STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT To Purchase 600,000 Shares of Common Stock of LJ INTERNATIONAL INC.
Exhibit 4.3
NEITHER THIS WARRANT NOR THE SHARES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE HEREOF HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”) OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS IN RELIANCE UPON THE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY REGULATION D AND SUCH OTHER SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS WARRANT NOR THE SHARES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE HEREOF MAY BE SOLD, PLEDGED, TRANSFERRED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR IN A TRANSACTION WHICH IS EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.
STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT
To Purchase 600,000 Shares of Common Stock of
THIS CERTIFIES that, for value received, Solo Argento Inc. (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after July 1, 2003 (the “Initial Exercise Date”) and on or prior to the close of business on March 31, 2004 (the “Termination Date”) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from LJ International Inc., a company duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of the British Virgin Islands (the “Company”), up to Six Hundred Thousand (600,000) shares (the “Warrant Shares”) of common stock, $0.01 par value, of the Company (the “Common Stock”). The purchase price of one share of Common Stock (the “Exercise Price”) under this Warrant shall be $2.00 per Warrant Share. The Exercise Price and the number of shares for which the Warrant is exercisable shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
1. Title to Warrant. This Warrant and all rights hereunder are not transferable, in whole or in part, by the Holder.
2. Authorization of Shares. The Company covenants that all shares of Common Stock which may be issued upon the exercise of rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).
3. Exercise of Warrant; Registration Rights.
(a) Except as provided in Section 4 herein, exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercise Date and before the close of business on the Termination Date by the surrender of this Warrant and the Notice of Exercise Form annexed hereto duly executed, at the office of the Company (or such other office or agency of the Company as it may designate by notice in writing to the Holder at the
address of Holder appearing on the books of the Company). Upon payment of the Exercise Price of the shares thereby purchased by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank, the Holder shall be entitled to receive a certificate for the number of shares of Common Stock so purchased. Certificates for shares purchased hereunder shall be delivered to the Holder as soon as practicable after the date on which this Warrant shall have been exercised as aforesaid. This Warrant shall be deemed to have been exercised and such certificate or certificates shall be deemed to have been issued, and Holder or any other person so designated to be named therein shall be deemed to have become a holder of record of such shares for all purposes, as of the date the Warrant has been exercised by payment to the Company of the Exercise Price and all taxes required to be paid by Holder, if any, pursuant to Section 5 prior to the issuance of such shares, have been paid. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the time of delivery of the certificate or certificates representing Warrant Shares, deliver to Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of Holder to purchase the unpurchased shares of Common Stock called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.
This Warrant may also be exercised by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive a certificate for the number of shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:
(A) = the last sales price per share of Common Stock on the Trading Day preceding the date of such election;
(B) = the Exercise Price of the Warrants; and
(X) = the number of shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants in accordance with the terms of this Warrant.
(b) The Company agrees to include the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in any new registration statement filed by the Company after the issuance date hereof, which registration statement is on a form which permits the registration of shares for resale by selling stockholders, so as to permit the resale of such shares by the Holder. The Company will notify the Holder of the effectiveness of any such registration statement promptly after such event, and shall provide the Holder with copies of a final prospectus to be used in connection with any resales of shares. In addition, the Company agrees to use its best efforts to file a registration statement covering the sale of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant within six (6) months from the date hereof and to use its best efforts to obtain the effectiveness of the registration statement and to maintain the prospectus included in the registration statement for a period of time, not exceeding nine (9) months, as may be necessary to effect the sale of the Common Stock. The Holder understands that the Company will prepare, file and maintain the registration statement at the cost and expense of the Company (except for the fees and expenses of counsel to the Holder). The Holder also confirms that there is no assurance or
-2-
guarantee that the registration statement covering the Common Stock will be declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
4. No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to the Exercise Price.
5. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of certificates for shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of this Warrant shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such certificate, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such certificates shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event certificates for shares of Common Stock are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder; and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto.
6. Closing of Books. The Company will not close its shareholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant.
7. Division and Combination.
(a) This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by Holder or its agent or attorney. The Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice.
(b) The Company shall prepare, issue and deliver at its own expense (other than transfer taxes) the new Warrant or Warrants under this Section 7.
(c) The Company agrees to maintain, at its aforesaid office, books for the registration of the Warrants.
8. No Rights as Shareholder until Exercise. This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights or other rights as a shareholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof. Upon the surrender of this Warrant and the payment of the aggregate Exercise Price, the Warrant Shares so purchased shall be and be deemed to be issued to Holder as the record owner of such shares as of the close of business on the later of the date of such surrender or payment.
9. Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant certificate or any stock certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and
-3-
in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it and its transfer agent, and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.
10. Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall be a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding day not a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday.
11. Adjustments of Exercise Price and Number of Warrant Shares. (a) Stock Splits, etc. The number and kind of securities purchasable upon the exercise of this Warrant and the Exercise Price shall be subject to adjustment from time to time upon the happening of any of the following. In case the Company shall (i) pay a dividend in shares of Common Stock or make a distribution in shares of Common Stock to holders of its outstanding Common Stock, (ii) subdivide its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater number of shares of Common Stock, (iii) combine its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares of Common Stock or (iv) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Common Stock, then the number of Warrant Shares purchasable upon exercise of this Warrant immediately prior thereto shall be adjusted so that the Holder shall be entitled to receive the kind and number of Warrant Shares or other securities of the Company which he would have owned or have been entitled to receive had such Warrant been exercised in advance thereof. Upon each such adjustment of the kind and number of Warrant Shares or other securities of the Company which are purchasable hereunder, the Holder shall thereafter be entitled to purchase the number of Warrant Shares or other securities resulting from such adjustment at an Exercise Price per Warrant Share or other security obtained by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment by the number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant hereto immediately prior to such adjustment and dividing by the number of Warrant Shares or other securities of the Company resulting from such adjustment. An adjustment made pursuant to this paragraph shall become effective immediately after the effective date of such event retroactive to the record date, if any, for such event.
(b) Reorganization, Reclassification, Merger, Consolidation or Disposition of Assets. In case the Company shall reorganize its capital, reclassify its capital stock, consolidate or merge with or into another corporation (where the Company is not the surviving corporation or where there is a change in or distribution with respect to the Common Stock of the Company), or sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all its property, assets or business to another corporation and, pursuant to the terms of such reorganization, reclassification, merger, consolidation or disposition of assets, shares of common stock of the successor or acquiring corporation, or any cash, shares of stock or other securities or property of any nature whatsoever (including warrants or other subscription or purchase rights) in addition to or in lieu of common stock of the successor or acquiring corporation (“Other Property”), are to be received by or distributed to the holders of Common Stock of the Company, then Holder shall have the right
-4-
thereafter to receive, upon exercise of this Warrant, the number of shares of common stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and Other Property receivable upon or as a result of such reorganization, reclassification, merger, consolidation or disposition of assets by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such event. In case of any such reorganization, reclassification, merger, consolidation or disposition of assets, the successor or acquiring corporation (if other than the Company) shall expressly assume the due and punctual observance and performance of each and every covenant and condition of this Warrant to be performed and observed by the Company and all the obligations and liabilities hereunder, subject to such modifications as may be deemed appropriate (as determined in good faith by resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company) in order to provide for adjustments of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable which shall be as nearly equivalent as practicable to the adjustments provided for in this Section 11. For purposes of this Section 11, “common stock of the successor or acquiring corporation” shall include stock of such corporation of any class which is not preferred as to dividends or assets over any other class of stock of such corporation and which is not subject to redemption and shall also include any evidences of indebtedness, shares of stock or other securities which are convertible into or exchangeable for any such stock, either immediately or upon the arrival of a specified date or the happening of a specified event and any warrants or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any such stock. The foregoing provisions of this Section 11 shall similarly apply to successive reorganizations, reclassifications, mergers, consolidations or disposition of assets.
12. Voluntary Adjustment by the Company. The Company may at any time during the term of this Warrant reduce the then current Exercise Price to any amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company.
13. Notice of Adjustment. Whenever the number of Warrant Shares or number or kind of securities or other property purchasable upon the exercise of this Warrant or the Exercise Price is adjusted, as herein provided, the Company shall promptly mail by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the Holder notice of such adjustment or adjustments setting forth the number of Warrant Shares (and other securities or property) purchasable upon the exercise of this Warrant and the Exercise Price of such Warrant Shares (and other securities or property) after such adjustment, setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment and setting forth the computation by which such adjustment was made. Such notice, in the absence of manifest error, shall be conclusive evidence of the correctness of such adjustment.
-5-
14. Notice of Corporate Action. If at any time:
(a) the Company shall take a record of the holders of its Common Stock for the purpose of entitling them to receive a dividend or other distribution, or any right to subscribe for or purchase any evidences of its indebtedness, any shares of stock of any class or any other securities or property, or to receive any other right, or
(b) there shall be any capital reorganization of the Company, any reclassification or recapitalization of the capital stock of the Company or any consolidation or merger of the Company with, or any sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all the property, assets or business of the Company to, another corporation or,
(c) there shall be a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company;
then, in any one or more of such cases, the Company shall give to Holder (i) at least 10 days’ prior written notice of the date on which a record date shall be selected for such dividend, distribution or right or for determining rights to vote in respect of any such reorganization, reclassification, merger, consolidation, sale, transfer, disposition, liquidation or winding up, and (ii) in the case of any such reorganization, reclassification, merger, consolidation, sale, transfer, disposition, dissolution, liquidation or winding up, at least 10 days’ prior written notice of the date when the same shall take place. Such notice in accordance with the foregoing clause also shall specify (i) the date on which any such record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution or right, the date on which the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to any such dividend, distribution or right, and the amount and character thereof, and (ii) the date on which any such reorganization, reclassification, merger, consolidation, sale, transfer, disposition, dissolution, liquidation or winding up is to take place and the time, if any such time is to be fixed, as of which the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock for securities or other property deliverable upon such disposition, dissolution, liquidation or winding up. Each such written notice shall be sufficiently given if addressed to Holder at the last address of Holder appearing on the books of the Company and delivered in accordance with Section 16(d).
15. Authorized Shares. The Company covenants that during the period the Warrant is exercisable, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of executing stock certificates to execute and issue the necessary certificates for the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Nasdaq Stock Market.
The Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its memorandum of association or articles of association or through any reorganization, transfer of
-6-
assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (a) not increase the par value of any shares of Common Stock receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (b) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of this Warrant, and (c) use its best efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof as may be necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.
Upon the request of Holder, the Company will at any time during the period this Warrant is exercisable acknowledge in writing, in form reasonably satisfactory to Holder, the continuing validity of this Warrant and the obligations of the Company hereunder.
Before taking any action which would cause an adjustment reducing the current Exercise Price below the then par value, if any, of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, the Company shall take any corporate action which may be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and non-assessable shares of such Common Stock at such adjusted Exercise Price.
Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.
16. Miscellaneous.
(a) Jurisdiction. This Warrant shall be binding upon any successors or assigns of the Company. This Warrant shall constitute a contract under the laws of the British Virgin Islands, without regard to its conflict of law, principles or rules.
(b) Restrictions. The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered, will have restrictions upon resale by state and federal securities laws.
(c) Nonwaiver and Expenses. No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice Holder’s rights, powers or remedies, notwithstanding all rights hereunder terminate on the Termination Date. If the Company fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, the Company shall pay to Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs
-7-
and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder if Holder is the prevailing party.
(d) Notices. All notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals, and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and, unless otherwise specified herein, shall be (i) hand delivered, (ii) deposited in the mail, registered or certified, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, (iii) delivered by reputable air courier service with charges prepaid, or (iv) transmitted by facsimile, addressed as set forth below or to such other address as such party shall have specified most recently by written notice. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be deemed effective (a) upon hand delivery or delivery by facsimile, with accurate confirmation generated by the transmitting facsimile machine, at the address or number designated below (if delivered on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if delivered other than on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received) or (b) on the first business day following the date of sending by reputable courier service, fully prepaid, addressed to such address, or (c) upon actual receipt of such mailing, if mailed. The addresses for such communications shall be:
| If to the Company: | LJ International Inc. | |
| Xxxx #00, 00/X, Xxxxx X | ||
| Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx | ||
| 00 Xxx Xxx Xxxxxx | ||
| Xxxx Xxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxx | ||
| Attention: Chairman | ||
| Telephone: 000-000-0000-0000 | ||
| Facsimile: 011-852-2764-3783 | ||
| with a copy to (shall not | Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, P.C. | |
| constitute notice): | 0000 XXX Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000 | |
| Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, XX 00000, X.X.X. | ||
| Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Esq. | ||
| Telephone: (000) 000-0000 | ||
| Facsimile: (000) 000-0000 |
-8-
| if to Holder: | Solo Argento Inc. | |
| P.O. Box 957, Offshore Incorporations Centre | ||
| Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands | ||
| Telephone: (000) 000-0000 | ||
| Facsimile: (000) 000-0000 |
Either party hereto may from time to time change its address or facsimile number for notices under this Section 16(d) by giving written notice of such changed address or facsimile number to the other party hereto as provided in this Section 16(d).
(e) Limitation of Liability. No provision hereof, in the absence of affirmative action by Holder to purchase shares of Common Stock, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of Holder hereof, shall give rise to any liability of Holder for the purchase price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.
(f) Remedies. Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(g) Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of the Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder.
(h) Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Holder from and against any liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, claims, costs, attorneys’ fees, expenses and disbursements of any kind which may be imposed upon, incurred by or asserted against Holder in any manner relating to or arising out of any failure by the Company to perform or observe in any material respect any of its covenants, agreements, undertakings or obligations set forth in this Warrant; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable hereunder to the extent that any liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, claims, costs, attorneys’ fees, expenses or disbursements are found in a final non-appealable judgment by a court to have resulted from Holder’s negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct in its capacity as a stockholder or warrantholder of the Company.
(i) Amendment. This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived only with the written consent of the Company and the Holder.
-9-
(j) Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.
(k) Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized.
Dated: July 1, 2003
| LJ INTERNATIONAL INC. |
| By: |
| Yu Xxxxx Xxx, |
| Chairman |
-10-
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
To: LJ International Inc.
(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase shares of Common Stock (the “Common Stock”), of LJ International Inc. pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant, and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.
(2) Please issue a certificate or certificates representing said shares of Common Stock in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:
(Name) |
(Address) |
(Social Security or Taxpayer Identification Number) |
Dated:
Signature |
-11-
