EXHIBIT 10.4
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), dated as of May 24,
2002, between Metropolitan Health Networks, Inc., a Florida corporation (the
"Company") and GCA Strategic Investment Fund Limited (the "Fund"), a Bermuda
corporation.
1. INTRODUCTION.
1.1 SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT. The Company and the Fund have
today executed that certain Securities Purchase Agreement (the "Securities
Purchase Agreement"), pursuant to which the Company has agreed, among other
things, to issue One Million Five Hundred Eighty Thousand Dollars
($1,580,000.00) (U.S.) principal amount of 6% Convertible Debentures of the
Company (the "Debentures") to the Fund or its successors, assigns or
transferees (collectively, the "Holders"). The Debentures are convertible into
an indeterminable number of shares (the "Debenture Conversion Shares") of the
Company's common stock, $.001 par value per share (the "Common Stock") pursuant
to the terms of the Debentures. In addition, pursuant to the terms of the
Securities Purchase Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, the
Company has agreed to issue to the Fund, Common Stock Purchase Warrants
exercisable for 150,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock, (the "Warrant
Shares"). The number of Debenture Conversion Shares and Warrant Shares is
subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of stock splits, recapitalizations
and similar events occurring after the date hereof.
1.2 DEFINITION OF SECURITIES. The Debenture Conversion Shares and
the Warrant Shares are herein referred to as the "Securities."
2. REGISTRATION UNDER SECURITIES ACT, ETC.
2.1 MANDATORY REGISTRATION.
(a) REGISTRATION OF REGISTRABLE SECURITIES. The Company
shall prepare and file within sixty (60) days following the date hereof (the
"Filing Date") a registration statement (the "Registration Statement") covering
the resale of the Registrable Securities. The Company shall use its best
efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be declared effective by the
Commission on the earlier of (i) 120 days following the Closing Date with
respect to the Registration Statement, (ii) ten (10) days following the receipt
of a "No Review" or similar letter from the Commission or (iii) the first day
following the day the Commission determines the Registration Statement eligible
to be declared effective (the "Required Effectiveness Date"). Nothing contained
herein shall be deemed to limit the number of Registrable Securities to be
registered by the Company hereunder. As a result, should the Registration
Statement not relate to the maximum number of Registrable Securities acquired
by (or potentially acquirable by) the holders thereof upon conversion of the
Debentures, or exercise of the Common Stock Purchase Warrants described in
Section 1 above, the Company shall be required to promptly file a separate
registration statement (utilizing Rule 462 promulgated under the Exchange Act,
where applicable) relating to such Registrable Securities which then remain
unregistered. The provisions of this Agreement shall relate to any such
separate registration statement as if it were an amendment to the Registration
Statement.
(b) REGISTRATION STATEMENT FORM. Registrations under
this Section 2.1 shall be on Form SB-2 or such other appropriate registration
form of the Commission as shall permit the disposition of such Registrable
Securities in accordance with the intended method or
methods of disposition specified by the Fund; provided, however, such intended
method of disposition shall not include an underwritten offering of the
Registrable Securities.
(c) EXPENSES. The Company will pay all Registration
Expenses in connection with any registration required by this Section 2.1.
(d) EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT. A registration
requested pursuant to this Section 2.1 shall not be deemed to have been
effected (i) unless a registration statement with respect thereto has become
effective within the time period specified herein, provided that a registration
which does not become effective after the Company filed a registration
statement with respect thereto solely by reason of the refusal to proceed of
any holder of Registrable Securities (other than a refusal to proceed based
upon the advice of counsel in the form of a letter signed by such counsel and
provided to the Company relating to a disclosure matter unrelated to such
holder) shall be deemed to have been effected by the Company unless the holders
of the Registrable Securities shall have elected to pay all Registration
Expenses in connection with such registration, (ii) if, after it has become
effective, such registration becomes subject to any stop order, injunction or
other order or extraordinary requirement of the Commission or other
governmental agency or court for any reason or (iii) if, after it has become
effective, such registration ceases to be effective for more than the allowable
Black-Out Periods (as defined herein).
(e) PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION. The Company hereby agrees that
the Registration Statement shall include a plan of distribution section
reasonably acceptable to the Holder; provided, however, such plan of
distribution section shall be modified by the Company so as to not provide for
the disposition of the Registrable Securities on the basis of an underwritten
offering.
2.2 INCIDENTAL REGISTRATION.
(a) RIGHT TO INCLUDE REGISTRABLE SECURITIES. Provided
that the Registrable Securities have not been registered, if at any time after
the date hereof but before the third anniversary of the date hereof, the
Company proposes to register any of its securities under the Securities Act
(other than by a registration in connection with an acquisition in a manner
which would not permit registration of Registrable Securities for sale to the
public, on Form S-8, or any successor form thereto, on Form S-4, or any
successor form thereto and other than pursuant to Section 2.1), on an
underwritten basis (either best-efforts or firm-commitment), then, the Company
will each such time give prompt written notice to all Holders of its intention
to do so and of such Holders' rights under this Section 2.2. Upon the written
request of any such Holder made within ten (10) days after the receipt of any
such notice (which request shall specify the Registrable Securities intended to
be disposed of by such Holder and the intended method of disposition thereof),
the Company will, subject to the terms of this Agreement, use its commercially
reasonable best efforts to effect the registration under the Securities Act of
the Registrable Securities, to the extent requisite to permit the disposition
(in accordance with the intended methods thereof as aforesaid) of such
Registrable Securities so to be registered, by inclusion of such Registrable
Securities in the registration statement which covers the securities which the
Company proposes to register, provided that if, at any time after written
notice of its intention to register any securities and prior to the effective
date of the registration statement filed in connection with such registration,
the Company shall determine for any reason either not to register or to delay
registration of such securities, the Company may, at its election, give written
notice of such determination to each Holder and, thereupon, (i) in the case of
a
determination not to register, shall be relieved of this obligation to register
any Registrable Securities in connection with such registration (but not from
its obligation to pay the Registration Expenses in connection therewith),
without prejudice, however, to the rights of any holder or holders of
Registrable Securities entitled to do so to request that such registration be
effected as a registration under Section 2.1, and (ii) in the case of a
determination to delay registering, shall be permitted to delay registering any
Registrable Securities, for the same period as the delay in registering such
other securities. No registration effected under this Section 2.2 shall relieve
the Company of its obligation to effect any registration upon request under
Section 2.1. The Company will pay all Registration Expenses in connection with
each registration of Registrable Securities requested pursuant to this Section
2.2. The right provided the Holders of the Registrable Securities pursuant to
this Section shall be exercisable at their sole discretion and will in no way
limit any of the Company's obligations to pay the Securities according to their
terms.
(b) PRIORITY IN INCIDENTAL REGISTRATIONS. If the
managing underwriter of the underwritten offering contemplated by this Section
2.2 shall inform the Company and holders of the Registrable Securities
requesting such registration by letter of its belief that the number of
securities requested to be included in such registration exceeds the number
which can be sold in such offering, then the Company will include in such
registration, to the extent of the number which the Company is so advised can
be sold in such offering, (i) first securities proposed by the Company to be
sold for its own account, and (ii) second Registrable Securities and securities
of other selling security holders requested to be included in such registration
pro rata on the basis of the number of shares of such securities so proposed to
be sold and so requested to be included; provided, however, the holders of
Registrable Securities shall have pro rata rights of registration with all
shares sought to be included by officers and directors of the Company as well
as holders of ten percent (10%) or more of the Company's Common Stock.
2.3 REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. If and whenever the Company is
required to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities under the
Securities Act as provided in Section 2.1 and, as applicable, 2.2, the Company
shall, as expeditiously as possible:
(i) prepare and file with the Commission the
Registration Statement, or amendments thereto, to effect such registration
(including such audited financial statements as may be required by the
Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder) and
thereafter use its commercially reasonable best efforts to cause such
registration statement to be declared effective by the Commission, as soon as
practicable, but in any event no later than the Required Effectiveness Date
(with respect to a registration pursuant to Section 2.1); provided, however,
that before filing such registration statement or any amendments thereto, the
Company will furnish to the counsel selected by the holders of Registrable
Securities which are to be included in such registration, copies of all such
documents proposed to be filed;
(ii) with respect to any registration statement pursuant
to Section 2.1, prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and
supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in
connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such registration statement
effective and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect
to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by such registration
statement until the earlier to occur of six (6) years after the date of this
Agreement (subject to the right of the Company to suspend the effectiveness
thereof for not more than 10 consecutive Trading
Days or an aggregate of 40 Trading Days during each year (each a "Black-Out
Period")) or such time as all of the securities which are the subject of such
registration statement cease to be Registrable Securities (such period, in each
case, the "Registration Maintenance Period");
(iii) furnish to each seller of Registrable Securities
covered by such registration statement such number of conformed copies of such
registration statement and of each such amendment and supplement thereto (in
each case including all exhibits), such number of copies of the prospectus
contained in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus
and any summary prospectus) and any other prospectus filed under Rule 424 under
the Securities Act, in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act,
and such other documents, as such seller and underwriter, if any, may
reasonably request in order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition
of the Registrable Securities owned by such seller;
(iv) use its commercially reasonable best efforts to
register or qualify all Registrable Securities and other securities covered by
such registration statement under such other securities laws or blue sky laws
as any seller thereof shall reasonably request, to keep such registrations or
qualifications in effect for so long as such registration statement remains in
effect, and take any other action which may be reasonably necessary to enable
such seller to consummate the disposition in such jurisdictions of the
securities owned by such seller, except that the Company shall not for any such
purpose be required to qualify generally to do business as a foreign
corporation in any jurisdiction wherein it would not but for the requirements
of this subdivision (iv) be obligated to be so qualified or to consent to
general service of process in any such jurisdiction;
(v) use its commercially reasonable best efforts to
cause all Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement to be
registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities
as may be necessary to enable the seller or sellers thereof to consummate the
disposition of such Registrable Securities;
(vi) furnish to each seller of Registrable Securities a
signed counterpart, addressed to such seller, and the underwriters, if any, of:
(A) an opinion of counsel for the Company,
dated the effective date of such registration statement (or, if such
registration includes an underwritten public offering, an opinion dated the
date of the closing under the underwriting agreement),reasonably satisfactory
in form and substance to such seller) including that the prospectus and any
prospectus supplement forming a part of the Registration Statement does not
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omits a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, and
(vii) notify the Sellers' Representative and its counsel
promptly and confirm such advice in writing promptly after the Company has
knowledge thereof:
(A) when the Registration Statement, the
prospectus or any prospectus supplement related thereto or post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed, and, with respect to
the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, when the
same has become effective;
(B) of any request by the Commission for
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the prospectus or
for additional information;
(C) of the issuance by the Commission of any
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the
initiation of any proceedings by any Person for that purpose; and
(D) of the receipt by the Company of any
notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of any
Registrable Securities for sale under the securities or blue sky laws of any
jurisdiction or the initiation or threat of any proceeding for such purpose;
(viii) notify each seller 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, upon discovery that, or
upon the happening of any event as a result of which, the prospectus included
in such registration statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement
of a material fact or omits to state any material facts required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light
of the circumstances then existing, and at the request of any such seller
promptly prepare and furnish to such seller 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 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 in the light of the circumstances then existing;
(ix) use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement at the
earliest possible moment;
(x) otherwise use its commercially reasonable best
efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission,
and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable,
an earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve months, but not
more than eighteen months, beginning with the first full calendar month after
the effective date of such registration statement, which earnings statement
shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule
158 thereunder;
(xi) enter into such agreements and take such other
actions as the Sellers' Representative shall reasonably request in writing (at
the expense of the requesting or benefiting sellers) in order to expedite or
facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities; and
(xii) use its commercially reasonable best efforts to list
all Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement on any
securities exchange on which any of the Registrable Securities are then listed.
The Company may require each seller of Registrable Securities as to
which any registration is being effected to furnish the Company such
information regarding such seller and the distribution of such securities as
the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing.
The Company will not file any registration statement pursuant to
Section 2.1, or amendment thereto or any prospectus or any supplement thereto
to which the Sellers' Representative shall reasonably object, provided that the
Company may file such documents in a form required by law or upon the advice of
its counsel.
The Company represents and warrants to each holder of Registrable
Securities that it has obtained all necessary waivers, consents and
authorizations necessary to execute this Agreement and consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby other than such waivers, consents and/or
authorizations specifically contemplated by the Securities Purchase Agreement.
Each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company
of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in subdivision (viii) of
this Section 2.3, such Holder will forthwith discontinue such Holder's
disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement
relating to such Registrable Securities until such Holder's receipt of the
copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by subdivision
(viii) of this Section 2.3 and, if so directed by the Company, will deliver to
the Company (at the Company's expense) all copies, other than permanent file
copies, then in such Holder's possession of the prospectus relating to such
Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.
2.4 UNDERWRITTEN OFFERINGS.
(a) INCIDENTAL UNDERWRITTEN OFFERINGS. If the Company at
any time proposes to register any of its securities under the Securities Act as
contemplated by Section 2.2 and such securities are to be distributed by or
through one or more underwriters, the Company will, if requested by any holder
of Registrable Securities as provided in Section 2.2 and subject to the
provisions of Section 2.2(a), use its commercially reasonable best efforts to
arrange for such underwriters to include all the Registrable Securities to be
offered and sold by such holder among the securities to be distributed by such
underwriters.
(b) HOLDBACK AGREEMENTS. Subject to such other
reasonable requirements as may be imposed by the underwriter as a condition of
inclusion of the Holder's Registrable Securities in the registration statement,
the Holder agrees by acquisition of Registrable Securities, if so required by
the managing underwriter, not to sell, make any short sale of, loan, grant any
option for the purchase of, effect any public sale or distribution of or
otherwise dispose of, except as part of such underwritten registration, any
equity securities of the Company, during such reasonable period of time
requested by the underwriter; provided however, such period shall not exceed
the 120 day period commencing 30 days prior to the
commencement of such underwritten offering and ending 90 days following the
completion of such underwritten offering.
(c) PARTICIPATION IN UNDERWRITTEN OFFERINGS. No holder
of Registrable Securities may participate in any underwritten offering under
Section 2.2 unless such holder of Registrable Securities (i) agrees to sell
such Person's securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements
approved, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, by the holders of a
majority of Registrable Securities to be included in such underwritten offering
and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, indemnities, underwriting
agreements and other documents (other than powers of attorney) required under
the terms of such underwriting arrangements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no
underwriting agreement (or other agreement in connection with such offering)
shall require any holder of Registrable Securities to make an representations
or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters other than
representations and warranties contained in a writing furnished by such holder
expressly for use in the related registration statement or representations,
warranties or agreements regarding such holder, such holder's Registrable
Securities and such holder's intended method of distribution and any other
representation required by law.
2.5 PREPARATION; REASONABLE INVESTIGATION. In connection with the
preparation and filing of each registration statement under the Securities Act
pursuant to this Agreement, the Company will give the holders of Registrable
Securities registered under such registration statement, and their respective
counsel and accountants, the opportunity to participate in the preparation of
such registration statement, each prospectus included therein or filed with the
Commission, and each amendment thereof or supplement thereto, and will give
each of them such access to its books and records and such opportunities to
discuss the business of the Company with its officers and the independent
public accountants who have certified its financial statements as shall be
necessary, in the reasonable opinion of such holders' and such underwriters'
respective counsel, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of
the Securities Act.
2.6 REGISTRATION DEFAULT FEE. If the Registration Statement
contemplated in Section 2.1 is (x) not filed with the Commission by the Filing
Date, (y) not declared effective by the Required Effectiveness Date or (z) such
effectiveness is not maintained for the Registration Maintenance Period, then
the Company shall pay to the Holder the fees specified in Section 10.4 of the
Securities Purchase Agreement.
2.7 INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) INDEMNIFICATION BY THE COMPANY. In the event of any
registration of any securities of the Company under the Securities Act, the
Company will, and hereby does agree to indemnify and hold harmless the holder
of any Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement, its
directors and officers, each other Person who participates as an underwriter in
the offering or sale of such securities and each other Person, if any, who
controls such holder or any such underwriter within the meaning of the
Securities Act against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or
several, to which such holder or any such director or officer or underwriter or
controlling person may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or
proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of
or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in any registration statement under which such
securities were registered under the Securities Act, any preliminary
prospectus, final prospectus or summary prospectus contained therein, or any
amendment or supplement 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, and the Company will reimburse such holder
and each such director, officer, underwriter and controlling person for any
legal or any other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, liability, action or
proceeding, provided that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to
the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability, (or action or
proceeding in respect thereof) or expense arises out of or is based upon an
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
made in such registration statement, any such preliminary prospectus, final
prospectus, summary prospectus, amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such holder or
underwriter stating that it is for use in the preparation thereof and, provided
further that the Company shall not be liable to any Person who participates as
an underwriter in the offering or sale of Registrable Securities or to any
other Person, if any, who controls such underwriter within the meaning of the
Securities Act, in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim,
damage, liability (or action or proceeding in respect thereof) or expense
arises out of such Person's failure to send or give a copy of the final
prospectus, as the same may be then supplemented or amended, within the time
required by the Securities Act to the Person asserting the existence of an
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission at
or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of Registrable Securities to
such Person if such statement or omission was corrected in such final
prospectus or an amendment or supplement thereto. Such indemnity shall remain
in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf
of such holder or any such director, officer, underwriter or controlling person
and shall survive the transfer of such securities by such holder.
(b) INDEMNIFICATION BY THE SELLERS. The Company may
require, as a condition to including any Registrable Securities in any
registration statement filed pursuant to this Agreement, that the Company shall
have received an undertaking satisfactory to it from the prospective seller of
such Registrable Securities, to indemnify and hold harmless (in the same manner
and to the same extent as set forth in subdivision (a) of this Section 2.7) the
Company, each director of the Company, each officer of the Company and each
other Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the
Securities Act, with respect to any statement or alleged statement in or
omission or alleged omission from such registration statement, any
preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or summary prospectus contained
therein, or any amendment or supplement thereto, if such statement or alleged
statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company through an
instrument duly executed by such seller specifically stating that it is for use
in the preparation of such registration statement, preliminary prospectus,
final prospectus, summary prospectus, amendment or supplement. Any such
indemnity shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or any such director, officer
or controlling person and shall survive the transfer of such securities by such
seller.
(c) NOTICES OF CLAIMS, ETC. Promptly after receipt by an
indemnified party of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding
involving a claim referred to in the preceding subdivisions of this Section
2.7, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made
against an indemnifying party, give written notice to the latter of the
commencement of such action, provided that the failure of any indemnified party
to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the indemnifying party of
its obligations under the preceding subdivisions of this Section 2.7, except to
the extent that the indemnifying party is actually prejudiced by such failure
to give notice. In case any such action is brought against an indemnified
party, unless in such indemnified party's reasonable judgment a conflict of
interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist in respect
of such claim, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in and
to assume the defense thereof, jointly with any other indemnifying party
similarly notified, to the extent that the indemnifying party may wish, with
counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, and after notice
from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to
assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such
indemnified party for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the
latter in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the
indemnified party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any
settlement of any such action 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, or a covenant not to xxx, in respect to such claim
or litigation. No indemnified party shall consent to entry of any judgment or
enter into any settlement of any such action the defense of which has been
assumed by an indemnifying party without the consent of such indemnifying
party.
(d) OTHER INDEMNIFICATION. Indemnification similar to
that specified in the preceding subdivisions of this Section 2.7 (with
appropriate modifications) shall be given by the Company and each seller of
Registrable Securities (but only if and to the extent required pursuant to the
terms of Section 2.7(b)) with respect to any required registration or other
qualification of securities under any Federal or state law or regulation of any
governmental authority, other than the Securities Act.
(e) INDEMNIFICATION PAYMENTS. The indemnification
required by this Section 2.7 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount
thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as and when bills
are received or expense, loss, damage or liability is incurred.
(f) CONTRIBUTION. If the indemnification provided for in
the preceding subdivision of this Section 2.7 is unavailable to an indemnified
party in respect of any expense, loss, claim, damage or liability referred to
therein, then each indemnifying party, in lieu of
indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or
payable by such indemnified party as a result of such expense, loss, claim,
damage or liability (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the holder or
underwriter, as the case may be, on the other from the distribution of the
Registrable Securities 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 of the holder or
underwriter, as the case may be, on the other in connection with the statements
or omissions which resulted in such expense, loss, damage or liability, as well
as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received
by the Company on the one hand and the holder or underwriter, as the case may
be, on the other in connection with the distribution of the Registrable
Securities shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net
proceeds received by the Company from the initial sale of the Registrable
Securities by the Company to the purchasers bear to the gain, if any, realized
by all selling holders participating in such offering or the underwriting
discounts and commissions received by the underwriter, as the case may be. The
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the holder or underwriter,
as the case may be, on the other shall be determined by reference to, among
other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
or omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the
Company, by the holder or by the underwriter and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information supplied by the Company, by the holder or by
the underwriter and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission,
provided that the foregoing contribution agreement shall not inure to the
benefit of any indemnified party if indemnification would be unavailable to
such indemnified party by reason of the provisions contained in the first
sentence of subdivision (a) of this Section 2.7, and in no event shall the
obligation of any indemnifying party to contribute under this subdivision (f)
exceed the amount that such indemnifying party would have been obligated to pay
by way of indemnification if the indemnification provided for under
subdivisions (b) of this Section 2.7 had been available under the
circumstances.
The Company and the holders of Registrable Securities agree that it
would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subdivision
(f) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the holders and any
underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other
method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations
referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The amount paid or payable
by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and
liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed
to include, subject to the limitations set forth in the preceding sentence and
subdivision (c) of this Section 2.7, any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or
defending any such action or claim.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision (f), no holder of
Registrable Securities or underwriter shall be required to contribute any
amount in excess of the amount by which (i) in the case of any such holder, the
net proceeds received by such holder from the sale of Registrable Securities or
(ii) in the case of an underwriter, the total price at which the Registrable
Securities purchased by it and distributed to the public were offered to the
public exceeds, in any such case,
the amount of any damages that such holder or underwriter has otherwise been
required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or
omission. 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.
3. DEFINITIONS. As used herein, unless the context otherwise requires,
the following terms have the following respective meanings:
"Agreement": As defined in Section 1.
"Commission": The Securities and Exchange Commission or any
other Federal agency at the time administering the Securities Act.
"Common Stock": As defined in Section 1.
"Company": As defined in the introductory paragraph of this
Agreement.
"Conversion Shares": As defined in Section 1.
"Debentures": As defined in Section 1, such term to include
any securities issued in substitution of or in addition to such Debentures.
"Exchange Act": The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
"OTC Bulletin Board": As defined in Section 1.
"Person": A corporation, association, partnership,
organization, business, individual, governmental or political subdivision
thereof or a governmental agency.
"Registrable Securities": The Securities and any securities
issued or issuable with respect to such Securities by way of stock dividend or
stock split or in connection with a combination of shares, recapitalization,
merger, consolidation or other reorganization or otherwise. Once issued such
securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when (a) a registration
statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have become
effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been disposed
of in accordance with such registration statement, (b) they shall have been
distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 (or any successor provision)
under the Securities Act, (c) they shall have been otherwise transferred, new
certificates for them not bearing a legend restricting further transfer shall
have been delivered by the Company and subsequent disposition of them shall not
require registration or qualification of them under the Securities Act or any
similar state law then in force, (d) they shall have ceased to be outstanding,
(e) on the expiration of the applicable Registration Maintenance Period or (f)
any and all legends restricting transfer thereof have been removed in
accordance with the provisions of Rule 144(k) (or any successor provision)
under the Securities Act.
"Registration Expenses": All expenses incident to the
Company's performance of or compliance with this Agreement, including, without
limitation, all registration, filing and NASD fees, all stock exchange and OTC
Bulletin Board or other NASD or stock exchange listing fees, all fees and
expenses of complying with securities or blue sky laws, all word processing,
duplicating and printing expenses, messenger and delivery expenses, the fees
and disbursements of counsel for the Company and of its independent public
accountants, including the expenses of any special audits or "cold comfort"
letters required by or incident to such performance and compliance, premiums
and other costs of policies of insurance of the Company against liabilities
arising out of the public offering of the Registrable Securities being
registered and any fees and disbursements of underwriters customarily paid by
issuers or sellers of securities, but excluding underwriting discounts and
commissions and transfer taxes, if any, provided that, in any case where
Registration Expenses are not to be borne by the Company, such expenses shall
not include salaries of Company personnel or general overhead expenses of the
Company, auditing fees, premiums or other expenses relating to liability
insurance required by underwriters of the Company or other expenses for the
preparation of financial statements or other data normally prepared by the
Company in the ordinary course of its business or which the Company would have
incurred in any event.
"Registration Maintenance Period": As defined in Section 2.3.
"Required Effectiveness Date": As defined in Section 2.1.
"Securities Act": The Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
"Securities Purchase Agreement": As defined in Section 1.
"Sellers' Representative": Global Capital Advisors, LLC or
such Person designated by Global Capital Advisors, LLC as of the time of
disposition of the last of the Debentures held by the Holder (or subsequent
Sellers' Representative).
"Warrant Shares": As defined in Section 1.
4. RULE 144. The Company shall timely file the reports required to be
filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act (including but not
limited to the reports under Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act referred
to in subparagraph (c) of Rule 144 adopted by the Commission under the
Securities Act) and the rules and regulations adopted by the Commission
thereunder (or, if the Company is not required to file such reports, will, upon
the request of any holder of Registrable Securities, make publicly available
other information) and will take such further action as any holder of
Registrable Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent required from
time to time to enable such holder to sell Registrable Securities without
registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions
provided by (a) Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended
from time to time, or (b) any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by
the Commission. Upon the request of any holder of Registrable Securities, the
Company will deliver to such holder a written statement as to whether it has
complied with the requirements of this Section 4.
5. AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS. This Agreement may be amended and the Company
may take any action herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein
required to be performed by it, only if the Company shall have obtained the
written consent to such amendment, action or omission to act, of the holder or
holders of the sum of the 51% or more of the shares of (i) Registrable
Securities issued at such time, plus (ii) Registrable Securities issuable upon
exercise or conversion of the Securities then constituting derivative
securities (if such Securities were not fully exchanged or converted in full as
of the date such consent if sought). Each holder of any Registrable Securities
at the time or thereafter outstanding shall be bound by any consent authorized
by this Section 5, whether or not such Registrable Securities shall have been
marked to indicate such consent.
6. NOMINEES FOR BENEFICIAL OWNERS. In the event that any Registrable
Securities are held by a nominee for the beneficial owner thereof, the
beneficial owner thereof may, at its election, be treated as the holder of such
Registrable Securities for purposes of any request or other action by any
holder or holders of Registrable Securities pursuant to this Agreement or any
determination of any number of percentage of shares of Registrable Securities
held by a holder or holders of Registrable Securities contemplated by this
Agreement. If the beneficial owner of any Registrable Securities so elects, the
Company may require assurances reasonably satisfactory to it of such owner's
beneficial ownership or such Registrable Securities.
7. NOTICES. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, all notices,
requests and other communications to any Person provided for hereunder shall be
in writing and shall be given to such Person (a) in the case of a party hereto
other than the Company, addressed to such party in the manner set forth in the
Securities Purchase Agreement or at such other address as such party shall have
furnished to the Company in writing, or (b) in the case of any other holder of
Registrable Securities, at the address that such holder shall have furnished to
the Company in writing, or, until any such other holder so furnishes to the
Company an address, then to and at the address of the last holder of such
Registrable Securities who has furnished an address to the Company, or (c) in
the case of the Company, at the address set forth on the signature page hereto,
to the attention of its President, or at such other address, or to the
attention of such other officer, as the Company shall have furnished to each
holder of Registrable Securities at the time outstanding. Each such notice,
request or other communication shall be effective (i) if given by mail, 72
hours after such communication is deposited in the mail with first class
postage prepaid, addressed as aforesaid or (ii) if given by any other means
(including, without limitation, by fax or air courier), when delivered at the
address specified above, provided that any such notice, request or
communication shall not be effective until received.
8. ASSIGNMENT. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the
benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto. In addition, and whether
or not any express assignment shall have been made, the provisions of this
Agreement which are for the benefit of the parties hereto other than the
Company shall also be for the benefit of and enforceable by any subsequent
holder of any Registrable Securities. Each of the Holders of the Registrable
Securities agrees, by accepting any portion of the Registrable Securities after
the date hereof, to the provisions of this Agreement including, without
limitation, appointment of the Sellers' Representative to act on behalf of such
Holder pursuant to the terms hereof which such actions shall be made in the
good faith discretion of the Sellers' Representative and be binding on all
persons for all purposes.
9. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS. The descriptive headings of the several sections
and paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for reference only and shall not
limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
10. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH, AND THE RIGHTS OF THE PARTIES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, THE LAWS
OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF
LAWS.
11. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed by facsimile and may be
signed simultaneously in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be
deemed an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and
the same instrument.
12. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and
understanding between the Company and each other party hereto relating to the
subject matter hereof and supercedes all prior agreements and understandings
relating to such subject matter.
13. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Agreement, or the application
of such provisions to any Person or circumstance, shall be held invalid, the
remainder of this Agreement, or the application of such provision to Persons or
circumstances other than those to which it is held invalid, shall not be
affected thereby.
SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be
executed and delivered by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized
as of the date first above written.
METROPOLITAN HEALTH NETWORKS, INC.
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
--------------------------------------
Title:
-------------------------------------
Address: 000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxx, XX 00000
Fax:
-----------------------------
Tel.:
----------------------------
GCA STRATEGIC INVESTMENT FUND LIMITED
By:
----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Director
Address: c\o Prime Management
Mechanics Xxxxxxxx
00 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx XX00
Fax: 000-000-0000
Tel.: 000-000-0000
Registration Rights Agreement
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION....................................................................................2
1.1 SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT...................................................................2
1.2 DEFINITION OF SECURITIES........................................................................2
2. REGISTRATION UNDER SECURITIES ACT, ETC..........................................................2
2.1 MANDATORY REGISTRATION..........................................................................2
(A) REGISTRATION OF REGISTRABLE SECURITIES.................................................2
(B) REGISTRATION STATEMENT FORM............................................................2
(C) EXPENSES...............................................................................2
(D) EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT.......................................................2
(E) PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION...................................................................2
2.2 INCIDENTAL REGISTRATION.........................................................................2
(A) RIGHT TO INCLUDE REGISTRABLE SECURITIES................................................2
(B) PRIORITY IN INCIDENTAL REGISTRATIONS...................................................3
2.3 REGISTRATION PROCEDURES.........................................................................3
2.4 UNDERWRITTEN OFFERINGS..........................................................................7
(A) INCIDENTAL UNDERWRITTEN OFFERINGS......................................................7
(B) HOLDBACK AGREEMENTS....................................................................7
(C) PARTICIPATION IN UNDERWRITTEN OFFERINGS................................................7
2.5 PREPARATION; REASONABLE INVESTIGATION...........................................................7
2.6 REGISTRATION DEFAULT FEE........................................................................8
2.7 INDEMNIFICATION.................................................................................8
(A) INDEMNIFICATION BY THE COMPANY.........................................................8
(B) INDEMNIFICATION BY THE SELLERS.........................................................9
(C) NOTICES OF CLAIMS, ETC.................................................................9
(D) OTHER INDEMNIFICATION.................................................................10
(E) INDEMNIFICATION PAYMENTS..............................................................10
(F) CONTRIBUTION..........................................................................10
3. DEFINITIONS....................................................................................11
4. RULE 144 13
5. AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS.........................................................................13
6. NOMINEES FOR BENEFICIAL OWNERS.................................................................13
7. NOTICES 13
8. ASSIGNMENT.....................................................................................14
9. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS...........................................................................14
10. GOVERNING LAW..................................................................................14
11. COUNTERPARTS...................................................................................14
12. ENTIRE AGREEMENT...............................................................................14
13. SEVERABILITY...................................................................................14
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF
MAY 24, 2002
BY AND BETWEEN
METROPOLITAN HEALTH NETWORKS, INC.
AND
GCA STRATEGIC INVESTMENT FUND LIMITED
