EX-1.1 2 ex_957441.htm EXHIBIT 1.1 ex_957441.htm

Exhibit 1.1

 

HIGHPEAK ENERGY, INC.

 

$150,000,000

 

Common Stock

($0.0001 par value per share)

 

Sales Agreement

 

May 6, 2026

 

Roth Capital Partners, LLC, as Lead Agent

888 San Clemente Drive, Suite 400

Newport Beach, CA 92660

 

USCA Securities LLC

4444 Westheimer Road., Suite G500

Houston, Texas 77027

 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

HighPeak Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with Roth Capital Partners, LLC (the “Lead Agent”) and USCA Securities LLC (“USCA,” and together with the Lead Agent, the “Agents” and each, an “Agent”), as follows:

 

1.    Issuance and Sale of Shares. The Company agrees that, from time to time during the term of this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, it may issue and sell through or to the Agents, shares (the “Placement Shares”) of common stock of the Company, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”) having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000, provided, however, that in no event shall the Company issue or sell through the Agents such number of Placement Shares that exceeds (a) the number or dollar amount of shares of Common Stock that may be sold pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below), (b) the number or dollar amount of shares of Common Stock for which the Company has filed any Prospectus Supplement (as defined below) or (c) exceeds the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock of the Company (the “Maximum Amount”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitations set forth in this Section 1 on the amount of Placement Shares issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the sole responsibility of the Company and that the Agents shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance. The issuance and sale of Placement Shares through or to the Agents will be effected pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below) filed by the Company and having become effective in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), although nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring the Company to use the Registration Statement to issue any Placement Shares.

 

1

 

The Company has filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Securities Act”), with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-291266), including a base prospectus, relating to certain securities, including the Placement Shares to be issued from time to time by the Company, and which incorporates by reference documents that the Company has filed or will file in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Exchange Act”). The Company has prepared a prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Placement Shares (the “Prospectus Supplement”) to the base prospectus included as part of such registration statement. The Company will furnish to the Agents, for use by the Agents, copies of the prospectus included as part of such registration statement, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement relating to the Placement Shares. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, including all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated by reference therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act or deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act, or any subsequent registration statement on Form S-3 filed pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6) under the Securities Act by the Company to cover any Placement Shares, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” The base prospectus, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, included in the Registration Statement, as it may be supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, in the form in which such prospectus and/or Prospectus Supplement have most recently been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, together with any then issued Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (defined below), is herein called the “Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein, and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of any document with the Commission deemed to be incorporated by reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”). For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include any copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System, or if applicable, the Interactive Data Electronic Application system when used by the Commission (collectively, “EDGAR”).

 

2

 

2.    Placements. For purposes of selling the Placement Shares through the Agents, the Company hereby appoints the Lead Agent as agent of the Company pursuant to this Agreement. Each time that the Company wishes to issue and sell Placement Shares hereunder (each, a “Placement”), it will notify the Lead Agent by email notice (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) of the number or dollar value of Placement Shares, the time period during which sales are requested to be made, any limitation on the number of Placement Shares that may be sold in any one day and any minimum price below which sales may not be made (a “Placement Notice”), the form of which is attached hereto as Schedule 1. The Placement Notice shall originate from any of the individuals from the Company set forth on Schedule 3 (with a copy to each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such schedule), and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from the Lead Agent set forth on Schedule 3, as such Schedule 3 may be amended from time to time. The Placement Notice shall be effective unless and until (i) the Lead Agent declines to accept the terms contained therein for any reason, in its sole discretion by email notice to the Company within one Business Day (as defined below) from the time the Placement Notice is received, (ii) the entire amount of the Placement Shares thereunder have been sold, (iii) the Company suspends or terminates the Placement Notice (including, but not limited to, by means of a subsequent Placement Notice that explicitly indicates that the parameters of the subsequent Placement Notice supersede those parameters contained in the earlier dated Placement Notice) or (iv) this Agreement has been terminated under the provisions of Section 12. The amount of any discount, commission or other compensation to be paid by the Company to the Lead Agent in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares shall be calculated in accordance with the terms set forth in Schedule 2. It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor the Lead Agent will have any obligation whatsoever with respect to a Placement or any Placement Shares unless and until the Company delivers a Placement Notice to the Lead Agent and the Lead Agent does not decline such Placement Notice pursuant to the terms set forth above, and then only upon the terms specified therein and herein. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Placement Notice, the terms of the Placement Notice will control.

 

3.    Sale of Placement Shares by the Lead Agent. Subject to the provisions of Section 5(a), the Lead Agent, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the Nasdaq Global Market (the “Exchange”), for the period specified in the Placement Notice to sell the Placement Shares up to the amount specified in, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of, such Placement Notice. The Lead Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately following the Trading Day on which it has made sales of Placement Shares hereunder setting forth the number of Placement Shares sold on such day, the compensation payable by the Company to the Lead Agent pursuant to Section 2 with respect to such sales, and the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the Company, with an itemization of the deductions made by the Lead Agent (as set forth in Section 5(b)) from the gross proceeds that it receives from such sales. Subject to the terms of a Placement Notice, the Lead Agent may sell Placement Shares by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act and as set forth in the “Plan of Distribution” section of the Prospectus forming part of the Registration Statement.

 

4.    Suspension of Sales.

 

(a)    The Company or the Lead Agent may, upon notice to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 3, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 3), suspend any sale of Placement Shares (a “Suspension”); provided, however, that such suspension shall not affect or impair any party’s obligations with respect to any Placement Shares sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice. While a Suspension is in effect, any obligation under Sections 7(l), 7(m), and 7(n) with respect to the delivery of certificates, opinions, or comfort letters to the Agents, shall be waived; provided, however, that the Company acknowledges and agrees that delivery of such certificates, opinions, or comfort letters may be required prior to resuming sales of Placement Shares. Each of the parties agrees that no such notice under this Section 4 shall be effective against any other party unless it is made to one of the individuals named on Schedule 3 hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time.

 

3

 

(b)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, during any period in which the Company is in possession of material non-public information, the Company and the Lead Agent agree that (i) no sale of Placement Shares will take place, (ii) the Company shall not request the sale of any Placement Shares, and (iii) the Lead Agent shall not be obligated to sell or offer to sell any Placement Shares.

 

5.    Sale and Delivery to the Lead Agent; Settlement.

 

(a)    Sale of Placement Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, upon the Lead Agent’s acceptance of the terms of a Placement Notice, and unless the sale of the Placement Shares described therein has been declined, suspended, or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Lead Agent, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such Placement Shares up to the amount specified in such Placement Notice, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of, such Placement Notice. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that the Lead Agent will be successful in selling Placement Shares, (ii) the Lead Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Placement Shares for any reason other than a failure by the Lead Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Placement Shares as required under this Agreement and (iii) the Lead Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Placement Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise agreed by the Lead Agent and the Company.

 

(b)    Settlement of Placement Shares. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Placement Notice, settlement for sales of Placement Shares will occur on the first (1st) Trading Day (or such earlier day as is industry practice or as is required by law for regular-way trading) following the date on which such sales are made (each, a “Settlement Date”). The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement Shares sold (the “Net Proceeds”) will be equal to the aggregate sales price received by the Lead Agent, after deduction for (i) the Lead Agent’s commission, discount or other compensation for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to Section 2 hereof, and (ii) any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales.

 

(c)    Delivery of Placement Shares. On each Settlement Date, against payment of the Net Proceeds, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Placement Shares being sold by crediting the Lead Agent’s or its designee’s account (provided the Lead Agent shall have given the Company written notice of such designee and such designee’s account information at least one Trading Day prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form. On each Settlement Date, the Lead Agent will deliver the related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company on, or prior to, the Settlement Date. The Company agrees that if the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable), defaults in its obligation to deliver Placement Shares on a Settlement Date, the Company agrees that in addition to and in no way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in Section 10(a) hereto, it will (i) hold the Lead Agent harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or expense (including reasonable and documented legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company or its transfer agent (if applicable) and (ii) pay to the Lead Agent any commission, discount, or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.

 

4

 

(d)    Limitations on Offering Size. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares if, after giving effect to the sale of such Placement Shares, the aggregate gross sales proceeds of such Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement would exceed the lesser of (A) together with all sales of Placement Shares under this Agreement, the Maximum Amount, (B) the amount available for offer and sale under the Registration Statement and (C) the amount authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the Company’s board of directors, a duly authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized executive committee, and notified to the Lead Agent in writing. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement at a price lower than the minimum price authorized from time to time by the Company’s board of directors, duly authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized executive committee, and notified to the Lead Agent in writing. Further, under no circumstances shall the Company cause or permit the aggregate offering amount of Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement to exceed the Maximum Amount.

 

6.    Representations and Warranties of the Company. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus (including the Incorporated Documents), the Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with the Agents that as of the date of this Agreement and as of each Applicable Time (as defined below), unless such representation, warranty or agreement specifies a different date or time:

 

(a)    Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet the requirements for and comply with the conditions for the use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission and has become effective under the Securities Act. The Prospectus Supplement will name the Agents as the agents in the section entitled “Plan of Distribution.” The Company has not received, and has no notice of, any order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, or threatening or instituting proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement and the offer and sale of Placement Shares as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act and comply in all material respects with said Rule. Copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and any such amendments or supplements and all documents incorporated by reference therein that were filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement have been delivered, or are available through EDGAR, to Agents and their counsel. The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of each Settlement Date and completion of the distribution of the Placement Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering or sale of the Placement Shares other than the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which the Lead Agent has consented. The Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from the Exchange to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements.

 

5

 

(b)    No Misstatement or Omission. The Registration Statement, when it became effective, and the Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, on the date of such Prospectus or amendment or supplement, conformed and will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. At each Settlement Date, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as of such date, will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain 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. The Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, on the date thereof and at each Applicable Time (defined below), did not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing shall not apply to statements in, or omissions from, any such document made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Company by an Agent specifically for use in the preparation thereof.

 

(c)    Conformity with Securities Act and Exchange Act. The Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Incorporated Documents, when such documents were or are filed with the Commission under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or became or become effective under the Securities Act, as the case may be, conformed and will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable.

 

(d)    Financial Information. The financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of the dates indicated and the results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Company for the periods specified and have been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act and Exchange Act and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis (except for (i) such adjustments to accounting standards and practices as are noted therein, (ii) in the case of unaudited interim financial statements, to the extent such financial statements may not include footnotes required by GAAP or may be condensed or summary statements and (iii) such adjustments which will not be material, either individually or in the aggregate) during the periods involved; the other financial and statistical data with respect to the Company contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, are accurately and fairly presented and prepared on a basis consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company; there are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required; and the Company does not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), not described in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), and the Prospectus; and all disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable.

 

6

 

(e)    Organization. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Company has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as currently being carried on and as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would not have or be reasonably likely to result in a material adverse effect upon the business, prospects, properties, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or in its ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

 

(f)    Subsidiaries. Each significant subsidiary of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) (the “Significant Subsidiaries”) has been duly incorporated or organized and is validly existing as a corporation or limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as currently being carried on and as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of, or other equity interest in each Significant Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid (in the case of an interest in a limited liability company, to the extent required under the organizational documents of such Significant Subsidiary) and nonassessable (except, in the case of Significant Subsidiaries that are limited liability companies, as such nonassessability may be limited by the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act), and is owned by the Company, directly or through the Significant Subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity, except for any such security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or arising under the (i) Term Loan Credit Agreement, dated September 12, 2023, by and between the Company, as borrower, Texas Capital Bank, as administrative agent, Chambers Energy Management, LP, as collateral agent, and the lenders from time-to-time party thereto and (ii) Revolving Credit Agreement, dated November 1, 2023, by and between the Company, as borrower, Fifth Third Bank, National Association, as administrative agent and collateral agent, and lenders party thereto, as amended. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of, or other equity interests in, any of the Significant Subsidiaries were issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any security holder of such Significant Subsidiary. Except for the entities set forth on Exhibit 21.1 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year, or as subsequently disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed under the Exchange Act, the Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any capital stock or other ownership interest in any partnership, corporation, business trust, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture or other entity that, individually or in the aggregate with all other unnamed subsidiaries, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary.

 

7

 

(g)    No Violation or Default. The Company is not (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(h)    No Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, since the date of the most recent financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus: (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business; (ii) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock; (iii) there has not been any change in the capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than a change in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants or the issuance of restricted stock awards or restricted stock units under the Company’s existing equity incentive plans, or any new grants thereof in the ordinary course of business); (iv) there has not been any material change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt; and (v) there has not been the occurrence of any Material Adverse Effect.

 

(i)    Capitalization. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is listed on the Exchange, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or delisting the Common Stock from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Exchange is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. The Company has complied in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Exchange for maintenance of inclusion of the Common Stock on the Exchange. When issued, the Placement Shares will have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the outstanding shares of Common Stock, are duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws, were not issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or purchase securities that have not been waived in writing; the Placement Shares which may be sold hereunder by the Company have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will have been validly issued and will be fully paid and nonassessable; and the capital stock of the Company, including the Common Stock, conforms to the description thereof in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there are no preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, or any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, each as presently in effect, or any agreement or other instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no options, warrants, agreements, contracts or other rights in existence to purchase or acquire from the Company or any subsidiary of the Company any shares of the capital stock of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company.

 

8

 

(j)    Authorization; Enforceability. The Company has the power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to sell the Placement Shares as contemplated by this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and constitutes a valid, legal and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnity hereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws and except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity.

 

(k)    Authorization of Placement Shares. The Placement Shares, when issued and delivered pursuant to the terms approved by the board of directors of the Company, a duly authorized committee thereof, or a duly authorized executive officer, against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and non-assessable, free and clear of any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim, including any statutory or contractual preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights, and will be of a class registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act. The Placement Shares, when issued, will conform in all material respects to the description thereof set forth in or incorporated into the Prospectus.

 

(l)    No Consents Required. All consents, approvals, orders, authorizations and filings required on the part of the Company and its subsidiaries in connection with the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement have been obtained or made, other than such consents, approvals, orders and authorizations the failure of which to make or obtain is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(m)    No Preferential Rights. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, (i) no person, as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act (each, a “Person”), has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to issue or sell to such Person any Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company (other than upon the exercise of options or upon the exercise of options or stock awards that may be granted from time to time under the Company’s equity incentive plans), (ii) no Person has any preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal, or any other rights (whether pursuant to a “poison pill” provision or otherwise) to purchase any Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company, (iii) no Person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of Common Stock, and (iv) no Person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to require the Company to register under the Securities Act any Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company, or to include any such shares or other securities in the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby, whether as a result of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the sale of the Placement Shares as contemplated thereby or otherwise.

 

9

 

(n)    Independent Public Accountant. Weaver & Tidwell, L.L.P. (the “Accountant”), whose report on the financial statements of the Company is filed with the Commission as part of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, are and, during the periods covered by their report, were an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). To the Company’s knowledge, the Accountant is not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) with respect to the Company.

 

(o)    Independent Petroleum Engineers. Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc., whose report on the oil and gas reserve estimates of the Company is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, is an independent petroleum engineer in accordance with guidelines established by the Commission.

 

(p)    Enforceability of Agreements. All agreements between the Company and third parties expressly referenced in the Prospectus are legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification provisions of certain agreements may be limited by federal or state securities laws or public policy considerations in respect thereof, and except for any unenforceability that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(q)    No Litigation. There is not pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, any action, suit or proceeding to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject before or by any court or governmental agency, authority or body, or any arbitrator or mediator, which is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(r)    Licenses and Permits. The Company and each of its subsidiaries holds, and is in compliance with, all franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, consents, certificates and orders (“Permits”) of any governmental agency, authority or body required for the current conduct of its business, and all such Permits are in full force and effect, in each case except where the failure to hold, or comply with, any of them is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is or has been in violation of any statute, rule, ordinance or regulation of any governmental authority, except in each case as would not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(s)    No Material Defaults. The Company has not defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not filed a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the filing of its last Annual Report on Form 10-K, indicating that it (i) has failed to pay any dividend or sinking fund installment on preferred stock or (ii) has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

10

 

(t)    S-3 Eligibility. At the time the Registration Statement was declared effective, and at the time the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K was filed with the Commission, the Company met or will meet the then applicable requirements for the use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, including, but not limited to, General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3, if applicable. As of the close of trading on the Exchange on a Trading Day within 60 days prior to the time the Registration Statement was originally declared effective, or after the date of this Agreement, as of a Trading Day within 60 days prior to the filing date of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year most recently ended, the aggregate market value of the outstanding voting and non-voting common equity (as defined in Securities Act Rule 405) of the Company held by Persons other than affiliates (as defined in Securities Act Rule 405) was $75 million or more (calculated in accordance with General Instruction 1.B.1 of Form S-3). The Company is not a shell company (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) and has not been a shell company for at least 12 calendar months previously and if it has been a shell company at any time previously, has filed current Form 10 information (as defined in General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3) with the Commission at least 12 calendar months previously reflecting its status as an entity that is not a shell company.

 

(u)     Certain Market Activities. Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its directors, officers or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed, or that has constituted or would reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Placement Shares.

 

(v)    Broker/Dealer Relationships. Neither the Company nor any related entities (i) is required to register as a “broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act or (ii) directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is a “person associated with a member” or “associated person of a member” (within the meaning set forth in the FINRA Manual).

 

(w)    No Reliance. The Company has not relied upon the Agents or legal counsel for the Agents for any legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with the offering and sale of the Placement Shares.

 

11

 

(x)    Taxes. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each of the Company and its subsidiaries has filed all U.S. federal, state, and local and non-U.S. Tax Returns required by law to be filed by them prior to the date hereof, subject to permitted extensions, and (ii) each of the Company and its subsidiaries has paid all Taxes which are due and payable, shown on such filed Tax Returns or imposed on or assessed against the Company or such respective subsidiary, except for such Taxes, if any, which are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company or such respective subsidiaries. The accruals, reserves or provisions made by the Company or its subsidiaries for Taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid Taxes, whether or not disputed, for all Tax periods prior to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. No material claims have been made against the Company or any of its subsidiaries (which are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with Tax Returns or Taxes of the Company or its subsidiaries, and no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the assessment or payment of Taxes have been given by or requested from the Company or its subsidiaries that are currently in force. The term “Taxes” means all U.S. federal, state, and local, and non-U.S., and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments, or charges of any kind, in the nature of a tax, imposed by any Governmental Entity (as hereinafter defined) together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “Tax Returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements, and other documents required to be filed with any Governmental Entity in respect of Taxes.

 

(y)    Title to Real and Personal Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company has (i) good and defensible title to all of the interests in oil and gas properties underlying the estimates of its net proved reserves contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and (ii) good and marketable title to all other real and personal property reflected in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as assets owned by the Company, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except (A) as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, (B) such as are liens and encumbrances under operating agreements, unitization and pooling agreements, production sales contracts, farmout agreements and other oil and gas exploration, participation and production agreements, in each case that secure payment of amounts not yet due and payable for the performance of other unmatured obligations and are of a scope and nature customary in the oil and gas industry or arise in connection with drilling and production operations, (C) do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such properties by the Company or (D) as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; any other real property and buildings held under lease by the Company are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere in any material respect with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company, or except where the failure to have such valid, subsisting and enforceable leases would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(z)    Intellectual Property. The Company and each of its subsidiaries owns or possesses or has valid right to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and similar rights (“Intellectual Property”) reasonably necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. To the knowledge of the Company, no action or use by the Company or any of its subsidiaries will involve or give rise to any infringement of, or license or similar fees for, any Intellectual Property of others, except where such action, use, license or fee is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any such infringement or fee. To the Company’s knowledge, none of the technology employed by the Company or any subsidiary has been obtained or is being used by the Company or such subsidiary in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or such subsidiary or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of the officers, directors or employees of the Company or any subsidiary, or, to the Company’s knowledge, otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons, in each case to the extent that any such violation would be reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

12

 

(aa)    Environmental Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with all foreign, federal, state and local rules, laws and regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or waste and protection of the environment which are applicable to their businesses, except where the failure to comply has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any hazardous or toxic substances or waste by, due to, or caused by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may otherwise be liable) upon any of the property now or, to the Company’s knowledge, previously owned or leased by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or upon any other property, in violation of any law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or which would, under any law, statute, ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, give rise to any liability, except for any violation or liability which has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; and there has been no disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any hazardous or toxic substances or waste with respect to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries has knowledge, except where any disposal, discharge, emission or other release has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(bb)    Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act. The Company maintains on a consolidated basis a system of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurance that: (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (E) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus fairly present the information called for in all material respects and are prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, since the date of the most recent audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has been: (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated); and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

13

 

(cc)    Sarbanes-Oxley. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

 

(dd)    Finders Fees. Except as disclosed to the Agents in writing, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or the Agents for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(ee)    Labor Disputes. There is: (i) no unfair labor practice complaint pending against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, nor to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against it or any of its subsidiaries, before the National Labor Relations Board, any state or local labor relation board or any foreign labor relations board, and no grievance or arbitration proceeding arising out of or under any collective bargaining agreement is so pending against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against it or any of its subsidiaries; and (ii) no labor disturbance by the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the Company’s knowledge, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, that could reasonably be expected, singularly or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is not aware that any key employee or significant group of employees of the Company or any subsidiary plans to terminate employment with the Company or any such subsidiary.

 

(ff)    Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Placement Shares, will not be, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “Investment Company Act”).

 

(gg)    Operations. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”). No action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened. “Governmental Entity” shall be defined as any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency (whether foreign or domestic) having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations.

 

14

 

(hh)    Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements. There are no transactions, arrangements and other relationships between and/or among the Company, and/or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its affiliates and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structural finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity (each, an “Off Balance Sheet Transaction”) that could reasonably be expected to affect materially the Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements for its capital resources, including those Off Balance Sheet Transactions described in the Commission’s Statement about Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations (Release Nos. 33-8056; 34-45321; FR-61), required to be described in the Prospectus which have not been described as required.

 

(ii)    Underwriter Agreements. Other than with respect to this Agreement, the Company is not a party to any agreement with an agent or underwriter for any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction.

 

(jj)    ERISA. No “prohibited transaction” (as defined in Section 406 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”), or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time (the “Code”)) (excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption) or “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 302 of ERISA) or any of the events set forth in Section 4043(b) of ERISA (other than events with respect to which the thirty (30)-day notice requirement under Section 4043 of ERISA has been waived) has occurred or could reasonably be expected to occur with respect to any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries which would reasonably be expected to, singularly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Each employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is in compliance with applicable law, including ERISA and the Code, except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred and would not reasonably be expected to incur liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of, or withdrawal from, any pension plan (as defined in ERISA).

 

(kk)    Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) (a “Forward- Looking Statement”) included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

(ll)    Agent Purchases. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Agents have informed the Company that any Agent may, to the extent permitted under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, purchase and sell Common Stock for its own account while this Agreement is in effect, provided, that (i) no such purchase or sales shall take place while a Placement Notice is in effect (except to the extent the Lead Agent may engage in sales of Placement Shares purchased or deemed purchased from the Company as a “riskless principal” or in a similar capacity) and (ii) the Company shall not be deemed to have authorized or consented to any such purchases or sales by the Agents.

 

15

 

(mm)    Margin Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Placement Shares nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.

 

(nn)    Insurance. The Company and each of its subsidiaries carries, or is covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is commercially reasonable for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries.

 

(oo)    No Improper Practices. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, or any director or officer of the Company or any subsidiary, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any employee, representative, agent, affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

(pp)    Compliance with Applicable Laws. The Company has not been advised, and has no reason to believe, that it and each of its subsidiaries are not conducting business in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the jurisdictions in which it is conducting business, except where failure to be so in compliance would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(qq)    Status Under the Securities Act. The Company was not and is not an ineligible issuer as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act at the times specified in Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Placement Shares.

 

(rr)    No Misstatement or Omission in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and as of each Applicable Time (as defined in Section 24 below), did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict in any material respect with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (including any Incorporated Documents) deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Agent specifically for use therein.

 

16

 

(ss)    Reserve Report Data. The information underlying the estimates of the reserves of the Company and its subsidiaries, which was supplied by the Company to Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc., (the “Reserve Engineer”) for purposes of preparing or auditing, as applicable, the reserve estimates included or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (the “Reserve Reports”), including production and costs of operation and estimates of future capital expenditures and other future exploration and development costs, was true and correct in all material respects on the dates such estimates were made, and such information was supplied and prepared in good faith, with a reasonable basis and in accordance with customary industry practices. The information contained in the Prospectus regarding estimated proved reserves of the Company is based upon such the Reserve Reports. Other than normal production of the reserves, the impact of changes in prices and costs, and fluctuations in demand for oil and natural gas, and except as disclosed in or contemplated by each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any facts or circumstances that would in the aggregate result in a material adverse change in the aggregate net proved reserves, or the aggregate present value or the standardized measure of the future net cash flows therefrom, as described in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The estimates of such reserves and the standardized measure of such reserves as described in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus have been prepared in good faith and in a manner that complies with the applicable requirements of the rules under the Securities Act with respect to such estimates (except to the extent otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus). The Reserve Engineer was, as of the respective dates of the Reserve Reports prepared by it, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries.

 

(tt)    No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not: (i) result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any law, order, rule or regulation to which the Company or any subsidiary is subject, or by which any property or asset of the Company or any subsidiary is bound or affected; (ii) conflict with, result in any violation or breach of, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any right of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, lease, credit facility, debt, note, bond, mortgage, indenture or other instrument or obligation or other understanding to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any subsidiary is bound or affected; or (iii) result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, each as are presently in effect, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii) above, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(uu)    OFAC. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, employee, representative, agent or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is currently subject to or the target of any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Placement Shares contemplated hereby, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

17

 

(vv)    FINRA Exemption. To enable the Agents to rely on Rule 5110(b)(7)(C)(i) of FINRA, the Company represents that the Company (i) has a non-affiliate, public common equity float of at least $150 million or a non-affiliate, public common equity float of at least $100 million and annual trading volume of at least three million shares and (ii) has been subject to the Exchange Act reporting requirements for a period of at least 36 months.

 

(ww)    Subsidiary Dividend Restrictions. No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s equity securities or similar ownership interest, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except in each case as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

(xx)    Directors and Officers. Neither the Company, nor any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty, or any criminal statute during the term of such director or officer’s tenure with the Company, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, prior to such tenure that is of a nature that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 103 of Regulation S-K with regard to the Company or Item 401 of Regulation S-K with regard to the Company’s officers or directors. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company, other than routine reviews of the Company’s Commission filings which are not currently pending with respect to the Prospectus or the Registration Statement.

 

(yy)    Related Party Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the one hand, and any director, officer, member, stockholder, customer or supplier of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the other hand, which is required by the Securities Act to be disclosed pursuant to the requirements of Item 404 of Regulation S-K which has not been so disclosed. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company or any affiliate of the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any of their respective family members.

 

(zz)    Registration Rights. Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no persons with registration rights or similar rights to have any securities registered by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under the Securities Act.

 

(aaa)    Oil and Gas Leases. As of the date hereof, and except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus: (i) all royalties, rentals, deposits and other amounts owed under the oil and gas leases constituting the oil and gas properties of the Company and its subsidiaries have been properly and timely paid (other than amounts held in suspense accounts pending routine payments or related to disputes about the proper identification of royalty owners), and no amount of proceeds from the sale or production attributable to the oil and gas properties of the Company and its subsidiaries are currently being held in suspense by any purchaser thereof, except where such amounts due could not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and (ii) there are no claims under take-or-pay Contracts pursuant to which natural gas purchasers have any make-up rights affecting the interests of the Company and its subsidiaries in their oil and gas properties, except where such claims could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

18

 

(bbb)    FINRA Affiliations. To the Company’s knowledge, no (i) officer or director of the Company or its subsidiaries, or (ii) owner of 5% or more of the Company’s securities or that of its subsidiaries, has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, or as otherwise disclosed in writing to the Agents.

 

(ccc)    Data Privacy. The Company and its subsidiaries, to the best of its knowledge, are, and at all times prior hereto have been, in compliance in all material respects with all applicable state, federal, and international data privacy, security and consumer protection laws and regulations (collectively, the “Privacy Laws”). To facilitate compliance with the Privacy Laws, the Company and its subsidiaries have in place and take commercially reasonable steps to comply in all material respects with their policies and procedures relating to data privacy and security and the collection, storage, use, disclosure, handling, and analysis of Personal Data. “Personal Data” means: (i) a natural person’s name, street address, telephone number, e-mail address, photograph, social security number or tax identification number, driver’s license number, passport number, credit card number, bank information, or customer or account number; (ii) any information which would qualify as “personally identifiable” information as applied by the Federal Trade Commission; and (iii) any other information that allows the identification of such natural person, or his or her family, or permits the collection or analysis of any data related to an identified person’s health or sexual orientation. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary: (A) has received notice of any actual or potential liability, including, but not limited to, security or data privacy breaches or other unauthorized or improper access to, use of, or destruction of Personal Data, under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any of the Privacy Laws, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice; (B) is currently conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation, or other corrective action pursuant to any Privacy Law; or (C) is a party to any order, decree, or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Privacy Law.

 

(ddd)    Solvency. Based on the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of each date of delivery of a Placement Share, after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares hereunder, and except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) the fair saleable value of the Company’s assets exceeds the amount that will be required to be paid on or in respect of the Company’s existing debts and other liabilities (including known contingent liabilities) as they mature, (ii) the Company’s assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted including its capital needs taking into account the particular capital requirements of the business conducted by the Company, consolidated and projected capital requirements and capital availability thereof, and (iii) the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, would be sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid. The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt).

 

19

 

Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Agents or to counsel for the Agents pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company, as applicable, to the Agents as to the matters set forth therein.

 

7.    Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with Agents that:

 

(a)    Registration Statement Amendments. After the date of this Agreement and during any period in which a Prospectus relating to any Placement Shares is required to be delivered by an Agent under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act) (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”) (i) the Company will notify the Agents promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference, has been filed with the Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information, (ii) the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon the Lead Agent’s request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, in the Lead Agent’s reasonable opinion, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Placement Shares by the Lead Agent (provided, however, that the failure of the Lead Agent to make such request shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Agents’ right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and provided, further, that the only remedy the Agents shall have with respect to the failure to make such filing shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement until such amendment or supplement is filed); (iii) the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares or a security convertible into the Placement Shares unless a copy thereof has been submitted to the Agents within a reasonable period of time before the filing and the Lead Agent has not objected thereto (provided, however, that (A) the failure of the Lead Agent to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Agents’ right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and (B) the Company has no obligation to provide the Agents any advance copy of such filing or to provide the Agents an opportunity to object to such filing if the filing does not name the Agents or does not relate to the transaction herein provided; and provided, further, that the only remedy the Agents shall have with respect to the failure by the Company to obtain such consent shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement) and the Company will furnish to the Agents at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus, except for those documents available via EDGAR; and (iv) the Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act or, in the case of any document to be incorporated therein by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the Exchange Act, within the time period prescribed (the determination to file or not file any amendment or supplement with the Commission under this Section 7(a), based on the Company’s reasonable opinion or reasonable objections, shall be made exclusively by the Company).

 

20

 

(b)    Notice of Commission Stop Orders. The Company will advise the Agents, promptly after it receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, of the suspension of the qualification of the Placement Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; and it will promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be issued. The Company will advise the Agents promptly after it receives any request by the Commission for any amendments to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplements to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information related to the offering of the Placement Shares or for additional information related to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

 

(c)    Delivery of Prospectus; Subsequent Changes. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in force, and to file on or before their respective due dates all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, 15(d) or any other provision of or under the Exchange Act. If the Company has omitted any information from the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, it will use its best efforts to comply with the provisions of and make all requisite filings with the Commission pursuant to said Rule 430A and to notify the Agents promptly of all such filings. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during the Prospectus Delivery Period it is necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify the Agents to suspend the offering of Placement Shares during such period and the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to promptly amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that the Company may delay the filing of any amendment or supplement, if in the judgment of the Company, it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

 

(d)    Listing of Placement Shares. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Placement Shares to be listed on the Exchange and to qualify the Placement Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Lead Agent reasonably designates and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or dealer in securities or file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction.

 

21

 

(e)    Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company will furnish to the Agents and their counsel (at the expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that are filed with the Commission during the Prospectus Delivery Period (including all documents filed with the Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities as the Agents may from time to time reasonably request and, at the Agents’ request, will also furnish copies of the Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales of the Placement Shares may be made; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to furnish any document to the Agents to the extent such document is available on EDGAR.

 

(f)    Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement covering a 12-month period that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) and Rule 158 of the Securities Act; provided, however, that so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act and is timely filing reports with the Commission on EDGAR, it shall be deemed to be in compliance with the foregoing requirement.

 

(g)    Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the Net Proceeds as described in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Use of Proceeds.”

 

(h)    Notice of Other Sales. Without the prior written consent of the Lead Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Stock (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Stock (i) only during the period(s) beginning on the date on which any Placement Notice is delivered to the Lead Agent hereunder and ending on the second (2nd) Trading Day immediately following the final Settlement Date with respect to Placement Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice (or, if the Placement Notice has been terminated or suspended prior to the sale of all Placement Shares covered by a Placement Notice, the date of such suspension or termination); and (ii) for the term of this Agreement, will not directly or indirectly, in any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction (other than any such offering pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 which is effective on the date of this Agreement, but  which is not a takedown for an “at the market” or continuous equity transaction), offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Stock (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Stock prior to the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that such restrictions will not be required in connection with the Company’s issuance or sale of (i) Common Stock, restricted stock units, options to purchase Common Stock or Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or the vesting and settlement of restricted stock units or stock awards, pursuant to any employee or director stock option or benefits plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan (but not Common Stock subject to a waiver to exceed plan limits in its dividend reinvestment plan) of the Company whether now in effect or hereafter implemented, including any exercise effected by the delivery of shares of Common Stock of the Company on a “cashless” or “net exercise” basis or to cover tax withholding, (ii) Common Stock issuable upon conversion of securities (including convertible preferred stock and convertible debt) or the grant, settlement, conversion, exchange or exercise of warrants, options or other rights in effect or outstanding, and disclosed in filings by the Company available on EDGAR or otherwise in writing to the Agents, and (iii) Common Stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock, offered and sold in a negotiated transaction to vendors, customers, strategic partners or potential strategic partners, acquisition candidates or other investors conducted in a manner so as not to be integrated with the offering of Common Stock hereby.

 

22

 

(i)    Change of Circumstances. The Company will, at any time during the pendency of a Placement Notice advise the Agents promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document required to be provided to the Agents pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(j)    Due Diligence Cooperation. The Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Agents or their representatives in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices, as the Agents may reasonably request. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall be obligated to use commercially reasonable efforts to make auditors or reserve engineers available other than as specifically provided for in this Agreement.

 

(k)    Required Filings Relating to Placement of Placement Shares. The Company agrees that on such dates as the Securities Act shall require, the Company will (i) file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (each and every filing under Rule 424(b), a “Filing Date”) or disclose in its annual report on Form 10-K or quarterly report on Form 10-Q, which filing will set forth, within the relevant period, the amount of Placement Shares sold through the Lead Agent, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to the Lead Agent with respect to such Placement Shares, and (ii) deliver such number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to each exchange or market on which such sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.

 

(l)    Representation Dates; Certificate. On the date of this Agreement and within five (5) Trading Days of each time the Company:

 

(i)    files the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares or amends or supplements (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to an offering of securities other than the Placement Shares), the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or supplement but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares;

 

(ii)    files an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act (including any Form 10-K/A containing amended financial information or a material amendment to the previously filed Form 10-K);

 

(iii)    files a quarterly report on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; or

 

23

 

(iv)    files a current report on Form 8-K containing amended financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to the reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) under the Exchange Act; (Each date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) shall be a “Representation Date”) the Company shall furnish the Agents (but in the case of clause (iv) above only if the Company reasonably determines that the information contained in such Form 8-K is material) with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l) (the “Representation Date Certificate”); provided however, if no Placement Notice is pending at such Representation Date, then before the Company delivers a Placement Notice or the Lead Agent sells any Placement Shares, the Company shall provide the Agents with a Representation Date Certificate. The requirement to provide a Representation Date Certificate shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Placement Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a Placement Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date; provided, however, that such waiver shall not apply for any Representation Date on which the Company files its Annual Report on Form 10-K. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Placement Shares following a Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide the Agents with a Representation Date Certificate, then before the Company delivers the Placement Notice or the Lead Agent sells any Placement Shares, the Company shall provide the Agents with a Representation Date Certificate, dated the date of the Placement Notice.

 

(m)    Legal Opinion. (1) On the date of this Agreement and (2) within five (5) Trading Days of each Representation Date, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agents a written opinion and negative assurance letter of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., counsel to the Company (“Company Counsel”), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Lead Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinions are required to be delivered; provided however, if no placement notice is pending at such Representation Date, then before the Company delivers a Placement Notice or the Lead Agent sells any Placement Shares, the Company shall provide the Agents with such negative assurance letter; provided, further, that in lieu of such negative assurance letter for subsequent periodic filings under the Exchange Act, Company Counsel may furnish the Agents with a letter (a “Reliance Letter”) to the effect that the Agents may rely on a prior negative assurance letter delivered under this Section 7(m) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such letter (except that statements in such prior negative assurance letter shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented as of the date of the Reliance Letter).

 

(n)    Accounting Comfort Letter. (1) On the date of this Agreement and (2) within five (5) Trading Days of each Representation Date as contemplated by Section 7(l)(iii), the Company shall cause its independent accountants to furnish the Agents letters (the “Accounting Comfort Letter”), dated the date the Accounting Comfort Letter is delivered, which shall meet the requirements set forth in this Section 7(n); provided however, if no Placement Notice is pending at such Representation Date, then before the Company delivers a Placement Notice or the Lead Agent sells any Placement Shares, the Company shall provide the Agents with the Accounting Comfort Letter; provided, further, that if requested by the Agents, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause a Accounting Comfort Letter to be furnished to the Agents with ten (10) Trading Days of the date of occurrence of any material transaction or event, including the restatement of the Company’s financial statements. The Accounting Comfort Letter from the Company’s independent accountants shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Lead Agent, (i) confirming that they are an independent public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, (ii) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings (the first such letter, the “Initial Accounting Comfort Letter”) and (iii) updating the Initial Accounting Comfort Letter with any information that would have been included in the Initial Accounting Comfort Letter had it been given on such date and modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter.

 

24

 

(o)    Reserve Engineer Comfort Letter. (1) On the date of this Agreement and (2) within five (5) Trading Days of each Representation Date contemplated by Section 7(l)(ii), the Company shall cause the reserve engineer providing a consent for the applicable annual report on Form 10-K to furnish the Agents a letter (the “Reserve Engineer Comfort Letter,” and together with the Accounting Comfort Letter, the “Comfort Letters”), dated the date the Reserve Engineer Comfort Letter is delivered.

 

(p)    Market Activities. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of Common Stock or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase Common Stock, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Placement Shares other than the Agents.

 

(q)    Investment Company Act. The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that it will not become, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act.

 

(r)    No Offer to Sell. Other than an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus approved in advance by the Company and the Agents in their capacity as agent hereunder, neither the Agents nor the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Agents in their capacity as such) will make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any written communication (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), required to be filed with the Commission, that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy Placement Shares hereunder.

 

(s)    Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company will maintain and keep accurate books and records reflecting its assets and maintain internal accounting controls in a manner designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP and including those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company, (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit the preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP, (iii) that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with management’s and the Company’s directors’ authorization, and (iv) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on its financial statements. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain such controls and other procedures, including, without limitation, those required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the applicable regulations thereunder that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to ensure that material information relating to the Company is made known to it by others within the Company, particularly during the period in which such periodic reports are being prepared.

 

25

 

8.    Payment of Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, filing, including any fees required by the Commission, and printing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment and supplement thereto, in such number as the Lead Agent shall deem necessary, (ii) the printing and delivery to the Agents of this Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates, if any, for the Placement Shares to the Agents, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any capital duties, stamp duties or other similar duties or taxes payable upon the original sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares by the Company to the Agents, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the counsel, accountants and other advisors to the Company, (v) the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses of the Agents, including fees and disbursements of counsel to the Agents, up to $60,000 (which amount shall include all fees and disbursements of such counsel described in clause (ix) below) and quarterly disbursements of counsel to the Agents up to $10,000 per calendar quarter, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Agents of copies of any Permitted Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (defined below) and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto in such number as the Lead Agent shall deem necessary, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Agents of copies of the blue sky survey any supplements thereto, in such number as the Lead Agent shall deem necessary, (viii) the fees and expenses of the transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock, (ix) the fees and expenses incident to any review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Placement Shares, including fees and expenses of counsel to the Agents, and (x) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange.

 

9.    Conditions to Obligations of the Agents. The obligations of the Agents hereunder with respect to a Placement will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness of the representations and warranties made by the Company herein, to the due performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, to the completion by the Agents of a due diligence review satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment, and to the continuing satisfaction (or waiver by the Agents in their sole discretion) of the following additional conditions:

 

(a)    Registration Statement Effective. The Registration Statement shall have become effective and shall be available for the sale of all Placement Shares contemplated to be issued by any Placement Notice.

 

26

 

(b)    No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (i) receipt by the Company of any request for additional information from the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the response to which would (in the reasonable opinion of Company Counsel) require any post-effective amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (ii) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Placement Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; or (iv) the occurrence of any event that makes any material statement made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any material document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(c)    No Misstatement or Material Omission. The Lead Agent shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in such Lead Agent’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in such Lead Agent’s opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Lead Agent shall not have advised the Company that the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in such Lead Agent’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in such Lead Agent’s opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(d)    Material Changes. Except as contemplated in the Registration Statement, Prospectus, or disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Commission, there shall not have been any material adverse change, on a consolidated basis, in the authorized capital stock of the Company or any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(e)    Legal Opinion. The Agents shall have received the opinions of Company Counsel required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(m) on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinion is required pursuant to Section 7(m).

 

(f)    Comfort Letters. The Agents shall have received the Comfort Letters required to be delivered pursuant Sections 7(n) and 7(o) on or before the date on which such delivery of such Comfort Letters is required pursuant to Sections 7(n) or 7(o), as applicable.

 

(g)    Representation Certificate. The Agents shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(l) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 7(l).

 

27

 

(h)    Secretarys Certificate. On the date of this Agreement, the Agents shall have received a certificate, signed on behalf of the Company by its corporate Secretary, in form and substance satisfactory to the Lead Agent and counsel to the Agents.

 

(i)    No Suspension. Trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended on the Exchange, and the Common Stock shall not have been delisted from the Exchange.

 

(j)    Other Materials. On each date on which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(l), the Company shall have furnished to the Agents such appropriate further information, certificates and documents as the Lead Agent may reasonably request. All such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents will be in compliance with the provisions hereof. The Company will furnish the Agents with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents as the Lead Agent shall reasonably request.

 

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

 

(l)    Approval for Listing. The Placement Shares shall either have been approved for listing quotation on the Exchange, subject only to notice of issuance, or the Company shall have filed an application for listing quotation of the Placement Shares on the Exchange at, or prior to, the issuance of any Placement Notice.

 

(m)    No Termination Event. There shall not have occurred any event that would permit the Agents to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 12(a).

 

10.    Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)    Company Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Agent, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees and agents and each person, if any, who controls such Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:

 

(i)    against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the case of the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or, in the case of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

 

28

 

(ii)    against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 10(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Agents, which consent shall not unreasonably be delayed or withheld; and

 

(iii)    against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above, provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made solely in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by an Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

(b)    Agent Indemnification. Each Agent agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors and each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who (i) controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or (ii) is controlled by or is under common control with the Company against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 10(a), as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendments thereto) or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to such Agent and furnished to the Company in writing by such Agent expressly for use therein.

 

29

 

(c)    Procedure. Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 10 will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or parties under this Section 10, notify each such indemnifying party of the commencement of such action, enclosing a copy of all papers served, but the omission so to notify such indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from (i) any liability that it might have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 10 and (ii) any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under the foregoing provision of this Section 10 unless, and only to the extent that, such omission results in the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses by the indemnifying party. If any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of its commencement, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the extent that it elects by delivering written notice to the indemnified party promptly after receiving notice of the commencement of the action from the indemnified party, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense of the action, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense, the indemnifying party will not be liable to the indemnified party for any legal or other expenses except as provided below and except for the reasonable and documented costs of investigation subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense. The indemnified party will have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (1) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on written advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on written advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (4) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the reasonable and documented fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable and documented fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. All such fees, disbursements and other charges will be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly after the indemnifying party receives a written invoice relating to fees, disbursements and other charges in reasonable detail. An indemnifying party will not, in any event, be liable for any settlement of any action or claim effected without its written consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this Section 10 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (1) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (2) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

30

 

(d)    Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in the foregoing paragraphs of this Section 10 is applicable in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be unavailable from the Company or an Agent, the Company and such Agent will contribute to the total losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including any investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted, but after deducting any contribution received by the Company from persons other than the Agents, such as persons who control the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, officers of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and directors of the Company, who also may be liable for contribution) to which the Company and the Agents may be subject in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Agents on the other hand. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Agents on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by the Agents (before deducting expenses) from the sale of Placement Shares on behalf of the Company. If, but only if, the allocation provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agents, on the other hand, with respect to the statements or omission that resulted in such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations with respect to such offering. Such relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Agents, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Agents agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 10(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, liability, expense, or damage, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 10(d) shall be deemed to include, for the purpose of this Section 10(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim to the extent consistent with Section 10(c) hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 10(d), the Agents shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the commissions received by it under this Agreement and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 10(d), any person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any officers, directors, partners, employees or agents of the Agents, will have the same rights to contribution as that party, and each director and officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement will have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the provisions hereof. Any party entitled to contribution, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made under this Section 10(d), will notify any such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify will not relieve that party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have under this Section 10(d) except to the extent that the failure to so notify such other party materially prejudiced the substantive rights or defenses of the party from whom contribution is sought. Except for a settlement entered into pursuant to the last sentence of Section 10(c) hereof, no party will be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled without its written consent if such consent is required pursuant to Section 10(c) hereof.

 

11.    Additional Covenants.

 

(a)    Representations and Covenants of the Agents. Each Agent represents and warrants that it is duly registered as a broker-dealer under FINRA, the Exchange Act and the applicable statutes and regulations of each state in which the Placement Shares will be offered and sold, except such states in which such Agent is exempt from registration or such registration is not otherwise required. Such Agent shall continue, for the term of this Agreement, to be duly registered as a broker-dealer under FINRA, the Exchange Act and the applicable statutes and regulations of each state in which the Placement Shares will be offered and sold, except such states in which such Agent is exempt from registration or such registration is not otherwise required, during the term of this Agreement. Such Agent shall comply with all applicable law and regulations in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the issuance and sale through the Agents of the Placement Shares.

 

31

 

(b)    Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section 10 of this Agreement and all representations and warranties of the Company herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto shall survive, as of their respective dates, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Agents, any controlling persons, or the Company (or any of their respective officers, directors or controlling persons), (ii) delivery and acceptance of the Placement Shares and payment therefor or (iii) any termination of this Agreement.

 

12.    Termination.

 

(a)    Any Agent may terminate this Agreement, with respect only to itself, by notice to the Company, as hereinafter specified at any time (1) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect or, in the sole judgment of such Agent, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (2) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of such Agent, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (3) if trading in the Common Stock has been suspended or limited by the Commission or the Exchange, or if trading generally on the Exchange has been suspended or limited, or minimum prices for trading have been fixed on the Exchange, (4) if any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market shall have occurred and be continuing, (5) if a major disruption of securities settlements or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred and be continuing, or (6) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either U.S. Federal or New York authorities. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 8 (Payment of Expenses), Section 10 (Indemnification), Section 11 (Additional Covenants), Section 17 (Governing Law and Time; Consent to Jurisdiction) and Section 18 (Waiver of Jury Trial) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination. If such Agent elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 12(a), such Agent shall provide the required notice as specified in Section 13 (Notices).

 

(b)    The Company shall have the right, by giving three (3) days’ written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 8, Section 10, Section 11, Section 17 and Section 18 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

32

 

(c)    Each Agent shall have the right, by giving five (5) days’ written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 8, Section 10, Section 11, Section 17 and Section 18 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(d)    Unless earlier terminated pursuant to this Section 12, this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the issuance and sale of all of the Placement Shares through the Agents on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein; provided that the provisions of Section 8, Section 10, Section 11, Section 17 and Section 18 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(e)    This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to Sections 12(a), (b), (c), or (d) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided, however, that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Section 8, Section 10, Section 11, Section 17 and Section 18 shall remain in full force and effect. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Company shall not have any liability to the Agents for any discount, commission or other compensation with respect to any Placement Shares not otherwise sold by the Agents under this Agreement.

 

(f)    Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided, however, that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by the Agent or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Shares, such Placement Shares shall settle in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(g)    Subject to the additional limitations set forth in Section 8 of this Agreement, in the event of termination of this Agreement prior to the sale of any Placement Shares, the Agents shall be entitled only to reimbursement of its out-of-pocket expenses actually incurred.

 

13.    Notices. All notices or other communications required or permitted to be given by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified, and if sent to the Agents, shall be delivered to:

 

Roth Capital Partners, LLC, as Lead Agent

888 San Clemente

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Attention: Managing Director

E-mail: amontano@roth.com

 

USCA Securities LLC

4444 Westheimer Rd., Suite G500

Houston, Texas 77027

Attention: William R. Hurt

Telephone: 713-366-0584

Email: bhurt@uscwealth.com

 

33

 

and

 

Porter Hedges LLP

1000 Main Street, 35th Floor

Houston, Texas 77002

Attention: Kevin Poli

E-mail: kpoli@porterhedges.com

 

and if to the Company, shall be delivered to:

 

HighPeak Energy, Inc.

421 W. 3rd Street, Suite 1000

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Attn: Chief Financial Officer

E-mail: stholen@highpeakenergy.com; dsilver@highpeakenergy.com

 

with a copy to:

 

Vinson & Elkins LLP

First Avenue Plaza

44 Cook Street, Suite 320

Denver, CO 80206

Attn: Sarah Morgan; Jackson O’Maley

E-mail: smorgan@velaw.com; jomaley@velaw.com

 

Each party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose. Each such notice or other communication shall be deemed given (i) when delivered personally or by verifiable facsimile transmission (with an original to follow) on or before 4:30 p.m., New York City time, on a Business Day or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day, (ii) on the next Business Day after timely delivery to a nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iii) on the Business Day actually received if deposited in the U.S. mail (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid).

 

An electronic communication (“Electronic Notice”) shall be deemed written notice for purposes of this Section 13 if sent to the electronic mail address specified by the receiving party under separate cover. Electronic Notice shall be deemed received at the time the party sending Electronic Notice receives verification of receipt by the receiving party. Any party receiving Electronic Notice may request and shall be entitled to receive the notice on paper, in a nonelectronic form (“Nonelectronic Notice”) which shall be sent to the requesting party within ten (10) days of receipt of the written request for Nonelectronic Notice.

 

14.    Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and the Agents and their respective successors and the affiliates, controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 10 hereof. References to any of the parties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the successors and permitted assigns of such party. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assigns any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement. Neither party may assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party; provided, however, that any Agent may assign its rights and obligations hereunder to an affiliate thereof without obtaining the Company’s consent.

 

34

 

15.    Adjustments for Stock Splits. The parties acknowledge and agree that all share-related numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted to take into account any stock split, stock dividend or similar event effected with respect to the Placement Shares.

 

16.    Entire Agreement; Amendment; Severability. This Agreement (including all schedules and exhibits attached hereto and Placement Notices issued pursuant hereto) constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all other prior and contemporaneous agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof. Neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument executed by the Company and the Agents. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable as written by a court of competent jurisdiction, then such provision shall be given full force and effect to the fullest possible extent that it is valid, legal and enforceable, and the remainder of the terms and provisions herein shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable term or provision was not contained herein, but only to the extent that giving effect to such provision and the remainder of the terms and provisions hereof shall be in accordance with the intent of the parties as reflected in this Agreement.

 

17.    GOVERNING LAW AND TIME; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS. SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

18.    CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS SITTING IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, AND HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, AND AGREES NOT TO ASSERT IN ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, ANY CLAIM THAT IT IS NOT PERSONALLY SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF ANY SUCH COURT, THAT SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM OR THAT THE VENUE OF SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS IMPROPER. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES PERSONAL SERVICE OF PROCESS AND CONSENTS TO PROCESS BEING SERVED IN ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY MAILING A COPY THEREOF (CERTIFIED OR REGISTERED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED) TO SUCH PARTY AT THE ADDRESS IN EFFECT FOR NOTICES TO IT UNDER THIS AGREEMENT AND AGREES THAT SUCH SERVICE SHALL CONSTITUTE GOOD AND SUFFICIENT SERVICE OF PROCESS AND NOTICE THEREOF. NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL BE DEEMED TO LIMIT IN ANY WAY ANY RIGHT TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW.

 

35

 

19.    Use of Information. The Agents may not use any information gained in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including due diligence, to advise any party with respect to transactions not expressly approved by the Company.

 

20.    Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed Agreement by one party to the other may be made by facsimile transmission or email delivery of an executed Agreement as an attachment in .pdf format.

 

21.    Effect of Headings. The section and Exhibit headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

22.    Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses.

 

The Company represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of each Agent, and each Agent represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Placement Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Agents or by the Company, as the case may be, is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents and warrants that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping.

 

23.    Absence of Fiduciary Relationship.

 

The Company acknowledges and agrees that:

 

(a)    Each Agent is acting solely as agent in connection with the public offering of the Placement Shares and in connection with each transaction contemplated by this Agreement and the process leading to such transactions, and no fiduciary or advisory relationship between the Company or any of its respective affiliates, stockholders (or other equity holders), creditors or employees or any other party, on the one hand, and the Agents, on the other hand, has been or will be created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether or not any Agent has advised or is advising the Company on other matters, and no Agent has an obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement;

 

(b)    it is capable of evaluating and understanding, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

36

 

(c)    no Agent has provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and it has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate;

 

(d)    it is aware that the Agents and their affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and the Agents have no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship or otherwise; and

 

(e)    it waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against any Agent for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the sale of Placement Shares under this Agreement and agrees that no Agent shall have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract, tort or otherwise) to it in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on its behalf or in right of it or the Company, employees or creditors of Company, other than in respect of the Agents’ obligations under this Agreement and to keep information provided by the Company to the Agents and the counsel to the Agents confidential to the extent not otherwise publicly-available.

 

24.    Definitions.

 

As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below:

 

Applicable Time” means (i) each Representation Date, (ii) the time of each sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement, and (iii) each Settlement Date.

 

Business Day” shall mean any day on which the Exchange and commercial banks in the City of New York are open for business.

 

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the Placement Shares that (1) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (2) is a “road show” that is a “written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (3) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Placement Shares or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the Securities Act.

 

Rule 172,” “Rule 405,” “Rule 415,” “Rule 424,” “Rule 424(b),” “Rule 430B,” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Securities Act.

 

Trading Day” means any day on which shares of Common Stock are purchased and sold on the Exchange.

 

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information that is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be.

 

All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR; all references in this Agreement to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (other than any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that, pursuant to Rule 433, are not required to be filed with the Commission) shall be deemed to include the copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR; and all references in this Agreement to “supplements” to the Prospectus shall include, without limitation, any supplements, “wrappers” or similar materials prepared in connection with any offering, sale or private placement of any Placement Shares by the Agents outside of the United States.

 

37

 

If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Company and the Agents, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this Agreement shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and the Agents.

 

 

 

Very truly yours,     
   

 

HIGHPEAK ENERGY, INC.

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Michael L. Hollis

 

Name: 

Michael L. Hollis

 

Title: 

President and Chief Executive

Officer   

     
  ACCEPTED as of the date first-above written:     
   
  ROTH CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC    
     
     
     
  By: /s/ Alexander Montano  
  Name:  Alexander Montano  
  Title:

Managing Director, Head of Energy

Investment Banking

     
     
  USCA SECURITIES LLC
     
     
     
  By: /s/ William R. Hurt
  Name: William R. Hurt
  Title: Senior Managing Director, Head of Investment Banking

 

 

38