EX-1.1 2 d845371dex11.htm EX-1.1 EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

OPEN MARKET SALE AGREEMENTSM

June 24, 2020

JEFFERIES LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell from time to time through Jefferies LLC, as sales agent and/or principal (the “Agent”), shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.04 per share (the “Common Shares”), having an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000 on the terms set forth in this agreement (this “Agreement”).

Section 1.    DEFINITIONS

(a)    Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the following respective meanings:

Affiliate” of a Person means another Person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such first-mentioned Person. The term “control” (including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Agency Period” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and expiring on the earliest to occur of (x) the date on which the Agent shall have placed the Maximum Program Amount pursuant to this Agreement and (y) the date this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7.

Agent” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Anti-Money Laundering Laws” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(pp).

Base Prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Common Shares” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

 

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“Open Market Sale Agreement” is a service mark of Jefferies LLC


Company” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Company Stock Plans” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(i).

Credit Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(h).

EDGAR” means the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval system.

Environmental Law” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(ff).

Exaro” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(h).

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

FCPA” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(oo).

FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

Floor Price” means the minimum price set by the Company in the Issuance Notice below which the Agent shall not sell Shares during the applicable period set forth in the Issuance Notice, which may be adjusted by the Company at any time during the period set forth in the Issuance Notice by delivering written notice of such change to the Agent and which in no event shall be less than $1.00 without the prior written consent of the Agent, which consent may be withheld in the Agent’s sole discretion.

Free Writing Prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(e).

GAAP” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(s).

GT” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(r).

Hazardous Materials” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(ff).

Intellectual Property” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(dd).

Interim Prospectus Supplement” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

Investment Company Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(z).

Issuance Amount” means the aggregate Sales Price of the Shares to be sold by the Agent pursuant to any Issuance Notice.

Issuance Notice” means a written notice delivered to the Agent by the Company in accordance with this Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A that is executed by its Chief Executive Officer, President or Chief Financial Officer.

Issuance Notice Date” means any Trading Day during the Agency Period that an Issuance Notice is delivered pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).

 

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Issuance Price” means the Sales Price less the Selling Commission.

IT Systems” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(yy).

Material Adverse Change” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(y).

Material Adverse Effect” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(g).

Maximum Program Amount” means Common Shares with an aggregate Sales Price of the lesser of (a) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares registered under the effective Registration Statement (defined below) pursuant to which the offering is being made, (b) the number of authorized but unissued Common Shares (less Common Shares issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any outstanding securities of the Company or otherwise reserved from the Company’s authorized capital stock), (c) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares permitted to be sold under Form S-3, or (d) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares for which the Company has filed a Prospectus (defined below).

NYSE American” means the NYSE American LLC.

Original Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

Other Offering Amendment” means an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus relating solely to the issuance or offering of securities other than the Common Shares.

Person” means an individual or a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, governmental authority or other entity of any kind.

Personal Data” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(yy).

Principal Market” means the NYSE American or such other national securities exchange on which the Common Shares, including any Shares, are then listed.

Prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

Regulatory Authority” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(l).

Related Judgment” has the meaning set forth in Section 8(g).

Related Proceedings” has the meaning set forth in Section 8(g).

Representation Date” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of Section 2.

Rights-of-way” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(bb).

 

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Rule 102” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(x).

Sales Price” means the actual sale execution price of each Share placed by the Agent pursuant to this Agreement.

Sanctioned Country” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(qq).

Sanctions” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(qq).

Sarbanes-Oxley Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(ll).

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

Selling Commission” means three percent (3%) of the gross proceeds of Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement, or as otherwise agreed between the Company and the Agent with respect to any Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement.

Settlement Date” means the second business day following each Trading Day during the period set forth in the Issuance Notice on which Shares are sold pursuant to this Agreement, when the Company shall deliver to the Agent the amount of Shares sold on such Trading Day and the Agent shall deliver to the Company the Issuance Price received on such sales.

Shares” shall mean the Company’s Common Shares issued or issuable pursuant to this Agreement.

Specified Courts” has the meaning set forth in Section 8(g).

Stock Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(x).

Subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(h).

Time of Sale” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)(v).

Time of Sale Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).

Trading Day” means any day on which the Principal Market is open for trading.

Triggering Event Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(o).

WDVG” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(v).

WDVG Properties” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(v).

WMC” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(u).

WMC Properties” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(u).

 

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Section 2.    REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Agent that as of (1) the date of this Agreement, (2) each Issuance Notice Date, (3) each Settlement Date, (4) each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) and (5) as of each Time of Sale (each of the times referenced above is referred to herein as a “Representation Date”), except as may be disclosed in the Prospectus (including any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements thereto) on or before a Representation Date:

(a)    Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Commission a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-238209) that contains a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”). Such registration statement registers the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares under the Securities Act. The Company may file one or more additional registration statements from time to time that will contain a base prospectus and related prospectus or prospectus supplement, if applicable, with respect to the Shares. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement(s), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, including all financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto and all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act as from time to time amended or supplemented, and including any information contained in a Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act or deemed to be part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430(B) of the Securities Act, is herein referred to as the “Registration Statement,” and the prospectus constituting a part of such registration statement(s), together with any prospectus supplement filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act relating to a particular issuance of the Shares, including all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, in each case, as from time to time amended or supplemented, is referred to herein as the “Prospectus,” except that if any revised prospectus is provided to the Agent by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the Shares that is not required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, the term “Prospectus” shall refer to such revised prospectus from and after the time it is first provided to the Agent for such use. The Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective is herein called the “Original Registration Statement.” As used in this Agreement, the terms “amendment” or “supplement” when applied to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing by the Company with the Commission of any document under the Exchange Act after the date hereof that is or is deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in, or “part of” the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include, without limitation, the filing of any document under the Exchange Act which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or

 

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otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date. All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto, or any Free Writing Prospectus (as defined herein), shall be deemed to include any copy filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR.

(b)    Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Original Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act prior to the issuance of any Issuance Notices by the Company. The Company and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet the requirements for and comply with the applicable conditions set forth in Form S-3 (including General Instructions I.A and I.B) under the Securities Act. The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information, if any. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission. At the time the Registration Statement originally became effective and at the time the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K was filed with the Commission, the Company met the then-applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, including, but not limited to, General Instruction I.B.1. During the Agency Period, each time the Company files an annual report on Form 10-K, the Company will meet the then-applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, including, but not limited to, General Instruction I.B.1. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act specified in FINRA Conduct Rule 5110(B)(7)(C)(i).

The Prospectus when filed complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by electronic transmission pursuant to EDGAR, was identical (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Securities Act) to the copy thereof delivered to the Agent for use in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares. Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any post-effective amendment or supplement thereto, at the time it became or becomes effective and at all subsequent times, complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the date of this Agreement, the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus considered together (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”) did not, and at each Settlement Date will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Prospectus, as of its date, did not, and at each Settlement Date and will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the three immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Agent furnished to the Company in writing by the Agent expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information described in Section 6 below. There are no contracts or other documents required to

 

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be described in the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as required. The Registration Statement and the offer and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act and comply in all material respects with said Rule.

(c)    Free Writing Prospectus. Any Free Writing Prospectus in connection with the Shares that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act. Each Free Writing Prospectus in connection with the Shares that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending, and each such Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the issuance and sale of the Shares did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein. Except for any Free Writing Prospectus and electronic roadshows, if any, furnished to the Agent before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the prior written consent of the Agent, prepare, use or refer to, any Free Writing Prospectus in connection with the Shares.

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

(e)    Capitalization. The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the consolidated financial statements contained in the Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2020 (the “Q1 2020 10-Q”) (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans and the conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock referred to in the Q1 2020 10-Q, pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the Q1 2020 10-Q). All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, have been issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws and were not issued in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right.

(f)    Listing. The Common Shares are duly listed, admitted and authorized for trading, on the NYSE American. The Shares are duly listed, and admitted and authorized for trading, subject to official notice of issuance, on the NYSE American. The Company has not received any currently effective notice from the NYSE American regarding the delisting or potential delisting of the Common Shares, including the Shares, from the NYSE American.

(g)    Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Texas, with full

 

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corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, to execute and deliver this Agreement and to issue, sell and deliver the Shares as contemplated herein.

(h)    Foreign Qualification of the Company. The Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the ownership or leasing of its properties and assets or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified and in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to either (i) have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), liquidity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries (as defined below) taken as a whole or (ii) prevent or materially interfere with consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, whether or not covered by insurance (the occurrence of any such effect or any such prevention or interference described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as a “Material Adverse Effect”).

(i)    Ownership Interests. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, the issued and outstanding capital stock, membership interests, partnership interests or other ownership interests (as applicable) of each of the entities listed on Exhibit C hereto in the percentages set forth on Exhibit C hereto, which constitute all direct or indirect subsidiaries of the Company. References herein to “Subsidiaries” refer to the entities listed on Exhibit C hereto. Each Subsidiary has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, except where the failure to be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Each Subsidiary is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the ownership or leasing of its properties and assets or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified and in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of, or other equity interests in, each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, have been issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, were not issued in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right and are owned by the Company or applicable Subsidiary subject to no security interest, other encumbrance or adverse claims, except for such liens, encumbrances, equities or claims granted in connection with that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of September 17, 2019, among the Company, as borrower, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, and each lender from time to time party thereto, as amended by the First Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of November 1, 2019, and as further amended, restated or modified from time to time, and related security documents (collectively, the “Credit Agreement”), or as could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue or other rights to convert any obligation into shares of capital stock of, or equity interests in, the Subsidiaries are outstanding. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, 37% of the outstanding limited liability company interests in Exaro Energy III LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Exaro”), and such limited liability company interests are owned by the Company subject to no security interest, other encumbrance or adverse claims, except for such liens, encumbrances, equities or claims granted in connection with the Credit Agreement or as could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(j)    The Shares. The Shares have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free of statutory and contractual preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal and similar rights and any restriction upon the voting or transfer thereof pursuant to the Texas Business Organizations Code or the Company’s charter or bylaws or any agreement or other instrument to which the Company is a party. No holder of Shares will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder.

(k)    Capital Stock. The capital stock of the Company, including the Common Shares, conforms in all material respects to each description thereof contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(l)    The Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(m)    No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in breach or violation of or in default under (nor has any event occurred which, with notice, lapse of time or both, would result in any breach or violation of, constitute a default under or give the holder of any indebtedness (or a person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a part of such indebtedness under) (A) its charter or bylaws or similar organizational documents, or (B) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any license, lease, contract or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties or assets may be bound or affected, or (C) any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign law, or (D) any rule or regulation of any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency or any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the NYSE American) (collectively, a “Regulatory Authority”), or (E) any decree, judgment or order applicable to it or any of its properties, except, in the case of clauses (B), (C), (D) and (E), to the extent that any such conflict, breach, violation or default would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(n)    No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares by the Company , the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Prospectus do not and will not conflict with, result in any breach or violation of or constitute a default under (nor constitute any event which, with notice, lapse of time or both, would result in any breach or violation of, constitute a default under or give the holder of any indebtedness (or a person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a part of such indebtedness under) (or result in the creation or imposition of a lien, charge or encumbrance on any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to) (A) the charter or bylaws or similar organizational document of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, or (B) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any license, lease, contract or other agreement or instrument to which the

 

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Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their respective properties or assets may be bound or affected, or (C) any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign law, or (D) any rule or regulation of any Regulatory Authority (including, without limitation, the rules and regulations of the NYSE American), or (E) any decree, judgment or order applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets.

(o)    No Consents Required. No approval, authorization, license, registration, qualification, decree, consent or order of or filing with any Regulatory Authority or approval of the stockholders of the Company is necessary or required in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, other than (i) registration of the offer and sale of the Shares under the Act, which has been effected, (ii) any necessary qualification under the state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Agent or (iii) under the rules of FINRA.

(p)    No Preemptive Rights. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (i) no person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to issue or sell to it any shares of Common Shares or shares of any other capital stock of the Company, (ii) no person has any preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase any shares of Common Shares or shares of any other capital stock of the Company and (iii) no person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and duly waived, no person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to register under the Act the offer or sale of any shares of Common Shares, or to include any such shares, in the Registration Statement or the offering of Shares contemplated thereby.

(q)    Permits and Licenses. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has all necessary permits, licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals issued by the appropriate Regulatory Authorities and has made all necessary filings required under any applicable law, regulation or rule, and has obtained all necessary permits, licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals from other persons, in order to conduct their respective businesses in all material respects as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in violation of, or in default under, or has received notice of any proceedings relating to revocation or modification of, any such permit, license, authorization, consent or approval or any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule or any decree, judgment or order applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, except where such violation, default, revocation or modification would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(r)    Legal Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims, investigations or inquiries pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective directors or officers is or would be a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is or would be subject at law or in equity, before or by any Regulatory Authority, except any such action, suit, proceeding, claim, investigation or inquiry which, if resolved adversely to the Company or any Subsidiary, would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(s)    Independent Auditors. Grant Thornton LLP (“GT”), whose report on the consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries is included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Act and by the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. KPMG LLP (“KPMG”), whose report on the consolidated financial statements of White Star Petroleum, LLC (“White Star”) is included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Propsectus, is an independent registered public acounting firm as required by the Act and by the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

(t)    Financial Statements. The financial statements, including (A) the audited financial statements of the Company as of and for the three-year period ended December 31, 2019 as filed with the Commission on March 30, 2020 in its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, (B) the unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company as of March 31, 2020 and for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, (C) the audited historical financial statements of White Star as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 and for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, and (D) the unaudited historical financial statements of White Star as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, and for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2019 and year ended December 31, 2018, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly the consolidated financial position of the Company, the Subsidiaries and White Star as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Company, the Subsidiaries and White Star for the periods specified and have been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved. The supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, if any, present fairly in all material respects the information set forth therein. The other financial and statistical data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus are accurately and fairly presented in all material respects and are prepared on a basis consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company. The unaudited pro forma combined consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and are set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus. There are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required by the Act or the Exchange Act to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required. The pro forma adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein, and the pro forma adjustments have been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those statements and data. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements, or other financial statements required by Regulation S-X under the Act, including Rule 3-09 thereof, or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus under the Act or the rules

 

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and regulations promulgated thereunder. The Company, the Subsidiaries and White Star do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), not described or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus. All disclosures included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G under the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Act, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(u)    WMC. William M. Cobb & Associates (“WMC”), a reserve engineer that prepared reserve reports of the estimated net proved oil and natural gas reserves held by the Company and the Subsidiaries as of January 1, 2020 with respect to certain oil and gas properties located in West Texas, state and federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and onshore Mississippi (the “WMC Properties”), was, as of the date of preparation of such reserve reports, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company. The information contained or incorporated by reference in the most recent Prospectus regarding estimated proved reserves of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of January 1, 2020 with respect to the WMC Properties is based upon the reserve reports prepared by WMC. The information provided to WMC by the Company and the Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, information as to: production, costs of operation and development, current prices for production, agreements relating to current and future operations and sales of production, was true and correct in all material respects on the dates the reports were made. Such information was provided to WMC in accordance with all customary industry practices.

(v)    WDVG. W.D. Von Gonten & Co. (“WDVG”), a reserve engineer that prepared reserve reports of the estimated net proved oil and natural gas reserves held by Exaro as of January 1, 2020 with respect to certain oil and gas properties located in Wyoming (the “WDVG Properties”), was, as of the date of preparation of such reserve reports, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company. The information contained or incorporated by reference in the most recent Prospectus regarding estimated proved reserves of Exaro as of January 1, 2020 with respect to the WDVG Properties is based upon the reserve reports prepared by WDVG. To the knowledge of the Company, the information provided to WDVG by Exaro, including, without limitation, information as to: production, costs of operation and development, current prices for production, agreements relating to current and future operations and sales of production, was true and correct in all material respects on the dates the reports were made. Such information was provided to WDVG in accordance with all customary industry practices.]1

(w)    Reserves Estimates. The factual information underlying the estimates of reserves of the Company and the Subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, including, without limitation, production, costs of operation and development, current prices for production, agreements relating

 

 

1 

NTD: GDC to update as appropriate.

 

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to current and future operations and sales of production, was true and correct in all material respects on the dates such estimates were made and such information was supplied and was prepared in accordance with customary industry practices. Other than normal production of reserves, intervening market commodity price fluctuations, fluctuations in demand for such products, adverse weather conditions, unavailability or increased costs of rigs, equipment, supplies or personnel, the timing of third party operations and other factors, changes in applicable regulations or regulatory guidance regarding the rules for estimating reserves, in each case in the ordinary course of business, and except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, neither of the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is aware of any facts or circumstances that would result in a material adverse change in the aggregate net reserves, or the aggregate present value of future net cash flows therefrom, as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(x)    Stock Plans. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, each stock option granted under any stock option plan of the Company or any Subsidiary (each, a “Stock Plan”) was granted with a per share exercise price no less than the fair market value per share of Common Shares on the grant date of such option, and no such grant involved any “back-dating,” “forward-dating” or similar practice with respect to the effective date of such grant. Each such stock option (i) was granted in compliance with applicable law and with the applicable Stock Plan(s), (ii) was duly approved by the Board of Directors (or a duly authorized committee thereof) of the Company or such Subsidiary, as applicable, and (iii) has been properly accounted for in the Company’s consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP and disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(y)    No Material Adverse Change. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there has not been, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (i) any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the business, properties, management, condition (financial or otherwise), liquidity, or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Change”), (ii) any transaction which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iii) any obligation or liability, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations) incurred by the Company or any Subsidiary that is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iv) any change in the capital stock of, or other equity interests in, or outstanding indebtedness of, the Company or any Subsidiaries or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of, or other equity interests in, the Company or any Subsidiary.

(z)    Investment Company Act. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is, or at any time when a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Shares or at any Issuance Notice Date will any of them be, and, after giving effect to the offer and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof, neither of them will be, required to register as an “investment company,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

 

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(aa)    Real Property. The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all of their interests in oil and gas properties and all other real property owned by the Company and the Subsidiaries and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (i) are disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (ii) arise under the Credit Agreement, (iii) liens and encumbrances under operating agreements, unitization and pooling agreements, production sales contracts, farm-out agreements and other oil and gas exploration participation and production agreements, in each case that secure payment of amounts not yet due and payable for the performance of other unmatured obligations and are of a scope and nature customary in the oil and gas industry or arise in connection with drilling and production operations, or (iv) would not, in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, all of the oil and gas leases of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and under which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has received written notice of any claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries under any of such leases, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease, except for such claims that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

(bb)    Rights-of-Way. The Company and the Subsidiaries have such consents, easements, rights-of-way or licenses from any person (collectively, “rights-of-way”) as are necessary to enable the Company to conduct its business in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, subject to qualifications as may be set forth in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, except where failure to have such rights-of-way would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

(cc)    Oil and Gas Lease Compliance. As of the date hereof, (i) all royalties, rentals, deposits and other amounts owed under the oil and gas leases constituting the oil and gas properties of the Company and the Subsidiaries have been properly and timely paid (other than amounts held in suspense accounts pending routine payments or related to disputes about the proper identification of royalty owners and except where the failure to timely pay or pay such amounts would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect); and no material amount of proceeds from the sale or production attributable to the oil and gas properties of the Company and the Subsidiaries are currently being held in suspense by any purchaser thereof, except where such amounts due would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) there are no claims under take-or-pay contracts pursuant to which natural gas purchasers have any makeup rights affecting the interests of the Company or the Subsidiaries in their respective oil and gas properties, except where such claims would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(dd)    Intellectual Property. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries owns, licenses or otherwise has the right to use all inventions, patent applications, patents, trademarks (both registered and unregistered), trade names, service names, know-how (including trade secrets and

 

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other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), copyrights, service marks and other intellectual property as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and which is necessary for the conduct of, or material to, its business (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”), and the Company is unaware of any claim to the contrary or any challenge by any other person to the rights of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries with respect to the Intellectual Property. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has infringed or is infringing the intellectual property of a third party, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is subject to any pending claim, or aware of any threatened claim, by a third party to the contrary.

(ee)    Labor Disputes. Except for matters which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) there is (A) no unfair labor practice complaint pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries before the National Labor Relations Board, and no grievance or arbitration proceeding arising out of or under collective bargaining agreements is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, (B) no strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and (C) no union representation dispute currently existing concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, no union organizing activities are currently taking place concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and (iii) to the Company’s knowledge, there has been no violation of any federal, state, local or foreign law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees, any applicable wage or hour laws or any provision of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

(ff)    Environmental Compliance. The Company and the Subsidiaries and their respective properties, assets and operations are in compliance with, and the Company and each of the Subsidiaries hold all permits, authorizations and approvals required under, Environmental Laws (as defined below), except to the extent that failure to so comply or to hold such permits, authorizations or approvals would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. There are no past or present conditions, circumstances, activities, practices, actions, omissions or plans that could reasonably be expected to give rise to any material costs or liabilities to the Company or any Subsidiary under, or to interfere with or prevent compliance by the Company or any Subsidiary with, Environmental Laws. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries (i) is the subject of any investigation, (ii) has received any notice or claim, (iii) is a party to or affected by any pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit or proceeding, (iv) is bound by any decree, judgment or order or (v) has entered into any agreement, in each case relating to any actual or alleged violation of any Environmental Law or any actual or alleged release or threatened release or cleanup at any location of any Hazardous Materials (as defined below) (as used herein, “Environmental Law” means any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, decree, judgment, injunction, permit, license, authorization or other binding requirement, or common law, relating to the protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, those relating to the distribution, processing, generation, treatment, storage, disposal, transportation, other handling or release or

 

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threatened release of Hazardous Materials, and “Hazardous Materials” means any material (including, without limitation, any flammable explosives, radioactive materials, toxic chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold) or any other hazardous materials as defined or regulated by or which may give rise to liability under any Environmental Law). In the ordinary course of their business, the Company and each of the Subsidiaries conduct periodic reviews of the effect of the Environmental Laws on their respective properties, assets and operations, in the course of which they identify and evaluate associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for cleanup, closure of properties or compliance with the Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties).

(gg)    Tax Returns. All tax returns required to be filed by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries have been timely filed, and all taxes and other assessments of a similar nature (whether imposed directly or through withholding), including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto due or claimed to be due from such entities, have been timely paid, other than those being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been provided or those that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(hh)    Insurance. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries maintain insurance covering their respective properties, assets, operations, personnel and businesses as the Company reasonably deems adequate. Such insurance insures against such losses and risks to an extent which is adequate in accordance with customary industry practice for similar companies to protect the Company and the Subsidiaries and their respective properties, assets, operations, personnel and businesses in all material respects. All such insurance is fully in force. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has reason to believe that it will not be able to renew any such insurance as and when such insurance expires.

(ii)    Termination of Contracts. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has sent or received any communication regarding termination of, or intent not to renew, any of the contracts or other documents referred to or described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus, or referred to or described in, or filed as an exhibit to, the Registration Statement or any Incorporated Document, and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by the Company or any Subsidiary or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party to any such contract or other document, except for such terminations or non-renewals as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(jj)    Accounting Controls. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries maintain effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) the interactive data in extensible

 

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Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. The Company’s independent registered public accountants and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses, if any, in the design or operation of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) all fraud, if any, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. All material weaknesses, if any, in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting are disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there have not been any changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(kk)    Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time period specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to management of the Company, including its principal executive officer and its principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

(ll)    Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The principal executive officers (or their equivalents) and principal financial officers (or their equivalents) of the Company have made all certifications required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) and any related rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission, and the statements contained in each such certification are complete and correct in all material respects. The Company, the Subsidiaries and the Company’s directors and executive officers are each in compliance in all material respects with all applicable effective provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission and the NYSE American promulgated thereunder.

(mm)    Forward-Looking Statements. Each “forward-looking statement” (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus was made by the Company with a reasonable basis and in good faith.

(nn)    Statistical or Market-Related Data. All statistical or market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably believes to be reliable and accurate.

(oo)    No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended,

 

17


and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA; and the Company, its Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(pp)    Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements and the money laundering statutes and the rules and regulations thereunder, including but not limited to the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the United States Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, the United States Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, as amended, and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and its Subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(qq)    No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any applicable sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its Subsidiaries located, organized, or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions; and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund any activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or (ii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, is a person that is, or is 50% or more owned or otherwise controlled by a person that is: (i) the subject of any Sanctions (a “Sanctioned Person”); or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions that broadly prohibit dealings with that country or territory (currently, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria and the Crimea region of Ukraine claimed by Russia) (collectively, “Sanctioned Countries” and each, a “Sanctioned Country”). Except as has been disclosed to the Agent or is not material to the analysis under any Sanctions, neither the Company

 

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nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in any dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person, or with or in a Sanctioned Country, in the preceding five (5) years, nor does the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have any plans to increase its dealings or transactions with Sanctioned Persons, or with or in Sanctioned Countries.

(rr)    No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. No Subsidiary is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends or making other distributions to the Company, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company, except, in each case, as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(ss)    No Rights to Acquire Capital Stock. The issuance and sale of the Shares will not cause any holder of any shares of capital stock, securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for capital stock or options, warrants or other rights to purchase capital stock or any other securities of the Company to have any right to acquire any shares of capital stock of the Company.

(tt)    No Broker’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than as contemplated by this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or the Agent for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offer and sale of any Shares.

(uu)    No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor any of their respective directors, officers, affiliates or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed, or might reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or any action that constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or a violation of Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

(vv)    No Lending Relationships. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, the Company (A) does not have any material lending or other relationship with the Agent or any bank, lending or other affiliate of the Agent and (B) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from its sale of Shares contemplated hereby to repay any outstanding debt owed to the Agent or any affiliate of the Agent.

(ww)    Related-Party Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of the Subsidiaries on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders (or analogous interest holders), customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its affiliates on the other hand, which is required to be described in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or a document incorporated by reference therein and which is not so described.

(xx)    Registration Rights. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, no person or entity has the right to require registration of shares of Common Shares or other securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries because of

 

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the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or otherwise, except for persons and entities who have expressly waived such right in writing or who have been given timely and proper written notice and have failed to exercise such right within the time or times required under the terms and conditions of such right. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no persons with registration rights or similar rights to have any securities registered by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under the Act.

(yy)    Cyber Security; Data Protection. The Company and its Subsidiaries are presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of the Company and its Subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, data and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) and all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Personal Data”) and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except to the extent that failure to so comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, there has been no security breach or attack or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ IT Systems, except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(zz)    FINRA Matters. All of the information provided to the Agent or to counsel for the Agent by the Company, its officers and directors and the holders of any securities (debt or equity) or options to acquire any securities of the Company in connection with letters, filings or other supplemental information provided to FINRA pursuant to FINRA Conduct Rules 5110, 5121 and 5190 is true, complete and correct. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, or is a person associated with any member firm of FINRA.

Any certificate signed by any officer or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and delivered to the Agent or counsel for the Agent in connection with an issuance of Shares shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Agent as to the matters covered thereby on the date of such certificate.

The Company acknowledges that the Agent and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(o) hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Agent, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.

Section 3.    ISSUANCE AND SALE OF COMMON SHARES

(a)    Sale of Securities. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and the Agent agree that the Company may from time to time seek to sell Shares through the Agent, acting as sales agent, or directly to the Agent, acting as principal, as follows, with an aggregate Sales Price of up to the Maximum Program Amount, based on and in accordance with Issuance Notices as the Company may deliver, during the Agency Period.

 

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(b)    Mechanics of Issuances.

(i)    Issuance Notice. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, on any Trading Day during the Agency Period on which the conditions set forth in Section 5 shall have been satisfied, the Company may exercise its right to request an issuance of Shares by delivering to the Agent an Issuance Notice; provided, however, that (A) in no event may the Company deliver an Issuance Notice to the extent that (I) the sum of (x) the aggregate Sales Price of the requested Issuance Amount, plus (y) the aggregate Sales Price of all Shares issued under all previous Issuance Notices effected pursuant to this Agreement, would exceed the Maximum Program Amount; and (B) prior to delivery of any Issuance Notice, the period set forth for any previous Issuance Notice shall have expired or been terminated. An Issuance Notice shall be considered delivered on the Trading Day that it is received by e-mail to the persons set forth in Exhibit B hereto and confirmed by the Company by telephone (including a voicemail message to the persons so identified), with the understanding that, with adequate prior written notice, the Agent may modify the list of such persons from time to time.

(ii)    Agent Efforts. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, upon the receipt of an Issuance Notice, the Agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal sales and trading practices to place the Shares with respect to which the Agent has agreed to act as sales agent, subject to, and in accordance with the information specified in, the Issuance Notice, unless the sale of the Shares described therein has been suspended, cancelled or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the parties to this Agreement may modify an Issuance Notice at any time provided they both agree in writing to any such modification.

(iii)    Method of Offer and Sale. The Shares may be offered and sold (A) in privately negotiated transactions with the consent of the Company, (B) as block transactions or (C) by any other method or payment permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act, including sales made directly on the Principal Market or sales made into any other existing trading market of the Common Shares. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to require either party to agree to the method of offer and sale specified in the preceding sentence (except as specified in clauses (A) and (B) above), and the method of placement of any Shares by the Agent shall be at the Agent’s discretion.

(iv)    Confirmation to the Company. If acting as sales agent hereunder, the Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day next following the Trading Day on which it has placed Shares hereunder setting forth the number of shares sold on such Trading Day, the corresponding Sales Price and the Issuance Price payable to the Company in respect thereof.

(v)    Settlement. Each issuance of Shares will be settled on the applicable Settlement Date for such issuance of Shares and, subject to the provisions of Section 5, on or before each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Shares being sold by crediting the Agent’s or its designee’s account at The Depository Trust

 

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Company through its Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian (DWAC) System, or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto and, upon receipt of such Shares, which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form, the Agent will deliver, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, the related Issuance Price in same day funds delivered to an account designated by the Company prior to the Settlement Date. The Company may sell Shares to the Agent as principal at a price agreed upon at each relevant time Shares are sold pursuant to this Agreement (each, a “Time of Sale”).

(vi)    Suspension or Termination of Sales. Consistent with standard market settlement practices, the Company or the Agent may, upon notice to the other party hereto in writing or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable email), suspend any sale of Shares, and the period set forth in an Issuance Notice shall immediately terminate; provided, however, that (A) such suspension and termination shall not affect or impair either party’s obligations with respect to any Shares placed or sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice; (B) if the Company suspends or terminates any sale of Shares after the Agent confirms such sale to the Company, the Company shall still be obligated to comply with Section 3(b)(v) with respect to such Shares; and (C) if the Company defaults in its obligation to deliver Shares on a Settlement Date, the Company agrees that it will hold the Agent harmless against any loss, claim, damage or expense (including, without limitation, penalties, interest and reasonable legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, in performing its obligations under this Agreement, the Agent may borrow Common Shares from stock lenders in the event that the Company has not delivered Shares to settle sales as required by subsection (v) above, and may use the Shares to settle or close out such borrowings. The Company agrees that no such notice shall be effective against the Agent unless it is made to the persons identified in writing by the Agent pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).

(vii)    No Guarantee of Placement, Etc. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (A) there can be no assurance that the Agent will be successful in placing Shares and (B) the Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other Person if it does not sell Shares, and (C) the Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise specifically agreed by the Agent and the Company.

(viii)    Material Non-Public Information. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company and the Agent agree that the Company shall not deliver any Issuance Notice to the Agent, and the Agent shall not be obligated to place any Shares, during any period in which the Company is, or could be deemed to be, in possession of material non-public information.

(c)    Sales through Agent. With respect to the offering and sale of Shares pursuant to this Agreement, the Company agrees that any offer to sell Shares, any solicitation of an offer to buy Shares and any sales of Shares shall only be effected by or through Jefferies LLC, as Agent.

(d)    Fees. As compensation for services rendered, the Company shall pay to the Agent, on the applicable Settlement Date, the Selling Commission for the applicable Issuance Amount (including with respect to any suspended or terminated sale pursuant to Section 3(b)(vi)) by the Agent deducting the Selling Commission from the applicable Issuance Amount.

 

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(e)    Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Shares (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Shares, (iii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares, (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors, (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), the Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, (vi) all filing fees, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Agent in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada, and, if requested by the Agent, preparing and printing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum and a “Canadian wrapper”, and any supplements thereto, advising the Agent of such qualifications, registrations, determinations and exemptions, (vii) the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Agent’s counsel, including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Agent in connection with, FINRA review, if any, and approval of the Agent’s participation in the offering and distribution of the Shares, (viii) the filing fees incident to FINRA review, if any, (ix) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives, employees and officers of the Company and of the Agent and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show and (x) the fees and expenses associated with listing the Shares on the Principal Market. The fees and disbursements of Agent’s counsel pursuant to subsections (vi), (vii) and (viii) above shall not exceed (A) $50,000 in connection with the preparation of this Agreement and the documents related to the first Issuance Notice and (B) $15,000 in connection with each Triggering Event Date (as defined below) on which the Company is required to provide a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o).

Section 4.    ADDITIONAL COVENANTS

The Company covenants and agrees with the Agent as follows, in addition to any other covenants and agreements made elsewhere in this Agreement:

(a)    Exchange Act Compliance.    During the Agency Period, the Company shall (i) file, on a timely basis, with the Commission all reports and documents required to be filed under Section 13, 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act in the manner and within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and (ii) either (A) include in its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its annual reports on Form 10-K, a summary detailing, for the relevant reporting period, (1) the number of Shares sold through the Agent pursuant to this Agreement and (2) the net proceeds received by the Company from such sales or (B) prepare a prospectus supplement containing, or include in such

 

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other filing permitted by the Securities Act or Exchange Act (each an “Interim Prospectus Supplement”) with such summary information and, at least once a quarter and subject to this Section 4, file such Interim Prospectus Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (and within the time periods required by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430B under the Securities Act)).

(b)    Securities Act Compliance. After the date of this Agreement, the Company shall promptly advise the Agent in writing (i) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (ii) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, or any Free Writing Prospectus, (iii) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Common Shares from any securities exchange upon which they are listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rule 424(b) and Rule 433, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were filed in a timely manner with the Commission.

(c)    Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities Act Matters. If any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus so that the Prospectus does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if in the opinion of the Agent or counsel for the Agent it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, including the Securities Act, the Company agrees (subject to Section 4(d) and 4(f)) to promptly prepare, file with the Commission and furnish at its own expense to the Agent, amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law including the Securities Act. Neither the Agent’s consent to, or delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the Company’s obligations under Sections 3(b) or (c). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be required to file such amendment or supplement if there is no pending Issuance Notice and the Company believes that it is in its best interest not to file such amendment or supplement.

(d)    Agents Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements. Prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (including any amendment or supplement through incorporation of any report filed under the Exchange Act), the Company shall

 

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furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, insofar as such proposed amendment or supplement relates to the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Company shall not file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement without the Agent’s prior written consent, and the Company shall file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

(e)    Use of Free Writing Prospectus. Neither the Company nor the Agent has prepared, used, referred to or distributed, or will prepare, use, refer to or distribute, without the other party’s prior written consent, any “written communication” that constitutes a “free writing prospectus” as such terms are defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act with respect to the offering contemplated by this Agreement (any such free writing prospectus being referred to herein as a “Free Writing Prospectus”).

(f)    Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto without the Agent’s prior written consent. The Company shall furnish to the Agent, without charge, as many copies of any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, or used by the Company, as the Agent may reasonably request. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) in connection with sales of the Shares (but in any event if at any time through and including the date of this Agreement) there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly amend or supplement such free writing prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict or so that the statements in such free writing prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at such subsequent time, not misleading, as the case may be; provided, however, that prior to amending or supplementing any such free writing prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of such proposed amended or supplemented free writing prospectus and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any such amended or supplemented free writing prospectus without the Agent’s prior written consent.

(g)    Filing of Agent Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall not take any action that would result in the Agent or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Agent that the Agent otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

 

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(h)    Copies of Registration Statement and Prospectus. After the date of this Agreement through the last time that a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares, the Company agrees to furnish the Agent with copies (which may be electronic copies) of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, and with copies of the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto in the form in which it is filed with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act or Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, both in such quantities as the Agent may reasonably request from time to time; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required under the Securities Act or under the blue sky or securities laws of any jurisdiction at any time on or prior to the applicable Settlement Date for any period set forth in an Issuance Notice in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any event has occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it is necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, to notify the Agent and to request that the Agent suspend offers to sell Shares (and, if so notified, the Agent shall cease such offers as soon as practicable); and if the Company decides to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, to advise the Agent promptly by telephone (with confirmation in writing) and to prepare and cause to be filed promptly with the Commission an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that if during such same period the Agent is required to deliver a prospectus in respect of transactions in the Shares, the Company shall promptly prepare and file with the Commission such an amendment or supplement.

(i)    Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with the Agent and counsel for the Agent to qualify or register the Shares for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the state securities or blue sky laws or Canadian provincial securities laws of those jurisdictions designated by the Agent, shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares. The Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign corporation. The Company will advise the Agent promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Shares for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.

(j)    Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Agent an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a period of at least 12 months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 under the Securities Act.

 

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(k)    Listing; Reservation of Shares. (a) The Company will maintain the listing of the Shares on the Principal Market, and (b) the Company will reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, Shares for the purpose of enabling the Company to satisfy its obligations under this Agreement.

(l)    Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Shares.

(m)    Due Diligence. During the term of this Agreement, the Company will reasonably cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Agent in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during normal business hours and at the Company’s principal offices, as the Agent may reasonably request from time to time.

(n)    Representations and Warranties. The Company acknowledges that each delivery of an Issuance Notice and each delivery of Shares on a Settlement Date shall be deemed to be (i) an affirmation to the Agent that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in or made pursuant to this Agreement are true and correct as of the date of such Issuance Notice or of such Settlement Date, as the case may be, as though made at and as of each such date, except as may be disclosed in the Prospectus (including any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements thereto), and (ii) an undertaking that the Company will advise the Agent if any of such representations and warranties will not be true and correct as of the Settlement Date for the Shares relating to such Issuance Notice, as though made at and as of each such date (except that such representations and warranties shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented relating to such Shares).

(o)    Deliverables at Triggering Event Dates; Certificates. The Company agrees that on or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and, during the term of this Agreement after the date of the first Issuance Notice, upon:

(A)    the filing of the Prospectus or the amendment or supplement of any Registration Statement or Prospectus (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to an offering of securities other than the Shares or a prospectus filed pursuant to Section 4(a)(ii)(B)), by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker or supplement, but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus;

(B)    the filing with the Commission of an annual report on Form 10-K or a quarterly report on Form 10-Q (including any Form 10-K/A or Form 10-Q/A containing amended financial information or a material amendment to the previously filed annual report on Form 10-K or quarterly report on Form 10-Q), in each case, of the Company; or

(C)    the filing with the Commission of a current report on Form 8-K of the Company containing amended financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Item 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) that is material to the offering of securities of the Company in the Agent’s reasonable discretion;

 

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(any such event, a “Triggering Event Date”), the Company shall furnish the Agent (but in the case of clause (C) above only if the Agent reasonably determines that the information contained in such current report on Form 8-K of the Company is material) with a certificate as of the Triggering Event Date, in the form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, (A) confirming that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct, (B) that the Company has performed all of its obligations hereunder to be performed on or prior to the date of such certificate and as to the matters set forth in Section 5 hereof, and (C) containing any other certification that the Agent shall reasonably request. The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 4(o) shall be waived for any Triggering Event Date occurring at a time when no Issuance Notice is pending or a suspension is in effect, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers instructions for the sale of Shares hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Triggering Event Date) and the next occurring Triggering Event Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following a Triggering Event Date when a suspension was in effect and did not provide the Agent with a certificate under this Section 4(o), then before the Company delivers the instructions for the sale of Shares or the Agent sells any Shares pursuant to such instructions, the Company shall provide the Agent with a certificate in conformity with this Section 4(o) dated as of the date that the instructions for the sale of Shares are issued.

(p)    Legal Opinion and Negative Assurances Letter. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, the Company shall cause to be furnished, at the request of the Agent, the written legal opinion and negative assurance letter of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, counsel to the Company, each dated the date of delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented. In lieu of such opinions for subsequent periodic filings, in the discretion of the Agent, the Company may furnish a reliance letter from such counsel to the Agent, permitting the Agent to rely on a previously delivered opinion letter, modified as appropriate for any passage of time or Triggering Event Date (except that statements in such prior opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented as of such Triggering Event Date).

(q)    Comfort Letter of GT. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, the Company shall cause GT, the independent registered public accounting firm who has audited the financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, to furnish the Agent a comfort letter, dated the date of delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel; provided, however, that any such comfort letter will only be required on the Triggering Event Date specified to the extent that it contains financial statements filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act and incorporated or deemed to be incorporated

 

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by reference into a Prospectus. If requested by the Agent, the Company shall also cause a comfort letter to be furnished to the Agent within ten (10) Trading Days of the date of occurrence of any material transaction or event requiring the filing of a current report on Form 8-K containing material amended financial information of the Company, including the restatement of the Company’s financial statements. The Company shall be required to furnish no more than one comfort letter hereunder per calendar quarter.

(r)    Comfort Letter of KPMG. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice, the Company shall cause KPMG, the independent registered public accounting firm who has audited the financial statements of White Star included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, to furnish the Agent a comfort letter, dated the date of delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel.

(s)    Reserve Engineer Comfort Letters. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, the Company shall cause each of WDVG and WMC, the reserve engineers for the Company and Exaro, as applicable, to furnish the Agent a comfort letter, dated the date of delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel.

(t)    Secretarys Certificate. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish the Agent a certificate executed by the Secretary of the Company, signing in such capacity, dated the date of delivery (i) certifying that attached thereto are true and complete copies of the resolutions duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement), which authorization shall be in full force and effect on and as of the date of such certificate, (ii) certifying and attesting to the office, incumbency, due authority and specimen signatures of each Person who executed this Agreement for or on behalf of the Company, and (iii) containing any other certification that the Agent shall reasonably request.

(u)    Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Date, the Company shall furnish the Agent a certificate executed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, signing in such capacity, dated the date of delivery, confirming certain financial information included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel.

(v)    Agent’s Own Account; Clients’ Account. The Company consents to the Agent trading, in compliance with applicable law, in the Common Shares for the Agent’s own account and for the account of its clients at the same time as sales of the Shares occur pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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(w)    Investment Limitation. The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as would require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.

(x)    Market Activities. The Company will not take, and will ensure that no affiliate of the Company will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or any other reference security, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise, and the Company will, and shall cause each of its affiliates to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M. If the limitations of Rule 102 of Regulation M (“Rule 102”) do not apply with respect to the Shares or any other reference security pursuant to any exception set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102, then promptly upon notice from the Agent (or, if later, at the time stated in the notice), the Company will, and shall cause each of its affiliates to, comply with Rule 102 as though such exception were not available but the other provisions of Rule 102 (as interpreted by the Commission) did apply. The Company shall promptly notify the Agent if it no longer meets the requirements set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102.

(y)    Notice of Other Sale. Without the written consent of the Agent, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares (other than Shares hereunder), warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Shares, during the period beginning on the third Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which any Issuance Notice is delivered to the Agent hereunder and ending on the third Trading Day immediately following the Settlement Date with respect to Shares sold pursuant to such Issuance Notice; and will not directly or indirectly enter into any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction offer to sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Shares (other than the Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Shares prior to the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that such restriction will not be required in connection with the Company’s (i) issuance or sale of Common Shares, options to purchase Common Shares or Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of options or other equity awards pursuant to any employee or director share option, incentive or benefit plan, share purchase or ownership plan, long-term incentive plan, dividend reinvestment plan, inducement award under the rules of the Principal Market or other compensation plan of the Company or its subsidiaries, as in effect on the date of this Agreement, (ii) issuance or sale of Common Shares issuable upon exchange, conversion or redemption of securities or the exercise or vesting of warrants, options or other equity awards outstanding at the date of this Agreement, (iii) issuance or sale of Common Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares as consideration for mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations, joint ventures or strategic alliances occurring after the date of this Agreement which are not used for capital raising purposes and (iv) modification of any outstanding options, warrants of any rights to purchase or acquire Common Shares.

(z)    Use of Proceeds. The Company intends to apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares sold by it in the manner described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

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Section 5.    CONDITIONS TO DELIVERY OF ISSUANCE NOTICES AND TO SETTLEMENT

(a)    Conditions Precedent to the Right of the Company to Deliver an Issuance Notice and the Obligation of the Agent to Sell Shares. The right of the Company to deliver an Issuance Notice hereunder is subject to the satisfaction, on the date of delivery of such Issuance Notice, and the obligation of the Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts to place Shares during the applicable period set forth in the Issuance Notice is subject to the satisfaction, on each Trading Day during the applicable period set forth in the Issuance Notice, of each of the following conditions:

(b)    Accuracy of the Company’s Representations and Warranties; Performance by the Company. The Company shall have delivered the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(o) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to
Section 4(o). The Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to such date, including, but not limited to, the covenants contained in Section 4(m), Section 4(q), and Section 4(r) (subject to the relevant financial statements being required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement at that time) and Section 4(s).

(c)    No Injunction. No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby that prohibits or directly and materially adversely affects any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and no proceeding shall have been commenced that may have the effect of prohibiting or materially adversely affecting any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(d)    Material Adverse Changes. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, (a) in the judgment of the Agent there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change; and (b) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined under Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act.

(e)    No Suspension of Trading in or Delisting of Common Shares; Other Events. The trading of the Common Shares (including without limitation the Shares) shall not have been suspended by the Commission, the Principal Market or FINRA and the Common Shares (including without limitation the Shares) shall have been approved for listing or quotation on and shall not have been delisted from the Nasdaq Stock Market, the New York Stock Exchange or any of their constituent markets. There shall not have occurred (and be continuing in the case of occurrences under clauses (i) and (ii) below) any of the following: (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Principal Market, or trading in securities generally on either the Principal Market shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such

 

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stock exchanges by the Commission or FINRA; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal, New York or Texas authorities; or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, including a health epidemic or pandemic outbreak of infectious disease (including COVID-19 to the extent that there is a material worsening of such outbreak that actually occurs after the date hereof in the markets in which the Company operates) or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Agent is material and adverse and makes it impracticable to market the Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities;

(f)    Documents Required to be Delivered on each Issuance Notice Date. The Agent’s obligation to use its commercially reasonable efforts to place Shares hereunder shall additionally be conditioned upon the delivery to the Agent on or before the Issuance Notice Date of a certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, executed by the Chief Executive Officer, President or Chief Financial Officer of the Company, to the effect that all conditions to the delivery of such Issuance Notice shall have been satisfied as at the date of such certificate as required to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(o) (which certificate shall not be required if the foregoing representations shall be set forth in the Issuance Notice).

(g)    No Misstatement or Material Omission. Agent shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in the Agent’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in the Agent’s reasonable opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

(h)    Other Materials. On each date on which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o), the Company shall have furnished to the Agent such appropriate further information, certificates and documents as the Agent may have reasonably requested. All such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents shall have been in compliance with the provisions hereof. The Company will furnish the Agent with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents as the Agent shall have reasonably requested.

(i)    Securities Act Filings Made. All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act with respect to the Shares to have been filed prior to the issuance of any Issuance Notice hereunder shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424.

(j)    FINRA. FINRA shall have raised no objections to the terms of this offering and the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Agent as described in the Prospectus.

Section 6.    INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION

(a)    Indemnification of the Agent. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent, its officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Agent

 

32


within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Agent or such officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or the laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Shares have been offered or sold or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to the foregoing), or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (iii) any act or failure to act or any alleged act or failure to act by the Agent in connection with, or relating in any manner to, the Common Shares or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is included as part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising out of or based upon any matter covered by clause (i) or (ii) above, provided that the Company shall not be liable under this clause (iii) to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction shall have determined by a final judgment that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken by the Agent through its bad faith or willful misconduct, and to reimburse the Agent and each such officer, employee and controlling person for any and all documented expenses (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Agent) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by the Agent or such officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any such Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the information described in subsection (b) below. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 6(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.

(b)    Indemnification of the Company and its Directors and Officers. The Agent agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such director, officer, or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Agent), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based

 

33


upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included or incorporated by reference in any Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433 of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any such amendment or supplement) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any such amendment or supplement), in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Agent furnished to the Company by the Agent in writing expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any such director, officer, or controlling person for any and all reasonable and documented expenses (including the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel) as such expenses are incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Agent have furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to the foregoing) is the information set forth in the first sentence of the ninth paragraph under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 6(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Agent may otherwise have.

(c)    Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 6, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6 or to the extent the indemnifying party is not prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure and shall not in any event relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, that if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon

 

34


receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 6 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action), which counsel (together with any local counsel) for the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Agent (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in Section 6(a) above), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party and shall be paid as they are incurred.

(d)    Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 6 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 6(b) hereof, the indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding.

(e)    Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The

 

35


relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total gross proceeds from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total Selling Commission received by the Agent. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Agent, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 6(b), any reasonable and documented legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 6(b) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 6(e); provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 6(b) for purposes of indemnification.

The Company and the Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6(e) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 6(e).

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6(e), the Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the Selling Commission received by the Agent in connection with the offering contemplated hereby. 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. For purposes of this Section 6(e), each officer and employee of the Agent and each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Agent, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

Section 7.    TERMINATION & SURVIVAL

(a)    Term. Subject to the provisions of this Section 7, the term of this Agreement shall continue from the date of this Agreement until the end of the Agency Period, unless earlier terminated by the parties to this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.

(b)    Termination; Survival Following Termination. (i) Either party may terminate this Agreement prior to the end of the Agency Period, by giving written notice as required by this Agreement, upon ten (10) Trading Days’ notice to the other party; provided that, (A) if the Company terminates this Agreement after the Agent confirms to the Company any sale of Shares, the Company shall remain obligated to comply with Section 3(b)(v) with respect to such Shares and (B) Section 2, Section 6, Section 7 and Section 8 shall survive termination of this Agreement. If termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Shares, such sale shall nevertheless settle in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

36


(ii)    In addition to the survival provision of Section 7(b)(i), the respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the Agent set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Agent or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.

Section 8.    MISCELLANEOUS

(a)    Press Releases and Disclosure. The Company may issue a press release describing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby as soon as practicable following the date of this Agreement, and may file with the Commission a current report on Form 8-K, with this Agreement attached as an exhibit thereto, describing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Company shall consult with the Agent prior to making such disclosures, and the parties hereto shall use all commercially reasonable efforts, acting in good faith, to agree upon a text for such disclosures that is reasonably satisfactory to all parties hereto. No party hereto shall issue thereafter any press release or like public statement (including, without limitation, any disclosure required in reports filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act) related to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby without the prior written approval of the other party hereto, except as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the party seeking to make disclosure to comply with the requirements of applicable law or stock exchange rules and except for the disclosure required pursuant to Section 4(a) of this Agreement in the Company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or annual reports on Form 10-K. If any such press release or like public statement is so required, the party making such disclosure shall consult with the other party prior to making such disclosure, and the parties shall use all commercially reasonable efforts, acting in good faith, to agree upon a text for such disclosure that is reasonably satisfactory to all parties hereto.

(b)    No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the determination of any fees, are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Company and the Agent, (ii) when acting as a principal under this Agreement, the Agent is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (iii) the Agent has not assumed nor will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Agent has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and the Agent does not have any obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) the Agent and its respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (v) the Agent has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

 

37


(c)    Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Agent’s research analysts and research departments are required to and should be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and as such the Agent’s research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company or the offering that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company understands that the Agent is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(d)    Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:

If to the Agent:

Jefferies LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Facsimile: (646) 619-4437

Attention: General Counsel

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

White & Case LLP

1221 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10020-1095

Facsimile: (212) 354-8113

If to the Company:

Contango Oil & Gas Company

717 Texas Avenue, Suite 2900

Houston, Texas 77002

Facsimile: (713) 758-2222

Attention: Wilkie S. Colyer, Jr., President and CEO

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

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

811 Main Street, Suite 3000, Houston, TX 77002

Facsimile: (346) 718-6902

Attention: Hillary Holmes

 

38


Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others in accordance with this
Section 8(d).

(e)    Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, and to the benefit of the affiliates, agents, employees, officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 6, and in each case their respective successors and personal representatives, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors” shall not include any purchaser of the Shares as such from the Agent merely by reason of such purchase.

(f)    Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Article, Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Article, Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Article, Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

(g)    Governing Law Provisions. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

(h)    Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. In the event that the Agent is a Covered Entity that becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from the Agent, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event that the Agent is a Covered Entity that becomes, or a BHC Act Affiliate of the Agent becomes, subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against the Agent are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

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For purposes of this Section 8(h), a “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k). “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b). “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable. “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

(i)    General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument, and may be delivered by facsimile transmission or by electronic delivery of a portable document format (PDF) file. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The Article and Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.

[Signature Page Immediately Follows]

 

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.

 

Very truly yours,
CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
By:  

/s/ E Joseph Grady

Name:   E. Joseph Grady
Title:   Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary

The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Agent in New York, New York as of the date first above written.

 

JEFFERIES LLC
By:   /s/ Michael Magarro
Name:   Michael Magarro
Title:   Managing Director


EXHIBIT A

ISSUANCE NOTICE

[Date]

Jefferies LLC

520 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Attn: [                        ]

Reference is made to the Open Market Sale Agreement between Contango Oil & Gas Company (the “Company”) and Jefferies LLC (the “Agent”) dated as of                        , 2020. The Company confirms that all conditions to the delivery of this Issuance Notice are satisfied as of the date hereof.

Date of Delivery of Issuance Notice (determined pursuant to Section 3(b)(i)):

Issuance Amount (equal to the total Sales Price for such Shares):

 

   $                                            
Number of days in selling period:                                       
First date of selling period:                                       
Last date of selling period:                                       
Settlement Date(s) if other than standard T+2 settlement:   
                                      

Floor Price Limitation (in no event less than $1.00 without the prior written consent of the Agent, which consent may be withheld in the Agent’s sole discretion): $          per share

Comments:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

 

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

A-1


EXHIBIT B

Notice Parties

The Company

Joe Grady (JGrady@contango.com)

Wilkie S. Colyer (WColyer@contango.com)

The Agent

Michael Magarro (mmagarro@jefferies.com)

Donald Lynaugh (dlynaugh@jefferies.com)

Conrad Gibbins (cgibbins@jefferies.com)

 

B-1


EXHIBIT C

Subsidiaries

 

Subsidiary    Ownership
Percentage
 

Crimson Exploration Inc.

     100

Crimson Exploration Operating, Inc.

     100

Contango Resources, Inc.

     100

Contango Midstream Company

     100

Contango Energy Company

     100

Contango Rocky Mountain Inc.

     100

Contango Operators, Inc.

     100

Contango Mining Company

     100

Conterra Company

     100

Contaro Company

     100

Contango Alta Investments, Inc.

     100

Contango Venture Capital Corporation

     100

LTW Pipeline Co.

     100

 

C-1