EX-4.2 5 g80701exv4w2.txt EX-4.2 REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT EXHIBIT 4.2 SILICON VALLEY BANK REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT is entered into as of February 12, 2003, by and between Silicon Valley Bank ("Purchaser") and the Company whose name appears on the last page of this Agreement. RECITALS A. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Purchaser is purchasing from the Company a Warrant to Purchase Stock (the "Warrant") pursuant to which Purchaser has the right to acquire from the Company the Shares (as defined in the Warrant). B. By this Agreement, the Purchaser and the Company desire to set forth the registration rights of the Shares all as provided herein. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises, covenants and conditions hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto mutually agree as follows: 1. Registration Rights. The Company covenants and agrees as follows: 1.1 Definitions. For purposes of this Section 1: (a) The term "register," "registered," and "registration" refer to a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement or similar document in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and the declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such registration statement or document; (b) The term "Registrable Securities" means (i) the Shares (if Common Stock) or all shares of Common Stock of the Company issuable or issued upon conversion of the Shares and (ii) any Common Stock of the Company issued as (or issuable upon the conversion or exercise of any warrant, right or other security which is issued as) a dividend or other distribution with respect to, or in exchange for or in replacement of, any stock referred to in (i); provided, however, that a Registrable Security ceases to be a Registrable Security when (A) it is registered under the Securities Act; (B) it is sold or transferred in accordance with the requirements of Rule 144 (or similar provisions then in effect); (C) it is eligible to be sold or transferred under Rule 144 without holding period or volume limitations; or (D) it is sold in a private transaction in which the transferor's rights under this Agreement are not assigned. (c) The term "Rule 144" shall mean Rule 144 as promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar successor rule that may be promulgated by the SEC. (d) The terms "Holder" or "Holders" means the Purchaser or qualifying transferees under subsection 1.8 hereof who hold Registrable Securities. (e) The term "SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission. 1.2 Company Registration. (a) Registration. If at any time or from time to time, the Company shall determine to register any of its securities, for its own account or the account of any of its shareholders, other than a registration on Form S-1 or S-8 relating solely to employee stock option or purchase plans, or a registration on Form S-4 relating solely to an SEC Rule 145 transaction, or a registration on any other form (other than Form S-1, S-2, S-3 or S-18, or their successor forms) or any successor to such forms, which does not include substantially the same information as would be required to be included in a registration statement covering the sale of Registrable Securities, the Company will: (i) promptly give to each Holder written notice thereof , which notice briefly describes the Holders' rights under this Section 1.2 (including notice deadlines); (ii) use its best efforts to include in such registration (and any related filing or qualification under applicable blue sky laws), except as set forth in Section 1.2(b) below, and in any underwriting involved therein, all the Registrable Securities specified in a written request or requests, made by any Holder and received by the Company within ten (10) days after the written notice from the Company, described in clause (i) above is mailed or delivered by the Company, provided that such Holders shall have requested for inclusion in such registration at least ten percent (10%) of the aggregate number of the Registrable Securities which have been issued to the Holders prior to the date of such written request. Such written request may specify all or a part of a Holder's Registrable Securities; and (iii) keep such registration effective for a period of one hundred twenty (120) days or until the Holder or Holders have completed the distribution described in the registration statement relating thereto, whichever first occurs. (b) Underwriting. If the registration of which the Company gives notice is for a registered public offering involving an underwriting, the Company shall so advise the Holders as a part of the written notice given pursuant to Section 1.2(a)(i). In such event, the right of any Holder to registration pursuant to this Section 1.2 shall be conditioned upon such Holder's participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Holder's Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided herein. All Holders proposing to distribute their securities through such underwriting shall (together with the Company and the other holders of securities of the Company with registration rights to participate therein distributing their securities through such underwriting) enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the representative of the underwriter or underwriters selected by the Company. 2 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 1.2, if the representative of the underwriters advises the Company in writing that marketing factors require a limitation on the number of shares to be underwritten, the representative may (subject to the limitations set forth below) exclude all Registrable Securities from, or limit the number of Registrable Securities to be included in, the registration and underwriting. The Company shall so advise all Holders of securities requesting registration, and the number of shares of securities that are entitled to be included in the registration and underwriting shall be allocated first to the Company for securities being sold for its own account and thereafter as set forth in Section 1.10. If any person does not agree to the terms of any such underwriting, he shall be excluded therefrom by written notice from the Company or the underwriter. Any Registrable Securities or other securities excluded or withdrawn from such underwriting shall be withdrawn from such registration. If shares are so withdrawn from the registration and if the number of shares of Registrable Securities to be included in such registration was previously reduced as a result of marketing factors, the Company shall then offer to all persons who have retained the right to include securities in the registration the right to include additional securities in the registration in an aggregate amount equal to the number of shares so withdrawn, with such shares to be allocated among the persons requesting additional inclusion in accordance with Section 1.10 hereof. 1.3 Expenses of Registration. All expenses incurred in connection with any registration, qualification or compliance pursuant to this Section 1 including without limitation, all registration, filing and qualification fees, printing expenses, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and expenses of any special audits incidental to or required by such registration, shall be borne by the Company except the Company shall not be required to pay underwriters' fees, discounts or commissions relating to Registrable Securities. All expenses of any registered offering not otherwise borne by the Company shall be borne pro rata among the Holders participating in the offering and the Company. 1.4 Registration Procedures. In the case of each registration effected by the Company pursuant to Section 1.2 hereof, the Company will keep each Holder advised in writing as to the initiation of each registration and as to the completion thereof. At its expense, the Company will use its best efforts to: (a) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in connection with such registration statement as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such registration statement; (b) furnish such number of prospectuses and other documents incident thereto, including any amendment of or supplement to the prospectus, as a Holder from time to time may reasonably request; (c) notify each Holder of Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act of the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus 3 included in such registration statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or incomplete in the light of the circumstances then existing, and at the request of any such Holder, prepare and furnish to such Holder a reasonable number of copies of a supplement to or an amendment of such prospectus as may be necessary so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such prospectus shall not include an 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 or incomplete in the light of the circumstances then existing; provided, however, the Company shall not be obligated to prepare and furnish any such prospectus supplements or amendments relating to any material nonpublic information at any such time as the Board of Directors of the Company has determined that, for good business reasons, the disclosure of such material nonpublic information at that time is contrary to the best interests of the Company in the circumstances and is not otherwise required under applicable law (including applicable securities laws); (d) cause all such Registrable Securities registered pursuant hereunder to be listed on each securities exchange and/or included in any national quotation system on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed or included; (e) provide a transfer agent and registrar for all Registrable Securities registered pursuant to such registration statement and a CUSIP number for all such Registrable Securities, in each case not later than the effective date of such registration; and (f) otherwise use its best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC, and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve (12) months, but not more than eighteen (18) months, beginning with the first month after the effective date of the registration statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act. 1.5 Indemnification. (a) The Company will indemnify each Holder of Registrable Securities and each of its officers, directors and partners, and each person controlling such Holder, with respect to which such registration, qualification or compliance has been effected pursuant to this Rights Agreement, and each underwriter, if any, and each person who controls any underwriter of the Registrable Securities held by or issuable to such Holder, against all claims, losses, expenses, damages and liabilities (or actions in respect thereto) arising out of or based on any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any prospectus, offering circular or other document (including any related registration statement, notification or the like) incident to any such registration, qualification or compliance, or based on any omission (or alleged omission) to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement therein not misleading, or any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, ("Exchange Act") or any state securities law applicable to the Company or any rule or regulation promulgated under the 4 Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any such state law and relating to action or inaction required of the Company in connection with any such registration, qualification of compliance, and will reimburse each such Holder, each of its officers, directors and partners, and each person controlling such Holder, each such underwriter and each person who controls any such underwriter, within a reasonable amount of time after incurred for any reasonable legal and any other expenses incurred in connection with investigating, defending or settling any such claim, loss, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this subsection 1.5(a) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such claim, loss, damage, liability, or action if such settlement is effected without the consent of the Company (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld); and provided further, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such claim, loss, damage or liability arises out of or is based on any untrue statement or omission based upon written information furnished to the Company by an instrument duly executed by such Holder or underwriter specifically for use therein. (b) Each Holder will, if Registrable Securities held by or issuable to such Holder are included in the securities as to which such registration, qualification or compliance is being effected, indemnify the Company, each of its directors and officers, each underwriter, if any, of the Company's securities covered by such a registration statement, each person who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and each other such Holder, each of its officers, directors and partners and each person controlling such Holder, against all claims, losses, expenses, damages and liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arising out of or based on any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any such registration statement, prospectus, offering circular or other document, 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, and will reimburse the Company, such Holders, such directors, officers, partners, persons or underwriters for any reasonable legal or any other expenses incurred in connection with investigating, defending or settling any such claim, loss, damage, liability or action, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) or omission (or alleged omission) is made in such registration statement, prospectus, offering circular or other document in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by an instrument duly executed by such Holder specifically for use therein; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this subsection 1.5(b) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such claim, loss, damage, liability or action if such settlement is effected without the consent of the Holder, (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld); and provided further, that the total amount for which any Holder shall be liable under this subsection 1.5(b) shall not in any event exceed the aggregate proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities held by such Holder in such registration. (c) Each party entitled to indemnification under this subsection 1.5 (the "Indemnified Party") shall give notice to the party required to provide indemnification (the "Indemnifying Party") promptly after such Indemnified Party has actual knowledge of any claim as to which indemnity may be sought, and shall permit the Indemnifying Party to assume the defense of any such claim or any litigation resulting therefrom; provided that counsel for the 5 Indemnifying Party, who shall conduct the defense of such claim or litigation, shall be approved by the Indemnified Party (whose approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), and the Indemnified Party may participate in such defense at such party's expense; and provided further, that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations hereunder, unless such failure resulted in prejudice to the Indemnifying Party; and provided further, that an Indemnified Party (together with all other Indemnified Parties which may be represented without conflict by one counsel) shall have the right to retain one separate counsel, with the fees and expenses to be paid by the Indemnifying Party, if representation of such Indemnified Party by the counsel retained by the Indemnifying Party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between such Indemnified Party and any other party represented by such counsel in such proceeding. No Indemnifying Party, in the defense of any such claim or litigation, shall, except with the consent of each Indemnified Party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnified Party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation. 1.6 Information by Holder. Any Holder or Holders of Registrable Securities included in any registration shall promptly furnish to the Company such information regarding such Holder or Holders and the distribution proposed by such Holder or Holders as the Company may request in writing and as shall be required in connection with any registration, qualification or compliance referred to herein. 1.7 Rule 144 Reporting. With a view to making available to Holders the benefits of certain rules and regulations of the SEC which may permit the sale of the Registrable Securities to the public without registration, the Company agrees at all times to: (a) make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in SEC Rule 144; (b) file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act; and (c) so long as a Holder owns any Registrable Securities, to furnish to such Holder forthwith upon request a written statement by the Company as to its compliance with the reporting requirements of said Rule 144, and of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company, and such other reports and documents so filed as a Holder may reasonably request in availing itself of any rule or regulation of the SEC allowing a Holder to sell any such securities without registration. 6 1.8 Transfer of Registration Rights. Holders' rights to cause the Company to register their securities and keep information available, granted to them by the Company under subsections 1.2 and 1.7 may be assigned to a transferee or assignee of a Holder's Registrable Securities not sold to the public, provided, that the Company is given written notice by such Holder at the time of or within a reasonable time after said transfer, stating the name and address of said transferee or assignee and identifying the securities with respect to which such registration rights are being assigned. The Company may prohibit the transfer of any Holders' rights under this subsection 1.8 to any proposed transferee or assignee who the Company reasonably believes is a competitor of the Company. 1.9 Delay of Registration. (a) Notice to Discontinue. Each Holder agrees by acquisition of such securities that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of any event of the kind described in Section 1.4(c), the Holder will discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities until the Holder receives copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 1.4(c). In addition, if the Company requests, the Holder will deliver to the Company (at the Company's expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies then in the Holder's possession, of the prospectus covering the Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice. If the Company gives any such notice, the time period mentioned in Section 1.2(a)(iii) shall be extended by the number of days elapsing between the date of notice and the date that each Holder who has included Registrable Securities in such registration receives the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated in Section 1.4(c). (b) Notice by Holders. Whenever the Holders have requested that any Registrable Securities be registered pursuant to this Agreement, those Holders shall notify the Company, at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event, which as to any Holder is (i) to its respective knowledge; and (iii) solely as to matters concerning that Holder, as a result of which the prospectus included in the registration statement, then in effect, contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading. 7 1.10 Allocation of Registration Opportunities. In any circumstance in which all of the Registrable Securities and other shares of the Company with registration rights (the "Other Shares") requested to be included in a registration on behalf of the Holders or Other Stockholders cannot be so included as a result of limitations of the aggregate number of shares of Registrable Securities and Other Shares that may be so included, the number of shares of Registrable Securities and Other Shares that may be so included shall be allocated among the Holders and Other Stockholders requesting inclusion of shares pro rata on the basis of the number of shares of Registrable Securities and Other Shares held by such Holders and Other Stockholders; provided, however, that such allocation shall not operate to reduce the aggregate number of Registrable Securities and Other Shares to be included in such registration, if any Holder or Other Stockholder does not request inclusion of the maximum number of shares of Registrable Securities and Other Shares allocated to him pursuant to the above-described procedure, the remaining portion of his allocation shall be reallocated among those requesting Holders and Other Stockholders whose allocations did not satisfy their requests pro rata on the basis of the number of shares of Registrable Securities and Other Shares which would be held by such Holders and Other Stockholders, assuming conversion, and this procedure shall be repeated until all of the shares of Registrable Securities and Other Shares which may be included in the registration on behalf of the Holders and Other Stockholders have been so allocated. 2. General. 2.1 Waivers and Amendments. With the written consent of the record or beneficial holders of at least a majority of the Registrable Securities, the obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Registrable Securities under this agreement may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance, either retroactively or prospectively, and either for a specified period of time or indefinitely), and with the same consent the Company, when authorized by resolution of its Board of Directors, may enter into a supplementary agreement for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Agreement; provided, however, that no such modification, amendment or waiver shall reduce the aforesaid percentage of Registrable Securities without the consent of all of the Holders of the Registrable Securities. Upon the effectuation of each such waiver, consent, agreement of amendment or modification, the Company shall promptly give written notice thereof to the record holders of the Registrable Securities who have not previously consented thereto in writing. This Agreement or any provision hereof may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated only by a statement in writing signed by the party against which enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge or termination is sought, except to the extent provided in this subsection 2.1. 2.2 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of California as such laws are applied to agreements between California residents entered into and to be performed entirely within California. 2.3 Successors and Assigns. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the provisions hereof shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators of the parties hereto. 8 2.4 Entire Agreement. Except as set forth below, this Agreement and the other documents delivered pursuant hereto constitute the full and entire understanding and agreement between the parties with regard to the subjects hereof and thereof. 2.5 Notices, etc. All notices and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, addressed (a) if to Holder, at such Holder's address as set forth below, or at such other address as such Holder shall have furnished to the Company in writing, or (b) if to the Company, at the Company's address set forth below, or at such other address as the Company shall have furnished to the Holder in writing. 2.6 Severability. In case any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement or any provision of the other Agreement s shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby. 2.7 Titles and Subtitles. The titles of the sections and subsections of this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and are not to be considered in construing this Agreement. 2.8 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one instrument. 2.9 Delay of Registration. No Holder shall have any right to take any action to restrain, enjoin, or otherwise delay any registration as the result of any controversy that might arise with respect to the interpretation or implementation of Section 1 hereof. PURCHASER COMPANY SILICON VALLEY BANK VERSO TECHNOLOGIES, INC. By: /s/ Peter M. Bendoris By: /s/ Steven A. Odom ---------------------------- ---------------------------- Name: /s/ Peter M. Bendoris Name: Steven A. Odom -------------------------- -------------------------- (print) (print) Title: Vice President Title: Chairman of the Board, President or ------------------------- Vice President Address: 3003 Tasman Drive Address: 400 Galleria Pkwy., Suite 300 Santa Clara, CA 95054 ---------------------------------- Atlanta, GA 30339 ---------------------------------- 9