stock or securities at the time deliverable upon the exercise of this
Warrant) for the purpose of entitling or enabling them to receive any dividend
or other distribution, or to receive any right to subscribe for or purchase any
shares of stock of any class or any other securities, or to receive any other
right; or
(b) of any capital reorganization of the Company, any reclassification of
the Common Stock of the Company, any consolidation or merger of the Company with
or into another corporation (other than a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the surviving entity and its Common Stock is not converted into or
exchanged for any other securities or property), or any transfer of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Company; or
(c) of the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding-up
of the Company,
then, and in each such case, the Company will mail or cause to be mailed to the
Registered Holder a notice specifying, as the case may be, (i) the record date
for such dividend, distribution or right, and the amount and character of such
dividend, distribution or right, or (ii) the effective date on which such
reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, transfer, dissolution,
liquidation or winding-up is to take place, and the time, if any is to be fixed,
as of which the holders of record of Common Stock (or such other stock or
securities at the time deliverable upon the exercise of this Warrant) shall be
entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock (or such other stock or
securities) for securities or other property deliverable upon such
6
<PAGE>
reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, transfer, dissolution,
liquidation or winding-up. Such notice shall be mailed at least ten days prior
to the record date or effective date for the event specified in such notice.
7. Reservation of Stock. The Company will at all times reserve and keep
available, solely for issuance and delivery upon the exercise of this Warrant,
such number of Warrant Shares and other securities, cash and/or property, as
from time to time shall be issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant.
8. Exchange of Warrants. Upon the surrender by the Registered Holder, properly
endorsed, to the Company at the principal office of the Company, the Company
will, subject to the provisions of Section 4 hereof, issue and deliver to or
upon the order of such Holder, at the Company's expense, a new Warrant or
Warrants of like tenor, in the name of the Registered Holder or as the
Registered Holder (upon payment by the Registered Holder of any applicable
transfer taxes) may direct, calling in the aggregate on the face or faces
thereof for the number of shares of Common Stock (or other securities, cash
and/or property) then issuable upon exercise of this Warrant.
9. Replacement of Warrants. Upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to
the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant and
(in the case of loss, theft or destruction) upon delivery of an indemnity
agreement (with surety if reasonably required) in an amount reasonably
satisfactory to the Company, or (in the case of mutilation) upon surrender and
cancellation of this Warrant, the Company will issue, in lieu thereof, a new
Warrant of like tenor.
10. Transfers, etc.
(a) The Company will maintain a register containing the name and address of
the Registered Holder of this Warrant. The Registered Holder may change its or
his address as shown on the warrant register by written notice to the Company
requesting such change.
(b) Subject to the provisions of Section 4 hereof, this Warrant and all
rights hereunder are transferable, in whole or in part, to any partner, member,
stockholder or affiliate of the holder, and any such transferee shall have the
rights of the Registered Holder to the extent of the portion of this Warrant so
transferred. Such transfer shall be effective upon surrender of this Warrant
with a properly executed assignment (in the form of Exhibit II hereto) at the
principal office of the Company. Nothing contained in this Section 10 shall
limit the transferability of the Warrant Shares.
(c) Until any transfer of this Warrant is made in the warrant register, the
Company may treat the Registered Holder as the absolute owner hereof for all
purposes; provided, however, that if and when this Warrant is properly assigned
in blank, the Company may (but shall not be obligated to) treat the bearer
hereof as the absolute owner hereof for all purposes, notwithstanding any notice
to the contrary.
11. Mailing of Notices, etc. All notices and other communications from the
Company to the Registered Holder shall be mailed by first-class certified or
registered mail, postage prepaid, to the address last furnished to the Company
in writing by the Registered Holder. All
7
<PAGE>
notices and other communications from the Registered Holder or in connection
herewith to the Company shall be mailed by first-class certified or registered
mail, postage prepaid, to the Company at its principal office set forth below.
If the Company should at any time change the location of its principal office to
a place other than as set forth below, it shall give prompt written notice to
the Registered Holder and thereafter all references in this Warrant to the
location of its principal office at the particular time shall be as so specified
in such notice.
12. No Rights as Shareholder. Until the exercise of this Warrant, the Registered
Holder shall not have or exercise any rights by virtue hereof as a shareholder
of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event (i) the Company
effects a split of the Common Stock by means of a stock dividend and the
Purchase Price of and the number of Warrant Shares are adjusted as of the date
of the distribution of the dividend (rather than as of the record date for such
dividend), and (ii) the Registered Holder exercises this Warrant between the
record date and the distribution date for such stock dividend, the Registered
Holder shall be entitled to receive, on the distribution date, the stock
dividend with respect to the shares of Common Stock acquired upon such exercise,
notwithstanding the fact that such shares were not outstanding as of the close
of business on the record date for such stock dividend.
13. Change or Waiver. Any term of this Warrant may be changed or waived
only by an instrument in writing signed by the party against which enforcement
of the change or waiver is sought.
14. Section Headings. The section headings in this Warrant are for the
convenience of the parties and in no way alter, modify, amend, limit or restrict
the contractual obligations of the parties.
15. Governing Law. This Warrant will be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia (without
reference to the conflicts of law provisions thereof).
8
<PAGE>
EXECUTED as of the Date of Issuance indicated above.
ESSEX CORPORATION
By: /s/ Leonard E. Moodispaw
--------------------------
[Corporate Seal] Title: President & CEO
---------------
ATTEST:
/s/ Sarah E. Roberts
--------------------
9
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT I
PURCHASE FORM
To:_________________ Dated:____________
The undersigned, pursuant to the provisions set forth in the attached
Warrant (No. 1), hereby irrevocably elects to purchase (check applicable box):
0 _____ shares of the Common Stock covered by such Warrant; or
0 the maximum number of shares of Common Stock covered by such
Warrant pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth
in Section 1(b).
The undersigned herewith makes payment of the full purchase price for
such shares at the price per share provided for in such Warrant, which is
$________. Such payment takes the form of (check applicable box or boxes):
0 $______ in lawful money of the United States; and/or
0 the cancellation of such portion of the attached Warrant as is
exercisable for a total of _____ Warrant Shares (using a Fair
Market Value of $_____ per share for purposes of this
calculation); and/or
0 the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is
necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in Section
1(b), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum
number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless
exercise procedure set forth in Section 1(b).
Signature: _______________________
Address: _______________________
_______________________
10
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT II
ASSIGNMENT FORM
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, ________________________________________ hereby
sells, assigns and transfers all of the rights of the undersigned under the
attached Warrant (No. 1) with respect to the number of shares of Common Stock
covered thereby set forth below, unto:
Name of Assignee Address No. of Shares
---------------- ------- -------------
Dated:_____________________ Signature:________________________________
Signature Guaranteed:
By: _______________________
The signature should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (banks,
stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with membership in
an approved signature guarantee medallion program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
11
<PAGE>
ESSEX CORPORATION
Exhibit 99 (d)
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
<PAGE>
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
OF
ESSEX CORPORATION
To the State Corporation Commission
Commonwealth of Virginia
The following Articles of Amendment are hereby submitted pursuant to
the provisions of the Virginia Stock Corporation Act on behalf of the
corporation hereinafter named.
I. The name of the corporation (hereinafter referred to as the
"Corporation") is Essex Corporation.
II. Article (c) of the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation is
hereby amended to designate a new series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock to
be known as "Series B Convertible Preferred Stock" by adding the following as
new Section (c)(B):
(c)(B) Series B Convertible Preferred Stock. Five Hundred
Thousand (500,000) shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation are hereby
designated as Series B Convertible Preferred Stock ("Series B Preferred"). The
preferences, privileges and relative rights relating to the Series B Preferred
are as follows:
1. Dividend Provisions. The Corporation shall not
declare or pay any distributions on shares of Common Stock (other than a
distribution described in Section 3(d)(i) below) until the holders of the Series
B Preferred then outstanding shall have first received, or simultaneously
receive, out of any assets legally available therefor a distribution on each
outstanding share of Series B Preferred in an amount at least equal to the
product of (i) the per share amount, if any, of the dividends or other
distributions to be declared, paid or set aside for the Common Stock, multiplied
by (ii) the number of whole shares of Common Stock into which such share of
Series B Preferred is then convertible. Such dividends shall not be cumulative.
2. Liquidation. In the event of any liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, either voluntary or involuntary,
the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to stockholders shall
be distributed among the holders of Common Stock and Series B Preferred pro rata
based on the number of shares of Common Stock held by each such holder or into
which such holder's shares of Series B Preferred are then convertible.
3. Conversion. The holders of Series B Preferred
shall have conversion rights as follows (the "Conversion Rights"):
(a) Right to Convert. Subject to Section 3(c),
each share of Series B Preferred shall be convertible, at the option of the
holder thereof, at any time after the date of issuance of such share, at the
office of the Corporation or any transfer agent for such stock, into four (4)
fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock (the "Series B Conversion
Rate"). The Series B Conversion Rate shall be subject to adjustment as set forth
in Section 3(d).
<PAGE>
(b) Automatic Conversion. Each share of Series
B Preferred shall automatically be converted into shares of Common Stock at the
Series B Conversion Rate at the time in effect for such share on the second
anniversary of the filing of these Articles of Amendment with the Virginia State
Corporation Commission.
(c) Mechanics of Conversion. Before any holder
of Series B Preferred shall be entitled to convert the same into shares of
Common Stock, he shall surrender the certificate or certificates therefor, duly
endorsed, at the office of the Corporation or of any transfer agent for such
series of Series B Preferred, and shall give written notice to the Corporation
at its principal corporate office, of the election to convert the same and shall
state therein the name or names in which the certificate or certificates for
shares of Common Stock are to be issued. The Corporation shall, immediately
thereafter, issue and deliver at such office to such holder of Series B
Preferred, or to the nominee or nominees of such holder, a certificate or
certificates for the number of shares of Common Stock to which such holder shall
be entitled as aforesaid. Such conversion shall be deemed to have been made
immediately prior to the close of business on the date of such surrender of the
shares of Series B Preferred to be converted, and the person or persons entitled
to receive the shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion shall be
treated for all purposes as the record holder or holders of such shares of
Common Stock as of such date. If the conversion is in connection with an
acquisition or an underwritten offering of securities registered pursuant to the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the conversion may, at the option of any
holder tendering such Series B Preferred for conversion, be conditioned upon the
closing of such acquisition or the closing with the underwriters of the sale of
securities pursuant to such offering, in which event the person(s) entitled to
receive Common Stock upon conversion of such Series B Preferred shall not be
deemed to have converted such Series B Preferred until immediately prior to the
closing of such acquisition or such sale of securities.
(d) Conversion Rate Adjustments of Series B
Preferred for Certain Splits and Combinations. The Series B Conversion Rate
shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as follows:
(i) Stock Splits and Dividends. In the
event the Corporation should at any time or from time to time fix a record date
for the effectuation of a split or subdivision of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock or the determination of holders of Common Stock entitled to receive
a dividend or other distribution payable in additional shares of Common Stock or
other securities or rights convertible into, or entitling the holder thereof to
receive directly or indirectly, additional shares of Common Stock (hereinafter
referred to as "Common Stock Equivalents") without payment of any consideration
by such holder for the additional shares of Common Stock or the Common Stock
Equivalents (including the additional shares of Common Stock issuable upon
conversion or exercise thereof), then, as of such record date (or the date of
such dividend, distribution, split or subdivision if no record date is fixed),
the Series B Conversion Rate shall be appropriately adjusted so that the number
of shares of Common Stock issuable on conversion of each share of Series B
Preferred shall be increased in proportion to such increase of the aggregate of
shares of Common Stock outstanding and the number of shares issuable with
respect to such Common Stock Equivalents.
2
<PAGE>
(ii) Reverse Stock Splits. If the number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any time is decreased by a combination
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, then, following the record date of
such combination, the Series B Conversion Rate for each share of Series B
Preferred shall be appropriately adjusted so that the number of shares of Common
Stock issuable on conversion of each share of Series B Preferred shall be
decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding shares of Common Stock.
(e) Other Distributions. In the event
the Corporation shall declare a distribution payable in securities of other
persons, evidences of indebtedness issued by the Corporation or other persons,
assets (excluding cash dividends) or options or rights then, in each such case
for the purpose of this Section 3(e), the holders of Series B Preferred shall be
entitled to a proportionate share of any such distribution as though they were
the holders of the number of shares of Common Stock of the Corporation into
which their shares of Series B Preferred are convertible as of the record date
fixed for the determination of the holders of Common Stock of the Corporation
entitled to receive such distribution.
(f) Mergers, etc. If, at any time or
from time to time, there shall be a merger or consolidation of the Corporation
with or into another corporation, or the sale of all or substantially all of the
Corporation's properties and assets to any other person and entity, then as a
part of such reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale, provision shall be
made so that the holder of the Series B Preferred shall thereafter be entitled
to receive upon conversion of the Series B Preferred, the number of shares of
capital stock or other securities or property of the Corporation, or of the
successor corporation resulting from such merger or consolidation or sale, to
which the holder of shares of Common Stock deliverable upon conversion would
have been entitled on such reorganization, merger, consolidation, or sale. In
any such case, appropriate adjustment shall be made in the application of the
provisions of this section with respect to the rights of the holders of the
Series B Preferred after the reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale to
the end that the provisions of this section (including adjustment of the Series
B Conversion Rate then in effect and the number of shares of Common Stock
receivable upon conversion of the Series B Preferred) shall be applicable after
that event as nearly equivalent hereto as may be practicable.
(g) Recapitalizations. If at any time
or from time to time there shall be a recapitalization of the Common Stock
(other than a subdivision, combination or merger or other transaction provided
for elsewhere in this Section 3) provision shall be made so that the holders of
the Series B Preferred shall thereafter be entitled to receive upon conversion
of such Series B Preferred the number of shares of stock or other securities or
property of the Corporation or otherwise, to which a holder of Common Stock
deliverable upon conversion would have been entitled on such recapitalization.
In any such case, appropriate adjustment shall be made in the application of the
provisions of this Section 3 with respect to the rights of the holders of such
Series B Preferred after the recapitalization to the end that the provisions of
this Section 3 (including adjustment of the Series B Conversion Rate then in
effect and the number of shares purchasable upon conversion of such Series B
Preferred) shall be applicable after that event and be as nearly equivalent as
practicable.
(h) No Impairment. The Corporation will
not, by amendment of its Articles of Incorporation or through any
reorganization, recapitalization, transfer of assets,
3
<PAGE>
consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other
voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of
the terms to be observed or performed hereunder by the Corporation, but will at
all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all the provisions of this
Section 3 and in the taking of all such action as may be necessary or
appropriate in order to protect the Conversion Rights of the holders of Series B
Preferred against impairment.
(i) No Fractional Shares and Certificate
as to Adjustments.
(i) No fractional shares shall be
issued upon the conversion of any share or shares of the Series B Preferred, and
the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued shall be rounded to the
nearest whole share. The number of shares issuable upon such conversion shall be
determined on the basis of the total number of shares of Series B Preferred the
holder is at the time converting into Common Stock and the number of shares of
Common Stock issuable upon such aggregate conversion.
(ii) Upon the occurrence of each
adjustment or readjustment of the Series B Conversion Rate pursuant to this
Section 3, the Corporation, at its expense, shall promptly compute such
adjustment or readjustment in accordance with the terms hereof and prepare and
furnish to each holder of Series B Preferred a certificate setting forth such
adjustment or readjustment and showing in detail the facts upon which such
adjustment or readjustment is based. The Corporation shall, upon the written
request at any time of any holder of shares of a series of Series B Preferred,
furnish or cause to be furnished to such holder a like certificate setting forth
(A) such adjustment and readjustment, (B) the new Series B Conversion Rate, and
(C) the number of shares of Common Stock and the amount, if any, of other
property which at the time would be received upon the conversion of a share of
Series B Preferred.
(j) Notices of Record Date. In the
event of any taking by the Corporation of a record of the holders of any class
of securities for the purpose of determining the holders thereof who are
entitled to receive any dividend (other than a cash dividend) or other
distribution, any right to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire any
shares of stock of any class or any other securities or property, or to receive
any other right, the Corporation shall send to each holder of Series B
Preferred, at least ten (10) days prior to the date specified therein, a notice
specifying the date on which any such record is to be taken for the purpose of
such dividend, distribution or right, and the amount and character of such
dividend, distribution or right.
(k) Reservation of Stock Issuable Upon
Conversion. The Corporation shall at all times reserve and keep available out of
its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock, solely for the purpose of
effecting the conversion of the shares of Series B Preferred, such number of its
shares of Common Stock as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the
conversion of all outstanding shares of such Series B Preferred; and if at any
time the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock shall not be
sufficient to effect the conversion of all then outstanding shares of Series B
Preferred, in addition to such other remedies as shall be available to the
holder of such Series B Preferred, the Corporation will take such corporate
action as may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary to increase its
authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to such number of shares as shall
be sufficient
4
<PAGE>
for such purposes, including, without limitation, engaging in best efforts to
obtain the requisite shareholder approval of any necessary amendment to the
Corporation's Articles of Incorporation.
(l) Notices. Any notice required by the
provisions of this Section 3 to be given to the holders of shares of Series B
Preferred shall be deemed given if delivered to such shareholder by a nationally
recognized overnight delivery service at his address appearing on the books of
the Corporation.
4. Voting Rights.
(a) Except as provided in Section 4(b) or
Section 4(c) below, the holders of record of shares of Series B Preferred shall
be entitled to such number of votes for each share of Series B Preferred
standing in each such person's name on the stock transfer records of the
Corporation as shall be necessary to entitle the holders of all shares of Series
B Preferred to vote, in the aggregate, 51% of the total voting power of all
holders of all capital stock of the Corporation. Promptly following the fixing
of a record date for each annual or special meeting of shareholders or prior to
the taking of any action by written consent, the Board of Directors of the
Corporation (the "Board") shall determine the number of votes per share of
Series B Preferred that each holder of record of Series B Preferred shall be
entitled to cast to implement the foregoing voting provisions. The determination
of such number of votes by the Board shall be final and shall be set forth in
the notice of such meeting of shareholders or notice of consent delivered to the
holders of capital stock of the Corporation.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section
4(a) above, on any matter set forth in clauses (i) or (ii) below submitted for
consideration or action by the shareholders at any meeting of shareholders (or
by written consent of shareholders in lieu of meeting) each holder of record of
shares of Series B Preferred shall be entitled to one vote for each share of
Common Stock into which such holder's shares of Series B Preferred are
convertible as of the record date for determining shareholders entitled to vote
on such matter:
(i) any sale of all or substantially
all of the assets of the Corporation which values the Corporation at less
than $50,000,000; or
(ii) any merger (other than a merger in
which the holders of capital stock of the Corporation before the transaction
continue to hold more than 50% of the capital stock of the Corporation after the
transaction) or consolidation to which the Corporation is a party which values
the Corporation at less than $50,000,000.
Insofar as the consideration paid in a sale of assets, merger or
consolidation referenced in clause (i) or (ii) above consists of property other
than cash, the value of the Corporation shall be computed based on the fair
market value of such property as of the applicable record date. In the event any
consideration in such transaction is to be paid on a deferred basis, such
consideration shall be valued on a present value basis, applying a discount
factor of 8%. Any dispute concerning valuation of the Corporation shall be
resolved by an investment banking firm selected by the Board.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of
Section 4(a) above, each holder of record of shares of Series B Preferred shall
be entitled to one vote for each share
5
<PAGE>
of Common Stock into which such holder's shares of Series B Preferred are
convertible at such time as the holders of Series B Preferred default beyond
applicable grace and cure periods on any obligation they have to purchase Series
B Preferred after the date of these Articles of Amendment.
III. The capital stock of the Corporation shall have no par value.
IV. The date of adoption of the amendments herein was September 6 ,
2000. Such amendments were duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the
Corporation at a meeting held on September 6 , 2000, pursuant to the provisions
of the Virginia Stock Corporation Act. The foregoing amendments do not require
shareholder approval.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Essex Corporation has caused these Articles of
Amendment to be executed by its President and attested to by its Secretary as of
this 7th day of September, 2000.
ESSEX CORPORATION
By: /s/ Leonard E. Moodispaw
------------------------
, President
ATTEST:
/s/ Kimberly J. DeChello
------------------------
, Secretary
