As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 2, 2021.
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM F-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Immatics N.V.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
The Netherlands | Not Applicable | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 15
72076 Tübingen, Federal Republic of Germany
+49 (7071) 5397-0
(Address and telephone number of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Edward A. Sturchio
Immatics US, Inc.
2130 W. Holcombe Blvd., Suite 900
Houston, Texas 77030
(281) 810-7545
(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
Copies to:
Deanna L. Kirkpatrick
Yasin Keshvargar
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-4000
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effectiveness of this registration statement.
If only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.C. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.C. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933. Emerging growth company ☒
If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
† The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of each class of securities to be registered(1) | Amount to be registered(2) | Proposed maximum aggregate offering price per unit(2) | Proposed maximum aggregate offering price(2) | Amount of registration fee(3) |
Ordinary shares, nominal value €0.01 per share | ||||
Debt securities | ||||
Warrants | ||||
Subscription rights | ||||
Purchase contracts | ||||
Units | ||||
Total | $500,000,000 | $500,000,000 | $54,550 |
(1) | Any securities registered hereunder may be sold separately or in combination with other securities registered hereunder. |
(2) | Omitted pursuant to General Instruction II.C to Form F-3. An indeterminate number of securities of each identified class is being registered as may from time to time be issued at indeterminate prices, including securities that may be issued upon exercise, conversion or exchange of, or pursuant to anti-dilution adjustments or pursuant to a stock dividend, stock split or similar transaction with respect to any securities that provide for that issuance or adjustment. Separate consideration may or may not be received for securities that are issuable on exercise, conversion or exchange of other securities. |
(3) | Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act, as amended. |
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This registration statement contains two prospectuses:
· | a base prospectus that covers the offering, issuance and sale of up to $500,000,000 of the registrant’s ordinary shares, debt securities, warrants, subscription rights, purchase contracts and units; and |
· | a sales agreement prospectus supplement that covers the offering and sale of up to $100,000,000 of the registrant’s ordinary shares that may be issued and sold under the Sales Agreement between the registrant and SVB Leerink LLC. |
The base prospectus immediately follows this explanatory note. The specific terms of any securities to be offered pursuant to the base prospectus will be specified in a prospectus supplement to the base prospectus. The sales agreement prospectus supplement immediately follows the base prospectus.
The $100,000,000 of ordinary shares that may be offered, issued and sold under the sales agreement prospectus supplement is included in the $500,000,000 of securities that may be offered, issued and sold by us under the base prospectus. Upon termination of the sales agreement with SVB Leerink LLC, any portion of the $100,000,000 included in the sales agreement prospectus supplement that is not sold pursuant to the sales agreement will be available for sale in other offerings pursuant to the base prospectus.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED AUGUST 2, 2021
PROSPECTUS
IMMATICS N.V.
Ordinary Shares
Debt Securities
Warrants
Subscription Rights
Purchase Contracts
Units
We may offer and sell from time to time, in one or more offerings, up to $500,000,000 of any combination of the following securities: ordinary shares, debt securities, warrants, subscription rights, purchase contracts and units (collectively, the “securities”). We may offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in different series, at times, in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined at or prior to the time of each offering. This prospectus describes the general terms of these securities and the general manner in which these securities will be offered. We will provide the specific terms of these securities in supplements to this prospectus. The prospectus supplements will also describe the specific manner in which these securities will be offered and may also supplement, update or amend information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement before you invest.
The securities covered by this prospectus may be offered through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers. The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the names of the underwriters, dealers or agents, if any, any applicable commissions or discounts payable to them and the specific terms of the plan of distribution. For general information about the distribution of securities offered, see “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page 23 of this prospectus.
Our ordinary shares are listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “IMTX.”
We are an “emerging growth company” as defined under U.S. federal securities laws and, as such, may elect to comply with reduced public company reporting requirements for this and future filings. See “Our Company—Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company.”
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page 5 of this prospectus and, if applicable, any risk factors described in any applicable prospectus supplement and in our Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Prospectus dated , 2021.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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This prospectus is a part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, sell up to $500,000,000 of any combination of the securities described in this prospectus. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that may be offered by us. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement accompanied by this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will contain specific information about the nature of the persons offering securities and the terms the securities being offered at that time. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus.
Before buying any of the securities that we are offering, you should carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement with all of the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus, as well as the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Information Incorporated by Reference.” These documents contain important information that you should consider when making your investment decision. We have filed or incorporated by reference exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. You should read the exhibits carefully for provisions that may be important to you.
To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus, on the one hand, and the information contained in any prospectus supplement or in any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this prospectus, provided that if any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date—for example, a prospectus supplement or a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus—the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.
The information contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus is accurate only as of their respective dates, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus or the sale of any securities. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed materially since those dates.
Neither we nor any underwriters, dealers or agents have authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different from that contained in this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus, or any free writing prospectus we may authorize to be delivered or made available to you. Neither we nor any underwriters, dealers or agents take responsibility for, or provide assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the securities described in this prospectus or an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy such securities in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful.
For investors outside the United States: Neither we nor any underwriters, dealers or agents have taken any action that would permit the offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the securities described herein and the distribution of this prospectus outside the United States.
Unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, (i) all references to the “company,” “we,” “our” or “us” or similar terms refer to Immatics N.V., together with its subsidiaries, including Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH; (ii) references to “Immatics” refer solely to Immatics N.V.; and (iii) references to “Immatics OpCo” refer solely to Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH. Immatics N.V. is a Dutch public limited liability company (naamloze vennootschap) incorporated on March 10, 2020 and the holding company of Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, a German biopharmaceutical company incorporated in 2000 focused on the development of T cell receptor-based immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH holds all material assets and conducts all business activities and operations of Immatics N.V.
Trademarks
We own various trademark registrations and applications, and unregistered trademarks, including Immatics®, XPRESIDENT®, ACTengine®, ACTallo®, ACTolog®, XCEPTOR™, TCER™, AbsQuant™, IMADetect™ and our corporate logo. All other trade names, trademarks and service marks of other companies appearing in this prospectus are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this prospectus may be referred to without the ® and ™ symbols, but such references should not be construed as any indicator that their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their rights thereto. We do not intend to use or display other companies’ trademarks and trade names to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies.
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Presentation of Financial Information
Our consolidated financial statements are presented in euros and have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”). None of the consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The terms “dollar,” “USD” or “$” refer to the U.S. dollar and the term “euro,” “EUR” or “€” refer to the euro, unless otherwise indicated. The exchange rate used for conversion between U.S. dollars and euros is based on the ECB euro reference exchange rate published by the European Central Bank. We have made rounding adjustments to some of the figures included in this prospectus. Accordingly, any numerical discrepancies in any table between totals and sums of the amounts listed are due to rounding.
Market and Industry Data
This prospectus contains industry, market and competitive position
data that are based on general and industry publications, surveys and studies conducted by third parties, some of which may not be publicly
available, and our own internal estimates and research. Third-party publications, surveys and studies generally state that they have obtained
information from sources believed to be reliable, but do not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of such information. These data involve
a number of assumptions and limitations and contain projections and estimates of the future performance of the industries in which we
operate that are subject to a high degree of uncertainty.
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Overview
We are a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to the development of T cell receptor (“TCR”)-based immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. Our focus is the generation of novel therapeutic options for solid tumor patients. Solid tumors constitute the majority of all cancers, and relapsed and/or refractory solid tumor patients have an unmet medical need. We believe that by identifying true cancer targets and the right TCRs, we will be well-positioned to transform current solid tumor treatment paradigms by delivering cellular and bispecific product candidates that have the potential to improve the lives of cancer patients.
One of the challenges of effectively treating solid tumors is the lack of cancer-specific targets. By utilizing TCR-based therapeutics, we are capable of directing T cells not only to targets on the surface of the cancer cell, but also to intracellular cancer targets that are not accessible through classical antibody-based or CAR-T therapies. We have developed a suite of proprietary technologies to identify what we refer to as “true targets” and “right TCRs.” True targets are (i) naturally occurring at significant levels on native tumor tissue and (ii) highly specific to cancer cells. Right TCRs are (i) high-affinity TCRs and (ii) highly specific to the respective cancer target, with no or minimized cross-reactivities to healthy tissues.
We believe that the elucidation of these targets provides us the opportunity to develop a pipeline of novel TCR-based product candidates that generate a meaningful therapeutic impact on the lives of cancer patients by going beyond an incremental clinical benefit. We are developing our targeted immunotherapy product candidates through two distinct treatment modalities: Adoptive Cell Therapies (“ACT”) and antibody-like Bispecifics. Each is designed with distinct attributes to produce the desired therapeutic effect for patients at different disease stages and with different types of tumors. Our current proprietary pipeline comprises seven therapeutic programs, three of which are being evaluated in clinical trials. In addition, we are collaborating with world-leading partners, including Amgen Inc., Genmab A/S, Bristol-Myers Squibb and GlaxoSmithKline plc, to develop ten additional therapeutic programs covering ACT and Bispecifics.
Company and Corporate Information
We were incorporated as a Dutch private limited liability company (besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid) under the name Immatics B.V. on March 10, 2020 solely for the purpose of effectuating the business combination (the “Business Combination”) between us, ARYA Sciences Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (“ARYA”), Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, a German limited liability company, Immatics Merger Sub 1, a Cayman Islands exempted company, and Immatics Merger Sub 2, a Cayman Islands exempted company. Upon the closing of the Business Combination on July 1, 2020, we converted into a Dutch public limited liability company (naamloze vennootschap) and changed our name to Immatics N.V. Prior to the Business Combination, we did not conduct any material activities other than those incident to our formation and certain matters related to the Business Combination, such as the making of certain required securities law filings and the establishment of subsidiaries to effect the Business Combination. Upon the closing of the Business Combination, Immatics OpCo became the direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Immatics, and holds all material assets and conducts all business activities and operations of Immatics.
We are registered in the Commercial Register of the Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel) in the Netherlands under number 77595726. We have our corporate seat in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and our registered office is at Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 15, 72076 Tübingen, Federal Republic of Germany, and our telephone number is +49 (7071) 5397-0. Our executive office in the United States is located at Immatics US, Inc., 2130 W. Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas, 77030 and our telephone number is +1 (346) 204-5400. Our website is www.immatics.com. The reference to our website is an inactive textual reference only, and information contained therein or connected thereto is not incorporated into this prospectus or the registration statement of which it forms a part.
Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company
We qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). As an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other burdens that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include:
· | a requirement to have only two years of audited financial statements in addition to any required interim financial statements and correspondingly reduced Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations disclosure; |
· | an exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”); and |
· | to the extent that we no longer qualify as a foreign private issuer, (i) reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements and (ii) exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation, including golden parachute compensation. |
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We may take advantage of these provisions for up to five years or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues of $1.07 billion or more; (ii) December 31, 2025; (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the previous three years; and (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the SEC, which means the market value of our ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700.0 million as of the prior June 30. We may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these reduced burdens. For example, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. This provision allows an emerging growth company to delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. This transition period is only applicable under U.S. GAAP. As a result, we will adopt new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required or permitted by the International Accounting Standards Board.
Implications of Being a Foreign Private Issuer
We are also considered a “foreign private issuer.” Accordingly, we report under the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as a non-U.S. company with foreign private issuer status. This means that, even after we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, as long as we qualify as a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, we will be exempt from certain provisions of the Exchange Act that are applicable to U.S. domestic public companies, including:
· | the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act; |
· | the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and |
· | the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q containing unaudited financial and other specified information, or current reports on Form 8-K, upon the occurrence of specified significant events. |
We may take advantage of these exemptions until such time as we are no longer a foreign private issuer. We would cease to be a foreign private issuer at such time as more than 50% of our outstanding voting securities are held by U.S. residents and any of the following three circumstances applies: (i) the majority of our executive officers or directors are U.S. citizens or residents, (ii) more than 50% of our assets are located in the United States or (iii) our business is administered principally in the United States.
In this prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, we have taken advantage of certain of the reduced reporting requirements as a result of being an emerging growth company and a foreign private issuer. Accordingly, the information contained in this prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus may be different than the information you receive from other public companies in which you hold equity securities.
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Investing in our securities involves risk. Before making a decision to invest in our securities, you should carefully consider the risks described under “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and in our then-most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, and any updates to those risk factors in our reports on Form 6-K incorporated by reference in this prospectus, together with all of the other information appearing or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, in light of your particular investment objectives and financial circumstances. Although we discuss key risks in our discussion of risk factors, new risks may emerge in the future, which may prove to be significant. We cannot predict future risks or estimate the extent to which they may affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.
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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus contain statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Exchange Act and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). All statements other than statements of historical facts, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business and commercial strategy, potential market opportunities, products and product candidates, research pipeline, ongoing and planned preclinical studies and clinical trials, regulatory submissions and approvals, research and development costs, timing and likelihood of success, as well as plans and objectives of management for future operations are forward-looking statements. Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “expect,” “should,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate,” “will” and “potential,” among others.
Forward-looking statements are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information available to our management at the time such statements are made. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements due to various factors, including, but not limited to, those identified under the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they were made. Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond our control, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. You should read this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the documents that we have filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect.
In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of such statements, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.
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Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, the principal purpose of an offering would be to increase our capitalization and financial flexibility and the net proceeds from our sale of the securities will be used for general corporate purposes and other business opportunities.
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We have never declared or paid any cash dividends and have no plan to declare or pay any dividends on our ordinary shares in the foreseeable future. We currently intend to retain any earnings for future operations and expansion of our business.
We will be able to make distributions to our shareholders only to the extent that our equity exceeds the aggregate amount of issued share capital and reserves that must be maintained pursuant to Dutch law or under our articles of association. We may not make any distribution of profits on shares held as treasury shares and such treasury shares will not be taken into account when determining the profit entitlement of our shareholders. Our articles of association prescribe that profits in any financial year will be distributed first to holders of our financing preferred shares, if any are outstanding. Any remaining profits may be reserved by our board of directors. Any profits remaining thereafter and reserves may be distributed as dividends to the holders of our ordinary shares, subject to the appropriate record date. The general meeting is authorized to declare distributions upon the proposal of our board of directors. Our board of directors determines whether and how much of the profits shown in the adopted annual accounts will be reserved and the manner and date of any dividend. In addition, our board of directors is permitted, subject to certain requirements, to declare interim dividends without the approval of our shareholders. We may reclaim any distributions, whether interim or not interim, made in contravention of certain restrictions of Dutch law from shareholders that knew or should have known that such distribution was not permissible. In addition, on the basis of Dutch case law, if after a distribution we are not able to pay our due and collectable debts, then our shareholders or directors who at the time of the distribution knew or reasonably should have foreseen that result may be liable to our creditors.
Since we are a holding company, our ability to pay dividends will be dependent upon the financial condition, liquidity and results of operations of, and the receipt of dividends, loans or other funds from, our subsidiaries. Our subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities and have no obligation to make funds available to us. In addition, there are various statutory, regulatory and contractual limitations and business considerations on the extent, if any, to which our subsidiaries may pay dividends, make loans or otherwise provide funds to us.
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DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
The Company
We were incorporated on March 10, 2020 as a private limited liability company (besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid) under Dutch law, and upon the consummation of the Business Combination, we converted into a Dutch public limited liability company (naamloze vennootschap).
We are registered in the Commercial Register of the Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel) in the Netherlands under number 77595726. We have our corporate seat is in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and our registered office is at Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 15, 72076 Tübingen, Federal Republic of Germany.
Share Capital
Authorized Share Capital
Our authorized share capital consists of 285,000,000 ordinary shares, nominal value of €0.01 per share, and 15,000,000 financing preferred shares. The financing preferred shares are divided into five series, each consisting of 3,000,000 financing preferred shares. As of June 30, 2021, there were 62,909,231 ordinary shares outstanding and no financing preferred shares outstanding.
The financing preferred shares may, at the request of the holder, be converted into ordinary shares pursuant to a resolution of our board of directors. The conditions for conversion and the further terms and conditions related to the financing preferred shares will be determined by our board of directors, our general meeting and the meeting of holders of the series of financing preferred shares concerned, if such series of financing preferred shares has been issued and are held by persons other than us. The preceding sentence applies by analogy to any adjustment to the conditions.
Issuance of Ordinary Shares
Under Dutch law, shares are issued and rights to subscribe for shares are granted pursuant to a resolution of our general meeting. Our articles of association provide that the general meeting may only resolve to issue shares upon the proposal of our board of directors. The general meeting may authorize our board of directors to issue new ordinary shares or grant rights to subscribe for ordinary shares. The authorization can be granted and extended, in each case for a period not exceeding five years. For as long as, and to the extent, that such authorization is effective, our general meeting will not have the power to issue ordinary shares.
Pursuant to a resolution of the general meeting dated June 30, 2020, our board of directors is irrevocably authorized to for a period of five years from July 1, 2020, to issue ordinary shares or financing preferred shares up to the amount of the authorized share capital (from time to time).
Preemptive Rights
Subject to restrictions in our articles of association, holders of ordinary shares have preemptive rights in relation to newly issued ordinary shares under Dutch law.
Under our articles of association, the preemptive rights in respect of newly issued ordinary shares may be restricted or excluded by a resolution of our general meeting, which resolution requires a two-thirds majority of the votes cast if less than half of the issued share capital is present or represented at the meeting. The general meeting may authorize our board of directors to limit or exclude the preemptive rights in respect of newly issued ordinary shares. Such authorization for our board of directors can be granted and extended, in each case for a period not exceeding five years.
Pursuant to a resolution of the general meeting dated June 30, 2020, our board of directors is irrevocably authorized for a period of five years from July 1, 2020 to limit or exclude preemptive rights on ordinary shares up to 100% of the number of ordinary shares in our authorized share capital (from time to time).
Preemptive rights do not exist with respect to (a) the issuance of ordinary shares or grant of rights to subscribe for ordinary shares to our employees or a “group” company of ours, and (b) the issuance of ordinary shares against a contribution in kind. Preemptive rights do not exist with respect to the issuance of financing preferred shares and holders of financing preferred shares have no preemptive right to acquire newly issued ordinary shares.
Transfer of Ordinary Shares
Under Dutch law, transfers of ordinary shares (other than in book-entry form) require a written deed of transfer and, unless the company is a party to the deed of transfer, and acknowledgement by or proper service upon the company to be effective.
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Under our articles of association, if one or more ordinary shares are admitted to trading on Nasdaq or any other regulated foreign stock exchange located in the United States, we may, by resolution of our board of directors, determine that the laws of the State of New York will apply to the property law aspects of the ordinary shares included in the part of the register of shareholders kept by the relevant transfer agent. Such resolution, as well as the revocation thereof, will be made public as required by law and will be made available for inspection at our office and the Dutch trade register. Our management has adopted such resolution effective as of the July 1, 2020.
Form of Ordinary Shares
Pursuant to our articles of association, the ordinary shares are registered shares.
Purchase and Repurchase of Ordinary Shares
Under Dutch law, we may not subscribe for newly issued ordinary shares. We may acquire ordinary shares, subject to applicable provisions and restrictions of Dutch law and our articles of association, to the extent that:
· | such ordinary shares are fully paid up; |
· | such repurchase would not cause our shareholders’ equity to fall below an amount equal to the sum of the paid-up and called-up part of the issued share capital and the reserves we are required to maintain pursuant to Dutch law or our articles of association; and |
· | immediately after the acquisition of such ordinary shares, we and our subsidiaries would not hold, or would not hold as pledgees, shares having an aggregate nominal value that exceeds 50% of our issued share capital. |
Other than ordinary shares acquired for no valuable consideration or under universal title of succession (onder algemene titel) (e.g., through a merger or spin-off) under statutory Dutch or other law, we may acquire ordinary shares only if our general meeting has authorized our board of directors to acquire ordinary shares. An authorization by our general meeting for the acquisition of ordinary shares can be granted for a maximum period of 18 months. Such authorization must specify the number of ordinary shares that may be acquired, the manner in which these shares may be acquired and the price range within which the shares may be acquired. No authorization of our general meeting is required if ordinary shares are acquired by us on Nasdaq with the intention of transferring such ordinary shares to our employees or employees of a group company pursuant to an arrangement applicable to them. We cannot derive any right to any distribution from ordinary shares, or voting rights attached to ordinary shares, acquired by us.
Pursuant to a resolution of the general meeting dated June 17, 2021, our board of directors is irrevocably authorized for a period of 18 months to resolve for us to acquire fully paid-up ordinary shares up to the maximum number of ordinary shares permitted pursuant to the law and our articles of association from time to time, through privately negotiated repurchases, in self-tender offers, or through accelerated repurchase arrangements, at prices ranging from the nominal value of the ordinary shares up to one hundred and ten percent (110%) of the market price of ordinary shares, provided that (i) for open market or privately negotiated repurchases, the market price will be the price of the ordinary shares on Nasdaq at the time of the transaction, (ii) for self-tender offers, the market price will be the volume-weighted average price of the ordinary shares on Nasdaq during a period, determined by our board of directors, of no less than one and no more than five consecutive trading days immediately prior to the expiration of the tender offer, and (iii) for accelerated repurchase arrangements, the market price will be the volume-weighted average price of the ordinary shares on Nasdaq over the term of the arrangement. The volume-weighted average price for any number of trading days will be calculated as the arithmetic average of the daily volume-weighted average price on those trading days.
Pursuant to a resolution of the general meeting dated June 17, 2021, our board of directors is furthermore irrevocably authorized for a period of 18 months from July 1, 2021 to resolve for us to acquire fully paid-up financing preferred shares up to the maximum number of financing preferred shares permitted pursuant to the law and our articles of association from time to time and that financing preferred shares may be acquired through privately negotiated repurchases, in self-tender offers, or through accelerated repurchase arrangements, at prices ranging from the nominal value of the financing preferred shares up to the amount that would be paid by us upon cancellation of such financing preferred shares in accordance with the relevant provisions of our articles of association.
Capital Reduction
At a general meeting, our shareholders may resolve on the proposal of our board of directors to reduce our issued share capital by (i) cancelling ordinary shares or (ii) reducing the nominal value of the ordinary shares by amending our articles of association. In either case, this reduction would be subject to applicable statutory provisions. A resolution to cancel ordinary shares may only relate to (i) ordinary shares held by us or in respect of which we hold the depository receipts, or (ii) all financing preferred shares of a class if approved by the holders of all shares of that class. In order to be approved by our general meeting, a resolution to reduce the capital requires approval of a majority of the votes cast at a general meeting if at least 50% of the issued share capital is represented at such meeting or at least 66 2/3% of the votes cast at a general meeting if less than 50% of the issued share capital is represented at such
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meeting. A reduction of the nominal value of ordinary shares without repayment and without release from the obligation to pay up the ordinary shares must be effectuated proportionally on shares of the same class (unless all affected shareholders agree to a disproportional reduction).
A resolution that would result in a reduction of capital requires approval by a majority of the votes cast of each group of shareholders of the same class whose rights are prejudiced by the reduction. In addition, a reduction of capital involves a two-month waiting period during which creditors have the right to object to a reduction of capital under specified circumstances.
General Meeting of Shareholders and Voting Rights
General Meeting of Shareholders
General meetings are held in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Arnhem, Utrecht, or in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer (Schiphol Airport), the Netherlands. All of our shareholders and others entitled to attend our general meetings are authorized to address the meeting and, in so far as they have such right, to vote, either in person or by proxy.
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic several restrictions have been implied in the Netherlands. It is possible that we will deviate from our articles of association and/or the Dutch Civil Code, as permitted under the emergency bill Temporary Measures in the Field of the Ministry of Justice and Security in connection with the Outbreak of COVID-19 (Tijdelijke Wet COVID-19 Justitie & Veiligheid), as extended or amended from time to time.
We will hold at least one general meeting each year, to be held within six months after the end of our financial year. A general meeting will also be held within three months after our board of directors has determined it to be likely that our equity has decreased to an amount equal to or lower than half of its paid-up and called-up capital, in order to discuss the measures to be taken if so required. If our board of directors fails to hold such general meeting in a timely manner, each shareholder and other person entitled to attend our general meeting may be authorized by the Dutch court to convene our general meeting.
Our board of directors may convene additional extraordinary general meetings of shareholders at its discretion, subject to the notice requirements described below. Pursuant to Dutch law, one or more shareholders and/or others entitled to attend general meetings of shareholders, alone or jointly representing at least 10% of our issued share capital, may on their application be authorized by the Dutch court to convene a general meeting. The Dutch court will disallow the application if (i) the applicants have not previously requested in writing that our board of directors convenes a shareholders’ meeting, (ii) our board of directors convenes a shareholders’ meeting or (iii) our board of directors has not taken the necessary steps so that the shareholders’ meeting could be held within six weeks after such request.
The general meeting is convened by a notice, which includes an agenda stating the items to be discussed and the location and time of our general meeting. For the annual general meeting, the agenda will include, among other things, the adoption of our annual accounts, the appropriation of its profits or losses and proposals relating to the composition of and filling of any vacancies on our board of directors. In addition, the agenda for a general meeting includes such additional items as determined by our board of directors. Pursuant to Dutch law, one or more shareholders and/or others entitled to attend general meetings of shareholders, alone or jointly representing at least 3% of the issued share capital, have the right to request the inclusion of additional items on the agenda of shareholders’ meetings. Such requests must be made in writing, and may include a proposal for a shareholder resolution, and must be received by us no later than on the sixtieth (60th) day before the day the relevant shareholders’ meeting is held. No resolutions will be adopted on items other than those which have been included in the agenda. Under our articles of association, certain items can only be put on the agenda as a voting item by our board of directors. Shareholders meeting the relevant requirements may still request the inclusion of such items on the agenda as a discussion item.
We will give notice of each general meeting by publication on our website and, to the extent required by applicable law, in a Dutch daily newspaper with national distribution, and in any other manner that we may be required to follow in order to comply with Dutch law and applicable stock exchange and SEC requirements. We will observe the statutory minimum convening notice period for a general meeting. Holders of registered shares may further be provided notice of the meeting in writing at their addresses as stated in its shareholders’ register.
Pursuant to our articles of association and Dutch law, our board of directors may determine a record date (registratiedatum) of 28 calendar days prior to a general meeting to establish which shareholders and others with meeting rights are entitled to attend and, if applicable, vote at our general meeting. The record date, if any, and the manner in which shareholders can register and exercise their rights will be set out in the notice of our general meeting. Our articles of association provide that a shareholder must notify us in writing of his or her identity and his or her intention to attend (or be represented at) our general meeting, such notice to be received by us on the date set by our board of directors in accordance with our articles of association and as set forth in the convening notice. If this requirement is not complied with or if upon request no proper identification is provided by any person wishing to enter our general meeting, the chairman of our general meeting may, in his or her sole discretion, refuse entry to the shareholder or his or her proxy holder.
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Pursuant to our articles of association, our general meeting is chaired by the chairman of our board of directors, who, nevertheless, may charge another person to preside over the meeting in his place even if he himself is present at the meeting. If the chairman of our board of directors is absent and he has not charged another person to preside over the meeting in his place, our general meeting will be presided over by the vice-chairman of our board of directors. If both the chairman and the vice-chairman are absent, our directors present at the meeting will appoint one of them to be chairman. In the absence of all directors, our general meeting will be presided over by our chief executive officer. If all directors and our chief executive officer are absent, our general meeting will appoint its chairman.
Voting Rights and Quorum
In accordance with Dutch law and our articles of association, each ordinary share, irrespective of which class it concerns, confers the right on the holder thereof to cast one vote at our general meeting. The voting rights attached to any ordinary shares held by us or our direct or indirect subsidiaries are suspended, unless the ordinary shares were encumbered with a right of usufruct or a pledge in favor of a party other than us or a direct or indirect subsidiary before such ordinary shares were acquired by us or such a subsidiary, in which case, the other party may be entitled to exercise the voting rights on the ordinary shares. We may not exercise voting rights for ordinary shares in respect of which we or a direct or indirect subsidiary has a right of usufruct or a pledge.
Voting rights may be exercised by shareholders or by a duly appointed proxy holder (the written proxy being acceptable to the chairman of our general meeting) of a shareholder, which proxy holder need not be a shareholder. The holder of a usufruct or pledge on shares will have the voting rights attached thereto if so provided for when the usufruct or pledge was created.
Under our articles of association, blank votes (votes where no choice has been made), abstentions and invalid votes will not be counted as votes cast. However, shares in respect of which a blank vote or invalid vote has been cast and shares in respect of which the person with meeting rights who is present or represented at the meeting has abstained from voting are counted when determining the part of the issued share capital that is present or represented at a general meeting. The chairman of our general meeting will determine the manner of voting and whether voting may take place by acclamation.
Resolutions of the shareholders are adopted at a general meeting by a majority of votes cast, except where Dutch law or our articles of association provide for a special majority in relation to specified resolutions. Our articles of association do not provide for a quorum requirement, subject to any provision of mandatory Dutch law.
Subject to certain restrictions in our articles of association, the determination during our general meeting made by the chairman of that general meeting with regard to the results of a vote will be decisive. Our board of directors will keep a record of the resolutions passed at each general meeting.
Amendment of Articles of Association
At a general meeting, at the proposal of our board of directors, our general meeting may resolve to amend the articles of association. A resolution by the shareholders to amend the articles of association requires a majority of the votes cast.
Merger, Demerger and Dissolution
At the proposal of our board of directors, our general meeting may resolve with a majority of the votes cast (subject to certain exceptions), or with at least two-thirds of the votes cast if less than half of the issued capital is present or represented at our general meeting, to legally merge or demerge the company within the meaning of Title 7, Book 2 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Our shareholders may at a general meeting, based on a proposal by our board of directors, by means of a resolution passed by a majority of the votes cast, resolve that the company will be dissolved. In the event of dissolution of the company, the liquidation will be effected by our executive directors, under the supervision of our non-executive directors, unless our general meeting decides otherwise.
Squeeze-Out
A shareholder who for its own account (or together with its group companies) holds at least 95% of our issued share capital may institute proceedings against the other shareholders jointly for the transfer of their shares to the shareholder who holds such 95% majority. The proceedings are held before the Enterprise Chamber of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal (Ondernemingskamer van het Gerechtshof Amsterdam) (the “Enterprise Chamber”) and can be instituted by means of a writ of summons served upon each of the minority shareholders in accordance with the provisions of the Dutch Code of Civil Procedure (Wetboek van Burgerlijke Rechtsvordering). The Enterprise Chamber may grant the claim for squeeze-out in relation to all minority shareholders and will determine the price to be paid for the shares, if necessary after appointment of one or three experts who will offer an opinion to the Enterprise Chamber on the value of the shares of the minority shareholders. Once the order to transfer by the Enterprise Chamber becomes final and irrevocable, the majority shareholder that instituted the squeeze-out proceedings will give written notice of the date
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and place of payment and the price to the holders of the shares to be acquired whose addresses are known to the majority shareholder. Unless the addresses of all minority shareholders are known to the majority shareholder acquiring the shares, the majority shareholder is required to publish the same in a newspaper with a national circulation.
A shareholder that holds a majority of our issued share capital, but less than the 95% required to institute the squeeze-out proceedings described above, may seek to propose and implement one or more restructuring transactions with the objective of obtaining at least 95% of our issued share capital so the shareholder may initiate squeeze-out proceedings. Those restructuring transactions could, among other things, include a merger or demerger involving the company, a contribution of cash and/or assets against issuance of ordinary shares, the issuance of new ordinary shares to the majority shareholder without preemptive rights for minority shareholders or an asset sale transaction.
Depending on the circumstances, an asset sale of a Dutch public limited liability company (naamloze vennootschap) is sometimes used as a way to squeeze out minority shareholders, for example, after a successful tender offer through which a third party acquires a supermajority, but less than all, of the company’s shares. In such a scenario, the business of the target company is sold to a third party or a special purpose vehicle, followed by the liquidation of the target company. The purchase price is distributed to all shareholders in proportion to their respective shareholding as liquidation proceeds, thus separating the business from the company in which minority shareholders had an interest.
Any sale or transfer of all of our assets and our dissolution or liquidation is subject to approval by a majority of the votes cast in our general meeting. Our articles of association provide that our general meeting may only adopt such resolution upon a proposal of our board of directors.
Certain Other Major Transactions
Our articles of association and Dutch law provide that resolutions of our board of directors concerning a material change in our identity, character or business are subject to the approval of our general meeting. Such changes include:
· | a transfer of all or materially all of our business to a third party; |
· | the entry into or termination of a long-lasting alliance of the company or of a subsidiary either with another entity or company, or as a fully liable partner of a limited partnership or partnership, if this alliance or termination is of significant importance to the company; and |
· | the acquisition or disposition of an interest in the capital of a company by the company or by its subsidiary with a value of at least one-third of the value of our assets, according to the balance sheet with explanatory notes or, if the company prepares a consolidated balance sheet, according to the consolidated balance sheet with explanatory notes in our most recently adopted annual accounts. |
Dividends and Other Distributions
We may only make distributions to our shareholders if our equity exceeds the aggregate amount of the issued share capital and the reserves that must be maintained pursuant to Dutch law or our articles of association. Under our articles of association, any profits or distributable reserves must first be applied to pay a dividend on the financing preferred shares, if outstanding.
Any remaining profits may be reserved by our board of directors. After reservation by our board of directors of any distributable profits, our general meeting will be authorized to declare distributions on the proposal of our board of directors. Our board of directors is permitted, subject to certain requirements, to declare interim dividends without the approval of the shareholders. Interim dividends may be declared as provided in our articles of association and may be distributed to the extent that the shareholders’ equity, based on interim financial statements, exceeds the paid-up and called-up share capital and the reserves that must be maintained under Dutch law or our articles of association. We may reclaim any distributions, whether interim or not interim, made in contravention of certain restrictions of Dutch law from shareholders that knew or should have known that such distribution was not permissible. In addition, on the basis of Dutch case law, if after a distribution we are not able to pay its due and collectable debts, then our shareholders or directors who at the time of the distribution knew or reasonably should have foreseen that result may be liable to its creditors.
Upon proposal of our board of directors, the general meeting may determine that distributions will be made in whole or in part in a currency other than the euro. We shall announce any proposal for a distribution and the date when and the place where the distribution will be payable to all shareholders by electronic means of communication with due observance of the applicable law and stock exchange rules. Claims for payment of dividends and other distributions not made within five years from the date that such dividends or distributions became payable will lapse, and any such amounts will be considered to have been forfeited to the company (verjaring).
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Notices
We will give notice of each general meeting by publication on our website and, to the extent required by applicable law, in a Dutch daily newspaper with national distribution, and in any other manner that we may be required to follow in order to comply with Dutch law and applicable stock exchange and SEC requirements. Holders of registered shares may further be provided notice of the meeting in writing at their addresses as stated in our shareholders’ register.
Warrants
As of June 30, 2021, there were 7,187,500 warrants outstanding. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one ordinary share for $11.50 per share, subject to certain adjustments. The warrants will expire at the earliest to occur of (i) 5:00 p.m., New York City time on July 1, 2025 and (ii) 5:00 p.m., New York City time on the redemption date, if any, that we may fix in accordance with the warrant agreement. Any warrant not exercised prior to its expiration will become void.
Registration Rights
We have granted to certain of our securityholders registration rights pursuant to an Investor Rights and Lock-Up Agreement, dated July 1, 2020, among us and the investors party thereto. Such securityholders are entitled to the following rights with respect to the registration of their ordinary shares for public resale under the Securities Act.
Shelf Registration. We are obligated to file and keep effective a shelf registration statement pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act with respect to all securities subject to registration rights, subject to certain exceptions.
Demand Registration. Upon the demand of certain securityholders, we are obligated to effect a resale registration under the Securities Act with respect to all or any portion of their shares subject to registration rights, subject to certain exceptions. Demand registration rights will not be triggered if there is an effective resale shelf registration statement.
Piggyback Registration. In the event that we propose to register any of our securities under the Securities Act, either for our account or for the account of our other securityholders, holders will be entitled to certain piggyback registration rights allowing each to include its shares in the registration, subject to certain marketing and other limitations. As a result, whenever we propose to file a registration statement under the Securities Act, other than with respect to a demand registration, a registration statement on Form S-4, F-4 or S-8 and or a registration of convertible debt securities, these holders will be entitled to notice of the registration and will have the right to include their registrable securities in the registration, subject to certain limitations. Piggyback registration rights will not be triggered if there is an effective resale shelf registration statement, the registration is solely for an offering of securities by us and no other securityholder is entitled to participate in such registration.
Expenses; Indemnification. We must pay all registration expenses in connection with effecting any demand registration, piggyback registration or shelf registration. We are also subject customary indemnification and contribution provisions.
Stock Exchange Listing
Our ordinary shares are listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “IMTX.”
Transfer Agent
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company serves as our agent in New York to maintain our shareholders’ register on behalf of our board of directors and acts as transfer agent and registrar for the ordinary shares.
Exchange Controls
Under Dutch law, there are no exchange controls applicable to the transfer to persons outside of the Netherlands of dividends or other distributions with respect to, or of the proceeds from the sale of, shares of a Dutch company, subject to applicable restrictions under sanctions and measures, including those concerning export control, pursuant to applicable resolutions adopted by the United Nations, regulations of the European Union, the Sanctions Act 1977 (Sanctiewet 1977), national emergency legislation, or other legislation, applicable anti-boycott regulations and similar rules. Pursuant to the Dutch Foreign Financial Relations Act 1994 (Wet financiële betrekkingen buitenland 1994) entities could be obliged to provide certain financial information to the Dutch Central Bank for statistical purposes only. The European Directive Mandatory Disclosure Rules (2011/16/EU) in relation to cross-border tax arrangements can provide for future notification requirements.
Under German law, there are no exchange controls restricting the transfer of funds between Germany and other countries or individuals, subject to applicable restrictions concerning import or export control or sanctions and measures against certain persons, entities and countries subject to embargoes in accordance with German law and applicable resolutions adopted by the United Nations and the European Union.
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Under German foreign trade regulation, with certain exceptions, every corporation or individual residing in Germany must report to the German Central Bank on any payment received from or made to a non-resident corporation or individual if the payment exceeds €12,500 (or the equivalent in a foreign currency). Additionally, corporations and individuals residing in Germany must report to the German Central Bank on any claims of a resident against, or liabilities payable to, a non-resident corporation or individual exceeding an aggregate of €5 million (or the equivalent in a foreign currency) at the end of any calendar month. Resident corporations and individuals are also required to report annually to the German Central Bank on any stakes of 10% or more they hold in the equity of non-resident corporations with total assets of more than €3 million. Corporations residing in Germany with assets in excess of €3 million must report annually to the German Central Bank on any stake of 10% or more in the company held by an individual or a corporation located outside Germany.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
We may issue debt securities, which may be secured or unsecured and may be exchangeable for and/or convertible into other securities, including our ordinary shares. The debt securities will be issued under one or more separate indentures between us and a designated trustee. The terms of each series of debt securities being offered, including the terms, if any, on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, and the material terms of the indenture will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth, to the extent required, the following terms of the debt securities in respect of which the prospectus supplement is delivered:
· | the title of the series; |
· | the aggregate principal amount; |
· | the issue price or prices, expressed as a percentage of the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities; |
· | any limit on the aggregate principal amount; |
· | the date or dates on which principal is payable; |
· | the interest rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates; |
· | the date or dates on which interest, if any, will be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable; |
· | the place or places where principal and, if applicable, premium and interest, is payable; |
· | the terms and conditions upon which we may, or the holders may require us to, redeem or repurchase the debt securities; |
· | the denominations in which such debt securities may be issuable, if other than denomination of $1,000 or any integral multiple of that number; |
· | whether the debt securities are to be issuable in the form of certificated debt securities or global debt securities; |
· | the portion of principal amount that will be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date if other than the principal amount of the debt securities; |
· | the currency of denomination; |
· | the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of principal and, if applicable, premium and interest, will be made; |
· | if payments of principal and, if applicable, premium or interest, on the debt securities are to be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than the currency of denominations, the manner in which exchange rate with respect to such payments will be determined; |
· | if amounts of principal and, if applicable, premium and interest may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies, or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index, or financial index, then the manner in which such amounts will be determined; |
· | the provisions, if any, relating to any collateral provided for such debt securities; |
· | any events of default; |
· | the terms and conditions, if any, for conversion into or exchange for ordinary shares; |
· | any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents, or other agents; and |
· | the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the debt securities shall be subordinated in right of payment to other indebtedness of our company. |
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We may issue warrants to purchase our debt or equity securities. The warrants may be issued independently or together with any other securities and may be attached to, or separate from, such securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent. The terms of any warrants being offered and a description of the material provisions of the applicable warrant agreement will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth, to the extent required, the following terms of the warrants in respect of which the prospectus supplement is delivered:
· | the title of such warrants; |
· | the aggregate number of such warrants; |
· | the price or prices at which such warrants will be issued; |
· | the currency or currencies in which the price of such warrants will be payable; |
· | the securities or other rights, including rights to receive payment in cash or securities based on the value, rate or price of one or more specified commodities, currencies, securities or indices, or any combination of the foregoing, purchasable upon exercise of such warrants; |
· | the price at which and the currency or currencies in which the securities or other rights purchasable upon exercise of such warrants may be purchased; |
· | the date on which the right to exercise such warrants shall commence and the date on which such right shall expire; |
· | if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of such warrants which may be exercised at any one time; |
· | if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which such warrants are issued and the number of such warrants issued with each such security; |
· | if applicable, the date on and after which such warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable; |
· | information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any; |
· | if applicable, a discussion of any material United States federal income tax considerations; and |
· | any other terms of such warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of such warrants. |
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DESCRIPTION OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS
We may issue subscription rights to purchase our securities. The subscription rights may be issued independently or together with any other securities, may be attached to, or separate from, such securities and may or may not be transferable by the shareholder receiving the subscription rights. In connection with any offering of subscription rights, we may enter into a standby arrangement with one or more underwriters or other purchasers pursuant to which the underwriters or other purchasers may be required to purchase any unsubscribed securities after such offering. The terms of any subscription rights being offered will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
We may issue warrants to purchase our debt or equity securities. The warrants may be issued independently or together with any other securities and may be attached to, or separate from, such securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent. The terms of any warrants being offered and a description of the material provisions of the applicable warrant agreement will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth, to the extent required, the following terms of the subscription rights in respect of which the prospectus supplement is delivered:
· | the exercise price; |
· | the aggregate number of rights to be issued; |
· | the type and number of securities purchasable upon exercise of each right; |
· | the procedures and limitations relating to the exercise of the rights; |
· | the date upon which the exercise of rights will commence; |
· | the record date, if any, to determine who is entitled to the rights; |
· | the expiration date; |
· | the extent to which the rights are transferable; |
· | information regarding the trading of rights, including the stock exchanges, if any, on which the rights will be listed; |
· | the extent to which the subscription rights may include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities; |
· | if appropriate, a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations; |
· | if applicable, the material terms of any standby underwriting or purchase arrangement entered into by us in connection with the offering of the rights; and |
· | any other material terms of the rights. |
If fewer than all of the subscription rights issued in any rights offering are exercised, we may offer any unsubscribed securities directly to persons other than shareholders, to or through agents, underwriters or dealers or through a combination of such methods, including pursuant to standby arrangements, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS
We may issue purchase contracts for the purchase or sale of debt or equity securities issued by us or securities of third parties, a basket of such securities, an index or indices of such securities or any combination of the above as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, currencies or commodities.
Each purchase contract will entitle the holder thereof to purchase or sell, and obligate us to sell or purchase, on specified dates, such securities, currencies or commodities at a specified purchase price, which may be based on a formula, all as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. A purchase by us or any of our subsidiaries of ordinary shares pursuant to any such purchase contract shall be subject to certain restrictions under Dutch law that generally apply to a repurchase of shares. We may, however, satisfy our obligations, if any, with respect to any purchase contract by delivering the cash value of such purchase contract or the cash value of the property otherwise deliverable or, in the case of purchase contracts on underlying currencies, by delivering the underlying currencies, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will also specify the methods by which the holders may purchase or sell such securities, currencies or commodities and any acceleration, cancellation or termination provisions or other provisions relating to the settlement of a purchase contract.
The purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders thereof or vice versa, which payments may be deferred to the extent set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, and those payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis. The purchase contracts may require the holders thereof to secure their obligations in a specified manner to be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Alternatively, purchase contracts may require holders to satisfy their obligations thereunder when the purchase contracts are issued. Our obligation to settle such pre-paid purchase contracts on the relevant settlement date may constitute indebtedness. Accordingly, pre-paid purchase contracts will be issued under an indenture.
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As specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may issue units consisting of one or more purchase contracts, warrants, debt securities, preferred shares, ordinary shares or any combination of such securities. The applicable supplement will describe:
· | the terms of the units and of the warrants, debt securities, preferred shares and/or ordinary shares comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances the securities comprising the units may be traded separately; |
· | a description of the terms of any unit agreement governing the units; and |
· | a description of the provisions for the payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units. |
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Each debt security, warrant and unit will be represented either by a certificate issued in definitive form to a particular investor or by one or more global securities representing the entire issuance of securities. Certificated securities will be issued in definitive form and global securities will be issued in registered form. Definitive securities name you or your nominee as the owner of the security, and in order to transfer or exchange these securities or to receive payments other than interest or other interim payments, you or your nominee must physically deliver the securities to the trustee, registrar, paying agent or other agent, as applicable. Global securities name a depositary or its nominee as the owner of the debt securities, warrants or units represented by these global securities. The depositary maintains a computerized system that will reflect each investor’s beneficial ownership of the securities through an account maintained by the investor with its broker/dealer, bank, trust company or other representative, as we explain more fully below.
Registered Global Securities
We may issue registered debt securities, warrants and units in the form of one or more fully registered global securities that will be deposited with a depositary or its nominee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement and registered in the name of that depositary or nominee. In those cases, one or more registered global securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal or face amount of the securities to be represented by registered global securities. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole for securities in definitive registered form, a registered global security may not be transferred except as a whole by and among the depositary for the registered global security, the nominees of the depositary or any successors of the depositary or those nominees.
If not described below, any specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any securities to be represented by a registered global security will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those securities. We anticipate that the following provisions will apply to all depositary arrangements.
Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be limited to persons, called participants, that have accounts with the depositary or persons that may hold interests through participants. Upon the issuance of a registered global security, the depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the participants’ accounts with the respective principal or face amounts of the securities beneficially owned by the participants. Any dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of the securities will designate the accounts to be credited. Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary, with respect to interests of participants, and on the records of participants, with respect to interests of persons holding through participants. The laws of some states may require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of these securities in definitive form. These laws may impair your ability to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in registered global securities.
So long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a registered global security, that depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by the registered global security for all purposes under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement or unit agreement. Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security will not be entitled to have the securities represented by the registered global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the securities in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the securities under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement or unit agreement. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a registered global security must rely on the procedures of the depositary for that registered global security and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which the person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement or unit agreement. We understand that under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if an owner of a beneficial interest in a registered global security desires to give or take any action that a holder is entitled to give or take under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement or unit agreement, the depositary for the registered global security would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take that action, and the participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through them to give or take that action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners holding through them.
Principal, premium, if any, and interest payments on debt securities, and any payments to holders with respect to warrants or units, represented by a registered global security registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee will be made to the depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the registered global security. None of Immatics N.V., the trustees, the warrant agents, the unit agents or any other agent of Immatics N.V., agent of the trustees or agent of the warrant agents or unit agents will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the registered global security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to those beneficial ownership interests.
21
We expect that the depositary for any of the securities represented by a registered global security, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, interest or other distribution of underlying securities or other property to holders on that registered global security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in that registered global security as shown on the records of the depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security held through participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.
If the depositary for any of these securities represented by a registered global security is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and a successor depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue securities in definitive form in exchange for the registered global security that had been held by the depositary. Any securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a registered global security will be registered in the name or names that the depositary gives to the relevant trustee, warrant agent, unit agent or other relevant agent of ours or theirs. It is expected that the depositary’s instructions will be based upon directions received by the depositary from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the registered global security that had been held by the depositary.
22
We may sell the securities in one or more of the following ways (or in any combination) from time to time:
· | through underwriters or dealers; |
· | directly to a limited number of purchasers or to a single purchaser; |
· | in “at the market offerings,” within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act, to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market on an exchange or otherwise; |
· | through agents; or |
· | through any other method permitted by applicable law and described in the applicable prospectus supplement. |
The prospectus supplement will state the terms of the offering of the securities, including:
· | the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents; |
· | the purchase price of such securities and the proceeds to be received by us, if any; |
· | any underwriting discounts or agency fees and other items constituting underwriters’ or agents’ compensation; |
· | any public offering price; |
· | any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and |
· | any securities exchanges on which the securities may be listed. |
Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.
If underwriters are used in the sale, the securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including:
· | negotiated transactions; |
· | at a fixed public offering price or prices, which may be changed; |
· | at market prices prevailing at the time of sale; |
· | at prices related to prevailing market prices; or |
· | at negotiated prices. |
Unless otherwise stated in a prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase any securities will be conditioned on customary closing conditions and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of such series of securities, if any are purchased.
The securities may be sold through agents from time to time. The prospectus supplement will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities and any commissions paid to them. Generally, any agent will be acting on a commercially reasonable efforts basis for the period of its appointment.
Sales to or through one or more underwriters or agents in at-the-market offerings will be made pursuant to the terms of a distribution agreement with the underwriters or agents. Such underwriters or agents may act on an agency basis or on a principal basis. During the term of any such agreement, shares may be sold on a daily basis on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the ordinary shares are traded, in privately negotiated transactions or otherwise as agreed with the underwriters or agents. The distribution agreement will provide that any ordinary share sold will be sold at negotiated prices or at prices related to the then prevailing market prices for our ordinary shares. Therefore, exact figures regarding proceeds that will be raised or commissions to be paid cannot be determined at this time and will be described in a prospectus supplement. Pursuant to the terms of the distribution agreement, we may also agree to sell, and the relevant underwriters or agents may agree to solicit offers to purchase, blocks of our ordinary shares or other securities. The terms of each such distribution agreement will be described in a prospectus supplement.
23
We may authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers by certain purchasers to purchase the securities at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement, and the prospectus supplement will set forth any commissions paid for solicitation of these contracts.
Underwriters and agents may be entitled under agreements entered into with us to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution with respect to payments which the underwriters or agents may be required to make.
The prospectus supplement may also set forth whether or not underwriters may over-allot or effect transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the securities at levels above those that might otherwise prevail in the open market, including, for example, by entering stabilizing bids, effecting syndicate covering transactions or imposing penalty bids.
Underwriters and agents may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of business.
Each series of securities will be a new issue of securities and will have no established trading market, other than our ordinary shares, which are listed on Nasdaq. Any underwriters to whom securities are sold for public offering and sale may make a market in the securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. The securities, other than our ordinary shares, may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange.
24
The following table sets forth the expenses (other than underwriting discounts and commissions or agency fees and other items constituting underwriters’ or agents’ compensation, if any) expected to be incurred by us in connection with a possible offering of securities registered under this registration statement:
Expenses | Amount | |||
SEC registration fee | $ | 54,550 | ||
FINRA filing fee | 75,500 | |||
Printing and engraving expenses | (1 | ) | ||
Legal fees and expenses | (1 | ) | ||
Accounting fees and expenses | (1 | ) | ||
Miscellaneous costs | (1 | ) | ||
Total | $ | (1 | ) |
(1) | These fees and expenses depend on the securities offered and the number of issuances, and accordingly cannot be estimated at this time and will be reflected in the applicable prospectus supplement. |
25
The validity of certain securities and certain other matters with respect to Dutch law will be passed upon for us by CMS Derks Star Busmann N.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The validity of certain securities and certain matters with respect to U.S. federal and New York State law will be passed upon for us by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, New York, New York. Any underwriters, dealers or agents will be advised by their own legal counsel concerning issues relating to any offering.
The financial statements incorporated in this prospectus by reference
to the Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers
GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts
in auditing and accounting. PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft is
a member of the Chamber of Public Accountants (Wirtschaftsprüferkammer), Berlin, Germany.
26
We are a public company with limited liability (naamloze vennootschap) incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands and our headquarters is located in Germany. Substantially all of our assets are located outside the United States. The majority of our executive officers and directors reside outside the United States. As a result, it may not be possible for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon us or upon such persons or to enforce against them judgments obtained in U.S. courts, including judgments in actions predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States.
There is currently no treaty between the United States and the Netherlands for the mutual recognition and enforcement of judgments (other than arbitration awards) in civil and commercial matters. Therefore, a final judgment for the payment of money rendered by any federal or state court in the United States based on civil liability, whether or not predicated solely upon the U.S. federal securities laws, would not be enforceable in the Netherlands unless the underlying claim is relitigated before a Dutch court of competent jurisdiction. Under current practice, however, a Dutch court will generally, subject to compliance with certain procedural requirements, grant the same judgment without a review of the merits of the underlying claim if such judgment (i) is a final judgment and has been rendered by a court, which has established its jurisdiction vis-à-vis the relevant Dutch companies or Dutch company, as the case may be, on the basis of internationally accepted grounds of jurisdiction, (ii) has not been rendered in violation of principles of proper procedure (behoorlijke rechtspleging), (iii) is not contrary to the public policy of the Netherlands, and (iv) is not incompatible with (a) a prior judgment of a Dutch court rendered in a dispute between the same parties, or (b) a prior judgment of a foreign court rendered in a dispute between the same parties, concerning the same subject matter and based on the same cause of action, provided that such prior judgment is capable of being recognized in the Netherlands and except to the extent that the foreign judgment contravenes Dutch public policy (openbare orde). Dutch courts may deny the recognition and enforcement of punitive damages or other awards. Moreover, a Dutch court may reduce the amount of damages granted by a U.S. court and recognize damages only to the extent that they are necessary to compensate actual losses or damages. Enforcement and recognition of judgments of U.S. courts in the Netherlands are solely governed by the provisions of the Dutch Code of Civil Procedure. Based on the foregoing, there can be no assurance that U.S. investors will be able to enforce any judgments obtained in U.S. courts in civil and commercial matters, including judgments under the U.S. federal securities laws.
The United States and Germany currently do not have a treaty providing
for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters. Consequently, a final judgment for payment
or declaratory judgments given by a court in the United States, whether or not predicated solely upon U.S. securities laws, would
not automatically be recognized or enforceable in Germany. German courts may deny the recognition and enforcement of a judgment rendered
by a U.S. court if they consider the U.S. court not to be competent or the decision to be in violation of German public policy principles.
For example, judgments awarding punitive damages are generally not enforceable in Germany. A German court may reduce the amount of damages
granted by a U.S. court and recognize damages only to the extent that they are necessary to compensate actual losses or damages. In addition,
actions brought in a German court against us, our directors, our senior management and the experts named herein to enforce liabilities
based on U.S. federal securities laws may be subject to certain restrictions. In particular, German courts generally do not award punitive
damages. Litigation in Germany is also subject to rules of procedure that differ from the U.S. rules, including with respect to the taking
and admissibility of evidence, the conduct of the proceedings and the allocation of costs. German procedural law does not provide for
pre-trial discovery of documents, nor does Germany support pre-trial discovery of documents under the 1970 Hague Evidence Convention.
Proceedings in Germany would have to be conducted in the German language and all documents submitted to the court would, in principle,
have to be translated into German. For these reasons, it may be difficult for a U.S. investor to bring an original action in a German
court predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us, our directors, our senior management
and the experts named in this prospectus.
27
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act. Accordingly, we are required to file reports and other information with the SEC, including annual reports on Form 20-F and reports on Form 6-K. The SEC maintains an Internet site at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information we have filed electronically with the SEC. As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt under the Exchange Act from, among other things, the rules prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our executive officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we are not required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act.
We have filed with the SEC a “shelf” registration statement (including amendments and exhibits to the registration statement) on Form F-3 under the Securities Act. This prospectus, which is part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules to the registration statement. We have omitted parts of the registration statement in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. For more detail about us and the securities that may be offered by this prospectus, you may examine the registration statement on Form F-3 and the exhibits filed with it at the website provided in the previous paragraph.
We maintain a corporate website at www.immatics.com. The reference to our website is an inactive textual reference only, and information contained therein or connected thereto is not incorporated into this prospectus or the registration statement of which it forms a part.
28
INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The rules of the SEC allow us to incorporate by reference information in this prospectus, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference in this prospectus is considered to be a part of this prospectus. Any statement made in this prospectus or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or in any other subsequently filed document that is also incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus. This prospectus incorporates by reference the documents listed below:
· | our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020; |
· | our Report on Form 6-K filed with the SEC on May 18, 2021 (only with respect to Exhibit 99.1 thereto), May 26, 2021 and June 22, 2021; and |
· | our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on July 1, 2020, which incorporates by reference the description of our ordinary shares from our Registration Statement on Form F-4, and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
All subsequent annual reports on Form 20-F, Form 40-F or Form 10-K that we file with the SEC and all subsequent filings on Forms 10-Q and 8-K filed by us with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act (excluding, in each case, any information or documents deemed to be furnished and not filed with the SEC), after the date hereof and prior to the termination or expiration of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, shall be incorporated by reference. We may incorporate by reference any reports on Form 6-K that we furnish to the SEC that we specifically identify in such form or in any applicable prospectus supplement as being incorporated by reference into this prospectus or such prospectus supplement after the date hereof and prior to the completion of an offering of securities under this prospectus.
You can obtain any of the filings incorporated by reference in this prospectus through us or from the SEC through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Reports on Form 20-F and Reports on Form 6-K and exhibits incorporated in and amendments to those reports, are also available free of charge on our website (www.immatics.com) as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The reference to our website is an inactive textual reference only, and information contained therein or connected thereto is not incorporated into this prospectus or the registration statement of which it forms a part. We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all the reports or documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus at no cost, upon written or oral request to us at the following address:
Investor Relations
Immatics N.V.
c/o Immatics US, Inc.
2130 W. Holcombe Blvd., Suite 900
Houston, Texas 77030
(281) 810-7545
29
IMMATICS N.V.
Ordinary Shares
Debt Securities
Warrants
Subscription Rights
Purchase Contracts
Units
PROSPECTUS
, 2021
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED AUGUST 2, 2021
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
IMMATICS N.V.
Up to $100,000,000
Ordinary Shares
We have entered into a Sales Agreement with SVB Leerink LLC (“SVB Leerink” or the “sales agent”), dated as of the date of this prospectus, relating to the sale of our ordinary shares, nominal value €0.01 per share, offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus (such agreement, the “sales agreement”). In accordance with the terms of the sales agreement, under this prospectus supplement, we may offer and sell our ordinary shares having an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000 from time to time through the sales agent.
Sales of our ordinary shares, if any, under this prospectus supplement will be made by any method permitted that is deemed an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The sales agent is not required to sell any specific amount, but will act as our sales agent using commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
The sales agent will be entitled to compensation at a commission rate equal to 3.0% of the gross sales price of any ordinary shares sold under the sales agreement. In connection with the sale of ordinary shares on our behalf, the sales agent will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation of the sales agent will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have also agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to the sales agent with respect to certain liabilities, including civil liabilities under the Securities Act. See “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page S-25 for additional information regarding the compensation to be paid to the sales agent.
Our ordinary shares are listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “IMTX.” On July 29, 2021, the last reported sale price of our ordinary shares on Nasdaq was $12.17 per share.
We are an “emerging growth company” as defined under U.S. federal securities laws and, as such, may elect to comply with reduced public company reporting requirements for this and future filings. See “Our Company—Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company.”
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page S-6 of this prospectus supplement and any risk factors in our Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
SVB Leerink
Prospectus supplement dated , 2021.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT | S-1 |
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY | S-3 |
THE OFFERING | S-5 |
RISK FACTORS | S-6 |
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS | S-7 |
USE OF PROCEEDS | S-8 |
DIVIDEND POLICY | S-9 |
DILUTION | S-10 |
TAXATION | S-11 |
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION | S-25 |
LEGAL MATTERS | S-26 |
EXPERTS | S-26 |
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION | S-27 |
INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE | S-28 |
S-i
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
This document consists of two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC using a “shelf” registration process. The accompanying prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that may be offered by us, some of which may not apply to this offering. This prospectus supplement and the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement adds to, updates and, where applicable, modifies and supersedes information contained or incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus.
Before buying any of the securities that we are offering, you should carefully read both this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus with all of the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, as well as the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Information Incorporated by Reference.” These documents contain important information that you should consider when making your investment decision. We have filed or incorporated by reference exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement forms a part. You should read the exhibits carefully for provisions that may be important to you.
To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus supplement, on the one hand, and the information contained in the accompanying prospectus or in any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement, provided that if any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date—for example, a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement—the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.
The information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement is accurate only as of their respective dates, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus, the accompanying prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in the accompanying prospectus or the sale of any securities. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed materially since those dates.
Neither we nor the sale agent have authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different from that contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, or any free writing prospectus we may authorize to be delivered or made available to you. Neither we nor the sales agent take responsibility for, or provide assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus supplement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the securities described in this prospectus supplement or an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy such securities in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful.
For investors outside the United States: Neither we nor the sales agent have taken any action that would permit the offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus supplement in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus supplement must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the securities described herein and the distribution of this prospectus supplement outside the United States.
Unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, (i) all references to the “company,” “we,” “our” or “us” or similar terms refer to Immatics N.V., together with its subsidiaries, including Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH; (ii) references to “Immatics” refer solely to Immatics N.V.; and (iii) references to “Immatics OpCo” refer solely to Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH. Immatics N.V. is a Dutch public limited liability company (naamloze vennootschap) incorporated on March 10, 2020 and the holding company of Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, a German biopharmaceutical company incorporated in 2000 focused on the development of T cell receptor-based immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH holds all material assets and conducts all business activities and operations of Immatics N.V.
Trademarks
We own various trademark registrations and applications, and unregistered trademarks, including Immatics®, XPRESIDENT®, ACTengine®, ACTallo®, ACTolog®, XCEPTOR™, TCER™, AbsQuant™, IMADetect™ and our corporate logo. All other trade names, trademarks and service marks of other companies appearing in this prospectus supplement are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this prospectus supplement may be referred to without the ® and ™ symbols, but such references should not be construed as any indicator that their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their rights thereto. We do not intend to use or display other companies’ trademarks and trade names to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies.
S-1
Presentation of Financial Information
Our consolidated financial statements are presented in euros and have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”). None of the consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The terms “dollar,” “USD” or “$” refer to the U.S. dollar and the term “euro,” “EUR” or “€” refer to the euro, unless otherwise indicated. The exchange rate used for conversion between U.S. dollars and euros is based on the ECB euro reference exchange rate published by the European Central Bank. We have made rounding adjustments to some of the figures included in this prospectus. Accordingly, any numerical discrepancies in any table between totals and sums of the amounts listed are due to rounding.
Market and Industry Data
This prospectus supplement contains industry, market and competitive
position data that are based on general and industry publications, surveys and studies conducted by third parties, some of which may not
be publicly available, and our own internal estimates and research. Third-party publications, surveys and studies generally state that
they have obtained information from sources believed to be reliable, but do not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of such information.
These data involve a number of assumptions and limitations and contain projections and estimates of the future performance of the industries
in which we operate that are subject to a high degree of uncertainty.
S-2
This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus supplement or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. This summary may not contain all the information that may be important to you, and we urge you to read this entire prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement carefully before deciding to invest in our securities.
Our Company
Overview
We are a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to the development of T cell receptor (“TCR”)-based immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. Our focus is the generation of novel therapeutic options for solid tumor patients. Solid tumors constitute the majority of all cancers, and relapsed and/or refractory solid tumor patients have an unmet medical need. We believe that by identifying true cancer targets and the right TCRs, we will be well-positioned to transform current solid tumor treatment paradigms by delivering cellular and bispecific product candidates that have the potential to improve the lives of cancer patients.
One of the challenges of effectively treating solid tumors is the lack of cancer-specific targets. By utilizing TCR-based therapeutics, we are capable of directing T cells not only to targets on the surface of the cancer cell, but also to intracellular cancer targets that are not accessible through classical antibody-based or CAR-T therapies. We have developed a suite of proprietary technologies to identify what we refer to as “true targets” and “right TCRs.” True targets are (i) naturally occurring at significant levels on native tumor tissue and (ii) highly specific to cancer cells. Right TCRs are (i) high-affinity TCRs and (ii) highly specific to the respective cancer target, with no or minimized cross-reactivities to healthy tissues.
We believe that the elucidation of these targets provides us the opportunity to develop a pipeline of novel TCR-based product candidates that generate a meaningful therapeutic impact on the lives of cancer patients by going beyond an incremental clinical benefit. We are developing our targeted immunotherapy product candidates through two distinct treatment modalities: Adoptive Cell Therapies (“ACT”) and antibody-like Bispecifics. Each is designed with distinct attributes to produce the desired therapeutic effect for patients at different disease stages and with different types of tumors. Our current proprietary pipeline comprises seven therapeutic programs, three of which are being evaluated in clinical trials. In addition, we are collaborating with world-leading partners, including Amgen Inc., Genmab A/S, Bristol-Myers Squibb and GlaxoSmithKline plc, to develop ten additional therapeutic programs covering ACT and Bispecifics.
Company and Corporate Information
We were incorporated as a Dutch private limited liability company (besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid) under the name Immatics B.V. on March 10, 2020 solely for the purpose of effectuating the business combination (the “Business Combination”) between us, ARYA Sciences Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (“ARYA”), Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, a German limited liability company, Immatics Merger Sub 1, a Cayman Islands exempted company, and Immatics Merger Sub 2, a Cayman Islands exempted company. Upon the closing of the Business Combination on July 1, 2020, we converted into a Dutch public limited liability company (naamloze vennootschap) and changed our name to Immatics N.V. Prior to the Business Combination, we did not conduct any material activities other than those incident to our formation and certain matters related to the Business Combination, such as the making of certain required securities law filings and the establishment of subsidiaries to effect the Business Combination. Upon the closing of the Business Combination, Immatics OpCo became the direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Immatics, and holds all material assets and conducts all business activities and operations of Immatics.
We are registered in the Commercial Register of the Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel) in the Netherlands under number 77595726. We have our corporate seat in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and our registered office is at Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 15, 72076 Tübingen, Federal Republic of Germany, and our telephone number is +49 (7071) 5397-0. Our executive office in the United States is located at Immatics US, Inc., 2130 W. Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas, 77030 and our telephone number is +1 (346) 204-5400. Our website is www.immatics.com. The reference to our website is an inactive textual reference only, and information contained therein or connected thereto is not incorporated into this prospectus supplement or the registration statement of which it forms a part.
Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company
We qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). As an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other burdens that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include:
· | a requirement to have only two years of audited financial statements in addition to any required interim financial statements and correspondingly reduced Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations disclosure; |
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· | an exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”); and |
· | to the extent that we no longer qualify as a foreign private issuer, (i) reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements and (ii) exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation, including golden parachute compensation. |
We may take advantage of these provisions for up to five years or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues of $1.07 billion or more; (ii) December 31, 2025; (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the previous three years; and (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the SEC, which means the market value of our ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700.0 million as of the prior June 30. We may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these reduced burdens. For example, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. This provision allows an emerging growth company to delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. This transition period is only applicable under U.S. GAAP. As a result, we will adopt new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required or permitted by the International Accounting Standards Board.
Implications of Being a Foreign Private Issuer
We are also considered a “foreign private issuer.” Accordingly, we report under the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as a non-U.S. company with foreign private issuer status. This means that, even after we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, as long as we qualify as a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, we will be exempt from certain provisions of the Exchange Act that are applicable to U.S. domestic public companies, including:
· | the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act; |
· | the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and |
· | the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q containing unaudited financial and other specified information, or current reports on Form 8-K, upon the occurrence of specified significant events. |
We may take advantage of these exemptions until such time as we are no longer a foreign private issuer. We would cease to be a foreign private issuer at such time as more than 50% of our outstanding voting securities are held by U.S. residents and any of the following three circumstances applies: (i) the majority of our executive officers or directors are U.S. citizens or residents, (ii) more than 50% of our assets are located in the United States or (iii) our business is administered principally in the United States.
In this prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by
reference in this prospectus supplement, we have taken advantage of certain of the reduced reporting requirements as a result of being
an emerging growth company and a foreign private issuer. Accordingly, the information contained in this prospectus supplement and in the
documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement may be different than the information you receive from other public
companies in which you hold equity securities.
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Ordinary shares offered by us | Ordinary shares having an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000. | |
Manner of offering | “At the market offering” that may be made from time to time through the sales agent. See “Plan of Distribution” on page S-25 of this prospectus supplement. | |
Use of proceeds | We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, if any, together with our cash and cash equivalents, primarily to fund research and development activities and for working capital and other general corporate purposes. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to in-license or acquire or invest in complementary technologies, products, businesses or assets; however, we have no current plans, commitments or obligations to do so. See “Use of Proceeds.” | |
Risk factors | Investing in our ordinary shares involves a high degree of risk. See the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page S-6 of this prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus for a discussion of factors you should consider before deciding to invest in our ordinary shares. | |
Nasdaq symbol | “IMTX” |
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Investing in our securities involves risk. Before making a decision to invest in our securities, you should carefully consider the following risks and in our then-most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, and any updates to those risk factors in our reports on Form 6-K incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information appearing or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, in light of your particular investment objectives and financial circumstances. Although we discuss key risks in our discussion of risk factors, new risks may emerge in the future, which may prove to be significant. We cannot predict future risks or estimate the extent to which they may affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.
Risks Related to this Offering
You may experience immediate and substantial dilution in the book value of your investment.
If you purchase our ordinary shares in this offering, you will experience immediate dilution in an amount equal to the difference between the purchase price per share and our then-net tangible book value per ordinary share. Assuming that an aggregate of $100,000,000 of our ordinary shares are sold at an assumed public offering price of $12.17 per share, which was the last reported sale price of our ordinary shares on Nasdaq on July 29, 2021, and after deducting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, you would experience immediate dilution of $9.28 per share, representing the difference between the assumed public offering price and our as adjusted net tangible book value as of March 31, 2021. See “Dilution.”
The actual number of ordinary shares we will sell under the sales agreement and the resulting gross proceeds are uncertain.
Subject to certain limitations in the sales agreement and compliance with applicable law, we have the discretion to deliver a placement notice to the sales agent at any time throughout the term of the sales agreement. The number of ordinary shares that are sold by the sales agent after we deliver a placement notice will fluctuate based on the market price of our ordinary shares during the sales period and limits we set in the placement notice. Because the price per share sold will fluctuate based on the market price of our ordinary shares during the sales period, it is not possible to predict the number of ordinary shares that will be ultimately sold or the resulting gross proceeds.
The ordinary shares offered in this offering will be sold in “at the market offerings.” Investors who purchase our ordinary shares in this offering at different times will likely pay different prices.
Investors who purchase our ordinary shares in this offering at different times will likely pay different prices, and so may experience different outcomes in their investment results. We will have discretion, subject to market demand, to vary the timing, prices and numbers of ordinary shares sold, and subject to certain limitations in the sales agreement, there is no minimum or maximum sales price. Investors may experience a decline in the value of their ordinary shares and dilution as a result of sales made at prices lower than the prices they paid.
We have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this offering, and we may not use them effectively.
We currently intend to use the net proceeds from this offering as described in “Use of Proceeds.” However, our board of directors and our management retain broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering and could spend the proceeds in ways that do not improve our results of operations or enhance the value of our ordinary shares. Our failure to apply these funds effectively could result in financial losses, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.
If a United States person is treated as owning at least 10% of our ordinary shares, such United States person may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences.
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, if a United States person is treated as owning (directly, indirectly or constructively) 10% or more of our stock by vote or value, such U.S. holder will be treated as a “United States shareholder” with respect to each “controlled foreign corporation” in our group (if any). Because our group includes at least one U.S. subsidiary, our non-U.S. subsidiaries and any non-U.S. subsidiaries we form or acquire in the future will generally be treated as controlled foreign corporations.
A United States shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation will be required to report annually and include in its U.S. federal taxable income its pro rata share of “subpart F income,” “global intangible low-taxed income” and investments in U.S. property by the controlled foreign corporation, regardless of whether it makes any distributions of that income. Special rules, however, apply to United States persons that are partnerships or other pass-through entities. Certain deductions and credits for foreign income taxes paid or accrued by the controlled foreign corporation may be allowed to a corporate United States shareholder, but will not be allowed to an individual United States shareholder.
There can be no assurance that we will furnish to any United States shareholder the information required to comply with the obligations applicable to a United States shareholder in respect of controlled foreign corporations. Failure to comply with these obligations may subject a United States shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation to significant monetary penalties and may prevent the statute of limitations with respect to its U.S. federal income tax return for the year for which reporting was due from starting. Beneficial owners of 10% or more of our ordinary shares that are United States persons should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of these rules to their investment in our ordinary shares.
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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement contain statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Exchange Act and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). All statements other than statements of historical facts, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business and commercial strategy, potential market opportunities, products and product candidates, research pipeline, ongoing and planned preclinical studies and clinical trials, regulatory submissions and approvals, research and development costs, timing and likelihood of success, as well as plans and objectives of management for future operations are forward-looking statements. Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “expect,” “should,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate,” “will” and “potential,” among others.
Forward-looking statements are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information available to our management at the time such statements are made. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements due to various factors, including, but not limited to, those identified under the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they were made. Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond our control, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. You should read this prospectus supplement, the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the documents that we have filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which the accompanying prospectus is a part completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect.
In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of such statements, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.
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We may offer and sell our ordinary shares having an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000 from time to time through the sales agent. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time.
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, if any, together with our cash and cash equivalents, primarily to fund research and development activities and for working capital and other general corporate purposes. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to in-license or acquire or invest in complementary technologies, products, businesses or assets; however, we have no current plans, commitments or obligations to do so. Our expected use of the net proceeds from this offering represents our current intentions based on our present plans and business condition, which could change as our plans and business conditions evolve. The amounts and timing of our actual use of the net proceeds from this offering will vary depending on numerous factors. As a result, we cannot predict with certainty all of the particular uses for any net proceeds to be received or the amounts that we will actually spend on the uses set forth above. Our board of directors and our management retains broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering.
Pending the use of the proceeds from this offering, we intend to invest the net proceeds in a variety of capital preservation instruments, which may include all or a combination of short-term and long-term interest-bearing instruments, investment-grade securities, and direct or guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government. We cannot predict whether the proceeds invested will yield a favorable return.
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We have never declared or paid any cash dividends and have no plan to declare or pay any dividends on our ordinary shares in the foreseeable future. We currently intend to retain any earnings for future operations and expansion of our business.
We will be able to make distributions to our shareholders only to the extent that our equity exceeds the aggregate amount of issued share capital and reserves that must be maintained pursuant to Dutch law or under our articles of association. We may not make any distribution of profits on shares held as treasury shares and such treasury shares will not be taken into account when determining the profit entitlement of our shareholders. Our articles of association prescribe that profits in any financial year will be distributed first to holders of our financing preferred shares, if any are outstanding. Any remaining profits may be reserved by our board of directors. Any profits remaining thereafter and reserves may be distributed as dividends to the holders of our ordinary shares, subject to the appropriate record date. The general meeting is authorized to declare distributions upon the proposal of our board of directors. Our board of directors determines whether and how much of the profits shown in the adopted annual accounts will be reserved and the manner and date of any dividend. In addition, our board of directors is permitted, subject to certain requirements, to declare interim dividends without the approval of our shareholders. We may reclaim any distributions, whether interim or not interim, made in contravention of certain restrictions of Dutch law from shareholders that knew or should have known that such distribution was not permissible. In addition, on the basis of Dutch case law, if after a distribution we are not able to pay our due and collectable debts, then our shareholders or directors who at the time of the distribution knew or reasonably should have foreseen that result may be liable to our creditors.
Since we are a holding company, our ability to pay dividends will be dependent upon the financial condition, liquidity and results of operations of, and the receipt of dividends, loans or other funds from, our subsidiaries. Our subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities and have no obligation to make funds available to us. In addition, there are various statutory, regulatory and contractual limitations and business considerations on the extent, if any, to which our subsidiaries may pay dividends, make loans or otherwise provide funds to us.
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If you purchase our ordinary shares in this offering, you will experience immediate dilution in an amount equal to the difference between the purchase price per share and our then-net tangible book value per ordinary share.
Net tangible book value per share is determined by dividing our tangible net worth (defined as total assets, less intangible assets, less total liabilities) by the number of our ordinary shares outstanding. Our historical net tangible book value as of March 31, 2021 was €92.8 million (or $108.8 million), or €1.47 (or $1.73) per ordinary share. After giving effect to the assumed sale by us of $100,000,000 of ordinary shares at an assumed public offering price of $12.17 per share, which was the last reported sale price of our ordinary shares on Nasdaq on July 29, 2021, and after deducting estimated commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of March 31, 2021 would have been €175.0 million (or $205.2 million), or €2.46 (or $2.89) per ordinary share, representing an immediate increase of €0.99 (or $1.16) per ordinary share from the net tangible book value as of March 31, 2021. At the assumed public offering price, you will experience immediate dilution of $9.28 per share, which is the difference between the assumed public offering price and our as adjusted net tangible book value as of March 31, 2021.
The number of our ordinary shares issued and outstanding is based on 62,908,851 ordinary shares outstanding as of March 31, 2021 and excludes:
· | 7,650,296 ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of options outstanding as of March 31, 2021, at an average weighted exercise price of €9.41 per share; |
· | 2,355,934 additional ordinary shares reserved for future issuance under our share-based compensation plans; and |
· | 7,187,500 ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of warrants outstanding as of March 31, 2021, at an exercise price of $11.50 per warrant. |
To the extent that any outstanding options under our share-based compensation plans are exercised, new options are issued under our share-based compensation plans or we issue additional ordinary shares in the future, there will be further dilution to investors participating in this offering.
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Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for U.S. Holders
In the opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, the following is a description of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to the U.S. Holders, as defined below, of owning and disposing our ordinary shares. It does not describe all tax considerations that may be relevant to a particular person’s decision to acquire ordinary shares.
This discussion applies only to a U.S. Holder that holds ordinary shares as capital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes (generally, property held for investment). In addition, it does not describe any tax consequences other than U.S. federal income tax consequences, including state and local tax consequences and estate tax consequences, and does not describe all of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant in light of the U.S. Holder’s particular circumstances, including alternative minimum tax consequences, the potential application of the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) known as the Medicare contribution tax and tax consequences applicable to U.S. Holders subject to special rules, such as:
· | certain banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions; |
· | brokers, dealers or traders in securities who use a mark-to-market method of tax accounting; |
· | persons holding ordinary shares as part of a straddle, wash sale, conversion transaction or other integrated transaction or persons entering into a constructive sale with respect to the ordinary shares; |
· | persons whose functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes is not the U.S. dollar; |
· | entities or arrangements classified as partnerships or S corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes; |
· | tax-exempt entities, including an “individual retirement account” or “Roth IRAs” and governmental entities; |
· | real estate investment trusts or regulated investment companies; |
· | corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax; |
· | persons that own or are deemed to own 10% or more of the voting power or value of our shares; or |
· | persons holding ordinary shares in connection with a trade or business conducted outside of the United States or in connection with a permanent establishment or other fixed place of business outside of the United States. |
If an entity or arrangement that is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds ordinary shares, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partnerships holding ordinary shares and partners in such partnerships should consult their tax advisers as to the particular U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of the ordinary shares.
This discussion is based on the Code, administrative pronouncements, judicial decisions, final, temporary and proposed Treasury regulations, and the income tax treaty between the Netherlands and the United States (the “Treaty”), all as of the date hereof, any of which is subject to change or differing interpretations, possibly with retroactive effect.
A “U.S. Holder” is a beneficial owner of our ordinary shares who, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is eligible for the benefits of the Treaty and who is:
· | a citizen or individual resident of the United States; |
· | a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state therein or the District of Columbia; |
· | an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or |
· | a trust if (1) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the trust’s administration and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) a valid election under the Treasury regulations is in effect for the trust to be treated as a United States person. |
U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers concerning the U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences of owning and disposing of ordinary shares in their particular circumstances.
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The discussion under “Taxation of Distributions” and “Sale or Other Disposition of Ordinary shares” below describes certain consequences to U.S. Holders in the event that we are not a passive foreign investment company for U.S. federal income tax purposes (a “PFIC”) during any tax year in which a U.S. Holder holds our ordinary shares. This discussion assumes that we were not a PFIC for our 2020 taxable year, and will not become a PFIC in the foreseeable future. See “Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules” below.
Taxation of Distributions
Distributions paid on ordinary shares, other than certain pro rata distributions of ordinary shares, will generally be treated as dividends to the extent paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). Because we do not maintain calculations of our earnings and profits under U.S. federal income tax principles, we expect that distributions generally will be reported to U.S. Holders as dividends. Dividends paid to certain non-corporate U.S. Holders may be eligible for taxation as “qualified dividend income” and therefore, subject to applicable limitations, may be taxable at long-term capital gain rates. Dividends will constitute qualified dividend income (a) for so long as the ordinary shares with respect to which the dividends are paid are listed on the NYSE or are otherwise considered "readily tradable" on an established securities market for U.S. federal income tax purposes or we are eligible for benefits under the Treaty and (b) we are not a PFIC in the year in which the dividend is paid or the prior taxable year. However, there can be no assurance that our ordinary shares will remain listed or otherwise be considered readily tradable on an established securities market in the future, nor (as discussed under “Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules” below) that we will not be a PFIC for any future taxable year. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding the availability of the reduced tax rate on dividends in their particular circumstances.
The amount of a dividend will include any amounts withheld in respect of Dutch income taxes. The amount of the dividend will be treated as foreign-source dividend income to U.S. Holders and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction generally available to U.S. corporations under the Code. Dividends will be included in a U.S. Holder’s income on the date of the U.S. Holder’s receipt of the dividend. The amount of any dividend income paid in euros will be the U.S. dollar amount calculated by reference to the exchange rate in effect on the date of actual or constructive receipt, regardless of whether the payment is in fact converted into U.S. dollars at that time. If the dividend is converted into U.S. dollars on the date of receipt, a U.S. Holder should not be required to recognize foreign currency gain or loss in respect of the dividend income. A U.S. Holder may have foreign currency gain or loss if the dividend is converted into U.S. dollars after the date of receipt.
Subject to applicable limitations, some of which vary depending upon the U.S. Holder’s particular circumstances, Dutch income taxes withheld from dividends on ordinary shares (at a rate not exceeding the rate provided by the Treaty, in the case of a U.S. Holder eligible for a reduced rate under the Treaty) will be creditable against the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability. The rules governing foreign tax credits are complex and U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding the creditability of foreign taxes in their particular circumstances. In lieu of claiming a foreign tax credit, U.S. Holders may, at their election, deduct foreign taxes, including any Dutch income tax, in computing their taxable income, subject to generally applicable limitations under U.S. law. An election to deduct foreign taxes instead of claiming foreign tax credits applies to all foreign taxes paid or accrued in the taxable year.
Sale or Other Disposition of Ordinary Shares
Gain or loss realized by a U.S. Holder on the sale or other disposition of ordinary shares will be capital gain or loss, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period for such ordinary shares was more than one year as of the date of the sale or other disposition. The amount of the gain or loss will equal the difference between the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the ordinary shares disposed of and the amount realized on the disposition, in each case as determined in U.S. dollars. Long-term capital gain recognized by a non-corporate U.S. Holder is subject to U.S. federal income tax at rates lower than the rates applicable to ordinary income and short-term capital gains, while short-term capital gains are subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to ordinary income. This gain or loss will generally be U.S.-source gain or loss for foreign tax credit purposes. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to various limitations.
Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules
Under the Code, we will be a PFIC for any taxable year in which, after the application of certain look-through rules with respect to subsidiaries, either (i) 75% or more of our gross income consists of “passive income” or (ii) 50% or more of the average quarterly value of our assets consist of assets that produce, or are held for the production of, “passive income.” For purposes of the above calculations, we will be treated as if we hold our proportionate share of the assets of, and receive directly our proportionate share of the income of, any other corporation in which we directly or indirectly own at least 25%, by value, of the shares of such corporation. Passive income generally includes interest, dividends, certain non-active rents and royalties, and capital gains.
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We believe that we were not a PFIC for our 2020 taxable year, and we do not expect to become a PFIC for the current or subsequent taxable years. However, whether we will be a PFIC in the current or any future year is uncertain because, among other things, (i) we currently own, and likely will continue to own, a substantial amount of passive assets, including cash, (ii) the timing of our recognition of active income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which may differ from the timing of the recognition of such income for financial accounting purposes, may result in our recognizing minimal amounts of active income for U.S. federal income tax purposes in certain taxable years and (iii) the valuation of our assets that generate non-passive income for PFIC purposes, including our intangible assets, is uncertain and may be determined in substantial part by our market capitalization, which may vary substantially over time. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that we will not be a PFIC for the current or any future taxable year.
If we are a PFIC for any year during which a U.S. Holder holds ordinary shares, we will continue to be treated as a PFIC with respect to that U.S. Holder for all succeeding years during which the U.S. Holder holds ordinary shares, even if we cease to meet the threshold requirements for PFIC status, unless the U.S. Holder elects to recognize gain, if any, as if it sold its ordinary shares as of the last day of the last tax year in which we are a PFIC (a “Purging Election”). In addition, we may, directly or indirectly, have held or hold equity interests in other PFICs (collectively, “Lower-tier PFICs”). Under attribution rules, if we are a PFIC, U.S. Holders will be deemed to own their proportionate shares of the stock of Lower-tier PFICs and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax according to the rules described in the following paragraphs on (i) certain distributions by a Lower-tier PFIC and (ii) a disposition of shares of a Lower-tier PFIC, in each case as if the U.S. Holder held those shares directly, even though it will not have received the proceeds of those distributions or dispositions directly. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers about the consequences to them if we own one or more Lower-tier PFICs.
If we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder holds ordinary shares (assuming the U.S. Holder has not made one of certain elections, as described below), gain recognized by the U.S. Holder on the sale or other disposition (including certain pledges) of ordinary shares (including any gain recognized as a consequence of a Purging Election) will be allocated ratably over the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares. The amounts allocated to the taxable year of the sale or other disposition and to any year before we became a PFIC will be taxed as ordinary income. The amount allocated to each other taxable year will be subject to tax at the highest rate in effect for individuals or corporations, as appropriate, for that taxable year, and an interest charge will be imposed on the resulting tax liability. Further, to the extent that any distribution received by a U.S. Holder on its ordinary shares exceeds 125% of the average of the annual distributions on the ordinary shares received during the preceding three years or the U.S. Holder’s holding period, whichever is shorter, that distribution will be subject to taxation in the same manner as gain, described immediately above.
If we were a PFIC and a U.S. Holder made either (a) an election to treat our ordinary shares as stock of a “qualified electing fund,” or QEF, or (b) a “mark-to-market” election) with respect to our ordinary shares, that election would alleviate some of the adverse tax consequences of PFIC status and would result in an alternative treatment of the ordinary shares. If we determine that we are a PFIC for any taxable year, we intend to provide the information for U.S. Holders to make or maintain a QEF election, including information necessary to determine the appropriate income inclusion amounts for purposes of the QEF election. However, we cannot give any assurance that we will have timely knowledge of our status as a PFIC in the future or that we will provide the information necessary for U.S. Holders to make “QEF elections.” Furthermore, the availability of a “mark-to-market election” with respect to the ordinary shares is a factual determination that will depend on the manner and quantity of trading of our ordinary shares. A mark-to-market election cannot be made with respect to the stock of any of our subsidiaries. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding whether any of these elections for alternative treatment would be available and, if so, what the consequences of the alternative treatments would be in their particular circumstances.
If we are a PFIC (or, with respect to a particular U.S. Holder, are treated as a PFIC) for a taxable year in which we pay a dividend or for the prior taxable year, the preferential dividend rates discussed above with respect to dividends paid to certain non-corporate U.S. Holders will not apply.
If we are a PFIC for a taxable year during which a U.S. Holder holds ordinary shares, the U.S. Holder will generally be required to file an annual report on IRS Form 8621 with its annual U.S. federal income tax returns, subject to certain exceptions. The failure to file IRS Form 8621 could result in the imposition of penalties and the extension of the statute of limitations with respect to U.S. federal income tax.
Prospective U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding the potential PFIC rules to an investment in ordinary shares.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Payments of dividends and sales proceeds that are made within the United States or through certain U.S.-related financial intermediaries generally are subject to information reporting, and may be subject to backup withholding, unless (i) the U.S. Holder is a corporation or other exempt recipient or (ii) in the case of backup withholding, the U.S. Holder provides a correct taxpayer identification number and certifies that it is not subject to backup withholding.
The amount of any backup withholding from a payment to a U.S. Holder will be allowed as a credit against the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle it to a refund, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
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Material Dutch Tax Considerations
Taxation in the Netherlands
This section outlines the principal Dutch tax consequences of the acquisition, holding, settlement, redemption and disposal of ordinary shares. It does not purport to present a comprehensive or complete description of all aspects of Dutch tax law which could be of relevance to a holder of ordinary shares in the capital of Immatics, which we refer to as a shareholder. For Dutch tax purposes, a shareholder may include an individual who, or an entity that, does not hold the legal title to the ordinary shares, but to whom, or to which, nevertheless the ordinary shares or the income thereof, are attributed based either on such individual or entity owning a beneficial interest in the ordinary shares or based on specific statutory provisions. These include statutory provisions pursuant to which ordinary shares are attributed to an individual who is, or who has directly or indirectly inherited from a person who was, the settlor, grantor or similar originator of a trust, foundation or similar entity that holds the ordinary shares.
This section is intended as general information only. A prospective shareholder should consult his or her own tax adviser regarding the tax consequences of any acquisition, holding, redemption and disposal of ordinary shares. Except as otherwise provided, this section is based on Dutch tax law as applied and interpreted by Dutch tax courts and as published and in effect on the date of this prospectus supplement, including, for the avoidance of doubt, the tax rates applicable on the date hereof, without prejudice to any amendments introduced at a later date and implemented with or without retroactive effect. On this basis, the statements included in this section are the opinion of CMS Derks Star Busmann N.V., Dutch counsel to Immatics.
Any reference in this section made to Dutch taxes, Dutch tax or Dutch tax law must be construed as a reference to any taxes of any nature levied by or on behalf of the Netherlands or any of its subdivisions or taxing authorities or to the law governing such taxes, respectively. The Netherlands means the part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands located in Europe.
Any reference hereafter made to a treaty for the avoidance of double taxation concluded by the Netherlands includes the Tax Regulation for the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Belastingregeling voor het Koninkrijk), the Tax Regulations for the Netherlands and Curacao (Belastingregeling Nederland Curaçao), the Tax Regulations for the Netherlands and Sint Maarten (Belastingregeling Nederland Sint Maarten), the Tax Regulation for the State of the Netherlands (Belastingregeling voor het land Nederland) and the Agreement between the Taipei Representative Office in the Netherlands and the Netherlands Trade and Investment Office in Taipei for the avoidance of double taxation.
This section does not describe any Dutch tax considerations or consequences that may be relevant to a shareholder:
(i) | who is an individual and for whom the income or capital gains derived from the ordinary shares are attributable to employment activities, the income from which is taxable in the Netherlands; |
(ii) | who has, or that has, a substantial interest (aanmerkelijk belang) or a fictitious substantial interest (fictief aanmerkelijk belang) in Immatics within the meaning of chapter 4 of the Dutch Income Tax Act 2001 (Wet inkomstenbelasting 2001). Generally, a shareholder has a substantial interest in Immatics if such shareholder, alone or—in case of an individual—together with a partner for Dutch tax purposes, or any relative by blood or by marriage in the ascending or descending line (including foster-children) of either of them, directly or indirectly: |
a. | owns, or holds, or is deemed to own or hold, certain rights to shares representing 5% or more of the total issued capital of Immatics, or of the issued and outstanding capital of any class of shares of Immatics; |
b. | holds, or is deemed to hold, rights to, directly or indirectly, acquire shares, whether or not already issued, representing 5% or more of the total issued capital of Immatics, or of the issued capital of any class of shares of Immatics; or |
c. | owns, or holds, or is deemed to own or hold, certain rights on profit participating certificates (winstbewijzen) that relate to 5% or more of the annual profit of Immatics or to 5% or more of the liquidation proceeds of Immatics. |
A shareholder who is an individual will also have a substantial interest if a partner for Dutch tax purposes or any relative by blood or by marriage in the ascending or descending line (including foster-children) of either of them has a substantial interest in Immatics:
(iii) | that is an entity which is, pursuant to the Dutch Corporate Income Tax Act 1969 (Wet op de vennootschapsbelasting 1969) (the “CITA”), not subject to Dutch corporate income tax or is in full or in part exempt from Dutch corporate income tax (such as a qualifying pension fund); |
(iv) | that is an investment institution (beleggingsinstelling) as described in clause 6a or 28 CITA; or |
(v) | that is required to apply the participation exemption (deelnemingsvrijstelling) with respect to the ordinary shares, or a combination thereof (as defined in clause 13 CITA). Generally, a holding of ordinary shares is considered to qualify as a participation for the participation exemption if it represents a holding of, or right to acquire, an interest of 5% or more of the nominal paid-up share capital in Immatics. |
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Withholding Tax on Dividend Payments
A shareholder is generally subject to Dutch dividend withholding tax at a rate of 15% on dividends distributed by Immatics. Generally, Immatics is responsible for the withholding of such dividend withholding tax at the source. However, a shareholder will not be subject to Dutch dividend withholding tax on dividends distributed by Immatics if, and for as long as, Immatics is resident solely in Germany for purposes of the convention between Germany and the Netherlands for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income (the “German-Dutch tax treaty”), unless:
(i) | the shareholder is a Dutch Individual (as defined below) or a Dutch Corporate Entity (as defined below); or |
(ii) | the shareholder is a Non-Dutch Individual (as defined below) or a Non-Dutch Corporate Entity (as defined below) and derives profits from an enterprise, which enterprise is, in whole or in part, carried on through a permanent establishment (vaste inrichting) or a permanent representative (vaste vertegenwoordiger) in the Netherlands, to which the ordinary shares are attributable. |
The current German-Dutch tax treaty stipulates that if a company is treated as tax resident of both the Netherlands and Germany it shall be treated as resident of the country in which it has its place of effective management for purposes of the treaty. It is currently envisaged that Immatics shall have its place of effective management in Germany.
It is currently uncertain what evidence, information and documentation will be required by the Dutch tax authorities for purposes of accepting application of the German-Dutch tax treaty as described above, either at the source or through a refund request by a shareholder.
Dividends distributed by Immatics include, but are not limited to:
(i) | distributions of profits in cash or in kind, whatever they be named or in whatever form; |
(ii) | proceeds from the liquidation of Immatics or proceeds from the repurchase of ordinary shares by Immatics, other than as a temporary portfolio investment (tijdelijke belegging), in excess of the average paid-in capital recognized for Dutch dividend withholding tax purposes; |
(iii) | the nominal value of ordinary shares issued to a shareholder or an increase in the nominal value of ordinary shares, to the extent that no related contribution, recognized for Dutch dividend withholding tax purposes, has been made or will be made; and |
(iv) | partial repayment of paid-in capital, that is not recognized for Dutch dividend withholding tax purposes, or if recognized for Dutch dividend withholding tax purposes, to the extent that Immatics has “net profits” (zuivere winst) which may include anticipated profits that have yet to be realized, unless: |
a. | the general meeting has resolved in advance to make such repayment; and |
b. | the nominal value of the ordinary shares concerned has been reduced with an equal amount by way of an amendment to the articles of association of Immatics. The term “net profits” includes anticipated profits that have yet to be realized. |
If a shareholder is resident or deemed to be resident in the Netherlands, such shareholder is generally entitled to an exemption or a credit for any Dutch dividend withholding tax against his or her Dutch (corporate) income tax liability and to a refund of any residual Dutch dividend withholding tax. Depending on his or her specific circumstances, a shareholder resident in a country other than the Netherlands, may be entitled to exemptions from, reduction of, or full or partial refund of, Dutch dividend withholding tax pursuant to Dutch law, EU law or treaties for avoidance of double taxation.
A shareholder that is resident (i) in an EU member state, or (ii) in a state that is a party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (“EEA”; Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway), or (iii) in a designated third state with which the Netherlands has agreed to an arrangement for the exchange of information on tax matters, is entitled to a full or partial refund of Dutch dividend withholding tax incurred in respect of ordinary shares if the final tax burden in respect of the dividends distributed by Immatics of a comparable Dutch resident shareholder is lower than the withholding tax incurred by the non-Dutch resident shareholder. The refund is granted upon request, and is subject to conditions and limitations. No entitlement to a refund exists if the disadvantage for the non-Dutch resident shareholder is entirely compensated in his or her state of residence under the provisions of a treaty for the avoidance of double taxation concluded between this state of residence and the Netherlands.
According to Dutch domestic anti-dividend stripping rules, no credit against Dutch (corporate) income tax, exemption from, reduction in or refund of, Dutch dividend withholding tax will be granted if the recipient of the dividends paid by Immatics is not considered to be the beneficial owner (uiteindelijk gerechtigde) of such dividends. The DWTA provides for a non-exhaustive negative description of a beneficial owner. According to the DWTA, a shareholder will not be considered the beneficial owner of the dividends if as a consequence of a combination of transactions:
(i) | a person other than the shareholder wholly or partly, directly or indirectly, benefits from the dividends; |
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(ii) | whereby this other person retains or acquires, directly or indirectly, an interest similar to that in the ordinary shares on which the dividends were paid; and |
(iii) | that other person is entitled to a credit, reduction or refund of Dutch dividend withholding tax that is less than that of the shareholder. |
Taxes on Income and Capital Gains
Residents of the Netherlands
The description of certain Dutch tax consequences in this paragraph is only intended for the following shareholders:
(i) | individuals who are resident or deemed to be resident in the Netherlands for Dutch income tax purposes (“Dutch Individuals”); and |
(ii) | entities or enterprises that are subject to the CITA and are resident or deemed to be resident in the Netherlands for corporate income tax purposes (“Dutch Corporate Entities”). |
Dutch Individuals Engaged or Deemed to Be Engaged in an Enterprise or in Miscellaneous Activities
Dutch Individuals engaged or deemed to be engaged in an enterprise or who derive income from miscellaneous activities (resultaat uit overige werkzaamheden) are generally subject to income tax at statutory progressive rates with a maximum of 49.5% on any benefits derived or deemed to be derived from the ordinary shares, that are either attributable to:
(i) | an enterprise from which a Dutch Individual derives profits, whether as an entrepreneur (ondernemer) or pursuant to a co-entitlement (medegerechtigde) to the net worth of such enterprise other than as an entrepreneur or a shareholder; or |
(ii) | the benefits of which are attributable to miscellaneous activities, including, without limitation, activities which are beyond the scope of active portfolio investment activities (meer dan normaal vermogensbeheer). |
Dutch Individuals Not Engaged or Deemed to Be Engaged in an Enterprise or in Miscellaneous Activities
Generally, the ordinary shares held by a Dutch Individual who is not engaged or deemed to be engaged in an enterprise or miscellaneous activities, or who is so engaged or deemed to be engaged but the ordinary shares are not attributable to that enterprise or miscellaneous activities, will be subject to annual income tax imposed on a fictitious yield on the ordinary shares under the regime for savings and investments (inkomen uit sparen en beleggen). Irrespective of the actual income and capital gains realized the annual taxable benefit of all the assets and liabilities of a Dutch Individual that are taxed under this regime, including the ordinary shares, is set at a percentage of the positive balance of the fair market value of these assets, including the ordinary shares and the fair market value of these liabilities. The percentage, which is annually indexed, increases:
(i) | from 1.898% over the first €50,000; |
(ii) | to 4.501% over €50,000 up to and including €950,000; and |
(iii) | to a maximum of 5.69% over €950,000 or higher. |
No taxation occurs if this positive balance does not exceed a certain threshold (heffingvrij vermogen), which is €50,000 in 2021. The positive balance of the fair market value of assets, including the ordinary shares, and liabilities that is taxed under this regime is measured once in each calendar year on January 1. The tax rate under the regime for savings and investments is a flat rate of 31%.
Dutch Corporate Entities
Dutch Corporate Entities are generally subject to corporate income tax at statutory rates up to 25% on any benefits derived or deemed to be derived from the ordinary shares. A reduced rate of 15% applies to the first € 245,000 of taxable profits.
Non-residents of the Netherlands
The description of certain Dutch tax consequences in this paragraph is only intended for the following shareholders:
· | individuals not resident and not deemed to be resident in the Netherlands for Dutch income tax purposes (“Non-Dutch Individuals”); or |
· | entities not resident and not deemed to be resident in the Netherlands for Dutch corporate income tax purposes (“Non-Dutch Corporate Entities”). |
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A Non-Dutch Individual or a Non-Dutch Corporate Entity will not be subject to any Dutch taxes on income or capital gains in respect of the acquisition, holding, redemption and disposal of ordinary shares, other than withholding tax as described above, except if:
(i) | the Non-Dutch Individual or the Non-Dutch Corporate Entity derives profits from an enterprise, whether as entrepreneur or pursuant to a co-entitlement to the net worth of such enterprise other than as an entrepreneur or a shareholder, which enterprise is, in whole or in part, carried on through a permanent establishment (vaste inrichting) or a permanent representative (vaste vertegenwoordiger) in the Netherlands, to which the ordinary shares are attributable; |
(ii) | the Non-Dutch Individual derives benefits from miscellaneous activities carried out in the Netherlands in respect of the ordinary shares, including (without limitation) activities which are beyond the scope of active portfolio investment activities; |
(iii) | the Non-Dutch Corporate Entity is entitled to a share in the profits of an enterprise or a co-entitlement to the net worth of an enterprise, other than by way of securities, which enterprise is effectively managed in the Netherlands and to which enterprise the ordinary shares are attributable; or |
(iv) | the Non-Dutch Individual is entitled to a share in the profits of an enterprise, other than by way of securities, which enterprise is effectively managed in the Netherlands and to which enterprise the ordinary shares are attributable. |
Under certain specific circumstances, Dutch taxation rights may be restricted for Non-Dutch Individuals and Non-Dutch Corporate Entities pursuant to treaties for the avoidance of double taxation.
Dutch Gift Tax or Inheritance Tax
No Dutch gift tax or inheritance tax is due in respect of any gift of the ordinary shares by, or inheritance of the ordinary shares on the death of, a shareholder, except if:
· | at the time of the gift or death of the shareholder, the shareholder is resident, or is deemed to be resident, in the Netherlands; |
· | the shareholder passes away within 180 days after the date of the gift of the ordinary shares and is not, or not deemed to be, at the time of the gift, but is, or deemed to be resident in the Netherlands at the time of his or her death; or |
· | the gift of the ordinary shares is made under a condition precedent and the shareholder is resident, or is deemed to be resident, in the Netherlands at the time the condition is fulfilled. |
For purposes of Dutch gift tax or inheritance tax, an individual who is of Dutch nationality will be deemed to be resident in the Netherlands if such individual has been resident in the Netherlands at any time during the 10 years preceding the date of the gift or his death. For purposes of Dutch gift tax, any individual, irrespective of his or her nationality, be deemed to be resident in the Netherlands if such individual has been resident in the Netherlands at any time during the 12 months preceding the date of the gift. Applicable tax treaties may override such deemed residency.
Value Added Tax (VAT)
No Dutch VAT will be payable by a shareholder in respect of any purchase, ownership and disposal of the ordinary shares.
Other Taxes and Duties
No other Dutch taxes, including taxes of a documentary nature, such as capital tax, stamp or registration tax or duty, are payable by or on behalf of the shareholder by reason only of the purchase, ownership and disposal of the ordinary shares
Residency
A shareholder will not become resident, or deemed resident, in the Netherlands for tax purposes by reason only of holding the ordinary shares.
Material German Tax Considerations
The following section is a description of the material German tax considerations that become relevant when acquiring, owning and transferring Immatics’ ordinary shares. It is based on the German tax law applicable as of the date of this prospectus supplement without prejudice to any amendments introduced at a later date and implemented with or without retroactive effect.
This section is intended as general information only and does not purport to be a comprehensive or complete description of all potential German tax effects of the acquisition, ownership or transfer of ordinary shares and does not set forth all German tax considerations that may be relevant to a particular person’s decision to acquire ordinary shares. It does not constitute particular German tax advice and potential purchasers of Immatics’ ordinary shares are urged to consult their own tax advisers regarding the tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and transfer of ordinary shares in light of their particular circumstances with regard to the
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application of German tax law to their particular situations (including full or partial tax exemptions of certain pension or investment funds or non-profit organizations), in particular with respect to the procedure to be complied with to obtain a relief of withholding tax on dividends and on capital gains (Kapitalertragsteuer) and with respect to the influence of double tax treaty provisions, as well as any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or other non-German jurisdiction. For German tax purposes, a shareholder may include an individual who or an entity that does not have the legal title to the ordinary shares, but to whom nevertheless the ordinary shares are attributed, based either on such individual or entity owning a beneficial interest in the ordinary shares or based on specific statutory provisions.
All of the following is subject to change. Such changes could apply retroactively and could affect the consequences set forth below. This section does not refer to any foreign account tax compliance act (FATCA) aspects.
Immatics’ Tax Residency Status
Immatics has its statutory seat in the Netherlands and its sole place of management in Germany and is therefore tax resident in Germany (for purposes of the German-Dutch tax treaty). Thus, Immatics qualifies as a corporation subject to German unlimited liability for corporate income tax purposes. However, because Immatics’ tax residency depends on future facts regarding its place of management the German unlimited liability for corporate income tax purposes may change in the future.
Taxation of Dividends
Withholding Tax on Dividend Payments
Dividends distributed from Immatics to its shareholders are generally subject to German withholding tax, conditionally upon certain exemptions (for example, repayments of capital from the tax contribution account (steuerliches Einlagekonto)), as further described. The withholding tax rate is 25% plus a 5.5% solidarity surcharge (Solidaritätszuschlag) thereon totaling 26.375% of the gross dividend amount. Withholding tax is to be withheld and passed on for the account of the shareholders by a domestic branch of a domestic or foreign credit or financial services institution (Kredit- und Finanzdienstleistungsinstitut), by the domestic securities trading company (inländisches Wertpapierhandelsunternehmen) or a domestic securities trading bank (inländische Wertpapierhandelsbank) which keeps and administers the ordinary shares and disburses or credits the dividends or disburses the dividends to a foreign agent, or by the securities custodian bank (Wertpapiersammelbank) to which the ordinary shares were entrusted for collective custody if the dividends are distributed to a foreign agent by such securities custodian bank (which is referred to as the “Dividend Paying Agent”). In case the ordinary shares are not held in collective deposit with a Dividend Paying Agent, Immatics is responsible for withholding and remitting the tax to the competent tax office. Such withholding tax is levied and withheld irrespective of whether and to what extent the dividend distribution is taxable at the level of the shareholder and whether the shareholder is a person residing in Germany or in a foreign country.
In the case of dividends distributed to a company within the meaning of Art. 2 of the amended EU Directive 2011/96/EU of the Council of November 30, 2011 (the “EU Parent Subsidiary Directive”) domiciled in another Member State of the European Union, withholding tax can be effectively reduced to zero. This also applies to dividends distributed to a permanent establishment located in another Member State of the European Union of such a parent company or of a parent company tax resident in Germany if the participation in Immatics is effectively connected with this permanent establishment. The key prerequisite for the application of the EU Parent Subsidiary Directive is that the shareholder has held a direct participation in the share capital of Immatics of at least 10% for at an uninterrupted period of least one year and is considered the beneficial owner of such participation.
The withholding tax on dividends distributed to other foreign resident shareholders can be reduced in accordance with an applicable double tax treaty (to 15%, 5% or 0%, depending on certain prerequisites) if Germany has concluded such double tax treaty with the country of residence of the shareholder and if the shareholder does not hold his or her ordinary shares either as part of the assets of a permanent establishment or a fixed place of business in Germany or as business assets for which a permanent representative has been appointed in Germany. Further, the foreign resident shareholder must be eligible for treaty purposes and no limitation of benefits provision in a double tax treaty and—both in relation to a reduction pursuant to the EU Parent Subsidiary Directive and an applicable tax treaty— the German anti-directive/treaty shopping provision of Section 50d paragraph 3 of the German Income Tax Act (Einkommensteuergesetz) must not be applicable.
However, the deduction of withholding taxes will generally apply irrespective of a possible reduction pursuant to the EU Parent Subsidiary Directive or applicable double tax treaty except for the case that the recipient of the dividends has been granted an exemption from the German Federal Central Tax Office (Bundeszentralamt für Steuern) upon formal application by the recipient of the dividends (Freistellung im Steuerabzugsverfahren). In case of deducted withholding taxes, the reduction of the withholding tax pursuant to both the EU Parent Subsidiary Directive and an applicable double tax treaty is procedurally granted in such a manner that the difference between the total amount withheld, including the solidarity surcharge, and the tax liability determined on the basis of the EU Parent Subsidiary Directive (0%) or on the basis of the tax rate set forth in the applicable double tax treaty (15% unless further qualifications are met) is upon request refunded by the German Federal Central Tax Office (Bundeszentralamt für Steuern).
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In the case of dividends received by corporations who are not tax resident in Germany, two-fifths of the withholding tax deducted and remitted are refunded without the need to fulfill all prerequisites required for such refund under the EU Parent Subsidiary Directive or under a double tax treaty or if no double tax treaty has been concluded between the state of residence of the shareholder, however, likewise subject to the conditions of the German anti-directive/treaty shopping provision.
In order to receive a refund pursuant to a double tax treaty or the aforementioned option for foreign corporations, the shareholder has to submit a completed form for refund (available at the website of the Federal Central Tax Office (http://www.bzst.de) as well as at the German embassies and consulates) together with a withholding tax certificate (Kapitalertragsteuerbescheinigung) issued by the institution that deducted the respective withholding tax.
In 2021, the German legislator adopted a reform of the withholding tax procedures by the Act to Modernize the Relief from Withholding Tax and the Certification of Capital Gains Tax (Abzugsteuerentlastungsmodernisierungsgesetz) which has been published in the German Federal Law Gazette on June 8, 2021. The reform comprises changes to the current withholding tax procedures in particular as regards the granting of exemption certificates (time limitation, conditions, etc.) and the application for refunds (in each case including allocation of competencies within tax authorities, procedural aspects and electronic reporting obligations by withholding agents) and as regards the application of German anti-directive/treaty shopping provision of Section 50d paragraph 3 of the German Income Tax Act (Einkommensteuergesetz).
The aforementioned reductions of (or exemptions from) withholding tax are further restricted if (i) the applicable double tax treaty provides for a tax reduction resulting in an applicable tax rate of less than 15% and (ii) the shareholder is not a corporation that directly holds at least 10% in the equity capital of Immatics and is subject to tax on its income and profits in its state of residence without being exempt. In this case, the reduction of (or exemption from) withholding tax is subject to the following three cumulative prerequisites: (i) the shareholder must qualify as beneficial owner of the shares in a company for a minimum holding period of 45 consecutive days occurring within a period of 45 days prior and 45 days after the due date of the dividends, (ii) the shareholder has to bear at least 70% of the change in value risk related to the shares in a company during the minimum holding period without being directly or indirectly hedged, and (iii) the shareholder must not be required to fully or largely compensate directly or indirectly the dividends to third parties.
In the absence of the fulfillment of all of the three prerequisites, three-fifths of the withholding tax imposed on the dividends must not be credited against the shareholder’s (corporate) income tax liability, but may, upon application, be deducted from the shareholder’s tax base for the relevant assessment period. Furthermore, a shareholder that has received gross dividends without any deduction of withholding tax due to a tax exemption without qualifying for such a full tax credit has (i) to notify the competent local tax office accordingly, (ii) to declare according to the officially prescribed form and (iii) has to make a payment in the amount of the omitted withholding tax deduction.
However, these special rules on the restriction of withholding tax credit do not apply to a shareholder whose overall dividend earnings within an assessment period do not exceed €20,000 or that has been the beneficial owner of the shares in a company for at least one uninterrupted year upon receipt of the dividends.
For individual or corporate shareholders tax resident outside Germany not holding the ordinary shares through a permanent establishment (Betriebsstätte) in Germany or as business assets (Betriebsvermögen) for which a permanent representative (ständiger Vertreter) has been appointed in Germany, the remaining and paid withholding tax (if any) is then final (i.e., not refundable) and settles the shareholder’s limited tax liability in Germany. For individual or corporate shareholders tax resident in Germany (for example, those shareholders whose residence, domicile, registered office or place of management is located in Germany) holding their ordinary shares as business assets, as well as for shareholders tax resident outside of Germany holding their ordinary shares through a permanent establishment in Germany or as business assets for which a permanent representative has been appointed in Germany, the withholding tax withheld (including solidarity surcharge) can be credited against the shareholder’s personal income tax or corporate income tax liability in Germany. Any withholding tax (including solidarity surcharge) in excess of such tax liability is refunded. For individual shareholders tax resident in Germany holding Immatics’ ordinary shares as private assets, the withholding tax is a final tax (Abgeltungsteuer), subject to the exceptions described in the following section.
Taxation of Dividend Income of Shareholders Tax Resident in Germany Holding Immatics’ Ordinary Shares as Private Assets (Private Individuals)
For individual shareholders (individuals) resident in Germany holding Immatics’ ordinary shares as private assets, dividends are subject to a flat rate tax which is satisfied by the withholding tax actually withheld (Abgeltungsteuer). Accordingly, dividend income will be taxed at a flat tax rate of 25% plus a 5.5% solidarity surcharge thereon totaling 26.375% and church tax (Kirchensteuer) in case the shareholder is subject to church tax because of his or her personal circumstances. An automatic procedure for deduction of church tax by way of withholding will apply to shareholders being subject to church tax unless the shareholder has filed a blocking notice (Sperrvermerk) with the German Federal Tax Office (details related to the computation of the specific tax rate including church tax are to be discussed with the individual tax adviser of the relevant shareholder). Except for an annual lump sum savings allowance (Sparer-Pauschbetrag) of up to €801 (for individual filers) or up to €1,602 (for married couples and for partners in accordance with the registered partnership law (Gesetz über die Eingetragene Lebenspartnerschaft) filing jointly), private individual shareholders will not be entitled to deduct expenses incurred in connection with the capital investment from their dividend income.
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The income tax owed for the dividend income is satisfied by the withholding tax withheld by the Dividend Paying Agent. However, if the flat tax results in a higher tax burden as opposed to the private individual shareholder’s personal income tax rate, the private individual shareholder can opt for taxation at his or her personal income tax rate. In that case, the final withholding tax will be credited against the income tax. The option can be exercised only for all capital income from capital investments received in the relevant assessment period uniformly and married couples as well as partners in accordance with the registered partnership law filing jointly may only jointly exercise the option.
Exceptions from the flat rate tax (satisfied by withholding the tax at source, Abgeltungswirkung) may apply—that is, only upon application—for shareholders who have a shareholding of at least 25% in Immatics and for shareholders who have a shareholding of at least 1% in Immatics and work for a company in a professional capacity. In such a case, the same rules apply as for sole proprietors holding the ordinary shares as business assets (see below “Taxation of Dividend Income of Shareholders Tax Resident in Germany Holding the Company’s Ordinary Shares as Business Assets—Sole Proprietors”). Further, the flat rate tax does not apply if and to the extent dividends reduced Immatics taxable income.
Taxation of Dividend Income of Shareholders Tax Resident in Germany Holding Immatics’ Ordinary Shares as Business Assets
If a shareholder holds the Immatics’ ordinary shares as business assets, the taxation of the dividend income depends on whether the respective shareholder is a corporation, a sole proprietor, a partnership or an investment fund.
Corporations
Dividend income of corporate shareholders is exempt from corporate income tax, provided that the corporation holds a direct participation of at least 10% in the share capital of a company at the beginning of the calendar year in which the dividends are paid (participation exemption). The acquisition of a participation of at least 10% in the course of a calendar year is deemed to have occurred at the beginning of such calendar year. Participations in the share capital of the company which a corporate shareholder holds through a partnership, including co-entrepreneurships (Mitunternehmerschaften), are attributable to such corporate shareholder only on a pro rata basis at the ratio of the interest share of the corporate shareholder in the assets of the relevant partnership. However, 5% of the tax-exempt dividends are deemed to be non-deductible business expenses for tax purposes and therefore are effectively subject to corporate income tax (plus solidarity surcharge) and trade tax; i.e., tax exemption of 95%. Business expenses incurred in connection with the dividends received are entirely tax deductible. The participation exemption does not apply if and to the extent dividends reduced Immatics taxable income.
For trade tax purposes the entire dividend income is subject to trade tax (i.e., the tax-exempt dividends must be added back when determining the trade taxable income), unless the corporation shareholder holds at least 15% of the company’s registered share capital at the beginning of the relevant tax assessment period (Erhebungszeitraum). In case of an indirect participation via a partnership please refer to the section “Partnerships” below.
If the shareholding is below 10% in the share capital, dividends are taxable at the applicable corporate income tax rate of 15%, plus a 5.5% solidarity surcharge thereon and trade tax (the rate of which depends on the applicably municipality levy rate determined by the municipality the corporate shareholder has its place of management and permanent establishments respectively).
Special regulations apply which abolish the 95% tax exemption, if the company’s ordinary shares are held as trading portfolio assets in the meaning of Section 340e of the German Commercial Code (Handelsgesetzbuch) by (i) a credit institution (Kreditinstitut), (ii) a financial service institution (Finanzdienstleistungsinstitut) or (iii) a financial enterprise within the meaning of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz), in case more than 50% of the shares of such financial enterprise are held directly or indirectly by a credit institution or a financial service institution, as well as by a life insurance company, a health insurance company or a pension fund in case the shares are attributable to the capital investments, resulting in fully taxable income.
Sole Proprietors
For sole proprietors (individuals) resident in Germany holding ordinary shares as business assets dividends are subject to the partial income rule (Teileinkünfteverfahren). Accordingly, only (i) 60% of the dividend income will be taxed at his/her personal income tax rate plus 5.5% solidarity surcharge thereon and church tax (if applicable) and (ii) 60% of the business expenses related to the dividend income are deductible for tax purposes. In addition, the dividend income is entirely subject to trade tax if the ordinary shares are held as business assets of a permanent establishment in Germany within the meaning of the German Trade Tax Act (Gewerbesteuergesetz), unless the shareholder holds at least 15% of the company’s registered share capital at the beginning of the relevant assessment period. The trade tax levied will be eligible for credit against the shareholder’s personal income tax liability based on the applicable municipal trade tax rate and the individual tax situation of the shareholder limited to currently 4.0 times the trade tax measurement amount (Gewerbesteuer-Messbetrag). As from 2021 onwards, the solidarity surcharge has been abolished in case a certain income threshold is not exceeded.
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Partnerships
In case ordinary shares are held by a partnership, the partnership itself is not subject to corporate income tax or personal income tax. In this regard, corporate income tax or personal income tax (and church tax, if applicable) as well as solidarity surcharge are levied only at the level of the partner with respect to their relevant part of the partnership’s taxable income and depending on their individual circumstances:
· | if the partner is a corporation, the dividend income will be subject to corporate income tax plus solidarity surcharge (see “Corporations” above); |
· | if the partner is a sole proprietor, the dividend income will be subject to the partial income rule (see “Sole Proprietors” above); and |
· | if the partner is a private individual, the dividend income will be subject to the flat tax rate (see “Private Individuals” above). |
In case the partnership is a (operative or deemed) commercial partnership with its place of management in Germany the dividend income is subject to German trade tax at the level of the partnership, unless the partnership holds at least 15% of a company’s registered share capital at the beginning of the relevant assessment period, in which case the dividend income is exempt from trade tax.
Investment Funds
Investment funds (Investmentfonds) and specialized investment funds (Spezial-Investmentfonds) in the meaning of the German Investment Tax Act (Investmentsteuergesetz) and their investors are subject to special rules concerning the taxation of dividends, in particular in relation to the application of the German participation exemption, withholding tax treatment (applicable rate and exemption/refund procedure) and tax assessment.
Taxation of Dividend Income of Shareholders Tax Resident Outside of Germany
For foreign individual or corporate shareholders tax resident outside of Germany not holding the ordinary shares through a permanent establishment in Germany or as business assets for which a permanent representative has been appointed in Germany, the deducted withholding tax (possibly reduced by way of a tax relief under a double tax treaty or domestic tax law, such as in connection with the EU Parent Subsidiary Directive) is final (that is, not refundable) and settles the shareholder’s limited tax liability in Germany, unless the shareholder is entitled to apply for a withholding tax refund or exemption.
In contrast, individual or corporate shareholders tax resident outside of Germany holding the company’s ordinary shares through a permanent establishment in Germany or as business assets for which a permanent representative has been appointed in Germany are subject to the same rules as applicable (and described above) to shareholders resident in Germany holding the ordinary shares as business assets. The withholding tax withheld (including solidarity surcharge) is credited against the shareholder’s personal income tax or corporate income tax liability in Germany.
Taxation of Capital Gains
Withholding Tax on Capital Gains
Capital gains realized on the disposal of ordinary shares are only subject to withholding tax if (i) a permanent establishment in Germany of a German or foreign credit or financial institution, (ii) a German securities trading company or (iii) a German securities trading bank stores or administrates or carries out the disposal of the ordinary shares and pays or credits the capital gains. In those cases, the institution (and not the company) is required to deduct the withholding tax at the time of payment for the account of the shareholder and has to pay the withholding tax to the competent tax authority.
In case the ordinary shares in the company are held (i) as business assets by a sole proprietor, a partnership or a corporation and such shares are attributable to a German business or (ii) in case of a corporation being subject to unlimited corporate income tax liability in Germany, the capital gains are not subject to withholding tax. In case of the aforementioned exemption under (i) above, the withholding tax exemption is subject to the condition that the paying agent has been notified by the beneficiary (Gläubiger) that the capital gains are exempt from withholding tax. The respective notification has to be filed by using the officially prescribed form.
Taxation of Capital Gains Realized by Shareholders Tax Resident in Germany Holding Immatics’ Ordinary Shares as Private Assets (Private Individuals)
For individual shareholders (individuals) resident in Germany holding ordinary shares as private assets, capital gains realized on the disposal of ordinary shares are subject to final withholding tax (Abgeltungsteuer). Accordingly, capital gains will be taxed at a flat tax rate of 25%, plus a 5.5% solidarity surcharge thereon totaling 26.375% and church tax, in case the shareholder is subject to church tax because of his or her personal circumstances. An automatic procedure for deduction of church tax by way of withholding will apply to
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shareholders being subject to church tax unless the shareholder has filed a blocking notice (Sperrvermerk) with the German Federal Central Tax Office (details related to the computation of the specific tax rate including church tax are to be discussed with the personal tax adviser of the relevant shareholder). The taxable capital gain is calculated by deducting the acquisition costs of the ordinary shares and the expenses directly and materially related to the disposal from the proceeds of the disposal. Apart from that, except for an annual lump sum savings allowance (Sparer-Pauschbetrag) of up to €801 (for individual filers) or up to €1,602 (for married couples and for partners in accordance with the registered partnership law (Gesetz über die Eingetragene Lebenspartnerschaft) filing jointly), private individual shareholders will not be entitled to deduct expenses incurred in connection with the capital investment from their capital gain.
In case the flat tax results in a higher tax burden as opposed to the private individual shareholder’s personal income tax rate, the private individual shareholder can opt for taxation at his or her personal income tax rate. In that case, the withholding tax (including solidarity surcharge) withheld will be credited against the income tax. The option can be exercised only for all capital income from capital investments received in the relevant assessment period uniformly and married couples as well as for partners in accordance with the registered partnership law filing jointly may only jointly exercise the option.
Capital losses arising from the disposal of the ordinary shares can only be offset against other capital gains resulting from the disposition of the ordinary shares or shares in other stock corporations during the same calendar year. Offsetting of overall losses with other income (such as business or rental income) and other capital income is not possible. Such losses are to be carried forward and to be offset against positive capital gains deriving from the disposal of ordinary shares in stock corporations in future years.
The final withholding tax (Abgeltungsteuer) will not apply if the seller of the ordinary shares or in case of gratuitous transfer, its legal predecessor has held, directly or indirectly, at least 1% of the company’s registered share capital at any time during the five years prior to the disposal. In that case capital gains are subject to the partial income rule (Teileinkünfteverfahren). Accordingly, only (i) 60% of the capital gains will be taxed at his/her personal income tax rate, plus a 5.5% solidarity surcharge thereon and church tax (if applicable) and (ii) 60% of the business expenses related to the capital gains are deductible for tax purposes. The withholding tax withheld (including solidarity surcharge) will be credited against the shareholder’s personal income tax liability in Germany.
Taxation of Capital Gains Realized by Shareholders Tax Resident in Germany Holding Immatics’ Ordinary Shares as Business Assets
If a shareholder holds ordinary shares as business assets, the taxation of capital gains realized on the disposal of such shares depends on whether the respective shareholder is a corporation, a sole proprietor or a partnership:
Corporations
Capital gains realized on the disposal of ordinary shares by a corporate shareholder are generally exempt from corporate income tax and trade tax. However, 5% of the tax-exempt capital gains are deemed to be non-deductible business expenses for tax purposes and therefore are effectively subject to corporate income tax (plus solidarity surcharge) and trade tax; i.e., tax exemption of 95%. Business expenses incurred in connection with the capital gains are entirely tax deductible.
Capital losses incurred upon the disposal of ordinary shares or other impairments of the share value are not tax deductible. A reduction of profit is also defined as any losses incurred in connection with a loan or security in the event the loan or the security is granted by a shareholder or by a related party thereto or by a third person with the right of recourse against the before mentioned persons and the shareholder holds directly or indirectly more than 25% of the company’s registered share capital.
Special regulations apply, if the ordinary shares are held as trading portfolio assets by a credit institution, a financial service institution or a financial enterprise within the meaning of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz) as well as by a life insurance company, a health insurance company or a pension fund (see “—Material German Tax Considerations—Taxation of Capital Gains—Corporations”).
Sole Proprietors
If the ordinary shares are held by a sole proprietor, capital gains realized on the disposal of the ordinary shares are subject to the partial income rule (Teileinkünfteverfahren). Accordingly, only (i) 60% of the capital gains will be taxed at his/her personal income tax rate plus a 5.5% solidarity surcharge thereon and church tax (if applicable) and (ii) 60% of the business expenses related to the dividend income are deductible for tax purposes. In addition, 60% of the capital gains are subject to trade tax if the ordinary shares are held as business assets of a permanent establishment in Germany within the meaning of the German Trade Tax Act (Gewerbesteuergesetz). The trade tax levied, depending on the applicable municipal trade tax rate and the individual tax situation, is partly or entirely be credited against the shareholder’s personal income tax liability. As from 2021 onwards, the solidarity surcharge has been be abolished in case a certain income threshold is not exceeded.
Partnerships
In case the ordinary shares are held by a partnership, the partnership itself is not subject to corporate income tax or personal income tax as well as solidarity surcharge (and church tax) since partnerships qualify as transparent for German income tax purposes. In this regard, corporate income tax or personal income tax as well as solidarity surcharge (and church tax, if applicable) are levied only at the level of the partner with respect to their relevant part of the partnership’s taxable income and depending on their individual circumstances:
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· | If the partner is a corporation, the capital gains will be subject to corporate income tax plus solidarity surcharge (see above “Corporations”). Trade tax will be levied additionally at the level of the partner insofar as the relevant profit of the partnership is not subject to trade tax at the level of the partnership. However, with respect to both corporate income and trade tax, the 95%-exemption rule as described above applies. With regard to corporate partners, special regulations apply if they are held as trading portfolio assets by credit institutions, financial service institutions or financial enterprises within the meaning of the German Banking Act or life insurance companies, health insurance companies or pension funds, as described above. |
· | If the partner is a sole proprietor (individual), the capital gains are subject to the partial income rule (see above “Sole proprietors”). |
In addition, if the partnership is liable to German trade tax, 60% of the capital gains are subject to trade tax at the level of the partnership, to the extent the partners are individuals, and 5% of the capital gains are subject to trade tax, to the extent the partners are corporations. However, if a partner is a private individual the trade tax paid at the level of the is credited against the partner’s personal income tax liability at up to 4.0 times the trade tax measurement amount (Gewerbesteuer-Messbetrag) depending on the applicable municipal trade tax levy rate and the personal tax situation.
Taxation of Capital Gains Realized by Shareholders Tax Resident Outside of Germany
Capital gains realized on the disposal of the ordinary shares by a shareholder tax resident outside of Germany are subject to German taxation provided that (i) the company’s ordinary shares are held as business assets of a permanent establishment or as business assets for which a permanent representative has been appointed in Germany, or (ii) the shareholder or, in case of a gratuitous transfer, its legal predecessor has held, directly or indirectly at least 1% of the company’s shares capital at any time during a five-year period prior to the disposal. In these cases, capital gains are generally subject to the same rules as described above for shareholders resident in Germany. However, except for the cases referred to in (i) above, most double tax treaties concluded by Germany provide for a full exemption from German taxation except that that the company is considered a real estate holding entity for treaty purposes. Further, in case of non-German corporation, the participation exemption applies in full resulting in a tax exemption of 100% (i.e., no deemed non-tax-deductible business expenses).
Inheritance and Gift Tax
The transfer of Immatics’ ordinary shares to another person by way of succession or donation is subject to German inheritance and gift tax (Erbschaft- und Schenkungsteuer) if:
(i) | the decedent, the donor, the heir, the donee or any other beneficiary has his/her/its residence, domicile, registered office or place of management in Germany at the time of the transfer, or is a German citizen who has not stayed abroad for more than five consecutive years without having a residence in Germany; or |
(ii) | (irrespective of the personal circumstances) the ordinary shares are held by the decedent or donor as business assets for which a permanent establishment in Germany is maintained or a permanent representative is appointed in Germany; or |
(iii) | (irrespective of the personal circumstances) at least 10% of the ordinary shares are held directly or indirectly by the decedent or person making the gift, himself or together with a related party in terms of Section 6 Foreign Tax Act. |
Special regulations apply to qualified German citizens who maintain neither a residence nor their domicile in Germany but in a low tax jurisdiction and to former German citizens, also resulting in inheritance and gift tax. The few double tax treaties on inheritance and gift tax which Germany has entered into provide that German inheritance and gift tax is levied only in case of (i) and, with certain restrictions, in case of (ii).
Value Added Tax (VAT)
No German value added tax (Umsatzsteuer) will be payable by a shareholder in respect of any purchase, ownership and disposal of the ordinary shares except for a valid option to waive VAT exemption requiring a sale between entrepreneurs for VAT purposes.
Transfer Taxes
No German capital transfer tax (Kapitalverkehrsteuer) or stamp duty (Stempelgebühr) or similar taxes are levied when acquiring, owning or transferring the company’s ordinary shares. Net wealth tax (Vermögensteuer) is currently not levied in Germany.
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On January 22, 2013, the Council of the European Union approved the resolution of the ministers of finance from eleven EU member states (including Germany) to introduce a financial transaction tax (“FTT”) within the framework of enhanced cooperation. On February 14, 2013, the European Commission accepted the proposal for a Council Directive implementing enhanced cooperation in the area of FTT. The plan focuses on levying a financial tax of 0.1% (0.01% for derivatives) on the purchase and sale of financial instruments.
A joint statement issued by ten of the eleven participating EU Member States in October 2016 reaffirmed the intention to introduce an FTT. However, at the moment not many details are available. Thus, it is not known to what extent the elements of the European Commission’s proposal outlined in the preceding paragraph will be followed in relation to the taxation of shares. The FTT proposal remains subject to negotiation between the participating EU Member States and is subject to political discussion. It may therefore be altered prior to the implementation, the timing of which remains unclear. With the EU Council’s conclusion of COVID-19 financial support and the Portuguese presidency of the EU Council proposing an inclusive discussion on tax design issues of the FTT at the EU level in February 2021 the agreement on an FTT becomes more realistic as one of the measures to fund the EU’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional EU Member States may decide to participate. If an EU-wide FTT (see above) fails, representatives of the IfW (Institute for the World Economy) intend to advocate the introduction of a comprehensive version of the tax in Germany after the COVID-19 pandemic. Prospective holders of the ordinary shares are advised to seek their own professional advice in relation to FTT.
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We have entered into a sales agreement with SVB Leerink, under which we may offer and sell our ordinary shares having an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000 from time to time through SVB Leerink, acting as our agent. Sales of our ordinary shares, if any, under this prospectus supplement will be made by any method that is deemed an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act, including sales made directly on or through Nasdaq, on or through any other existing trading market for our ordinary shares. If authorized by us in writing, SVB Leerink may purchase our ordinary shares as principal.
SVB Leerink will offer our ordinary shares subject to the terms and conditions of the sales agreement on a daily basis or as otherwise agreed upon by us and SVB Leerink. We will designate the maximum number or amount of ordinary shares to be sold through SVB Leerink on a daily basis or otherwise determine such maximum number or amount together with SVB Leerink. Subject to the terms and conditions of the sales agreement, SVB Leerink will use commercially reasonable efforts to sell on our behalf all of the ordinary shares requested to be sold by us. SVB Leerink or we may suspend the offering of our ordinary shares being made through SVB Leerink under the sales agreement upon proper notice to the other party. SVB Leerink and we each have the right, by giving written notice as specified in the sales agreement, to terminate the sales agreement in each party’s sole discretion at any time. The offering of our ordinary shares pursuant to the sales agreement will otherwise terminate upon the termination of the sales agreement as provided therein.
The compensation payable to SVB Leerink will be an amount equal to 3.0% of the gross proceeds from the ordinary shares sold under the sales agreement. We have also agreed to reimburse SVB Leerink for actual outside legal expenses incurred by SVB Leerink in connection with this offering, including SVB Leerink’s counsel fees in an amount up to $75,000 in connection with the filing of this prospectus supplement and up to $15,000 each quarter thereafter. In accordance with FINRA Rule 5510, these reimbursed fees and expenses are deemed sales compensation to SVB Leerink in connection with this offering. We estimate that the total expenses of the offering payable by us, excluding any commissions or expense reimbursement payable to SVB Leerink under the sales agreement, will be approximately $550,050.
The remaining sale proceeds, after deducting any commissions and expense reimbursement payable to SVB Leerink and any other transaction fees and expenses payable by us, will equal our net proceeds from the sale of such ordinary shares.
SVB Leerink will provide written confirmation to us before the open on Nasdaq on the day following each day on which our ordinary shares are sold through it as sales agent under the sales agreement. Each confirmation will include the number of ordinary shares sold through it as sales agent on that day, the volume-weighted average price of the ordinary shares sold, the percentage of the daily trading volume and the net proceeds to us.
Settlement for sales of ordinary shares will occur, unless the parties agree otherwise, on the second business day that is also a trading day following the date on which any sales were made in return for payment of the net proceeds to us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
We will report at least quarterly the number of ordinary shares sold through SVB Leerink under the sales agreement, the net proceeds to us and the compensation payable to SVB Leerink in connection with the sales of ordinary shares during the relevant period.
In connection with the sale of our ordinary shares on our behalf, SVB Leerink may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation paid SVB Leerink may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed in the sales agreement to provide indemnification and contribution to SVB Leerink against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. As sales agent, SVB Leerink will not engage in any transactions that stabilize our ordinary shares.
SVB Leerink and/or its affiliates have provided, and may in the future
provide, various investment banking and other financial services for us for which services they have received, and may in the future receive,
customary fees.
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The validity of the ordinary shares offered and certain other matters with respect to Dutch law will be passed upon for us by CMS Derks Star Busmann N.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Certain matters with respect to U.S. federal and New York State law will be passed upon for us by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, New York, New York. The sales agent is represented in connection with this offering with respect to matters of U.S. law by Covington & Burling LLP, New York, New York.
The financial statements incorporated in this prospectus supplement
by reference to the Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report
of PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority
of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting. PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft
is a member of the Chamber of Public Accountants (Wirtschaftsprüferkammer), Berlin, Germany.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act. Accordingly, we are required to file reports and other information with the SEC, including annual reports on Form 20-F and reports on Form 6-K. The SEC maintains an Internet site at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information we have filed electronically with the SEC. As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt under the Exchange Act from, among other things, the rules prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our executive officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we are not required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act.
We have filed with the SEC a “shelf” registration statement (including amendments and exhibits to the registration statement) on Form F-3 under the Securities Act. This prospectus supplement, which is part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules to the registration statement. We have omitted parts of the registration statement in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. For more detail about us and the securities offered by this prospectus supplement, you may examine the registration statement on Form F-3 and the exhibits filed with it at the website provided in the previous paragraph.
We maintain a corporate website at www.immatics.com. The reference
to our website is an inactive textual reference only, and information contained therein or connected thereto is not incorporated into
this prospectus supplement or the registration statement of which it forms a part.
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INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The rules of the SEC allow us to incorporate by reference information in this prospectus, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement is considered to be a part of this prospectus supplement. Any statement made in this prospectus supplement or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus supplement to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus supplement or in any other subsequently filed document that is also incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus supplement. This prospectus supplement incorporates by reference the documents listed below:
· | our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020; |
· | our Report on Form 6-K filed with the SEC on May 18, 2021 (only with respect to Exhibit 99.1 thereto), May 26, 2021 and June 22, 2021; and |
· | our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on July 1, 2020, which incorporates by reference the description of our ordinary shares from our Registration Statement on Form F-4, and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
All subsequent annual reports on Form 20-F, Form 40-F or Form 10-K that we file with the SEC and all subsequent filings on Forms 10-Q and 8-K filed by us with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act (excluding, in each case, any information or documents deemed to be furnished and not filed with the SEC), after the date hereof and prior to the completion or termination of this offering, shall be incorporated by reference. We may incorporate by reference any reports on Form 6-K that we furnish to the SEC that we specifically identify in such form as being incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement after the date hereof and prior to the completion or termination of the offering of securities under this prospectus supplement.
You can obtain any of the filings incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement through us or from the SEC through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Reports on Form 20-F and Reports on Form 6-K and exhibits incorporated in and amendments to those reports, are also available free of charge on our website (www.immatics.com) as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The reference to our website is an inactive textual reference only, and information contained therein or connected thereto is not incorporated into this prospectus supplement or the registration statement of which it forms a part. We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all the reports or documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement at no cost, upon written or oral request to us at the following address:
Investor Relations
Immatics N.V.
c/o Immatics US, Inc.
2130 W. Holcombe Blvd., Suite 900
Houston, Texas 77030
(281) 810-7545
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IMMATICS N.V.
Up to $100,000,000
Ordinary Shares
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
SVB Leerink
, 2021
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS
Item 8. | Indemnification of Directors and Officers |
Under Dutch law, directors of a Dutch public company may be held jointly and severally liable to the company for damages in the event of improper performance of their duties. In addition, directors may be held liable to third parties for any actions that may give rise to a tort. This applies equally to our non-executive directors and executive directors.
Pursuant to our articles of association and unless Dutch law provides otherwise, the following will be reimbursed to actual and former non-executive directors and executive directors and other members of the executive committee:
(i) | the costs of conducting a defense against claims, also including claims by the company and its group companies, as a consequence of any acts or omissions in the fulfillment of their duties or any other duties currently or previously performed by them at our request; |
(ii) | any damages or financial penalties payable by them as a result of any such acts or omissions; |
(iii) | any amounts payable by them under settlement agreements entered into by them in connection with any such acts or omissions; |
(iv) | the costs of appearing in other legal proceedings in which they are involved in such capacity, with the exception of proceedings primarily aimed at pursuing a claim on their own behalf; and |
(v) | any taxes payable by them as a result of any reimbursements. |
No indemnification shall be given to an indemnified officer or director under our articles of association where:
(i) | it has been adjudicated by a Dutch court or, in the case of arbitration, an arbitrator, in a final and conclusive decision that the act or omission may be characterized as intentional, deliberately reckless or grossly negligent conduct, unless Dutch law provides otherwise or this would, in view of the circumstances of the case, be unacceptable according to standards of reasonableness and fairness; or |
(ii) | the costs or financial loss are covered by insurance and the insurer has paid out the costs or financial loss. |
We have entered into an indemnification agreement with each of our directors and executive officers.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company, the Company has been advised that, in the opinion of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
Item 9. | Exhibits |
The exhibit index attached hereto is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 10. | Undertakings |
The undersigned hereby undertakes:
(a) | to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
(1) | to include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; |
(2) | to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and |
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(3) | to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; |
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2) and (a)(3) of this section do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form F-3 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
(b) | that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; |
(c) | to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering; |
(d) | to file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A of Form 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. Financial statements and information otherwise required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act need not be furnished, provided that the registrant includes in the prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph (d) and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to registration statements on Form F-3, a post-effective amendment need not be filed to include financial statements and information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act or Item 8.A of Form 20-F if such financial statements and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Form F-3; |
(e) | that, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser: |
(1) | each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and |
(2) | each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; and |
(f) | that, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
(1) | any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
(2) | any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; |
(3) | the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
(4) | any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
II-2
The undersigned hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless, in the opinion of its counsel, the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act (“Trust Indenture Act”) in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.
II-3
EXHIBIT INDEX
The following documents are filed as part of this registration statement:
* | To be filed, if necessary, by amendment. |
** | To be filed in accordance with the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act. |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Tübingen, Germany on August 2, 2021.
IMMATICS N.V. | |||
By: | /s/ Harpreet Singh | ||
Name: | Harpreet Singh | ||
Title: | Chief Executive Officer and Director |
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Harpreet Singh, Arnd Christ and Edward A. Sturchio and each of them, individually, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead in any and all capacities, in connection with this registration statement, including to sign in the name and on behalf of the undersigned, this registration statement and any and all amendments thereto, including post-effective amendments and registrations filed pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto such attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his or her substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons on August 2, 2021 in the capacities indicated:
Name | Title | |
/s/ Harpreet Singh |
Chief Executive Officer and Director (principal executive officer) | |
Harpreet Singh | ||
/s/ Arnd Christ |
Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting officer) | |
Arnd Christ | ||
/s/ Peter Chambré | Chairman of the Board of Directors | |
Peter Chambré | ||
/s/ Michael G. Atieh | Director | |
Michael G. Atieh | ||
/s/ Friedrich von Bohlen und Halbach | Director | |
Friedrich von Bohlen und Halbach | ||
/s/ Paul Carter | Director | |
Paul Carter | ||
/s/ Eliot Forster | Director | |
Eliot Forster | ||
/s/ Heather L. Mason | Director | |
Heather L. Mason | ||
/s/ Adam Stone | Director | |
Adam Stone | ||
/s/ Edward A. Sturchio | Authorized Representative in the United States | |
Edward A. Sturchio |
Exhibit 1.2
IMMATICS N.V.
Ordinary Shares
(Nominal value €0.01 per share)
SALES AGREEMENT
August 2, 2021
SVB LEERINK LLC
1301 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor
New York, New York 10019
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Immatics N.V., a public limited liability company (naamloze vennootschap) under Dutch law (the “Company”), confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with SVB Leerink LLC (the “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 the Agent up to $100,000,000 of the Company’s ordinary shares, nominal value €0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Ordinary Shares”), subject to the limitations set forth in Section 5(c) (the “Placement Shares”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitation set forth in this Section 1 on the aggregate gross sales price of Placement Shares that may be issued and sold under this Agreement from time to time shall be the sole responsibility of the Company, and that the Agent shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance. The issuance and sale of Placement Shares through the Agent will be effected pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below) to be filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on August 2, 2021 and to be declared effective by the Commission, although nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring the Company to issue any Placement Shares.
The Company has prepared and will file, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), with the Commission a registration statement on Form F-3, including (a) a base prospectus, relating to certain securities, including the Ordinary 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 (collectively, the “Exchange Act”), and (b) a prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Placement Shares to be issued from time to time pursuant to this Agreement (the “Prospectus Supplement”) to the base prospectus included as part of such registration statement. The Company will furnish to the Agent, for use by the Agent, copies of the base prospectus included as part of such registration statement at the time it becomes effective, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement, including any amendments thereto and 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 or Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, 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 “issuer free writing prospectus” (as used herein, as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act (“Rule 433”)), relating to the Placement Shares that (i) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company or (ii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i), 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), is herein called the “Prospectus.”
Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any issuer free writing prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents, if any, that are or are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”), including, unless the context otherwise
requires, the documents, if any, filed as exhibits to such Incorporated Documents. Any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any issuer free writing prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act on or after the most-recent effective date of the Registration Statement, or the respective dates of the Prospectus Supplement, Prospectus or such issuer free writing prospectus, as the case may be, and incorporated therein by reference. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the most recent 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. Placements. Each time that the Company wishes to issue and sell any Placement Shares through the Agent hereunder (each, a “Placement”), it will notify the Agent by email notice (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) (each such notice, a “Placement Notice”) containing the parameters in accordance with which it desires such Placement Shares to be sold, which at a minimum shall include the maximum number or amount of Placement Shares to be sold, the time period during which sales are requested to be made, any limitation on the number or amount of Placement Shares that may be sold in any one Trading Day (as defined in Section 3) and any minimum price below which sales may not be made (provided that the Company shall ensure that the minimum sales price must always be such that sales of Placement Shares cannot result in Net Proceeds (as defined below) being less than the aggregate nominal value of such Placement Shares), a form of which containing such minimum sales parameters is attached hereto as Schedule 1. The Placement Notice must originate from one of the individuals authorized to act on behalf of the Company and set forth on Schedule 2 (with a copy to each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such Schedule 2), and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from the Agent set forth on Schedule 2, as such Schedule 2 may be updated by either party from time to time by sending a written notice containing a revised Schedule 2 to the other party in the manner provided in Section 12 (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the Company set forth on Schedule 2, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply). The Placement Notice shall be effective upon receipt by the Agent unless and until (i) in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in Section 4, the Agent declines to accept the terms contained therein for any reason, in its sole discretion, within two Trading Days of the date the Agent receives the Placement Notice, (ii) in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in Section 4, the Agent suspends sales under the Placement Notice for any reason in its sole discretion, (iii) the entire amount of the Placement Shares has been sold pursuant to this Agreement, (iv) in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in Section 4, the Company suspends sales under or terminates the Placement Notice for any reason in its sole discretion, (v) the Company issues a subsequent Placement Notice and explicitly indicates that its parameters supersede those contained in the earlier dated Placement Notice or (vi) this Agreement has been terminated pursuant to the provisions of Section 11. The amount of any discount, commission or other compensation to be paid by the Company to the Agent in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares effected through the Agent shall be calculated in accordance with the terms set forth in Schedule 3. It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor the 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 Agent and the 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 with respect to the matters covered thereby.
3. Sale of Placement Shares by the Agent. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, including Section 5(c), upon the Agent’s acceptance of the terms of a Placement Notice as provided in Section 2, 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 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 Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market or the Nasdaq Global Select Market, as applicable based on the market on which the Ordinary Shares are then-listed (such market, “Nasdaq”) to sell such Placement Shares up to the number or amount specified in, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of, such Placement Notice. The Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the Company set forth on Schedule 2, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) no later
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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 or amount of Placement Shares sold on such Trading Day, the volume-weighted average price of the Placement Shares sold and the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the Company. Unless otherwise specified by the Company in a Placement Notice, the 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, including sales made directly on or through Nasdaq, on or through any other existing trading market for the Ordinary Shares or to or through a market maker. If expressly authorized by the Company (including in a Placement Notice), the Agent may also sell Placement Shares in negotiated transactions. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 6(oo), except as may be otherwise agreed by the Company and the Agent, the Agent shall not purchase Placement Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement unless the Company and the Agent enter into a separate written agreement setting forth the terms of such sale. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that the Agent will be successful in selling Placement Shares, (ii) the 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 Agent to 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 Nasdaq to sell such Placement Shares as required under this Agreement and (iii) the Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Placement Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement unless the Company and the Agent enter into a separate written agreement setting forth the terms of such sale. For the purposes hereof, “Trading Day” means any day on which the Ordinary Shares are purchased and sold on Nasdaq.
4. Suspension of Sales.
(a) The Company or the 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 2, 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 email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 2), suspend any sale of Placement Shares; provided, however, that such suspension shall not affect or impair either party’s obligations with respect to any Placement Shares sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice. Each of the parties agrees that no such notice under this Section 4 shall be effective against the other party unless notice is sent by one of the individuals named on Schedule 2 hereto to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 2, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply).
(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 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 shall suspend or cancel any effective Placement Notices instructing the Agent to make any sales and (iii) the Agent shall not be obligated to sell or offer to sell any Placement Shares.
5. Settlement and Delivery of the Placement Shares.
(a) Settlement of Placement Shares. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Placement Notice, settlement for sales of Placement Shares will occur on the second Trading Day (or such earlier day as is industry practice or as is required 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 gross sales price received by the Agent at which such Placement Shares were sold, after deduction of (i) the Agent’s commission, discount or other compensation for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to Section 2 hereof, (ii) any other amounts due and payable by the Company to the Agent hereunder pursuant to Section 7(g) hereof and (iii) any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales.
(b) Delivery of Placement Shares. On or before each Settlement Date, subject to the delivery of the related Net Proceeds by the Agent to the Company, the Company will issue the Placement Shares being sold on such date to its transfer agent pursuant to a deed of issue (each, a “Deed of Issue”) and will cause its transfer agent to electronically transfer such Placement Shares by crediting the Agent’s or its designee’s account (provided the Agent shall have given the Company written notice of such designee prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust
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Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System (“DWAC”) or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto, which in all cases shall be duly authorized, freely tradeable, transferable, registered Ordinary Shares in good deliverable form. Subject to the Company’s execution and delivery of any additional documentation that the Agent reasonably and in good faith requests pursuant to Section 7(dd) hereto in order to facilitate one or more settlements pursuant to this Agreement, on or before each Settlement Date and in any event before the execution by the Company of the applicable Deed of Issue, the Agent will deliver the related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company. The Agent shall be responsible for providing DWAC instructions or other instructions for delivery by other means with regard to the transfer of the Placement Shares being sold. In addition to and in no way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in Section 9(a) hereto, the Company agrees that, following receipt of the Net Proceeds, if the Company or its transfer agent (if applicable) defaults in its obligation to deliver duly authorized, freely tradeable, transferable, registered Placement Shares in good deliverable form by 2:30 P.M., New York City time, on a Settlement Date (other than as a result of a failure by the Agent to provide instructions for delivery), the Company will (i) take all necessary action to cause the full amount of any Net Proceeds that were delivered to the Company’s account with respect to such settlement, together with any costs incurred by the Agent and/or its clearing firm in connection with recovering such Net Proceeds, to be immediately returned to the Agent or its clearing firm no later than 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on such Settlement Date, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Agent or its clearing firm, (ii) indemnify and hold the Agent and its clearing firm harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or expense (including reasonable 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 (iii) pay to the Agent any commission, discount or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.
(c) 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 number or gross sales proceeds of Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement would exceed the lesser of: (i) the number or dollar amount of Ordinary Shares registered pursuant to, and available for offer and sale under, the Registration Statement pursuant to which the offering of Placement Shares is being made, (ii) the number of Ordinary Shares that remain available for issuance under the authorized share capital of the Company (maatschappelijk kapitaal) (less Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any outstanding securities of the Company or otherwise reserved from the Company’s authorized share capital), (iii) the number or dollar amount of Ordinary Shares permitted to be offered and sold by the Company under Form F-3 (including General Instruction I.B.5. thereof, if such instruction is applicable), (iv) the number or dollar amount of Ordinary Shares that the Company’s board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof is authorized to issue and sell from time to time in accordance with the Company’s articles of association, applicable resolutions of the Company’s shareholders and applicable Dutch law, and notified to the Agent in writing or (v) the dollar amount of Ordinary Shares for which the Company has filed the Prospectus Supplement. 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 or a duly authorized committee thereof, and notified to the Agent in writing. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that compliance with the limitations set forth in this Section 5(c) on the number or dollar amount of Placement Shares that may be issued and sold under this Agreement from time to time shall be the sole responsibility of the Company, and that the Agent shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance.
6. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Agent that as of the date of this Agreement (except for those representations, warranties and agreements that speak solely as of a specific date or time, in which case, as of such date or time), and as of (i) each Representation Date (as defined in Section 7(m)), (ii) each date on which a Placement Notice is given, (iii) the date and time of each sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement and (iv) each Settlement Date (each such time or date referred to in clauses (i) through (iv), an “Applicable Time”):
(a) The Company and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet the requirements for, and comply with the conditions for the use of, Form F-3 (including General Instructions I.A and I.B.1.) under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement will be filed with the Commission and will be declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act prior to the issuance of any Placement Notices by the Company. At the time the Registration Statement was declared effective by the Commission and at the time the Company’s most-recent Annual Report on Form 20-F was filed with the Commission, the Company met the then-applicable requirements for
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use of Form F-3 (including General Instructions I.A and I.B.1.) under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement meets, and the offering and sale of Placement Shares as contemplated hereby comply with, the requirements of Rule 415(a)(1)(x) under the Securities Act. The Agent is named as the agent engaged by the Company in the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus Supplement. The Company has not received, and has no notice from the Commission of, any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(1) under the Securities Act objecting to the use of the shelf registration statement form. No stop order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of the base prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, or the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, has been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission. At the time of the initial filing of the Registration Statement, the Company paid the required Commission filing fees relating to the securities covered by the Registration Statement, including the Shares that may be sold pursuant to this Agreement, in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act. Copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any such amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing and all Incorporated Documents that were filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement have been delivered, or are available through EDGAR, to the Agent and its counsel.
(b) Each of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, at the time it became or becomes effective, at each deemed effective date with respect to the Agent pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the Securities Act and as of each Applicable Time, complied, complies and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and did not, does not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this sentence do not apply to Agent’s Information (as defined below). The Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, when so filed with the Commission under Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, complied, complies and as of each Applicable Time will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act, and each Prospectus Supplement, Prospectus or issuer free writing prospectus (or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing) furnished to the Agent for use in connection with the offering of the Placement Shares was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its date and as of each Applicable Time, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this sentence do not apply to Agent’s Information. Each Incorporated Document filed on or before the date hereof, when it was filed (or, if any amendment with respect to any such document was filed, when such amendment was filed), conformed in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and any Incorporated Documents filed after the date hereof will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act; no such Incorporated Document when it was filed (or, if an amendment with respect to any such document was filed, when such amendment was filed), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and no such Incorporated Document, when it is filed, will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(c) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).
(d) Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending, and each such free writing prospectus, as of its issue date, did not include any information that conflicted with the information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein.
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(e) The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(f) The Company is subject to and in compliance in all material respects with the reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. The Ordinary Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and are listed on Nasdaq, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or reasonably likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Ordinary Shares under the Exchange Act or delisting the Ordinary Shares from Nasdaq, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or Nasdaq is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. The Company is in compliance in all material respects with the current listing standards of Nasdaq. The Company has filed or will file a Notification of Listing of Additional Shares with Nasdaq with respect to the Placement Shares.
(g) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (as defined below) is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or the Agent for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Placement Shares.
(h) The Company and each of its “subsidiaries” (for purposes of this Agreement, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) (each, a “Subsidiary” and collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) have been duly organized (and are in good standing, to the extent such concept is applicable) under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are validly existing and are duly qualified to do business (and are in good standing, to the extent such concept is applicable), in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except where the failure to be so qualified (or in good standing, to the extent such concept is applicable) or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the Company of its obligations under the this Agreement (a “Material Adverse Effect”). The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(i) All of the issued and outstanding share capital or other equity or ownership interests of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable, has been issued in compliance with federal state and securities laws and is owned by the Company, directly or through other wholly-owned Subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or adverse claim. No Subsidiary is prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from paying dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution with respect to such Subsidiary’s equity securities, from repaying to the Company or any other Subsidiary any amounts that may from time to time become due under any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any property or assets to the Company or to any other Subsidiary.
(j) The Company has an authorized capital as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. All the outstanding Ordinary Shares of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights that have not been duly waived or satisfied or validly excluded. Except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any Ordinary Shares or other equity interest in the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any Ordinary Shares or other equity interest of the Company or any such Subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options. The Ordinary Shares of the Company conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(k) With respect to the share options or performance shares (the “Share Options”) granted pursuant to the share-based compensation plans of the Company and its Subsidiaries (the “Company Share Plans”), (i) each grant of a Share Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Share Option was by
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its terms to be effective by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors or similar governing body of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required shareholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and to the knowledge of the Company (other than with respect to the execution and delivery by the Company), the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (ii) each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the applicable Company Share Plans, the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, including the rules of Nasdaq, applicable to the Company on the date the Share Option was granted and (iii) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with IFRS in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company.
(l) The Placement Shares have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The issuance of the Placement Shares was not, and the sale of the Placement Shares is not, subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights the exercise and transfer of which have not been validly and irrevocably waived or otherwise validly and irrevocably declined or excluded. The Placement Shares, when delivered against payment thereof, will be freely transferable to or for the account of the Agent and the initial purchasers thereof. There are no restrictions on subsequent transfers of the Shares under the laws of the Netherlands.
(m) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has sent or received any written communication regarding the termination of, or non-renewal or non-performance under, any contract or agreement that is material to the Company and that is described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, except such termination, non-renewal or non-performance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(n) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(o) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Placement Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).
(p) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance of the Placement Shares, the sale of the Placement Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for the registration of the Placement Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required by Nasdaq, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Placement Shares as contemplated hereunder.
(q) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance of the Placement Shares, the sale of the Placement Shares, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Prospectus will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, result in the termination, modification or acceleration of, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property, right or asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any property, right or asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the articles of association or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (iii) result in the 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 clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(r) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any material change in the share capital (other than the sale of Placement Shares hereunder and the issuance of Ordinary Shares upon exercise or settlement of options, awards or warrants described in, and the grant of options and awards under equity incentive plans described in, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus), short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of share capital, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business that is material to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole and that is either from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority.
(s) No person has the right to require the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the sale of Placement Shares, except for such rights as have been satisfied or duly waived.
(t) The financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, which are included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of its operations and its changes in cash flows for the periods specified. The financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries have been prepared in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto, and except in the case of unaudited financial statements, which are subject to normal year-end adjustments and do not contain certain footnotes as permitted by the applicable rules of the Commission, and any supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein. The other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries or of such other company and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby.
(u) Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, demands, claims, suits, arbitrations, inquiries or proceedings (“Actions”) pending to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject that would, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, no Actions are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others. There are no current or pending Actions that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(v) The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple (in the case of real property) to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property that are material to the respective businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its Subsidiaries or (ii) would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(w) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its articles of association 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
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in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any property or asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries 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 clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(x) PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, or any accounting firm whose audit opinion covers the financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries that are included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.
(y) Except for any net income, capital gains or franchise taxes imposed on the Agent by the governments of the Netherlands, the United States, or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein as a result of any present or former connection between the Agent and the jurisdiction imposing such tax, no stamp duties or other issuance or transfer taxes (for the avoidance of doubt this does not include any value added tax or similar taxes) are payable by or on behalf of the Agent in the Netherlands, the United States or any political subdivision or tax authority thereof solely in connection with (i) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or (ii) the sale and delivery by the Agent of the Placement Shares as contemplated herein and in the Prospectus, assuming that the Agent will not waive any value-added tax exemption.
(z) The Company and its Subsidiaries have paid all federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date that this representation is made, except as may be being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, or where the failure to pay or file such taxes or tax returns would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there is no tax deficiency that has been, or would reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets that has or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except for any tax deficiency being contested in good faith and for which appropriate reserves have been provided in accordance with IFRS.
(aa) No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of its or its Subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice of cancellation or termination with respect to any collective bargaining agreement that is material to the Company to which it is a party.
(bb) The Company and its Subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, including business interruption insurance, which insurance is in such amounts and insures against such losses and risks as are generally maintained by similarly situated companies and which the Company believes are adequate to protect the Company and its Subsidiaries and their respective businesses. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has (i) received written notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain comparable coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business as now conducted at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(cc) The Company and its Subsidiaries possess all licenses, sub-licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as described in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received written notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, sub-license, certificate, permit or authorization or has any reason to believe that
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any such license, sub-license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except where such revocation or modification would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(dd) The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with IFRS. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain internal accounting controls that are designed to be sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the board of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
(ee) The Company maintains an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that complies in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and that has been 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 has carried out an evaluation of its effectiveness of its disclosure controls and procedures to the extent required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.
(ff) Except any such matter as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company and its Subsidiaries (1) are in compliance with all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws (including common law), rules, regulations, requirements, decisions, judgments, decrees, orders and other legally enforceable requirements relating to pollution or the protection of human health or safety, the environment, natural resources, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (2) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under any Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (3) have not received written notice of any actual or potential liability or obligation under or relating to, or any actual or potential violation of, any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice, and (ii) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of or relating to the Company or its Subsidiaries. Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (x) there is no proceeding that is pending, or that is known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceeding regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (y) the Company and its Subsidiaries are not aware of any facts or issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (z) none of the Company or its Subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws.
(gg) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates (as defined hereafter) has any liability (contingent or otherwise) under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) with respect to any “employee benefit plan,” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA. An “ERISA Affiliate” of any person or entity means any other person or entity
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which, together with that person or entity, could be treated as a single employer under Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”). Each “employee benefit plan,” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA that is maintained for the benefit of the employees of the Company or its affiliates has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and the requirements of applicable law. The Registration Statement and the Prospectus identify each employment, severance or other similar agreement, arrangement or policy and each material plan or arrangement required to be disclosed pursuant to the Securities Act providing for insurance coverage (including any self-insured arrangements), workers’ compensation, disability benefits, severance benefits, supplemental unemployment benefits, vacation benefits or retirement benefits, or deferred compensation, profit-sharing, bonuses, share options, stock appreciation rights or other forms of incentive compensation, or post-retirement insurance, compensation or benefits that is entered into, maintained or contributed to, as the case may be, by the Company or any of its affiliates for the benefit of any officer or director or former officer or director of the Company or any of its affiliates. These agreements, arrangements, policies or plans are referred to collectively as “Benefit Arrangements.” Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, each Benefit Arrangement has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and with the requirements of applicable law and there is no liability in respect of post-retirement health and medical benefits for retired employees of the Company or any of its affiliates, other than medical benefits required to be continued under applicable law.
(hh) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) applicable to the Company as of the date the Company became subject to such provisions, including Section 402 related to loans.
(ii) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any officer or director of the Company or its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any employee of, or any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Company and its Subsidiaries have each instituted, maintain and enforce, policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.
(jj) The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its Subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(kk) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any director or officer of the Company or its Subsidiaries nor to the knowledge of the Company, any employee of, or any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its Subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory
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that is the subject or target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria (each, a “Sanctioned Country”). The Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Placement Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions, except in cases where compliance with extraterritorial provisions in any such sanctions would be unlawful for the Company. For the past five (5) years, the Company and its Subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.
(ll) Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its Subsidiaries own or have a valid and enforceable right to use all (1) patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, Internet domain name registrations (and all applications for, and all goodwill associated with, such trademarks, service marks, trade names and Internet domain name registrations), copyrights, copyright registrations, licenses and trade secret rights, in each case, in any jurisdiction throughout the world (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) and (2) inventions, know-how, software, databases, systems, procedures, and other intellectual property (including trade secrets and proprietary or confidential information) (collectively, “Intellectual Property Assets”) used or held for use in any material respect, or otherwise necessary for, the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; (ii) the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ conduct of their respective businesses does not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate, and has not infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, any Intellectual Property Rights or Intellectual Property Assets of any third party in any material respect (it being understood that the foregoing representation in this clause (ii) is made to the Company’s knowledge with respect to patents); (iii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have not received notice of any pending or threatened action, suit, or proceeding by any third party that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ respective businesses as presently conducted and as proposed to be conducted as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (A) challenging the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ rights in or to any of the Intellectual Property Rights or Intellectual Property Assets owned by or licensed to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (B) challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by or licensed to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (C) alleging that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated any Intellectual Property Rights or Intellectual Property Assets of any third party; (iv) to the knowledge of the Company, neither the Intellectual Property Rights nor the Intellectual Property Assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries and neither the Intellectual Property Rights nor the Intellectual Property Assets exclusively licensed to the Company and its Subsidiaries are being materially infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated by any third party; (v) other than as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, all Intellectual Property Rights and Intellectual Property Assets owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are solely and exclusively owned by the Company or such Subsidiaries and all other Intellectual Property Rights and Intellectual Property Assets used or held for use by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are licensed to the Company or such Subsidiaries, and the Company and its Subsidiaries hold all of such ownership and license rights, in each case, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, defects or other restrictions; (vi) other than as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries are not aware of any facts that could result in a finding that any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by or licensed to the Company is invalid or unenforceable; (vii) other than as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable steps in accordance with customary industry practice to maintain and protect any confidential information and trade secrets of the Company and its Subsidiaries and to protect any confidential information provided to them by any third party; (viii) other than as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable actions to maintain and to protect all patents and trademark and copyright and Internet domain name registrations (including all applications therefor) owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, including payment of applicable maintenance fees, filing of applicable statements of use, timely response office actions, and disclosure of any required information; (ix) other than as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, all personnel (including founders, current and former employees, consultants, contractors, representatives, and agents) involved in the development of Intellectual Property Rights or Intellectual Property Assets for or on behalf of the Company or any of its
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Subsidiaries have signed written and enforceable confidentiality and invention assignment agreements with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries either (A) has obtained sole and exclusive ownership of such Intellectual Property Rights or Intellectual Property Assets, or (B) has obtained a valid right to exploit such Intellectual Property Rights or Intellectual Property Assets, sufficient for the conduct of the business as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; (x) to the Company’s knowledge, the Company and its Subsidiaries have complied with the terms of each agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property Rights or Intellectual Property Assets have been licensed to the Company and its Subsidiaries; and (xi) the parties prosecuting such applications have complied with their duty of candor and disclosure to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) in connection with such applications, and the Company is not aware of any facts required to be disclosed to the USPTO that were not disclosed to the USPTO and which would preclude the grant of a patent in connection with any such application or could form the basis of a finding of invalidity with respect to any patents that have issued with respect to such applications.
(mm) Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company (collectively with its Subsidiaries): (i) has operated and currently operates its business in compliance in all material respects with applicable provisions of the Health Care Laws (as defined below) of the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), the Department of Health and Human Services and any comparable foreign or other regulatory authority to which they are subject (collectively, the “Applicable Regulatory Authorities”) applicable to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, storage, import, export or disposal of any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ product candidates or any product manufactured or distributed by the Company; (ii) has not received any FDA Form 483, written notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or written notice from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority alleging or asserting non-compliance with (A) any Health Care Laws or (B) any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, exemptions, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Health Care Laws (“Regulatory Authorizations”); (iii) possesses all Regulatory Authorizations required to conduct its business as currently conducted, except where the failure to possess the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and such Regulatory Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and the Company is not in violation, in any material respect, of any term of any such Regulatory Authorizations; (iv) has not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from the Applicable Regulatory Authorities or any other third party alleging that any product of the Company is in material violation of any Health Care Laws or Regulatory Authorizations and has no knowledge that the Applicable Regulatory Authorities or any other third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding; (v) has not received written notice that any of the Applicable Regulatory Authorities has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any material Regulatory Authorizations and has no knowledge that any of the Applicable Regulatory Authorities is considering such action; (vi) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Health Care Laws or Regulatory Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were materially complete and correct on the date filed (or were materially corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission); (vii) is not a party to and does not have any ongoing reporting obligations pursuant to any corporate integrity agreements, deferred prosecution agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, plans of correction or similar agreements with or imposed by any Applicable Regulatory Authority; and (viii) along with its employees, officers and directors, has not been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any government health care program or human clinical research and, to the knowledge of the Company, is not subject to a governmental inquiry, investigation, proceeding, or other similar action that would reasonably be expected to result in debarment, suspension, or exclusion.
The term “Health Care Laws” means Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1395-1395hhh (the Medicare statute); Title XIX of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1396-1396v (the Medicaid statute); the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b); the civil False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 et seq.; the criminal False Claims Act, 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b(a); any criminal laws relating to health care fraud and abuse, including but not limited to 18 U.S.C. Sections 286 and 287 and the health care fraud criminal provisions under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1320d et seq., (“HIPAA”); the Civil Monetary Penalties Law, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1320a-7a and 1320a-7b; the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7h; the Exclusion Statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7; HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology
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for Economic and Clinical Health Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 17921 et seq.; the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. §§ 301 et seq.; the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 201 et seq.; the regulations promulgated pursuant to such laws; and any similar federal, state and local laws and regulations.
(nn) Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the pre-clinical studies and clinical trials conducted by or, to the knowledge of the Company, on behalf of or sponsored by the Company, or in which the Company has participated that are described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or the results of which are referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as applicable, were, and if still pending are, being conducted in all material respects in accordance with standard medical and scientific research standards and procedures for products or product candidates comparable to those being developed by the Company and all applicable statutes and all applicable rules and regulations of the Regulatory Authorities and current Good Clinical Practices and Good Laboratory Practices. The descriptions in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus of the results of such studies and trials are, to the knowledge of the Company, accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly present the data derived therefrom. The Company has no knowledge of any other studies or trials not described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus the results of which are inconsistent with or which the Company reasonably believes call into question the results described or referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The Company has not received any written notices or correspondence from the Regulatory Authorities or any other governmental agency requiring or threatening the termination, modification or suspension of any pre-clinical studies or clinical trials that are described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or the results of which are referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus other than ordinary course communications with respect to modifications in connection with the design and implementation of such studies or trials, and, to the Company’s knowledge, there are no reasonable grounds for the same.
(oo) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Agent has informed the Company that the Agent may, to the extent permitted under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, purchase and sell Ordinary Shares 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 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 Agent, except as may be otherwise agreed by the Company and the Agent.
(pp) The Company is not a party to any agreement with an agent or underwriter for any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction.
(qq) The Company is not required to register as a “broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act and does not, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, control or have any other association with (within the meaning of Article I of the By-laws of FINRA) any member firm of FINRA. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company, on the one hand, and the directors, officers or shareholders of the Company, on the other hand, which is required by the rules of FINRA to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, which is not so described. All of the information (including, but not limited to, information regarding affiliations, security ownership and trading activity) provided to the Agent or its counsel by the Company in connection with the filing to be made and other supplemental information to be provided to FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement is true, complete and correct.
(rr) Neither the sale and delivery of the Placement Shares nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in 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.
(ss) The board of directors of the Company has determined in good faith that each member of the Company’s audit committee satisfies the Nasdaq and Commission independence standards applicable to the Company.
(tt) Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its affiliates (within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act) has, prior to the date hereof, made any offer or sale of any securities which could be “integrated” (within the meaning of the Securities Act) with the offer and sale of the Placement Shares hereunder.
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(uu) No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) included or incorporated by reference in either of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(vv) Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.
(ww) Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications and databases owned by, or leased or licensed to, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (collectively, “IT Systems”), to the knowledge of the Company, are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with, the operation of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently conducted, and to the Company’s knowledge are free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants; the Company and its Subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third-party data maintained by or on behalf of them (“Personal Data”)) used in connection with their businesses; to the knowledge of the Company, there have been no material breaches, violations, outages, unauthorized uses of, accesses to or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ Personal Data or IT Systems, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any third party; there are no material incidents under internal review or investigations relating to any security breach or other compromise of the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ Personal Data or IT Systems and the Company and its Subsidiaries have not been notified of, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or other compromise to their IT Systems or Personal Data; the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented commercially reasonable backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with industry standards and practices; and the Company and its Subsidiaries are presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority and internal policies, procedures and contractual obligations relating to the security of IT Systems and the privacy, collection, use, transfer, storage, protection, disposal or disclosure of Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.
(xx) There are no debt securities, convertible securities or preferred shares issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that are rated by a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act.
(yy) Except as provided by laws or statutes generally applicable to transactions of the type described in this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or their respective properties or assets has immunity under Dutch, German, U.S. federal or New York state law from any legal action, suit or proceeding, from the giving of any relief in any such legal action, suit or proceeding, from set-off or counterclaim, from the jurisdiction of any Dutch, German, U.S. federal or New York state court, from service of process, attachment upon or prior to judgment, or attachment in aid of execution of judgment, or from execution of a judgment, or other legal process or proceeding for the giving of any relief or for the enforcement of a judgment, in any such court with respect to their respective obligations, liabilities or any other matter under or arising out of or in connection herewith; and, to the extent that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or revenues may have or may hereafter become entitled to any such right of immunity in any such court in which proceedings arising out of, or relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, may at any time be commenced, the Company has, pursuant to Section 17 of this Agreement, waived, and it will waive, or will cause its Subsidiaries to waive, such right to the extent permitted by law.
(zz) Any final judgment for a fixed or determined sum of money rendered by any U.S. federal or New York state court located in the State of New York having jurisdiction under its own laws in respect of any suit, action or proceeding against the Company based upon this Agreement would be declared enforceable against the Company by the courts of the Netherlands, without reconsideration or reexamination of the merits.
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(aaa) The choice of laws of the State of New York as the governing law of this Agreement is a valid choice of law under the laws of the Netherlands and subject to the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 593/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 relating to the law applicable to contractual obligations (Rome I), will be honored by the courts of the Netherlands, subject to the restrictions described under the caption “Enforcement of Judgments” in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The Company has the power to submit, and pursuant to Section 17 of this Agreement, has legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the personal jurisdiction of each New York state and United States federal court sitting in the City of New York and has validly and irrevocably waived any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding brought in such court.
(bbb) The indemnification and contribution provisions set forth in Section 6 hereof do not contravene Dutch law or public policy.
(ccc) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company believes that it was not a “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”) as defined in Section 1297 of the Code for its most recently completed taxable year and the Company does not expect to be a PFIC for the current tax year.
(ddd) The legality, validity, enforceability or admissibility into evidence of any of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, this Agreement or the Placement Shares in any jurisdiction in which the Company is organized or does business is not dependent upon such document being submitted into, filed or recorded with any court or other authority in any such jurisdiction (other than court filings in the ordinary course of proceedings) on or before the date that this representation is made or that any tax, imposition or charge (other than court fees or similar documentary tax payable in the ordinary course of proceedings) be paid in any such jurisdiction on or in respect of any such document.
(eee) A holder of the Placement Shares and the Agent are both entitled to sue as plaintiff in the court of the jurisdiction of formation and domicile of the Company for the enforcement of its respective rights under this Agreement and such access to such courts will not be subject to any conditions which are not applicable to residents of such jurisdiction or a company incorporated in such jurisdiction except that plaintiffs not residing in the Netherlands may be required to guarantee payment of a possible order for payment of costs or damages at the request of the defendant.
(fff) The Company is a “foreign private issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Agent or its counsel in connection with the offering of the Placement Shares shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to the Agent.
7. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with the Agent that:
(a) Registration Statement Amendments. After the date of this Agreement and during any period in which the Prospectus relating to any Placement Shares is required to be delivered by the Agent under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act or a similar rule); (i) the Company will notify the Agent promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement, other than Incorporated Documents, has been filed with the Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus, other than Incorporated Documents, has been filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus related to the Placement Shares or for additional information related to the Placement Shares; (ii) the Company will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon the Agent’s request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, in the Agent’s reasonable opinion, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Placement Shares by the Agent (provided, however, that the failure of the Agent to make such request shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Agent’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and provided, further, that the only remedy the Agent shall have with respect to the failure by the Company to make such filing (but without limiting the Agent’s rights under Section 9 hereof) will 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, other than Incorporated Documents, relating to the
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Placement Shares or a security convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for the Placement Shares unless a copy thereof has been submitted to the Agent within a reasonable period of time before the filing and the Agent has not reasonably objected thereto (provided, however, that the failure of the Agent to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Agent’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and the Company shall have no obligation to provide the Agent any advance copy of such filing or to provide the Agent an opportunity to object to such filing if the filing (i) is not an amendment or supplement to the Prospectus Supplement and (ii) does not name the Agent or does not relate to the Placement Shares or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and provided, further, that the only remedy the Agent shall have with respect to the Company’s making such filing notwithstanding the Agent’s objection (but without limiting the Agent’s rights under Section 9 hereof) will be to cease making sales under this Agreement) and the Company will furnish to the Agent at the time of filing thereof a copy of any Incorporated Document, except for those documents available via EDGAR; and (iv) the Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, other than Incorporated Documents, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act and, in the case of any Incorporated Document, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the Exchange Act, within the time period prescribed.
(b) Notice of Commission Stop Orders. The Company will advise the Agent, 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 Agent promptly after it receives any request by the Commission for any amendments to the Registration Statement related to the Placement Shares or any amendment or supplements to the Prospectus or for additional information related to the offering of the Placement Shares or for additional information related to the Registration Statement with respect to the Placement Shares or the Prospectus.
(c) Delivery of Prospectus; Subsequent Changes. During any period in which the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered by the Agent under the Securities Act with respect to the offer and sale of the Placement Shares (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act or a similar rule), the Company will comply in all material respects with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in force, and will file on or before their respective due dates (taking into account any extensions available under the Exchange Act) 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 during such 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 required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such 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 Agent to suspend the offering of Placement Shares during such period and the Company will 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. If the Company has omitted any information from the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, it will use its best efforts to comply with the provisions thereof and make all requisite filings with the Commission pursuant to said Rule 430B and to notify the Agent promptly of all such filings if not available on EDGAR.
(d) Listing of Placement Shares. During any period in which the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered by the Agent under the Securities Act with respect to the offer and sale of the Placement Shares (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act or a similar rule), the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Placement Shares to be listed on Nasdaq. The Company will timely file with Nasdaq all material documents and notices required by Nasdaq of companies that have or will issue securities that are traded on Nasdaq.
(e) Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company will furnish to the Agent and its counsel (at the expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all
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Incorporated Documents) and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that are filed with the Commission during any period in which the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered under the Securities Act (including all Incorporated Documents filed with the Commission during such period), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities as the Agent may from time to time reasonably request and, at the Agent’s 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 (other than the Prospectus) to the Agent to the extent such document is available on EDGAR.
(f) Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Agent 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) of and Rule 158 under the Securities Act.
(g) Expenses. The Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement is terminated in accordance with the provisions of Section 11 hereunder, will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including expenses relating to (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement and each amendment and supplement thereto, of the Prospectus and of each amendment and supplement thereto and 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, (ii) the preparation, issuance, sale and delivery of the Placement Shares and any taxes due or payable in connection therewith, (iii) the qualification of the Placement Shares under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(w) of this Agreement, including filing fees (provided, however, that any fees or disbursements of counsel for the Agent in connection therewith shall be paid by the Agent except as set forth in clauses (vii) below), (iv) the printing and delivery to the Agent and its counsel of copies of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, and of this Agreement, (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing or qualification of the Placement Shares for trading on Nasdaq, (vi) the filing fees and expenses, if any, owed to the Commission or FINRA and the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Ordinary Shares, and (vii) the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of the Agent’s outside legal counsel in an amount not to exceed (A) $75,000 in connection with the first Placement Notice and (B) $15,000 in connection with each Representation Date (as defined below) on which the Company is required to provide a certificate pursuant to Section 7(m)(ii) or Section 7(m)(iii).
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the Net Proceeds as described in the Prospectus in the Section entitled “Use of Proceeds.”
(i) Notice of Other Sales. Without the prior written consent of the Agent, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Ordinary Shares (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Ordinary Shares, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Ordinary Shares during the period beginning on the third Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which any Placement Notice is delivered to Agent hereunder and ending on the second 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 will not directly or indirectly in any other “at the market offering” or continuous equity transaction offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Ordinary Shares (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Ordinary Shares, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Ordinary Shares prior to the later of the termination of this Agreement and the thirtieth day immediately following the final Settlement Date with respect to Placement Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice; provided, however, that such restrictions will not be required in connection with the Company’s issuance or sale of (i) Ordinary Shares, options to purchase Ordinary Shares, other securities under the Company’s equity incentive plans, or Ordinary Shares issuable upon the exercise of options or vesting of other securities, pursuant to any employee or director share option or benefits plan, share ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan (but not Ordinary Shares subject to a waiver to exceed plan limits in its dividend reinvestment plan) of the Company whether now in effect or hereafter implemented, (ii) Ordinary Shares issuable upon conversion of securities or the 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 Agent and (iii) Ordinary Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for
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Ordinary Shares as consideration for mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations or strategic alliances occurring after the date of this Agreement which are not issued for capital raising purposes.
(j) Change of Circumstances. The Company will, at any time during a fiscal quarter in which the Company intends to tender a Placement Notice or sell Placement Shares, advise the Agent promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document provided or required to be provided to the Agent pursuant to this Agreement.
(k) Due Diligence Cooperation. During the term of this Agreement, the Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Agent, its affiliates, agents and counsel from time to time in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices, as the Agent may reasonably request.
(l) Required Filings Relating to Placement of Placement Shares. The Company agrees that on or prior to 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, which prospectus supplement will set forth, within the relevant period, the number or amount of Placement Shares sold through the Agent, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to the 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; provided, that, unless a prospectus supplement containing such information is required to be filed under the Securities Act, the requirement of this Section 7(l) may be satisfied by Company’s inclusion in the Company’s Form 20-F or Form 6-K, as applicable, of the number or amount of Placement Shares sold through the Agent, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to the Agent with respect to such Placement Shares during the relevant period.
(m) Representation Dates; Certificate. On or prior to the date on which the Company first delivers a Placement Notice pursuant to this agreement (the “First Placement Notice Date”) and each time the Company:
(i) | 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 (other than a prospectus supplement filed in accordance with Section 7(l) of this Agreement) by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker or supplement but not by means of incorporation of document(s) by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares; |
(ii) | files an annual report on Form 20-F under the Exchange Act (including any Form 20-F/A containing amended financial information or a material amendment to the previously filed Form 20-F); |
(iii) | files a report on Form 6-K under the Exchange Act containing quarterly financial information (other than an earnings release that is “furnished”) that is incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and Prospectus; or |
(iv) | files a report on Form 6-K under the Exchange Act containing amended financial information (other than an earnings release that is “furnished”) that is incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and Prospectus (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 Agent (but in the case of clause (iv) above only if (1) a Placement Notice is pending or in effect and (2) the Agent requests such certificate within three Business Days after the filing of such Form 6-K with the Commission) with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented), within two Trading Days of
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any Representation Date. The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 7(m) shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Placement Notice is pending or in effect, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of (1) the date the Company delivers a Placement Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and (2) the next occurring Representation Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Placement Shares following a Representation Date on which the Company relied on the waiver referred to in the previous sentence and did not provide the Agent with a certificate under this Section 7(m), then before the Company delivers a Placement Notice or the Agent sells any Placement Shares pursuant thereto, the Company shall provide the Agent with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, dated the date of such Placement Notice. Within two Trading Days of each Representation Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Agent such further information, certificates and documents as the Agent may reasonably request.
(n) Legal Opinions. On or prior to the First Placement Notice Date and on any date which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(m) for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agent the written opinion and negative assurance letter of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, U.S. counsel to the Company, and the written opinion of CMS Derks Star Busmann N.V., Netherlands counsel to the Company, or, in either case, such other counsel satisfactory to the Agent (Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and CMS Derks Star Busmann N.V., together, “Company Counsel”), each in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinions and negative assurance letter are required to be delivered, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented; provided, however, that in lieu of such opinions and negative assurance letters for subsequent Representation Dates, Company Counsel may furnish the Agent with letters to the effect that the Agent may rely on a prior opinion or negative assurance letter delivered by such counsel under this Section 7(n) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such letters (except that statements in such prior opinion or negative assurance letter shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented at such Representation Date).
(o) Intellectual Property Opinion. On or prior to the First Placement Notice Date and on any date which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(m) for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agent the written opinion of McBee Moore & Vanik IP Law, counsel for the Company with respect to intellectual property matters, or such other intellectual property counsel satisfactory to the Agent (“Intellectual Property Counsel”), in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion letter is required to be delivered, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented; provided, however, that in lieu of such written opinion for subsequent Representation Dates, Intellectual Property Counsel may furnish the Agent with a letter to the effect that the Agent may rely on a prior opinion letter delivered by such counsel under this Section 7(o) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such opinion letter (except that statements in such prior opinion letter shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented at such Representation Date).
(p) Comfort Letter. On or prior to the First Placement Notice Date and on any date which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(m) for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause its independent registered public accounting firm (and any other independent accountants whose report is included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus) to furnish the Agent letters (the “Comfort Letters”), dated the date the Comfort Letter is delivered, which shall meet the requirements set forth in this Section 7(p); provided, that if requested by the Agent, the Company shall cause a Comfort Letter to be furnished to the Agent within 10 Trading Days of the occurrence of any material transaction or event that necessitates the filing of additional, pro forma, amended or revised financial statements (including any restatement of previously issued financial statements). Each Comfort Letter shall be in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and each Comfort Letter from the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm shall (i) confirm that they are an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the PCAOB, (ii) state, 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 Comfort Letter”) and (iii) update the Initial Comfort Letter with any information that would have been included in the Initial 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.
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(q) Market Activities. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, and will cause its officers, directors and Subsidiaries not to (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 Ordinary Shares or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase Ordinary Shares in violation of Regulation M, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Placement Shares other than the Agent; provided, however, that the Company may bid for and purchase Ordinary Shares in accordance with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act.
(r) Insurance. The Company and its Subsidiaries shall maintain, or cause to be maintained, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is reasonable and customary for the business for which it is engaged.
(s) Compliance with Laws. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries shall maintain, or cause to be maintained, all material environmental certificates, authorizations or permits required by federal, state and local law in order to conduct their businesses as described in the Prospectus (collectively, “Permits”), and the Company and each of its Subsidiaries shall conduct their businesses, or cause their businesses to be conducted, in substantial compliance with such Permits and with applicable Environmental Laws, except where the failure to maintain or be in compliance with such Permits could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(t) Investment Company Act. The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that neither it nor any of its Subsidiaries will be or become, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act.
(u) Securities Act and Exchange Act. The Company will use its best efforts to comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the sales of, or dealings in, the Placement Shares as contemplated by the provisions hereof and the Prospectus.
(v) No Offer to Sell. Other than a free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) approved in advance by the Company and the Agent, neither the Agent nor the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Agent in its capacity as agent) 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.
(w) Blue Sky and Other Qualifications. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the Agent, to qualify the Placement Shares for offering and sale, or to obtain an exemption for the Placement Shares to be offered and sold, under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Agent may designate and to maintain such qualifications and exemptions in effect for so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares (but in no event for less than one year from the date of this Agreement); provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the Placement Shares have been so qualified or exempt, the Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification or exemption, as the case may be, in effect for so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares (but in no event for less than one year from the date of this Agreement).
(x) 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 IFRS 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 financial statements in accordance with IFRS, (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 maintain such controls and other procedures, including, without limitation, those required by Sections 302 and 906 of the
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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.
(y) Emerging Growth Company. The Company will promptly notify the Agent if the company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the completion of the Agent’s distribution of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement.
(z) Renewal of Registration Statement. If, immediately prior to the third anniversary of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement (the “Renewal Date”), any of the Placement Shares remain unsold and this Agreement has not been terminated, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Date, file a new shelf registration statement or, if applicable, an automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Ordinary Shares that may be offered and sold pursuant to this Agreement (which shall include a prospectus reflecting the number or amount of Placement Shares that may be offered and sold pursuant to this Agreement), in a form satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, and, if such registration statement is not an automatic shelf registration statement, will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 180 days after the Renewal Date. The Company will take all other reasonable actions necessary or appropriate to permit the public offer and sale of the Placement Shares to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement and this Agreement. From and after the effective date thereof, references herein to the “Registration Statement” shall include such new shelf registration statement or such new automatic shelf registration statement, as the case may be.
(aa) General Instruction I.B.5. of Form F-3. If, from and after the date of this Agreement, the Company is no longer eligible to use Form F-3 (including pursuant to General Instruction I.B.5.) at the time it files with the Commission an annual report on Form 20-F or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, then it shall promptly notify the Agent and, within two Business Days after the date of filing of such annual report on Form 20-F or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Company shall file a new prospectus supplement with the Commission reflecting the number of Ordinary Shares available to be offered and sold by the Company under this Agreement pursuant to General Instruction I.B.5. of Form F-3; provided, however, that the Company may delay the filing of any such prospectus supplement for up to 30 days if, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, it is in the best interest of the Company to do so, provided that no Placement Notice is in effect or pending during such time. Until such time as the Company shall have corrected such misstatement or omission or effected such compliance, the Company shall not notify the Agent to resume the offering of Placement Shares.
(bb) Tax Indemnity. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Agent against any documentary, stamp or similar issue tax, including any interest and penalties, on the issue and sale of the Placement Shares.
(cc) Transfer Agent. The Company has engaged and will maintain, at its sole expense, a transfer agent and registrar for the Ordinary Shares.
(dd) Settlement Documents. The Company hereby agrees to execute and deliver any additional documentation that the Agent reasonably and in good faith requests in order to facilitate one or more settlements pursuant to this Agreement.
8. Conditions to the Agent’s Obligations. The obligations of the Agent 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 Agent of a due diligence review satisfactory to the Agent in its reasonable judgment, and to the continuing satisfaction (or waiver by the Agent in its sole discretion) of the following additional conditions:
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(a) Registration Statement Effective. The Registration Statement shall be effective and shall be available for all offers and sales of Placement Shares (i) that have been issued pursuant to all prior Placement Notices and (ii) that will be issued pursuant to any Placement Notice.
(b) Prospectus Supplement. The Company shall have filed with the Commission the Prospectus Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second Business Day following the date of this Agreement.
(c) No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (i) receipt by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries 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 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 or any of its Subsidiaries 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 Incorporated Document untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any material changes in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or Incorporated Documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, in the case of the Prospectus, so that it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(d) No Misstatement or Material Omission. The Agent shall not have advised the Company that in the Agent’s opinion, the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(e) Material Changes. Except as contemplated in the 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 share capital of the Company or any Material Adverse Effect or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or any downgrading in or withdrawal of the rating assigned to any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities), if any, by any rating organization or a public announcement by any rating organization that it has under surveillance or review its rating of any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities), if any, the effect of which, in the judgment of the Agent (without relieving the Company of any obligation or liability it may otherwise have), is so material as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering of the Placement Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(f) Company Counsel Legal Opinions. The Agent shall have received the opinions and negative assurance letters, as applicable, of Company Counsel and Intellectual Property Counsel required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(n) and Section 7(o), as applicable, on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinions and negative assurance letters are required pursuant to Section 7(n) and Section 7(o), as applicable.
(g) Agent’s Counsel Legal Opinion. The Agent shall have received from Covington & Burling LLP, U.S. counsel for the Agent, such opinion or opinions, on or before the date on which the delivery of the Company Counsel legal opinion is required pursuant to Section 7(n), with respect to such matters as the Agent may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they may request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(h) Comfort Letter. The Agent shall have received the Comfort Letter required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(p) on or before the date on which such delivery of such Comfort Letter is required pursuant to Section 7(p).
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(i) Representation Certificate. The Agent shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(m) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 7(m), in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto.
(j) Secretary’s Certificate. On or prior to the First Placement Notice Date and on any date which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(m) for which no waiver is applicable, the Agent shall have received a certificate, signed on behalf of the Company by the Secretary of the Company and attested to by an executive officer of the Company, in the form attached as Exhibit B hereto.
(k) No Suspension. The Ordinary Shares shall be duly listed, and admitted and authorized for trading, subject to official notice of issuance, on Nasdaq. Trading in the Ordinary Shares shall not have been suspended on, and the Ordinary Shares shall not have been delisted from, Nasdaq.
(l) Other Materials. On each date on which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(m), the Company shall have furnished to the Agent such appropriate further information, opinions, certificates, letters and other documents as the Agent may have reasonably requested. All such information, opinions, certificates, letters and other documents shall have been in compliance with the provisions hereof. The Company shall have furnished the Agent with conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents as the Agent may have reasonably requested.
(m) Securities Act Filings Made. All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 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(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) of the Securities Act) or Rule 433, as applicable.
(n) Approval for Listing. Either (i) the Placement Shares shall have been approved for listing on Nasdaq, subject only to notice of issuance, or (ii) the Company shall have filed an application for listing of the Placement Shares on Nasdaq at, or prior to, the First Placement Notice Date and Nasdaq shall have reviewed such application and not provided any objections thereto.
(o) FINRA. FINRA shall have raised no objection to the terms of the offering contemplated hereby and the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Agent as described in the Prospectus.
(p) No Termination Event. There shall not have occurred any event that would permit the Agent to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 11(a).
9. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Company Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent, its affiliates and their respective partners, members, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who (i) controls the Agent 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 Agent, in each case from and against any and all losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including any and all investigative, legal and other expenses documented and reasonably incurred in connection with, and any and all amounts paid in settlement (in accordance with this Section 9), any action, suit, investigation or proceeding between any of the indemnified parties and any indemnifying parties or between any indemnified party and any third party (including any governmental or self-regulatory authority, or otherwise, or any claim asserted or threatened), as and when incurred, to which the Agent, or any such other person may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, liabilities, expenses or damages arise out of or are based, directly or indirectly, on (x) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus) or in any free writing prospectus or in any application or other document executed by or on behalf of the Company or based on written information furnished by or on behalf of the Company filed in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Ordinary Shares under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, (y) the omission or alleged omission to state in any such document a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein (solely with respect to the Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading or (z) any breach by any of the indemnifying parties of
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any of their respective representations, warranties or agreements contained in this Agreement; provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to the extent that such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage arises from the sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement and is caused, directly or indirectly, by an untrue statement or omission, or alleged untrue statement or omission, made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Agent’s Information. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that the Company might otherwise have.
(b) Agent Indemnification. The 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 9(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 the Agent’s Information.
(c) Procedure. Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 9 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 9, 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 9 and (ii) any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under the foregoing provision of this Section 9 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 other legal expenses except as provided below and except for the reasonable 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 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 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 reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party 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 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 fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm (plus local counsel) 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 such 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 9 (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, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, from all liability arising out of such claim, action or proceeding 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.
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(d) Settlement Without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for which it is entitled to be reimbursed under this Section 9, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 9(a) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
(e) 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 9 is applicable in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be unavailable or insufficient from the Company or the Agent, the Company and the 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, investigation or proceeding or any claim asserted, but after deducting any contribution received by the Company from persons other than the Agent, 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 Agent 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 Agent on the other hand. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Agent 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 Agent 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 Agent, on the other hand, with respect to the statements or omission that resulted in such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or action, suit, investigation or proceeding 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 Agent, 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 Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 9(e) 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, suit, investigation or proceeding in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 9(e) shall be deemed to include, for the purpose of this Section 9(e), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action, suit, investigation, proceeding or claim to the extent consistent with this Section 9. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9(e), the Agent 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 9(e), any person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, any affiliates of the Agent, any partners, members, directors, officers, employees and agents of the Agent and each person that is controlled by or under common control with the Agent will have the same rights to contribution as that party, and each 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 9(e), 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 9(e) 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 9(c) hereof or pursuant to Section 9(d) 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 9(c) hereof.
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10. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section 9 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 Agent, any controlling persons, or the Company (or any of their respective officers, directors, employees or controlling persons), (ii) delivery and acceptance of the Placement Shares and payment therefor or (iii) any termination of this Agreement.
11. Termination.
(a) The Agent shall have the right, by giving notice as hereinafter specified, at any time to terminate this Agreement if (i) any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, has occurred that, in the judgment of the Agent, may materially impair the ability of the Agent to sell the Placement Shares hereunder, (ii) the Company shall have failed, refused or been unable to perform any agreement on its part to be performed hereunder; provided, however, in the case of any failure of the Company to deliver (or cause another person to deliver) any certification, opinion or letter required under Section 7(m), Section 7(n), Section 7(o) or Section 7(p), the Agent’s right to terminate shall not arise unless such failure to deliver (or cause to be delivered) continues for more than 15 calendar days from the date such delivery was required, (iii) any other condition of the Agent’s obligations hereunder is not fulfilled, (iv) any suspension or limitation of trading in the Placement Shares or in securities generally on Nasdaq shall have occurred, (v) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of United States federal or New York authorities, or (vi) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States or international political, financial or economic conditions that, in the judgment of the Agent, may materially impair the ability of the Agent to sell the Placement Shares hereunder or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 7(g), Section 9, Section 10, Section 16 and Section 17 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination. If the Agent elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 11(a), the Agent shall provide the required notice as specified in Section 12.
(b) The Company shall have the right, by giving 10 days’ prior 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 7(g), Section 9, Section 10, Section 11(f), Section 16 and Section 17 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
(c) The Agent shall have the right, by giving 10 days’ prior 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 7(g), Section 9, Section 10, Section 11(f), Section 16 and Section 17 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
(d) Unless earlier terminated pursuant to this Section 11, this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the issuance and sale of all of the Placement Shares through the Agent on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein; provided that the provisions of Section 7(g), Section 9, Section 10, Section 11(f), Section 16 and Section 17 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 11(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 7(g), Section 9, Section 10, Section 11(f), Section 16 and Section 17 shall remain in full force and effect.
(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. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Company shall not be required to pay to the Agent any discount or commission with respect to any Placement Shares not otherwise sold by the Agent under this
27
Agreement; provided, however, that the Company shall remain obligated to reimburse the Agent’s expenses pursuant to Section 7(g).
12. 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 in this Agreement, and if sent to the Agent, shall be delivered to:
SVB Leerink LLC
1301 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor
New York, New York 10019
Attention: Peter M. Fry
E-mail: peter.fry@svbleerink.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
SVB Leerink LLC
1301 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor
New York, New York 10019
Attention: Stuart R. Nayman, Esq.
E-mail: stuart.nayman@svbleerink.com
and
Covington & Burling LLP
The New York Times Building
620 Eighth Avenue
New York, New York 10018
Attention: Brian K. Rosenzweig
E-mail: brosenzweig@cov.com
and if to the Company, shall be delivered to:
Immatics N.V.
Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 15
72076 Tübingen
Germany
Attention: Edward Sturchio
E-mail: Edward.Sturchio@immatics.com
with copies (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10017
Attention: Yasin Keshvargar
E-mail: yasin.keshvagar@davispolk.com
and
CMS Derks Star Busmann N.V.
Atrium | Parnassusweg 737
NL-1077 DG Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Attention: Martijn van der Bie
E-mail: martijn.vanderbie@cms-dsb.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
28
(i) when delivered personally 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) by Electronic Notice as set forth in the next paragraph, (iii) on the next Business Day after timely delivery to a nationally-recognized overnight courier or (iv) on the Business Day actually received if deposited in the U.S. mail (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid). For purposes of this Agreement, “Business Day” shall mean any day on which the Nasdaq and commercial banks in the City of New York are open for business.
An electronic communication (“Electronic Notice”) shall be deemed written notice for purposes of this Section 12 if sent to the electronic mail address specified by the receiving party in Section 12. Electronic Notice shall be deemed received at the time the party sending Electronic Notice receives actual acknowledgment of receipt from the person whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply. 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 10 days of receipt of the written request for Nonelectronic Notice.
13. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and the Agent and their respective successors and the affiliates, controlling persons, officers, directors and other persons referred to in Section 9 hereof. References to any of the parties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the successors and permitted assigns of each such party. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto, the persons referred to in the preceding sentence and 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 the Agent may assign its rights and obligations hereunder to an affiliate of the Agent without obtaining the Company’s consent, so long as such affiliate is a registered broker-dealer.
14. Adjustments for Share Splits. The parties acknowledge and agree that all share-related numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted to take into account any share split, share dividend or similar event effected with respect to the Ordinary Shares.
15. Entire Agreement; Amendment; Severability; Waiver. This Agreement (including all schedules (as amended pursuant to this Agreement) 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 Agent; provided, however, that Schedule 2 of this Agreement may be amended by either party from time to time by sending a notice containing a revised Schedule 2 to the other party in the manner provided in Section 12 and, upon such amendment, all references herein to Schedule 2 shall automatically be deemed to refer to such amended Schedule 2. 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. No implied waiver by a party shall arise in the absence of a waiver in writing signed by such party. No failure or delay in exercising any right, power, or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any right, power, or privilege hereunder.
16. 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.
29
17. Consent to Jurisdiction. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the 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 of the transactions 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 (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested) to such party at the address in effect for notices under Section 12 of this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient notice 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. The Company hereby irrevocably appoints Edward A. Sturchio of Immatics US, Inc., which currently maintains an office at 2130 W. Holcombe Blvd., Suite 900, Houston, Texas 77030 as its agent to receive service of process or other legal summons for purposes of any such suit, action or proceeding that may be instituted in any state or federal court in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York, United States of America. To the extent that the Company has or hereafter may acquire any immunity (sovereign or otherwise) from jurisdiction of any court of (i) the Netherlands, (ii) the United States or the State of New York, (iii) any jurisdiction in which it owns or leases property or assets or from any legal process (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution, execution, set-off or otherwise) with respect to itself or its respective property and assets or this Agreement, the Company hereby irrevocably waives such immunity in respect of its obligations under this Agreement to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
18. Construction.
(a) The section and exhibit headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
(b) Words defined in the singular shall have a comparable meaning when used in the plural, and vice versa.
(c) The words “hereof,” “hereto,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import, when used in this Agreement, shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement.
(d) Wherever the word “include,” “includes” or “including” is used in this Agreement, it shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.”
(e) References herein to any gender shall include each other gender.
(f) References herein to any law, statute, ordinance, code, regulation, rule or other requirement of any governmental authority shall be deemed to refer to such law, statute, ordinance, code, regulation, rule or other requirement of any governmental authority as amended, reenacted, supplemented or superseded in whole or in part and in effect from time to time and also to all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
19. Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses. Each of the Company and the Agent represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the other party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, 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 Agent 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, and that it 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.
20. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that:
(a) the Agent has been retained to act as sales agent in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares, the Agent has acted at arms’ length and no fiduciary or advisory relationship between the Company or any
30
of its respective affiliates, shareholders (or other equity holders), creditors or employees or any other party, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, has been or will be created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether the Agent has advised or is advising the Company on other matters and the Agent has no duties or obligations to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except the obligations expressly set forth herein;
(b) the Company is capable of evaluating, and understanding and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(c) neither the Agent nor its affiliates have 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) the Company has been advised and is aware that the Agent and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the Agent and its affiliates 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) the Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Agent or its affiliates for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and agrees that the Agent and its affiliates shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including shareholders (or other equity holders), creditors or employees of the Company.
21. 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 or electronic transmission. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
22. Use of Information. The Agent may not provide any information gained in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including due diligence, to any third party other than its legal counsel advising it on this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement unless expressly approved by the Company in writing.
23. Agent’s Information. As used in this Agreement, “Agent’s Information” means solely the following information in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus: the last sentence of the eighth paragraph and the ninth paragraph under the heading “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus Supplement.
24. Currency Provisions. The obligations of the Company pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any sum due to the Agent shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than United States dollars, not be discharged until the first Business Day, following receipt by the Agent of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other currency, on which the Agent may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase United States dollars with such other currency. If the United States dollars so purchased are less than the sum originally due to the Agent in United States dollars hereunder, the Company agrees as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify the Agent against such loss. If the United States dollars so purchased are greater than the sum originally due to the Agent hereunder, the Agent agrees to pay to the Company an amount equal to the excess of the dollars so purchased over the sum originally due to the Agent hereunder.
All payments made by the Company under this Agreement shall be made free and clear of any withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature (including any amounts that result from the payment of fees, compensation or reimbursement of costs contemplated by this Agreement) imposed or levied by or on behalf of the Netherlands or by any department, agency or other political subdivision or any taxing authority thereof or therein, and all interest, penalties or similar
31
liabilities with respect thereto (collectively, “Dutch Taxes”), unless such deduction or withholding is required by law. If any Dutch Taxes are required by law to be deducted or withheld by the Company in connection with such payment or repurchase, the Company will increase the amount to be paid to the Agent so that the full amount of such payment is received by the Agent, provided that the Company will not be required to pay any such additional amounts to the extent that the obligation to withhold or deduct any amounts arises as a result of any present or former connection between the Agent and the relevant jurisdiction other than any such connection arising solely as a result of the transaction described in this Agreement.
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 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 “supplements” to the Prospectus shall include any supplements, “wrappers” or similar materials prepared in connection with any offering, sale or private placement of any Placement Shares by the Agent outside of the United States.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Blank]
32
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Company and the Agent, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and the Agent.
Very truly yours, | |
IMMATICS N.V. | |
By: | /s/ Arnd Christ |
Name: Arnd Christ | |
Title: Chief Financial Officer |
ACCEPTED as of the date first-above written:
SVB LEERINK LLC
| |
By: | /s/ Peter M. Fry |
Name: Peter M. Fry | |
Title: Head of Alternative Equities |
[Signature Page to Sales Agreement]
SCHEDULE 1
FORM OF PLACEMENT NOTICE
From: | [ ] |
[TITLE] | |
Immatics N.V. | |
Cc: | [ ] |
To: | SVB Leerink LLC |
Subject: | SVB Leerink—At the Market Offering—Placement Notice |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the Sales Agreement, dated August 2, 2021 (the “Agreement”), by and between Immatics N.V., a public limited liability company (naamloze vennootschap) under Dutch law (the “Company”), and SVB Leerink LLC (“SVB Leerink”), I hereby request on behalf of the Company that SVB Leerink sell up to [ ] Ordinary Shares, nominal value €0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Shares”), at a minimum market price of $ per share[; provided that no more than [ ] Shares shall be sold in any one Trading Day (as such term is defined in Section 3 of the Agreement)]. Sales should begin [on the date of this Placement Notice] and end on [DATE] [until all Shares that are the subject of this Placement Notice are sold].
SCHEDULE 2
The Company
Harpreet Singh (Harpreet.Singh@immatics.com)
Arnd Christ (Arnd.Christ@immatics.com)
Edward Sturchio (Edward.Sturchio@immatics.com)
SVB Leerink
Dan Dubin (dan.dubin@svbleerink.com)
Gabriel Cavazos (gabriel.cavazos@svbleerink.com)
Patrick McCormack (patrick.mccormack@svbleerink.com)
atm@svbleerink.com
SCHEDULE 3
Compensation
The Company shall pay SVB Leerink compensation in cash equal to 3.0% of the gross proceeds from the sales of Placement Shares pursuant to the terms of the Sales Agreement of which this Schedule 3 forms a part.
Exhibit A
REPRESENTATION DATE CERTIFICATE
[DATE]
Each of Arnd Christ, the duly qualified and elected Chief Financial Officer of Immatics N.V., a public limited liability company (naamloze vennootschap) under Dutch law (the “Company”), and Edward Sturchio, the duly qualified and elected General Counsel of the Company, does hereby certify in his respective capacity and on behalf of the Company, pursuant to Section 7(m) of the Sales Agreement, dated August 2, 2021 (the “Sales Agreement”), by and between the Company and SVB Leerink LLC, that, after due inquiry, to the best of the knowledge of the undersigned:
(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in Section 6 of the Sales Agreement (A) to the extent such representations and warranties are subject to qualifications and exceptions contained therein relating to materiality or Material Adverse Effect, are true and correct on and as of the date hereof with the same force and effect as if expressly made on and as of the date hereof, and (B) to the extent such representations and warranties are not subject to any qualifications or exceptions relating to materiality or Material Adverse Effect, are true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof as if made on and as of the date hereof with the same force and effect as if expressly made on and as of the date hereof.
(ii) The Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied pursuant to the Sales Agreement at or prior to the date hereof.
(iii) As of the date hereof, (A) the Registration Statement complies in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (B) the Prospectus complies in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (C) no event has occurred as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not untrue or misleading or for clauses (A) and (B) above, to be true and correct.
(iv) There has been no material adverse change, or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, results of operations, business, properties, operations, assets, liabilities or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented to the date hereof.
(v) The Company does not possess any material non-public information.
(vi) The maximum amount of Placement Shares that may be sold pursuant to the Sales Agreement has been duly authorized by the Company’s board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof pursuant to a resolution or unanimous written consent in accordance with the Company’s amended and restated articles of association and applicable law.
Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Sales Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned, in such individual’s respective capacity as Chief Financial Officer or General Counsel of the Company, has executed this certificate on behalf of the Company on the date first written above.
By: | |
Name: Arnd Christ | |
Title: Chief Financial Officer |
By: | |
Name: Edward Sturchio | |
Title: General Counsel |
EXHIBIT B
SECRETARY’S CERTIFICATE
[DATE]
Edward Sturchio, the duly qualified and elected General Counsel of Immatics N.V., a public limited liability company (naamloze vennootschap) under Dutch law (the “Company”), does hereby certify in his capacity and on behalf of the Company, pursuant to Section 8(j) of the Sales Agreement, dated August 2, 2021 (the “Sales Agreement”), by and between the Company and SVB Leerink LLC, that, after due inquiry, to the best of the knowledge of the undersigned:
1. Attached hereto as Appendix A is a true, correct and complete copy of the Company’s Articles of Association (the “Articles of Association”), as in full force and effect since [●] and on the date hereof. No amendment to the Articles of Association has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board of Directors”) or the shareholders of the Company and no action has been taken to effect or authorize any further amendment thereto by the Company, the Board of Directors or the shareholders of the Company.
2. No proceeding for the winding up, dissolution, merger, sale, amalgamation, consolidation or liquidation of the Company or for the sale of all or substantially all of its assets is pending or, to the best of my knowledge, threatened and no such proceeding is contemplated by the Company.
3. Attached hereto as Appendix B, is a true, correct and complete copy of written resolutions duly adopted by the Board of Directors on [●], 2021 and [●], 2021. Such resolutions have not been amended or modified, are in full force and effect in the form adopted and are the only resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors or by any committee of or designated by the Board of Directors relating to (i) the Company’s Registration Statement on Form F-3 (File No. 333-[●]) (the “Registration Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and (ii) the execution and delivery of the Sales Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereunder (including, without limitation, the sale of the Ordinary Shares pursuant to such agreement).
4. Each person who, as a director or officer of the Company, signed (a) the Registration Statement, (b) the Sales Agreement and (c) any other document or certificate delivered under the Sales Agreement in connection with the transactions contemplated thereunder was at the respective times of such signing and delivery and, in the case of the document referred to under (a) above, was at the time of filing such Registration Statement with the SEC, duly elected or appointed and acting as such director or officer and was duly authorized to execute and deliver such document on behalf of the Company, and the signatures of such persons appearing on such documents are their genuine signatures or true facsimiles thereof.
5. The minutes and resolutions of the Company relating to all proceedings of the shareholders and the Board of Directors (and any committee of the Board of Directors) of the Company made available to Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and Covington & Burling LLP are the original minutes and resolutions of the Company, or are true, correct and complete copies thereof, with respect to all such proceedings of said shareholders, Board of Directors and committees of the Board of Directors since January 1, 2018 of the Company through the date hereof. The minutes, resolutions and other documents of the Company made available to Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and Covington & Burling LLP were true, correct and complete in all respects. There have been no material changes, additions or alterations in said minutes, resolutions and other documents that have not been disclosed to Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and Covington & Burling LLP in writing.
6. The Sales Agreement, as executed and delivered by the Company, is in substantially the form approved by one or more of the Company’s officers pursuant to the resolutions referred to in paragraph 3 above, under authority delegated by the Board of Directors, and has been duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Company by an appropriate officer of the Company.
Terms defined in the Sales Agreement and not otherwise defined herein are used herein as therein defined. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, CMS Derks Star Busmann N.V. and Covington & Burling LLP are entitled to rely on
this certificate for the purpose of the legal opinions to be delivered in connection with the Sales Agreement referenced herein.
2
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, in such individual’s capacity as General Counsel of the Company, has executed this certificate on behalf of the Company on the date first written above.
By: | |
Name: Edward Sturchio | |
Title: General Counsel and Secretary |
I, Arnd Christ, Chief Financial Officer of Immatics N.V., do hereby certify on behalf of the Company that Edward Sturchio is on the date hereof, and has been at all times relevant to this certificate, the duly elected or appointed, qualified and acting General Counsel and Secretary, and the signature set forth above is his true and genuine signature.
By: | |
Name: Arnd Christ | |
Title: Chief Financial Officer |
Exhibit 4.2
Immatics N.V.
INDENTURE
Dated as of [___]
[___], as Trustee
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Article 1 | |
Definition and Incorporation by Reference | |
Section 1.01. Definitions | 1 |
Section 1.02. Other Definitions | 4 |
Section 1.03. Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act | 5 |
Section 1.04. Rules of Construction | 5 |
Article 2 | |
The Securities | |
Section 2.01. Issuable in Series | 5 |
Section 2.02. Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities | 5 |
Section 2.03. Execution and Authentication | 7 |
Section 2.04. Registrar and Paying Agent | 8 |
Section 2.05. Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust | 9 |
Section 2.06. Securityholder Lists | 9 |
Section 2.07. Exchange and Registration of Transfer | 9 |
Section 2.08. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities | 10 |
Section 2.09. Outstanding Securities | 11 |
Section 2.10. Treasury Securities | 11 |
Section 2.11. Temporary Securities | 11 |
Section 2.12. Cancellation | 11 |
Section 2.13. Defaulted Interest | 12 |
Section 2.14. Registered Global Securities | 12 |
Section 2.15. Computation of Interest | 13 |
Section 2.16. CUSIP and ISIN Numbers | 13 |
Article 3 | |
Redemption | |
Section 3.01. Notice to Trustee | 13 |
Section 3.02. Selection of Securities to Be Redeemed | 13 |
Section 3.03. Notice of Redemption | 13 |
Section 3.04. Effect of Notice of Redemption | 14 |
Section 3.05. Deposit of Redemption Price | 14 |
Section 3.06. Securities Redeemed in Part | 14 |
Article 4 | |
Covenants | |
Section 4.01. Payment of Principal and Interest | 14 |
Section 4.02. SEC Reports | 14 |
Section 4.03. Stay, Extension and Usury Laws | 14 |
ii
Section 4.04. Corporate Existence | 14 |
Section 4.05. Maintenance of Office or Agency | 15 |
Section 4.06. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust | 15 |
Section 4.07. Waiver of Certain Covenants | 16 |
Article 5 | |
Successors | |
Section 5.01. When Company May Merge, Etc | 16 |
Section 5.02. Successor Corporation Substituted | 16 |
Article 6 | |
Defaults and Remedies | |
Section 6.01. Events of Default | 17 |
Section 6.02. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment | 18 |
Section 6.03. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee | 19 |
Section 6.04. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim | 19 |
Section 6.05. Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities | 20 |
Section 6.06. Application of Money Collected | 20 |
Section 6.07. Limitation on Suits | 20 |
Section 6.08. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest | 21 |
Section 6.09. Restoration of Rights and Remedies | 21 |
Section 6.10. Rights and Remedies Cumulative | 21 |
Section 6.11. Delay or Omission Not Waiver | 21 |
Section 6.12. Control by Holders | 21 |
Section 6.13. Waiver of Past Defaults | 21 |
Section 6.14. Undertaking for Costs | 22 |
Article 7 | |
Trustee | |
Section 7.01. Duties of Trustee | 22 |
Section 7.02. Rights of Trustee | 23 |
Section 7.03. Individual Rights of Trustee | 24 |
Section 7.04. Trustee’s Disclaimer | 24 |
Section 7.05. Notice of Defaults | 24 |
Section 7.06. Reports by Trustee to Holders | 24 |
Section 7.07. Compensation and Indemnity | 24 |
Section 7.08. Replacement of Trustee | 25 |
Section 7.09. Successor Trustee by Merger, etc | 25 |
Section 7.10. Eligibility; Disqualification | 26 |
Section 7.11. Preferential Collection of Claims against Company | 26 |
Article 8 | |
Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance | |
Section 8.01. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture | 26 |
iii
Section 8.02. Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification | 27 |
Section 8.03. Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series | 27 |
Section 8.04. Covenant Defeasance | 28 |
Section 8.05. Repayment to Company | 29 |
Section 8.06. Effect of Subordination Provisions | 29 |
Article 9 | |
Amendments and Waivers | |
Section 9.01. Without Consent of Holders | 29 |
Section 9.02. With Consent of Holders | 30 |
Section 9.03. Limitations | 30 |
Section 9.04. Compliance with Trust Indenture Act | 31 |
Section 9.05. Revocation and Effect of Consents | 31 |
Section 9.06. Notation on or Exchange of Securities | 31 |
Section 9.07. Trustee Protected | 31 |
Article 10 | |
Subordination of Securities | |
Section 10.01. Agreement to Subordinate | 32 |
Article 11 | |
Miscellaneous | |
Section 11.01. Trust Indenture Act Controls | 32 |
Section 11.02. Notices | 32 |
Section 11.03. Communication by Holders with Other Holders | 33 |
Section 11.04. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent | 33 |
Section 11.05. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion | 33 |
Section 11.06. Rules by Trustee and Agents | 33 |
Section 11.07. Legal Holidays | 33 |
Section 11.08. No Recourse Against Others | 33 |
Section 11.09. Counterparts | 33 |
Section 11.10. Governing Laws; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial | 34 |
Section 11.11. No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements | 34 |
Section 11.12. Successors | 34 |
Section 11.13. Severability | 34 |
Section 11.14. Table of Contents, Headings, Etc | 34 |
Section 11.15. Securities in a Foreign Currency | 34 |
Section 11.16. Judgment Currency | 34 |
Section 11.17. Acts of Holders | 35 |
Section 11.18. Force Majeure | 36 |
Article 12 | |
Sinking Funds | |
Section 12.01. Applicability of Article | 36 |
iv
Section 12.02. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities | 36 |
Section 12.03. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund | 36 |
Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and Indenture, dated as of [___].
§ 310(a)(1) | 7.10 |
(a)(2) | 7.10 |
(a)(3) | Not Applicable |
(a)(4) | Not Applicable |
(a)(5) | 7.10 |
(b) | 7.10 |
§ 311(a) | 7.11 |
(b) | 7.11 |
§ 312(a) | 2.06 |
(b) | 11.03 |
(c) | 11.03 |
§ 313(a) | 7.06 |
(b)(1) | 7.06 |
(b)(2) | 7.06 |
(c) | 7.06 |
(d) | 7.06 |
§ 314(a) | 4.02, 4.03 |
(b) | Not Applicable |
(c)(1) | 11.04 |
(c)(2) | 11.04 |
(c)(3) | Not Applicable |
(d) | Not Applicable |
(e) | 11.05 |
(f) | Not Applicable |
§ 315(a) | 7.01 |
(b) | 7.05 |
(c) | 7.01 |
(d) | 7.01 |
(e) | 6.14 |
§ 316(a) | 2.10 |
(a)(1)(A) | 6.12 |
(a)(1)(B) | 6.13 |
(a)(2) | Not Applicable |
(b) | 6.08 |
(c) | 9.05 |
§ 317(a)(1) | 6.03 |
(a)(2) | 6.04 |
(b) | 2.05 |
§ 318(a) | 11.01 |
Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.
v
Indenture dated as of [___], between Immatics N.V., a naamloze vennootschap organized under the laws of the Netherlands (the “Company”), and [___] (the “Trustee”).
Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities issued under this Indenture.
Article
1
Definition and Incorporation by Reference
Section 1.01. Definitions.
“Additional Amounts” means any additional amounts which are required hereby or by any Security, under circumstances specified herein or therein, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.
“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person, directly or indirectly, controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
“Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent, co-agent, co-registrar or Service Agent.
“Authorized Newspaper” means a newspaper in an official language of the country of publication customarily published at least once a day for at least five days in each calendar week and of general circulation in the place in connection with which the term is used. If it shall be impractical in the opinion of the Trustee to make any publication of any notice required hereby in an Authorized Newspaper, any publication or other notice in lieu thereof that is made or given by the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient publication of such notice.
“Bearer” means anyone in possession from time to time of a Bearer Security.
“Bearer Global Security” or “Bearer Global Securities” means a Bearer Security or Securities, as the case may be, in the form established pursuant to Section 2.02 evidencing all or part of a Series of Bearer Securities, deposited with a common depositary for Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System and/or Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, Luxembourg.
“Bearer Security” means any Security, including any interest coupon appertaining thereto, that does not provide for the identification of the Holder thereof.
“Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee thereof.
“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been adopted by the Board of Directors or pursuant to authorization by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of the certificate and delivered to the Trustee.
“Business Day” means, unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series, each day which is not a Legal Holiday.
“Capital Stock” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including any Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.
“Company” means the party named as such above until a successor replaces it and thereafter means the successor.
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“Company Order” means a written order signed in the name of the Company by two Officers, one of whom must be the Company’s principal executive officer, executive vice president, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or general counsel.
“Company Request” means a written request signed in the name of the Company by its Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel, President, any Executive or other Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, any Assistant Treasurer or any Assistant Secretary, and delivered to the Trustee.
“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business relating to this Indenture shall be principally administered, which as of the date of this Indenture shall be located at:
[___].
“Debt” of any Person as of any date means, without duplication, all indebtedness of such Person in respect of borrowed money, including all interest, fees and expenses owed in respect thereto (whether or not the recourse of the lender is to the whole of the assets of such Person or only to a portion thereof), or evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments.
“Default” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time would be, an Event of Default.
“Depositary” means, with respect to the Securities of any Series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Registered Global Securities, the Person designated as Depositary for such Series by the Company, which Depositary shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act; and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Securities of such Series.
“Discount Security” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the stated principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.02.
“Dollars” means the currency of the United States of America.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Foreign Currency” means any currency or currency unit issued by a government other than the government of the United States of America.
“Foreign Government Obligations” means with respect to Securities of any Series that are denominated in a Foreign Currency, (i) direct obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by or acting as an agency or instrumentality of such government the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by such government, which, in either case under clauses (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.
“Holder” or “Securityholder” means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Register or the holder of a Bearer Security.
“Indenture” means this Indenture as originally executed and delivered and as supplemented or amended from time to time and shall include the form and terms of particular Series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.
“interest” with respect to any Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.
“Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security or installment of principal thereof, means the date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein
2
provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise.
“Officer” means the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel, President, any Executive or other Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, any Assistant Treasurer or any Assistant Secretary of the Company.
“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by two Officers, one of whom must be the Company’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of legal counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company or the Trustee.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, limited liability company, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
“Place of Payment,” when used with respect to the Securities of any Series, means the place or places specified in accordance with Section 2.02 where the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of that Series are payable, or if not so specified, in accordance with Section 4.05.
“Preferred Stock,” as applied to the Capital Stock of any Person, means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) that is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Person, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Person.
“principal” of a Security means the principal of the Security plus, when appropriate, the premium, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, the Security.
“Registered Global Security” or “Registered Global Securities” means a Security or Securities, as the case may be, in the form established pursuant to Section 2.02 evidencing all or part of a Series of Securities, issued to the Depositary for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depositary or nominee.
“Registered Securities” means any Security registered on the Register of the Company.
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities” means the debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company of any Series authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as in effect from time to time.
“Senior Debt” means the principal of, premium, if any, unpaid interest, and all fees and other amounts payable in connection with the following, whether outstanding on the date hereof or thereafter created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed, on (x) the Debt of the Company, for money borrowed other than (a) any Debt of the Company which when incurred and without respect to any election under Section 1111(b) of the Federal Bankruptcy Code, was without recourse to the Company, (b) any Debt of the Company to any of its Subsidiaries, (c) Debt to any employee of the Company, (d) any liability for taxes and (e) Trade Payables, unless the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding provides that such Debt is not senior or prior in right of payment to the Securities, (y) all obligations of the Company under interest rate, currency and commodity swaps, caps, floors, collars, hedge arrangements, forward contracts or similar agreements or arrangements and (z) renewals, extensions, modifications and refundings of any such Debt. This definition may be modified or superseded by a supplemental indenture.
“Senior Securities” means Securities other than Subordinated Securities.
3
“Series” or “Series of Securities” means each series of debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company created pursuant to Sections 2.01 and 2.02 hereof.
“Stated Maturity” when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable (without regard for any provisions for acceleration, redemption prepayment or otherwise).
“Subordinated Securities” means Securities that by the terms established pursuant to Section 2.02(i) are subordinated in right of payment to Senior Debt of the Company.
“Subordination Provisions,” when used with respect to the Subordinated Securities of any Series, shall have the meaning established pursuant to Section 2.02(i) with respect to the Subordinated Securities of such Series.
“Subsidiary” of any Person means any corporation, association, partnership or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.
“TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S. Code §§ 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of this Indenture; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “TIA” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as so amended.
“Trade Payables” means accounts payable or any other Debt or monetary obligations to trade creditors created or assumed by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in the ordinary course of business in connection with the receipt of materials or services.
“Trust Officer” means any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee with direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.
“Trustee” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that Series.
“U.S. Government Obligations” means direct obligations (or certificates representing an ownership interest in such obligations) of the United States of America (including any agency or instrumentality thereof) for the payment of which the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged and which are not callable or redeemable at the issuer’s option.
Section 1.02. Other Definitions.
Term |
Defined in Section |
“Bankruptcy Law” | 6.01 |
“Custodian” | 6.01 |
“Event of Default” | 6.01 |
“Judgment Currency” | 11.16 |
“Legal Holiday” | 11.07 |
“mandatory sinking fund payment” | 12.01 |
“Market Exchange Rate” | 11.15 |
“New York Banking Day” | 11.16 |
“optional sinking fund payment” | 12.01 |
“Paying Agent” | 2.04 |
“Register” | 2.04 |
4
“Registrar” | 2.04 |
“Required Currency” | 11.16 |
“Service Agent” | 2.04 |
“successor person” | 5.01 |
Section 1.03. Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act. Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:
“Commission” means the SEC.
“indenture securities” means the Securities.
“indenture security holder” means a Securityholder.
“indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture.
“indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee.
“obligor” on the indenture securities means the Company and any successor obligor upon the Securities.
All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA and not otherwise defined herein are used herein as so defined.
Section 1.04. Rules of Construction. Unless the context otherwise requires:
(i) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(ii) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
(iii) references to “generally accepted accounting principles” shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in effect as of the time when and for the period as to which such accounting principles are to be applied;
(iv) “or” is not exclusive; and
(v) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular.
Article
2
The Securities
Section 2.01. Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more Series. All Securities of a Series shall be identical except as may be set forth in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to the authority granted under a Board Resolution. In the case of Securities of a Series to be issued from time to time, the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture may provide for the method by which specified terms (such as interest rate, maturity date, record date or date from which interest shall accrue) are to be determined. Securities may differ between Series in respect of any matters, provided that all Series of Securities shall be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
Section 2.02. Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities. At or prior to the issuance of any Securities within a Series, the following shall be established (as to the Series generally, in the case of Subsection 2.02(a) and either as to such Securities within the Series or as to the Series generally in the case of Subsections 2.02(b) through 2.02(x)) by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution:
5
(a) the title and designation of the Securities of the Series, which shall distinguish the Securities of the Series from the Securities of all other Series, and which may be part of a Series of Securities previously issued;
(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the Series that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of, transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the Series pursuant to Section 2.07, 2.08, 2.11, 3.06 or 9.06);
(c) if other than Dollars, the Foreign Currency or Foreign Currencies in which the Securities of the Series are denominated;
(d) the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the Series is payable or the method of determination thereof;
(e) the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) at which the Securities of the Series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, on which such interest shall be payable, the terms and conditions of any deferral of interest and the additional interest, if any, thereon, the right, if any, of the Company to extend the interest payment periods and the duration of the extensions and (in the case of Registered Securities) the date or dates on which a record shall be taken for the determination of Holders to whom interest is payable and/or the method by which such rate or rates or date or dates shall be determined;
(f) the place or places where and the manner in which, the principal of and any interest on Securities of the Series shall be payable;
(g) the right, if any, of the Company to redeem Securities, in whole or in part, at its option and the period or periods within which, or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which and any terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series may be so redeemed, pursuant to any sinking fund or otherwise;
(h) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, purchase or repay Securities of the Series pursuant to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the price or prices at which and the period or periods within which or the date or dates on which, and any terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series shall be redeemed, purchased or repaid, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;
(i) if the Securities of such Series are Subordinated Securities, the terms pursuant to which the Securities of such Series will be made subordinate in right of payment to Senior Debt and the definition of such Senior Debt with respect to such Series (in the absence of an express statement to the effect that the Securities of such Series are subordinate in right of payment to all such Senior Debt, the Securities of such Series shall not be subordinate to Senior Debt and shall not constitute Subordinated Securities); and, in the event that the Securities of such Series are Subordinated Securities, such Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture, as the case may be, establishing the terms of such Series shall expressly state which articles, sections or other provisions thereof constitute the “Subordination Provisions” with respect to the Securities of such Series;
(j) if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof in the case of Registered Securities, or $1,000 and $5,000 in the case of Bearer Securities, the denominations in which Securities of the Series shall be issuable;
(k) the percentage of the principal amount at which the Securities will be issued, and, if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of Securities of the Series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof and the terms and conditions of any acceleration;
(l) if other than the coin, currency or currencies in which the Securities of the Series are denominated, the coin, currency or currencies in which payment of the principal of or interest on the Securities of such Series shall be payable, including composite currencies or currency units;
6
(m) if the principal of or interest on the Securities of the Series are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof, in a coin or currency other than that in which the Securities are denominated, the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made;
(n) if the amount of payments of principal of and interest on the Securities of the Series may be determined with reference to an index or formula based on a coin, currency, composite currency or currency unit other than that in which the Securities of the Series are denominated, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;
(o) whether the Securities of the Series will be issuable as Registered Securities (and if so, whether such Securities will be issuable as Registered Global Securities) or Bearer Securities, with or without interest coupons appertaining thereto (and if so, whether such Securities will be issuable as Bearer Global Securities), or any combination of the foregoing, any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of Bearer Securities or the payment of interest thereon and the terms upon which Bearer Securities of any Series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such Series and vice versa;
(p) whether and under what circumstances the Company will pay additional amounts on the Securities of the Series held by a person who is not a U.S. person in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge withheld or deducted and, if so, whether the Company will have the option to redeem the Securities of the Series rather than pay such additional amounts;
(q) if the Securities of the Series are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security of such Series) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;
(r) any trustees, depositaries, authenticating or paying agents, transfer agents or registrars of any other agents with respect to the Securities of such Series;
(s) any deletion from, modification of or addition to the Events of Default or covenants with respect to the Securities of such Series, including, if applicable, covenants affording Holders of debt protection with respect to the Company’s operations, financial conditions and transactions involving the Company;
(t) if the Securities of the Series are to be convertible into or exchangeable for any other security or property of the Company, including, without limitation, securities of another Person held by the Company or its Affiliates and, if so, the terms thereof, including conversion or exchange prices or rate and adjustments thereto;
(u) the price or prices at which the Securities will be issued;
(v) any provisions for remarketing;
(w) the terms applicable to any Securities issued at a discount from their stated principal amount; and
(x) any other terms of the Series.
All Securities of any one Series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate referred to above, and the authorized principal amount of any Series may not be increased to provide for issuances of additional Securities of such Series, unless otherwise provided in such Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate.
Section 2.03. Execution and Authentication. One or more Officers shall sign the Securities for the Company by manual or facsimile signature.
If an Officer whose signature is on a Security no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security shall be valid nevertheless so long as such individual was an Officer at the time of execution of the Security.
7
A Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Indenture.
The Trustee shall at any time, and from time to time, authenticate Securities for original issue in the principal amount provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate, upon receipt by the Trustee of a Company Order. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication unless otherwise provided by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate.
The aggregate principal amount of Securities of any Series outstanding at any time may not exceed any limit upon the maximum principal amount for such Series set forth in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.02, except as provided in Section 2.08.
Prior to the issuance of Securities of any Series, the Trustee shall have received and (subject to Section 7.02) shall be fully protected in relying on: (a) the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate establishing the form of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series and the terms of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series, (b) an Officers’ Certificate complying with Section 11.04, and (c) an Opinion of Counsel complying with Section 11.04.
The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Securities of such Series: (a) if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken; or (b) if the Trustee in good faith shall determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to Holders of any then outstanding Series of Securities.
The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent reasonably acceptable to the Company to authenticate the Securities. Any such appointment shall be evidenced by an instrument signed by a Trust Officer, a copy of which shall be furnished to the Company. Unless limited by the terms of such appointment, an authenticating agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or an Affiliate.
Section 2.04. Registrar and Paying Agent. The Company shall maintain, with respect to each Series of Securities, at the place or places specified with respect to such Series pursuant to Section 2.02, an office or agency where Securities of such Series may be presented or surrendered for payment (“Paying Agent”), where Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange (“Registrar”) and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be served (“Service Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register with respect to each Series of Registered Securities (the “Register”) and to their transfer and exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the name and address, and any change in the name or address, of each Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the name and address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands; provided that the Corporate Trust Office shall not be an office or agency of the Company for the purpose of effecting service of legal process on the Company.
The Company may also from time to time designate one or more co-registrars, additional paying agents or additional service agents and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligations to maintain a Registrar, Paying Agent and Service Agent in each place so specified pursuant to Section 2.02 for Securities of any Series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the name or address of any such co-registrar, additional paying agent or additional service agent. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar; the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent; and the term “Service Agent” includes any additional service agent.
The Company hereby appoints the Trustee as the initial Registrar, Paying Agent and Service Agent for each Series unless another Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent, as the case may be, is appointed prior to the time Securities of that Series are first issued. The Company or any of its domestically organized Subsidiaries may act as
8
Paying Agent, Registrar or Service Agent. So long as the Trustee is the Service Agent, no service of legal process on the Company may be made on the Service Agent.
The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee under this Indenture including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each Agent acting hereunder.
The Company shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement with any Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent not a party to this Indenture, which shall incorporate the terms of the TIA. The agreement shall implement the provisions of this Indenture that relate to such agent. The Company shall notify the Trustee of the name and address of any such agent.
The Company may remove any Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent for any Series of Securities upon written notice to such Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent and to the Trustee; provided, however, that no such removal shall become effective until (1) acceptance of an appointment by a successor as evidenced by an appropriate agreement entered into by the Company and such successor Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent, as the case may be, and delivered to the Trustee or (2) notification to the Trustee that the Trustee shall serve as Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent, as the case may be, until the appointment of a successor in accordance with clause (1) above. The Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent may resign at any time upon written notice; provided, however, that the Trustee may resign as Paying Agent, Registrar or Service Agent only if the Trustee also resigns as Trustee in accordance with Section 7.08. Upon any Event of Default under Section 6.01(e) or Section 6.01(f), the Trustee shall automatically be the Paying Agent.
Section 2.05. Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust. Prior to each due date of the principal and interest on any Series of Securities, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent (or if the Company or a Subsidiary is acting as Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto) a sum sufficient to pay such principal and interest when so becoming due. The Company shall require each Paying Agent (other than the Trustee) to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust, for the benefit of Securityholders of any Series of Securities, or the Trustee, all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of or interest on the Series of Securities, and shall notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment. While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a Subsidiary) shall have no further liability for the money. If the Company or a Subsidiary acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of Securityholders of any Series of Securities all money held by it as Paying Agent.
Section 2.06. Securityholder Lists. The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities and shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish, or cause the Registrar to furnish, to the Trustee at least five Business Days before each interest payment date, but in any event not less frequently than semi-annually, and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list, in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities.
Section 2.07. Exchange and Registration of Transfer. The Company shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office the Register in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Securities of a Series and of transfers of Securities of such Series. The Register shall be in written form or in any form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonably prompt period of time.
Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of a Series to the Registrar or any co-registrar, and satisfaction of the requirements for such transfer set forth in this Section 2.07, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Security of the same Series of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and bearing such restrictive legends as may be required by this Indenture.
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Securities of a Series may be exchanged for other Securities of the same Series of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any such office or agency maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 4.05. Whenever any Securities of a Series are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities of the same Series that the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive bearing registration numbers not contemporaneously outstanding.
All Securities of a Series issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities of the same Series shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities of the same Series surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.
All Securities of a Series presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Company or the Registrar) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company, and the Securities of such Series shall be duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.
No service charge shall be made to any holder for any registration of, transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment by the holder of a sum sufficient to cover any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of such Securities (other than any such transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable upon exchanges pursuant to Sections 2.11, 3.06 or 9.06).
Neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any Registrar shall be required to exchange, issue or register a transfer of (a) Securities of any Series for a period of fifteen calendar days next preceding date of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of that Series selected for redemption, or (b) Securities of any Series or portions thereof called for redemption, except for the unredeemed portion of any Securities of that Series being redeemed in part.
Section 2.08. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If a mutilated Security is surrendered to the Registrar or if the Securityholder of a Security claims that the Security has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver a replacement Security of the same Series if the requirements of Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code are met, such that the Securityholder (a) satisfies the Company or the Trustee within a reasonable time after he has notice of such loss, destruction or wrongful taking and the Registrar does not register a transfer prior to receiving such notification, (b) makes such request to the Company or the Trustee prior to the Security being acquired by a protected purchaser as defined in Section 8-303 of the Uniform Commercial Code (a “protected purchaser”) and (c) satisfies any other reasonable requirements of the Company or the Trustee. If required by the Trustee or the Company, such Securityholder shall furnish an indemnity bond sufficient in the judgment of the Trustee to protect the Trustee and any Agent and in the judgment of the Company to protect the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent and the Registrar from any loss that any of them may suffer if a Security is replaced. The Company and the Trustee may charge the Securityholder for their expenses in replacing a Security. In case any Security which has matured or is about to mature or has been called for redemption, shall become mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company may, instead of issuing a substitute Security, pay or authorize the payment of (without surrender thereof except in the case of a mutilated Security), as the case may be, if the applicant for such payment or conversion shall furnish to the Company, to the Trustee and, if applicable, to such authenticating agent such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless for any loss, liability, cost or expense caused by or in connection with such substitution, and, in every case of destruction, loss or theft, the applicant shall also furnish to the Company, the Trustee and, if applicable, any Paying Agent evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of such Securities and of the ownership thereof.
Every replacement Security of any Series issued pursuant to this Section is an additional obligation of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities of the same Series replaced.
The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.
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Section 2.09. Outstanding Securities. The Securities outstanding at any time are all the Securities authenticated by the Trustee except for those cancelled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest on a Registered Global Security effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof and those described in this Section as not outstanding. A Security does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate holds the Security.
If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.08, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee and the Company receive proof satisfactory to them that the replaced Security is held by a protected purchaser.
If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate of any thereof) holds on the Maturity of Securities of a Series money sufficient to pay such Securities (or portions thereof) payable on that date, and the Paying Agent is not prohibited from paying such money to the Securityholders of such Series on that date pursuant to the terms of the Indenture, then on and after that date such Securities of the Series (or portions thereof) cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.
In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of a Discount Security that shall be deemed to be outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.02.
Section 2.10. Treasury Securities. In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Securities of a Series have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Securities of a Series owned by the Company, any other obligor upon the Securities or an Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent only Securities of a Series that the Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or any other obligor on the Securities. In case of a dispute as to such right, the advice of counsel shall be full protection in respect of any decision made by the Trustee in accordance with such advice. Upon written request of the Trustee, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee promptly an Officers’ Certificate listing and identifying all Securities, if any, known by the Company to be owned or held by or for the account of any of the above-described persons; and, subject to Sections 7.01 and 7.02, the Trustee shall be entitled to accept such Officers’ Certificate as conclusive evidence of the facts therein set forth and of the fact that all Securities not listed therein are outstanding for the purpose of any such determination.
Section 2.11. Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of Securities in certificated form, the Company may execute and the Trustee or an authenticating agent appointed by the Trustee shall, upon a Company Order, authenticate and deliver temporary Securities (printed, lithographed, typewritten, photocopied or otherwise produced). Temporary Securities shall be issuable in any authorized denomination, and substantially in the form of the Securities in certificated form, but with such omissions, insertions and variations as may be appropriate for temporary Securities, all as may be determined by the Company. Every such temporary Security shall be executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee or such authenticating agent upon the same conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with the same effect, as the Securities in certificated form. Without unreasonable delay, the Company will execute and deliver to the Trustee or such authenticating agent Securities of the same Series in certificated form and thereupon any or all temporary Securities may be surrendered in exchange therefor, at each office or agency maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 4.06 and the Trustee or such authenticating agent shall authenticate and make available for delivery in exchange for such temporary Securities an equal aggregate principal amount of Securities of the same Series in certificated form. Such exchange shall be made by the Company at its own expense and without any charge therefor. Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits and subject to the same limitations under this Indenture as Securities of the same Series in certificated form authenticated and delivered hereunder.
Section 2.12. Cancellation. The Company at any time may deliver Securities to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee and no one else shall cancel all Securities surrendered for
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registration of transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and dispose of such cancelled Securities in accordance with its customary procedure. The Company may not issue new Securities to replace Securities that it has paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation. The Trustee shall not authenticate Securities in place of cancelled Securities other than pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.
Section 2.13. Defaulted Interest. If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on a Series of Securities, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus, to the extent permitted by law, any interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the Persons who are Securityholders of the Series on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix or cause to be fixed any such special record date and payment date to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee and shall promptly mail or cause to be mailed or deliver by electronic transmission to each Securityholder of the Series a notice that states the special record date, the payment date and the amount of defaulted interest to be paid. The Company may pay defaulted interest in any lawful manner.
Section 2.14. Registered Global Securities.
(a) Terms of Securities. A Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate shall establish whether the Securities of a Series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Registered Global Securities and the Depositary for such Registered Global Security or Securities.
(b) Transfer and Exchange. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in Section 2.07 of the Indenture and in addition thereto, any Registered Global Security shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 2.07 of the Indenture for Securities registered in the names of Holders other than the Depositary for such Security or its nominee only if (i) such Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Registered Global Security or if at any time such Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor Depositary within 90 days of such event or (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate to the effect that such Registered Global Security shall be so exchangeable. Any Registered Global Security that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for Securities registered in such names as the Depositary shall direct in writing in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Registered Global Security with like tenor and terms.
Except as provided in this Section 2.14(b), a Registered Global Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary with respect to such Registered Global Security to a nominee of such Depositary, by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such a successor Depositary.
(c) Legend. Any Registered Global Security issued hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
“This Security is a Registered Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary. This Security is exchangeable for Securities registered in the name of a Person other than the Depositary or its nominee only in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture, and may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary, by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such a successor Depositary.”
(d) Acts of Holders. The Depositary, as a Holder, may appoint agents and otherwise authorize participants to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which a Holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture.
(e) Payments. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Indenture, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.02, payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on any Registered Global Security shall be made to the Holder thereof.
(f) Consents, Declaration and Directions. Except as provided in Section 2.14(d), the Company, the Trustee and any Agent shall treat a Person as the Holder of such principal amount of outstanding Securities of such
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Series represented by a Registered Global Security as shall be specified in a written statement of the Depositary with respect to such Registered Global Security, for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions required to be given by the Holders pursuant to this Indenture.
Section 2.15. Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.02 for Securities of any Series, interest on the Securities of each Series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
Section 2.16. CUSIP and ISIN Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” and “ISIN” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other elements of identification printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any changes to the CUSIP and ISIN numbers.
Article
3
Redemption
Section 3.01. Notice to Trustee. The Company may, with respect to any Series of Securities, reserve the right to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or may covenant to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or any part thereof prior to the Stated Maturity thereof at such time and on such terms as provided for in such Securities. If a Series of Securities is redeemable and the Company wants or is obligated to redeem prior to the Stated Maturity thereof all or part of the Series of Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, it shall notify the Trustee in writing of the redemption date and the principal amount of Series of Securities to be redeemed. The Company shall give the notice at least 35 calendar days before the redemption date (or such shorter notice as may be acceptable to the Trustee).
Section 3.02. Selection of Securities to Be Redeemed. Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate, if less than all the Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select the Securities of the Series to be redeemed in any manner that the Trustee deems fair and appropriate. The Trustee shall make the selection from Securities of the Series outstanding not previously called for redemption. The Trustee may select for redemption portions of the principal of Securities of the Series that have denominations larger than $1,000. Securities of the Series and portions of them it selects shall be in amounts of $1,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 or, with respect to Securities of any Series issuable in other denominations pursuant to Section 2.02(j), the minimum principal denomination for each Series and integral multiples thereof. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Securities of a Series called for redemption also apply to portions of Securities of that Series called for redemption.
Section 3.03. Notice of Redemption. Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Company shall provide a notice of redemption by electronic transmission or first-class mail to each Holder whose Securities are to be redeemed and if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish on one occasion a notice in an Authorized Newspaper.
The notice shall identify the Securities of the Series to be redeemed and shall state:
(a) the redemption date;
(b) the redemption price, or if not then ascertainable, the manner of calculation thereof;
(c) the name and address of the Paying Agent;
(d) if less than all Securities of any Series are to be redeemed, the identification of the particular Securities to be redeemed and the portion of the principal amount of any Security to be redeemed in part;
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(e) that Securities of the Series called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;
(f) that interest on Securities of the Series called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date;
(g) the nature of any conditions precedent to the Company’s obligation to redeem the Securities on the redemption date; and
(h) any other information as may be required by the terms of the particular Series or the Securities of a Series being redeemed.
At the Company’s written request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at the Company’s expense and provided that the form and content of such notice shall be prepared by the Company.
Section 3.04. Effect of Notice of Redemption. Once notice of redemption is transmitted, mailed or published as provided in Section 3.03, Securities of a Series called for redemption become due and payable on the redemption date and at the redemption price. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent, such Securities shall be paid at the redemption price plus accrued interest to, but excluding, the redemption date.
Section 3.05. Deposit of Redemption Price. On or before the redemption date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest, if any, on all Securities to be redeemed on that date.
Section 3.06. Securities Redeemed in Part. Upon surrender of a Security that is redeemed in part, the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder a new Security of the same Series and the same maturity equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Security surrendered.
Article
4
Covenants
Section 4.01. Payment of Principal and Interest. The Company shall duly and punctually pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of that Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture.
Section 4.02. SEC Reports. The Company shall furnish to the Trustee within 15 days after the filing by the Company with the SEC copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents, and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company is required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. The Company also shall comply with the other provisions of TIA § 314(a). The Company will be deemed to have furnished such reports referred to in this Section to the Trustee if the Company has filed such reports with the SEC via the EDGAR filing system (or any successor thereto) and such reports are publicly available.
Section 4.03. Stay, Extension and Usury Laws. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture or the Securities; and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.
Section 4.04. Corporate Existence. Subject to Article 5, the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence and the rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises of the Company; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise, if the Board of Directors shall determine that the preservation thereof is
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no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole and that the loss thereof is not adverse in any material respect to the Holders.
Section 4.05. Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company will maintain an office or agency in the United States, where the Securities of a Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange or for presentation for payment and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of a Series and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency not designated or appointed by the Trustee. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office.
The Company may also from time to time designate co-registrars and one or more offices or agencies where the Securities of a Series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.
Section 4.06. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to the Securities of any Series, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on any of such Securities, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay the principal and premium or interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of any failure by the Company (or any other obligor of such Securities) to make any payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Securities.
Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for the Securities of any Series, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Securities, deposit with such Paying Agents sums sufficient (without duplication) to pay the principal and premium or interest so becoming due, such sums to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal, premium or interest, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of any failure by it so to act.
The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for the Securities of any Series, other than the Company or the Trustee, to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:
(i) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Securities in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided;
(ii) give the Trustee notice of any failure by the Company (or any other obligor upon such Securities) to make any payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Securities; and
(iii) at any time during the continuance of any such failure, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent and furnish to the Trustee such information as it possesses regarding the names and addresses of the Persons entitled to such sums.
The Company may at any time pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent and, if so stated in a Company Order delivered to the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of Article 8; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.
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Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal and premium, if any, or interest, if any, has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on request of the Company, or, if then held by the Company, shall be discharged from such trust; and, upon such payment or discharge, the Holder of such Security shall, as an unsecured general creditor and not as the Holder of an outstanding Security, look only to the Company for payment of the amount so due and payable and remaining unpaid, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such payment to the Company, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once a week for two successive weeks, in each case on any day of the week, in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be paid to the Company.
Section 4.07. Waiver of Certain Covenants. Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.02 for Securities of such Series, the Company may, with respect to the Securities of any Series, omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in any covenant provided herein or pursuant to Section 2.02(s) or Section 9.01(c) for the benefit of the Holders of such Series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least 50% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series shall, by an Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such wavier shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.
Article
5
Successors
Section 5.01. When Company May Merge, Etc. The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets to, any Person (a “successor person”), and may not permit any Person to merge into, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to, the Company, unless:
(a) either the Company shall be the continuing corporation or the successor person (if other than the Company) is a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity organized and validly existing under the laws of the Netherlands, the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia and expressly assumes the Company’s obligations on the Securities and under this Indenture; and
(b) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default or Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing.
The Company shall deliver to the Trustee prior to the consummation of the proposed transaction an Officers’ Certificate to the foregoing effect and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the proposed transaction and such supplemental indenture comply with this Indenture.
Section 5.02. Successor Corporation Substituted. The successor person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which such transfer or lease is made shall succeed to and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor person had been named as the Company herein, and thereafter (except in the case of a lease to another Person) the predecessor corporation shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under the Indenture and the Securities and, in the event of such conveyance or transfer, any such predecessor corporation may be dissolved and liquidated.
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Article
6
Defaults and Remedies
Section 6.01. Events of Default.
“Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any Series, means any one of the following events, unless in the establishing Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate, it is provided that such Series shall not have the benefit of said Event of Default:
(a) a default in the payment of any interest on any Security of that Series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of such payment is deposited by the Company with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent prior to the expiration of such period of 30 days); provided that, a valid extension of an interest payment period by the Company in accordance with the terms of such Securities shall not constitute a failure to pay interest; or
(b) a default in the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, on, any Security of that Series when due at its Maturity; or
(c) a default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as due in respect of any Security of that Series; or
(d) a default, subject to the provisions in Section 4.07, in the performance or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty that has been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of Series of Securities other than that Series), which default continues uncured for a period of 90 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or
(e) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:
(i) commences a voluntary case,
(ii) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,
(iii) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property,
(iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or
(v) generally is unable to pay its debts as the same become due; or
(f) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:
(i) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case,
(ii) appoints a Custodian of the Company for all or substantially all of its property, or
(iii) orders the liquidation of the Company, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or
(g) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that Series, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, in accordance with Section 2.02(s).
The term “Bankruptcy Law” means title 11, U.S. Code or any similar applicable Dutch, German, Federal or State law for the relief of debtors. The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
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Section 6.02. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default described in Section 6.01(a), (b) or (c) occurs and is continuing, then, and in each and every such case, except for any series of Securities the principal of which shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of each such affected series then outstanding hereunder (each such series voting as a separate class) by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Securityholders), may declare the entire principal (or, if the Securities of such series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) of all Securities of such series, and the interest accrued thereon, if any, to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration, the same shall become immediately due and payable.
Except as otherwise provided in the terms of any series of Senior Securities pursuant to Section 2.02, if an Event of Default described in Section 6.01(d) or (g) above with respect to all series of the Senior Securities then outstanding, occurs and is continuing, then, and in each and every such case, unless the principal of all of the Senior Securities shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of all of the Senior Securities then outstanding hereunder (treated as one class) by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Securityholders), may declare the entire principal (or, if the Senior Securities of any series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) of all of the Senior Securities then outstanding, and the interest accrued thereon, if any, to be due and payable immediately, and upon such declaration, the same shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default described in Section 6.01(e) or 6.01(f) above occurs and is continuing, then the principal amount of all the Senior Securities then outstanding, and the interest accrued thereon, if any, shall become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.
Except as otherwise provided in the terms of any series of Subordinated Securities pursuant to Section 2.02,, if an Event of Default described in Section 6.01(d) or (g) above with respect to all series of Subordinated Securities then outstanding, occurs and is continuing, then, and in each and every such case, unless the principal of all of the Subordinated Securities shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of all of the Subordinated Securities then outstanding hereunder (treated as one class) by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Securityholders), may declare the entire principal (or, if the Subordinated Securities of any series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) of all of the Subordinated Securities then outstanding, and the interest accrued thereon, if any, to be due and payable immediately, and upon such declaration, the same shall become immediately due and payable.
If an Event of Default described in Section 6.01(d) or (g) occurs and is continuing, which Event of Default is with respect to less than all series of Senior Securities then outstanding, then, and in each and every such case, except for any series of Senior Securities the principal of which shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Senior Securities of each such affected series then outstanding hereunder (each such series voting as a separate class) by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Securityholders), may declare the entire principal (or, if the Securities of such series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) of all Securities of such series, and the interest accrued thereon, if any, to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration, the same shall become immediately due and payable.
If an Event of Default described in Section 6.01(d) or (g) occurs and is continuing, which Event of Default is with respect to less than all series of Subordinated Securities then outstanding, then, and in each and every such case, except for any series of Subordinated Securities the principal of which shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Subordinated Securities of each such affected series then outstanding hereunder (each such series voting as a separate class) by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Securityholders), may declare the entire principal (or, if the Securities of such series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) of all Securities of such series, and the interest accrued thereon, if any, to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration, the same shall become immediately due and payable.
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If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(e) or (f) shall occur, the principal amount (or specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding Securities shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.
At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to any Series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if:
(a) the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay
(i) all overdue interest, if any, on all Securities of that Series;
(ii) the principal of any Securities of that Series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities;
(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon any overdue principal and overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities;
(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel; and
(v) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that Series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of that Series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 6.13.
No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 6.03. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if
(a) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or
(b) default is made in the payment of principal of any Security when due at the Maturity thereof, or
(c) default is made in the deposit of any sinking fund payment when and as due by the terms of a Security, then, the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal or any overdue interest, at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.
If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or deemed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.
If an Event of Default with respect to any Securities of any Series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such Series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.
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Section 6.04. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,
(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and
(b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same,
and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.
Section 6.05. Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.
Section 6.06. Application of Money Collected. Any money or property collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money or property on account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:
First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07; and
Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and interest on the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest, respectively; and
Third: To the Company.
Section 6.07. Limitation on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any Series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless
(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of an Event of Default and the continuance thereof with respect to the Securities of that Series;
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(b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;
(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against the expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;
(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and
(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series;
it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.
Section 6.08. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on such Security on the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.
Section 6.09. Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
Section 6.10. Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in Section 2.08, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
Section 6.11. Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.
Section 6.12. Control by Holders. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that
(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture,
(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and
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(c) subject to the provisions of Section 6.01, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Trust Officer of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability.
Section 6.13. Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such Series waive any past Default hereunder with respect to such Series and its consequences, except a Default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security of such Series (provided, however, that the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration). Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 6.14. Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Company, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security on or after the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date).
Article
7
Trustee
Section 7.01. Duties of Trustee. (a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent Person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such Person’s own affairs.
(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:
(i) the Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no other implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and
(ii) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; however, the Trustee shall examine such certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.
(c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) this paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (a) of this Section;
(ii) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Trust Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and
(iii) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take with respect to Securities of any Series in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series.
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(d) Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraph (a), (b), (c) and (g) of this Section.
(e) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company.
(f) Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
(g) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk is not reasonably assured to it.
(h) Every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section and to the provisions of the TIA.
Section 7.02. Rights of Trustee. (a) The Trustee may rely on any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.
(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on the Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.
(c) The Trustee may act through agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care.
(d) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers.
(e) The Trustee may consult with counsel, and the advice or opinion of counsel with respect to legal matters relating to this Indenture and the Securities shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect to any action taken, omitted or suffered by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel.
(f) The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, approval, bond, debenture, note or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.
(g) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request, order or direction of any of the Securityholders pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, unless such Securityholders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses, losses and liabilities which may be incurred therein or thereby.
(h) The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its rights to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and to each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.
(i) The Trustee may request that the Company deliver an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture, which Officers’ Certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an Officers’ Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded.
(j) The permissive rights of the Trustee enumerated herein shall not be construed as duties.
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(i) Delivery of reports, information and documents to the Trustee under Section 4.02 is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of the foregoing shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates).
(ii) Notwithstanding anything in this Indenture to the contrary, neither the Trustee nor any Agent shall be responsible or liable to any person for any indirect, special, punitive or consequential damage or loss (including but not limited to lost profits) whatsoever, even if the Trustee has been informed of the likelihood thereof and regardless of the form of action.
Section 7.03. Individual Rights of Trustee. The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company or an Affiliate with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11.
Section 7.04. Trustee’s Disclaimer. The Trustee shall not be responsible and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities, it shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the Securities, and it shall not be responsible for any statement in the Securities or in any document issued in connection with the sale of the Securities or in the Securities other than its certificate of authentication.
Section 7.05. Notice of Defaults. If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any Series and if it is known to a Trust Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall send to each Securityholder of the Securities of that Series and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish on one occasion in an Authorized Newspaper, notice of a Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs or 30 days after it is known to a Trust Officer or written notice of it is received by the Trustee. Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal, premium, if any, of or interest on any Security of any Series or in payment of any redemption obligation, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as its corporate trust committee or a committee of its Trust Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of Securityholders of that Series.
Section 7.06. Reports by Trustee to Holders. As promptly as practicable after each May 15 beginning with [____], and in any event prior to July 15 in each year, the Trustee shall transmit by mail or by electronic transmission to all Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear on the register kept by the Registrar and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish in an Authorized Newspaper, a brief report dated as of May 15, each year if and to the extent required by TIA § 313(a). The Trustee shall also comply with TIA § 313(b) and TIA § 313(c).
A copy of each report at the time of its sending to Securityholders of any Series shall be filed with the SEC and each stock exchange (if any) on which the Securities of that Series are listed. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee when Securities of any Series are listed on any stock exchange and of any delisting thereof.
Section 7.07. Compensation and Indemnity. The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time such compensation as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree in writing. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred or made by it, including costs of collection, in addition to the compensation for its services. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee’s agents, counsel, accountants and experts. The Company shall indemnify the Trustee, its officers, directors, employees and agents, and hold each of them harmless, against any and all loss, liability or expense (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by or in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities or the administration of this trust and the performance of its duties hereunder. The Trustee shall notify the Company of any claim for which it may seek indemnity promptly upon obtaining actual knowledge thereof; provided, however, that any failure so to notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of its indemnity obligations hereunder. The Company shall defend the claim and the indemnified party shall provide reasonable cooperation at the Company’s expense in the defense. Such indemnified parties may have separate counsel and the Company shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel; provided,
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however, that the Company shall not be required to pay such fees and expenses if it assumes such indemnified parties’ defense and, in such indemnified parties’ reasonable judgment, there is no conflict of interest between the Company and such parties in connection with such defense. The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss, liability or expense incurred by an indemnified party through such party’s own willful misconduct and gross negligence.
To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any Series on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee other than money or property held in trust to pay principal of and interest and any liquidated damages on particular Securities of that Series.
The Company’s payment obligations pursuant to this Section shall survive the satisfaction or discharge of this Indenture, any rejection or termination of this Indenture under any bankruptcy law or the resignation or removal of the Trustee.
When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(f) or (g) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.
Section 7.08. Replacement of Trustee. The Trustee may resign with respect to the Securities of one or more Series at any time by so notifying the Company. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series by so notifying the Trustee and may appoint a successor Trustee. The Company shall remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of one or more Series if:
(a) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10;
(b) the Trustee is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent;
(c) a receiver or other public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or
(d) the Trustee otherwise becomes incapable of acting.
If the Trustee resigns, is removed by the Company or by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series and such Securityholders do not reasonably promptly appoint a successor Trustee, or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason (the Trustee in such event being referred to herein as the retiring Trustee), the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee.
A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee with respect to each Series of Securities for which it is acting as Trustee under this Indenture. The successor Trustee shall send a notice of its succession to each Securityholder of each such Series and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish such notice on one occasion in an Authorized Newspaper. The retiring Trustee shall promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee, subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.07.
If a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee or the Holders of 10% in principal amount of the Securities of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
If the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series fails to comply with Section 7.10, any Securityholder of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.
Notwithstanding the replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.07 shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.
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Section 7.09. Successor Trustee by Merger, etc. If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business or assets to, another corporation or banking association, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee.
In case at the time such successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation to the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series shall succeed to the trusts created by this Indenture any of the Securities of the applicable Series shall have been authenticated but not delivered, any such successor to such Trustee may adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor trustee, and deliver such Securities of the applicable Series so authenticated; and in case at that time any of the Securities of such Series shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee may authenticate such Securities either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the name of the successor to the Trustee; and in all such cases such certificates shall have the full force which it is anywhere in the Securities of such Series or in this Indenture provided that the certificate of the Trustee shall have.
Section 7.10. Eligibility; Disqualification. The Trustee shall at all times satisfy the requirements of TIA § 310(a). The Trustee shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with TIA § 310(b); provided, however, that there shall be excluded from the operation of TIA § 310(b)(1) any indenture or indentures under which other securities or certificates of interest or participation in other securities of the Company are outstanding if the requirements for such exclusion set forth in TIA § 310(b)(1) are met.
Section 7.11. Preferential Collection of Claims against Company. The Trustee shall comply with TIA § 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA § 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA § 311(a) to the extent indicated.
Article
8
Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance
Section 8.01. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. This Indenture, with respect to Securities of any Series (if all Series issued under this Indenture are not to be effected) shall, upon Company Order, cease to be of further effect (except as hereinafter provided in this Section 8.01), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute such instruments reasonably requested by the Company acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when
(a) Either
(i) all Securities of such Series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (A) Securities that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that have been replaced or paid or (B) Securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Sections 2.05 and 4.06) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(ii) all such Securities of such Series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation:
(A) have become due and payable, or
(B) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or
(C) are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company, or
(D) are deemed paid and discharged pursuant to Section 8.03, as applicable;
and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust an amount sufficient for the purpose of paying and discharging the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, and any mandatory sinking fund payments to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities of such Series which
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have become due and payable on or prior to the date of such deposit) or to the Stated Maturity or redemption date, as the case may be;
(iii) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and
(iv) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 7.07, and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to clause (a) of this Section, the provisions of Sections 2.04, 2.07, 2.08, 4.06 (last paragraph only), 8.01, 8.02 and 8.05 shall survive.
Section 8.02. Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification. (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 8.05, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.01, all money and U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.03 or 8.04, and all money received by the Trustee in respect of U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.03 or 8.04, shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company if acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee or to make mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments as contemplated by Section 8.03 or 8.04.
(b) The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 8.03 or 8.04, or the interest and principal received in respect of such obligations other than any payable by or on behalf of Holders.
(c) The Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money held by it as provided in Section 8.03 or 8.04 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are then in excess of the amount thereof which then would have been required to be deposited for the purpose for which such U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money were deposited or received. This provision shall not authorize the sale by the Trustee of any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations held under this Indenture.
Section 8.03. Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series. Unless this Section 8.03 is otherwise specified, pursuant to Section 2.02(x), to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the outstanding Securities of such Series on the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (d) hereof, and the provisions of this Indenture, as it relates to such outstanding Securities of such Series, shall no longer be in effect (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, at Company Request, execute such instruments reasonably requested by the Company acknowledging the same), except as to:
(a) the rights of Holders of Securities of such Series to receive, from the trust funds described in subparagraph (d) hereof, (i) payment of the principal of and each installment of principal of and interest on the outstanding Securities of such Series on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) the benefit of any mandatory sinking fund payments applicable to the Securities of such Series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Securities of such Series;
(b) the provisions of Sections 2.04, 2.07, 2.08, 8.02, 8.03 and 8.05; and
(c) the rights, powers, trust and immunities of the Trustee hereunder;
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provided that, the following conditions shall have been satisfied:
(d) the Company shall have deposited or caused to be deposited irrevocably with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for and dedicated solely to the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars (or such other money or currencies as shall then be legal tender in the United States) and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof, in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal (including mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments) of and interest, if any, on all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal are due;
(e) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(f) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;
(g) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel from a nationally recognized law firm to the effect that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred;
(h) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of the Securities of such Series over any other creditors of the Company or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company;
(i) such deposit shall not result in the trust arising from such deposit constituting an investment company (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended), or such trust shall be qualified under such Act or exempt from regulation thereunder; and
(j) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section 8.03 have been complied with.
Section 8.04. Covenant Defeasance. Unless this Section 8.04 is otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.02(x) to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, on and after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (a) hereof, the Company may omit to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth under Sections 4.02, 4.03, 4.04 and 5.01 as well as any additional covenants contained in a supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.02(x) (and the failure to comply with any such covenants shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default under Section 6.01) and the occurrence of any event described in clause (e) of Section 6.01 shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default hereunder, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:
(a) with reference to this Section 8.04, the Company has deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.02(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars (or such other money or currencies as shall then be legal tender in the
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United States) and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof, in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay principal and interest, if any, on and any mandatory sinking fund in respect of the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal are due;
(b) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(c) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit;
(d) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel from a nationally recognized law firm confirming that Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred;
(e) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of the Securities of such Series over any other creditors of the Company or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company; and
(f) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section 8.04 have been complied with.
Section 8.05. Repayment to Company. The Trustee and the Paying Agent shall promptly pay to the Company (or its designee) upon Company Order any excess moneys or U.S. Government Obligations held by them at any time. The provisions of the last paragraph of Section 4.06 shall apply to any money held by the Trustee or any Paying Agent that remains unclaimed for two years after the Maturity of any Series or Securities for which money or U.S. Government Obligations have been deposited pursuant to Sections 8.03 and 8.04.
Section 8.06. Effect of Subordination Provisions. Unless otherwise expressly established pursuant to Section 2.02 with respect to the Subordinated Securities of any Series, the provisions of Article 10 hereof, insofar as they pertain to the Subordinated Securities of such series, and the Subordination Provisions established pursuant to Section 2.02(i) with respect to such Series, are hereby expressly made subject to the provisions for satisfaction and discharge and defeasance and covenant defeasance set forth in this Article 8 and, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, upon the effectiveness of such satisfaction and discharge and defeasance and covenant defeasance pursuant to this Article 8 with respect to the Securities of such Series, such Securities shall thereupon cease to be so subordinated and shall no longer be subject to the provisions of Article 10 or the Subordination Provisions established pursuant to Section 2.02(i) with respect to such series and, without limitation to the foregoing, all moneys, U.S. Government Obligations and other securities or property deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) in trust in connection with such satisfaction and discharge, defeasance or covenant defeasance, as the case may be, and all proceeds therefrom may be applied to pay the principal of, premium, if any, on, and mandatory sinking fund payments, if any with respect to the Securities of such Series as and when the same shall become due and payable notwithstanding the provisions of Article 10 or such Subordination Provisions.
Article
9
Amendments and Waivers
Section 9.01. Without Consent of Holders. The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series without the consent of any Securityholder:
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(a) to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge to the Trustee as security for the Securities of one or more Series any property or assets;
(b) to comply with Article 5;
(c) to add to the covenants of the Company such further covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions as the Company and the Trustee shall consider to be for the protection of the Holders of Securities, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and continuance, of a default in any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an Event of Default permitting the enforcement of all or any of the several remedies provided in this Indenture as herein set forth; provided, that in respect of any such additional covenant, restriction, condition or provision such supplemental indenture may provide for a particular period of grace after default (which period may be shorter or longer than that allowed in the case of other defaults) or may provide for an immediate enforcement upon such an Event of Default or may limit the remedies available to the Trustee upon such an Event of Default or may limit the right of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series to waive such an Event of Default;
(d) add a guarantor or permit any Person to guarantee the obligations under any Series of Securities;
(e) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;
(f) to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of Securities of any Series as permitted by this Indenture;
(g) to conform to any provision of the “Description of the Notes” section, “Description of Debt Securities” section or other relevant section describing the terms of the Securities of the applicable prospectus, prospectus supplement, offering circular, offering memorandum or other relevant offering document;
(h) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more Series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee;
(i) to provide for uncertificated Securities in addition to or in place of certificated Securities;
(j) to make any change that does not materially adversely affect the rights of any Securityholder; and
(k) to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA.
Section 9.02. With Consent of Holders. The Company and the Trustee may enter into a supplemental indenture with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by such supplemental indenture (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series), for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Securityholders of each such Series. Except as provided in Section 6.13, the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by such waiver by notice to the Trustee (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series) may waive compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities with respect to such Series.
It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Securities under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof. After a supplemental indenture or waiver under this section becomes effective, the Company shall send to the Holders of Securities affected thereby and, if any Bearer Securities affected thereby are outstanding, publish on one occasion in an Authorized Newspaper, a notice briefly describing the supplemental indenture or waiver. Any failure by the Company to send or publish such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.
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Section 9.03. Limitations. Without the consent of each Securityholder affected, an amendment or waiver may not:
(a) extend the final maturity of any Security;
(b) reduce the principal amount thereof, or premium thereon, if any;
(c) reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest thereon;
(d) reduce any amount payable on redemption thereof;
(e) make the principal thereof (including any amount in respect of original issue discount), or premium thereon, if any, or interest thereon payable in any coin or currency other than that provided in the Securities or in accordance with the terms thereof;
(f) reduce the amount of the principal of a Discount Security that would be due and payable upon an acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.02 or the amount thereof provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 6.04;
(g) in the case of Subordinated Securities of any series, modify any of the Subordination Provisions or the definition of “Senior Indebtedness” relating to such series in a manner adverse to the holders of such Subordinated Securities;
(h) alter the provisions of Section 11.15 or 11.16;
(i) impair or affect the right of any Securityholder to institute suit for the payment thereof when due or, if the Securities provide therefor, any right of repayment at the option of the Securityholder;
(j) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Securities of any Series, the consent of the Holders of which is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture; or
(k) modify any provision of this Section 9.03.
Section 9.04. Compliance with Trust Indenture Act. Every amendment to this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series shall be set forth in a supplemental indenture hereto that complies with the TIA as then in effect.
Section 9.05. Revocation and Effect of Consents. Until an amendment or waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Security is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Security. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to his Security or portion of a Security if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date the amendment or waiver becomes effective.
Any amendment or waiver once effective shall bind every Securityholder of each Series affected by such amendment or waiver unless it is of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (g) of Section 9.03. In that case, the amendment or waiver shall bind each Holder of a Security who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security.
The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Securityholders entitled to give their consent or take any other action described above or required or permitted to be taken pursuant to this Indenture. If a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Securityholders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those Persons, shall be entitled to give such consent or to revoke any consent previously given or to take any such action, whether or not such Persons continue to be Securityholders after such record date.
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Section 9.06. Notation on or Exchange of Securities. The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment or waiver on any Security of any Series thereafter authenticated. The Company in exchange for Securities of that Series may issue and the Trustee shall authenticate upon written request new Securities of that Series that reflect the amendment or waiver.
Section 9.07. Trustee Protected. In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 7.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee shall sign all supplemental indentures, except that the Trustee need not sign any supplemental indenture that adversely affects its rights.
Article
10
Subordination of Securities
Section 10.01. Agreement to Subordinate. The Company, for itself, its successors and assigns, covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Subordinated Securities of any Series by his acceptance thereof, likewise covenants and agrees, that the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, in respect of each and all of the Subordinated Securities of such series shall be expressly subordinated, to the extent and in the manner provided in the Subordination Provisions established with respect to the Subordinated Securities of such Series pursuant to Section 2.02(i) hereof, in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Debt with respect to such Series.
Article
11
Miscellaneous
Section 11.01. Trust Indenture Act Controls. If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by the TIA, such required or deemed provision shall control.
Section 11.02. Notices. Any notice or communication by the Company or the Trustee to the other is duly given if in writing and delivered in person, mailed by first-class mail or delivered by electronic transmission:
if to the Company:
Immatics N.V.
c/o Immatics US, Inc.
2130 W. Holcombe Blvd., Suite 900
Houston, Texas 77030
Attention: General Counsel
if to the Trustee:
[___]
The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.
Any notice or communication to a Securityholder shall be provided by electronic transmission or by first-class mail to his address shown on the register kept by the Registrar and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, published in an Authorized Newspaper. Failure to provide a notice or communication to a Securityholder of any Series or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Securityholders of that or any other Series.
If a notice or communication is provided or published in the manner provided above, within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the Securityholder receives it.
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If the Company provides a notice or communication to Securityholders, it shall provide a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.
In case, by reason of the suspension of or irregularities in regular mail service, it shall be impracticable to mail notice by the Company when such notice is required to be given pursuant to any provision of this Indenture, then any manner of giving such notice as shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee shall be deemed to be a sufficient giving of such notice.
Notwithstanding anything in this Indenture to the contrary, wherever notice is to be given to Securityholders of Registered Global Securities, it shall be sufficient if such notice is given in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary.
Section 11.03. Communication by Holders with Other Holders. Securityholders of any Series may communicate pursuant to TIA § 312(b) with other Securityholders of that Series or any other Series with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Securities of that Series or all Series. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA § 312(c).
Section 11.04. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent. Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take or refrain from taking any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:
(a) an Officers’ Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and
(b) an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.
Section 11.05. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion. Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:
(a) a statement that the person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;
(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
Section 11.06. Rules by Trustee and Agents. The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or a meeting of Securityholders of one or more Series. Any Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.
Section 11.07. Legal Holidays. Unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture for a particular Series, a “Legal Holiday” is a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the city (or in any of the cities, if more than one) in which amounts are payable, as specified in the form of such Security, are not required by any applicable law or regulation to be open. If a payment date for the payment of principal or interest on any Security falls on a Legal Holiday, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period. If a regular record date is a Legal Holiday, the record date shall not be affected.
Section 11.08. No Recourse Against Others. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture, or in any Security, or because of any indebtedness evidenced thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, as such, or against any past, present or future stockholder, officer or director, as such, of the Company or of any successor, either directly or through the Company or any successor, under any rule
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of law, statute or constitutional provision or by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding or otherwise, all such liability being expressly waived and released by the acceptance of the Securities and the coupons, if any, appertaining thereto by the Holders thereof and as part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities and the coupons, if any, appertaining thereto.
Section 11.09. Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
Section 11.10. Governing Laws; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial. THIS INDENTURE AND EACH SECURITY SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AND FOR ALL PURPOSES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF SUCH STATE, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, SECTIONS 5-1401 AND 5-1402 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW AND NEW YORK CIVIL PRACTICE LAWS AND RULES 327(b).
The Company submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or United States Federal court sitting in The City of New York over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Indenture or the Securities. The Company irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE 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 INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
Section 11.11. No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements. This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Company or a Subsidiary. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.
Section 11.12. Successors. All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Securities shall bind its successor. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successor.
Section 11.13. Severability. In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 11.14. Table of Contents, Headings, Etc. The Table of Contents, Cross Reference Table, and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
Section 11.15. Securities in a Foreign Currency. Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.02 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, whenever for purposes of this Indenture any action may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of Securities of all Series or all Series affected by a particular action at the time outstanding and, at such time, there are outstanding Securities of any Series which are denominated in a coin or currency other than Dollars, then the principal amount of Securities of such Series which shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of taking such action shall be that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount at the Market Exchange Rate at such time. For purposes of this Section 11.15, “Market Exchange Rate” shall mean the noon Dollar buying rate in New York City for cable transfers of that currency as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. If such Market Exchange Rate is not available for any reason with respect to such currency, the Trustee shall use, in its sole discretion and without liability on its part, such quotation of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or quotations from one or more major banks in The City of New York or in the country of issue of the currency in question. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply in
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determining the equivalent principal amount in respect of Securities of a Series denominated in currency other than Dollars in connection with any action taken by Holders of Securities pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.
All decisions and determinations of the Trustee regarding the Market Exchange Rate or any alternative determination provided for in the preceding paragraph shall be in its sole discretion and shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive to the extent permitted by law for all purposes and irrevocably binding upon the Company and all Holders.
Section 11.16. Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of or interest or other amount on the Securities of any Series (the “Required Currency”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not a New York Banking Day, then, the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with subsection (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable, and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “New York Banking Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.
Section 11.17. Acts of Holders. (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by a specified percentage in principal amount of the Securityholders of any or all Series may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such specified percentage of Securityholders in person or by agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “ACT” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments and so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Sections 7.01 and 7.02) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section 11.17.
(b) Subject to Sections 7.01 and 7.02, the execution of any instrument by a Securityholder or his agent or proxy may be proved in accordance with such reasonable rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Trustee or in such manner as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee. The holding of Registered Securities shall be proved by the Security register or by a certificate of the registrar thereof.
(c) The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may deem and treat the person in whose name any Security shall be registered upon the Security register for such series as the absolute owner of such Security (whether or not such Security shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing thereon) for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the principal of and, subject to the provisions of this Indenture, interest on such Security and for all other purposes; and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Holder of any Bearer Security as the absolute owner of such Bearer Security (whether or not such Bearer Security shall be overdue) for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes, and neither the Company, the Trustee, nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. All such payments so made to any such person, or upon his order, shall be valid, and, to the extent of the sum or sums so paid, effectual to satisfy and discharge the liability for moneys payable upon any such Bearer
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Security. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee or any Agent from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or impair, as between the Depositary and its members, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of a beneficial interest in any Registered Global Security.
(d) At any time prior to (but not after) the evidencing to the Trustee, as provided in this Section 11.17, of the taking of any action by the Holders of the percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any or all series, as the case may be, specified in this Indenture in connection with such action, any Holder of a Security the serial number of which is shown by the evidence to be included among the serial numbers of the Securities the Holders of which have consented to such action may, by filing written notice at the Corporate Trust Office and upon proof of holding as provided in this Article, revoke such action so far as concerns such Security. Except as aforesaid, any such action taken by the Holder of any Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders and owners of such Security and of any Securities issued in exchange or substitution therefor or on registration of transfer thereof, irrespective of whether or not any notation in regard thereto is made upon any such Security. Any action taken by the Holders of the percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any or all series, as the case may be, specified in this Indenture in connection with such action shall be conclusively binding upon the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of all the Securities affected by such action.
Section 11.18. Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee or any Agent be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee and such Agent shall use reasonable efforts that are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.
Article
12
Sinking Funds
Section 12.01. Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of the Securities of a Series, except as otherwise permitted or required by any form of Security of such Series issued pursuant to this Indenture.
The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of the Securities of any Series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment” and any other amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such Series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment.” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any Series as provided for by the terms of the Securities of such Series.
Section 12.02. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any Series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver outstanding Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable (other than any of such Securities previously called for mandatory sinking fund redemption) and (b) apply as credit Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable and which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Series of Securities (except pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund) or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments or other optional redemptions pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received by the Trustee, together with an Officers’ Certificate with respect thereto, not later than 15 days prior to the date on which the Trustee begins the process of selecting Securities for redemption, and shall be credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such Series to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such Series for redemption, except upon receipt of a Company Order that such action be taken, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such
36
Paying Agent shall from time to time upon receipt of a Company Order pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that Series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment required to be released to the Company.
Section 12.03. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 45 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate in respect of a particular Series of Securities) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that Series pursuant to the terms of that Series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that Series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture in respect of a particular Series of Securities) before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 3.02 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 3.03. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 3.04, 3.05 and 3.06.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
Immatics N.V. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
[___], as Trustee | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Exhibit 5.1
PRIVILEGED AND STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL Immatics N.V. Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 15 72076 Tübingen, Federal Republic of Germany |
CMS Derks Star Busmann N.V. Atrium | Parnassusweg 737 NL-1077 DG Amsterdam P.O. Box 94700 NL-1090 GS Amsterdam |
Bank account (Stichting Derdengelden) | |
Iban: NL31 RABO 0103 3545 49 | |
Swift/bic: RABONL2U | |
T +31 20 301 63 01 | |
I cms.law | |
Subject: | Immatics N.V. | 2 August 2021 |
Dear Sirs,
We have acted as Dutch legal counsel to Immatics N.V., a public company with limited liability (naamloze vennootschap) of Amsterdam, the Netherlands (the "Company") in respect of certain matters of Dutch law in connection with the filing of a registration statement on Form F-3 (the "Registration Statement") with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The Registration Statement describes the registration of ordinary shares in the capital of the Company with a nominal value of EUR 0.01 (the "Ordinary Shares") and includes (i) Ordinary Shares having an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000 from time to time that will be offered through the sales agent pursuant to the Registration Statement, (ii) Ordinary Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, and (iii) Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to the conversion, exchange, exercise or those pursuant to the terms of debt securities, warrants, subscription rights, purchase contracts and units registered pursuant to the Registration Statement (together the "Registration Shares").
We do not express any opinion in relation to the content of the Registration Statement.
All services are rendered under an agreement of instruction with CMS Derks Star Busmann N.V., with registered office in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. This agreement is subject to the General Conditions of CMS Derks Star Busmann N.V., which have been filed with the registrar of the District Court Amsterdam, the Netherlands, under no. 84/2020 and which contain a limitation of liability. These terms have been published on the website cms.law and will be provided upon request. CMS Derks Star Busmann N.V. is a company with limited liability under the laws of the Netherlands and is registered in the Netherlands with the trade register under no. 30201194 and in Belgium with the RPR Brussels under no. 0877.478.727. The VAT number of CMS Derks Star Busmann N.V. for the Netherlands is NL8140.16.479.B01 and for Belgium BE 0877.478.727. |
CMS Derks Star Busmann is a member of CMS, the organisation of European law firms. In certain circumstances, CMS is used as a brand or business name of, or to refer to, some or all of the member firms or their offices. Further information can be found at www.cms.law. |
CMS offices and associated offices: Aberdeen, Algiers, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Barcelona, Beijing, Belgrade, Berlin, Bogotá, Bratislava, Bristol, Brussels, Bucharest, Budapest, Casablanca, Cologne, Dubai, Duesseldorf, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Funchal, Geneva, Glasgow, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Kyiv, Leipzig, Lima, Lisbon, Ljubljana, London, Luanda, Luxembourg, Lyon, Madrid, Manchester, Mexico City, Milan, Mombasa, Monaco, Moscow, Munich, Muscat, Nairobi, Paris, Podgorica, Poznan, Prague, Reading, Rio de Janeiro, Riyadh, Rome, Santiago de Chile, Sarajevo, Seville, Shanghai, Sheffield, Singapore, Skopje, Sofia, Strasbourg, Stuttgart, Tirana, Utrecht, Vienna, Warsaw, Zagreb and Zurich. |
For the purpose of this legal opinion, we have examined and relied solely upon the following documents:
(a) | an electronically received copy of an extract relative to the Company, dated 31 July 2021 (the "Extract") from the trade register (handelsregister) of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel) (the "Trade Register"); |
(b) | an official copy of the notarial deed of incorporation (akte van oprichting) of Immatics B.V., dated 10 March 2020 (the "Deed of Incorporation"); and |
(c) | an official copy of the notarial deed of conversion, dated 1 July 2020 (the "Deed of Conversion"), containing the current articles of association of the Company (the "N.V. Articles of Association"). |
In connection with such examination and for the purpose of the legal opinion expressed herein we have assumed:
(i) | that at the time of the issuances of the Registration Shares, the Company’s authorized capital will be sufficient to allow for the issuances; |
(ii) | that the Registration Shares, if and when issued, will be accepted by their subscribers in accordance with all applicable laws (including for the avoidance of doubt, Dutch law); |
(iii) | that the Registration Shares will be validly paid up at the time of the issuances; |
(iv) | that the Registration Statement will have become effective by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission in the form as reviewed by us on 31 July 2021; |
(v) | that the Registration Shares shall be issued and any pre-emption rights in connection therewith shall have been excluded, pursuant to resolutions validly passed by the corporate body (orgaan) of the Company duly authorised to do so; |
(vi) | that the issue price for any Registration Share shall at least equal the aggregate nominal value thereof, any conversion, exchange or exercise price of other securities shall at least equal the aggregate nominal value of the underlying Registration Shares, and any such issue, conversion, exchange or exercise price shall have been satisfied in cash and shall have been received and accepted by the Company ultimately upon the issuance of the relevant Registration Shares and, where relevant, the Company shall have consented to payment in a currency other than Euro; |
(vii) | the genuineness of all signatures on all original documents of the persons purported to have signed the same; |
(viii) | the conformity to their originals of all documents submitted or transmitted to us in the form of photocopies, electronically or otherwise, and the authenticity and completeness of such originals; |
(ix) | that the Deed of Incorporation and the Deed of Conversion are valid notarial deeds (notariële aktes) and that the contents thereof are correct and complete; |
(x) | that the N.V. Articles of Association are in full force and effect; |
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(xi) | that any and all authorisations and consents of, or other filings with or notifications to, any public authority or other relevant body or person in or of any jurisdiction which may be required (other than under Dutch law) in respect of the Registration Shares have been or will be duly obtained or made, as the case may be; |
(xii) | that any Registration Shares issued in connection with the conversion, exchange or exercise of other securities shall be issued pursuant to a valid conversion, exchange or exercise of such securities in accordance with their respective terms; |
(xiii) | that no Registration Shares or other securities in connection therewith shall be or have been offered to the public (aanbieden aan het publiek) in the Netherlands; |
(xiv) | that no petition has been presented to nor order made by a court for the bankruptcy (faillissement) of the Company and that no resolution has been adopted concerning a statutory merger (juridische fusie) or division (splitsing) involving the Company as disappearing entity, or a voluntary liquidation (ontbinding) of the Company; |
(xv) | that, at the date hereof, the information contained in the Extract truly and correctly reflects the position of the Company as mentioned therein; |
(xvi) | that, at the date hereof, the Company is not included on the consolidated list of persons, groups and entities subject to EU financial sanctions (the "Sanctions List"); |
(xvii) | that, at the date hereof, the directors of the Company are not subject to a director's disqualification (civielrechtelijk bestuursverbod) under the laws of the Netherlands; |
(xviii) | that the Company has not been dissolved (ontbonden), merged (gefuseerd) involving the Company as disappearing entity, demerged (gesplitst), converted (omgezet), granted a suspension of payments (surséance verleend), declared bankrupt (failliet verklaard), subjected to any other insolvency proceedings listed in Annex A of Regulation (EU) 2015/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015 on insolvency proceedings (recast), as amended from time to time, and no trustee (curator), administrator (bewindvoerder) or similar officer has been appointed in respect of the Company or any of its respective assets; |
(xix) | without independent investigation, the accuracy of (a) the statements made (whether orally or in writing) by the officials of the Trade Register and the District Court of Amsterdam regarding the correctness of the information contained in the Extract, (b) the information obtained through http://www.rechtspraak.nl ("Rechtspraak.nl"); and |
(xx) | that the website https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/fsd/fsf correctly reflects the Sanctions List. |
In support of the assumptions under (xv), (xvi) and (xviii), we have carried out the following investigations. The office of the bankruptcy registrar of the District Court of Amsterdam has confirmed to us by telephone today at 9:15 CEST that the Company has not been declared bankrupt (in staat van faillissement) and has not been granted a suspension of payment (surséance van betaling). Furthermore, we have obtained a confirmation through http://www.rechtspraak.nl, derived from the segment for EU registrations of the Central Insolvency Register, that the Company is not registered as being subject to insolvency proceedings. The Trade Register has confirmed to us by telephone today at 9:14 CEST that the Company has not been dissolved at the initiative of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce and that no resolution to dissolve, merge (juridisch fuseren) or demerge (splitsen) the Company was filed. In the same telephone call, the official of the Trade Register confirmed to us that no amendments in the registration of the Company occurred in the period from the provision of the Extract to us through the date and time hereof. Moreover, in support of the assumption under (xvi), we have carried out an online search today at 9:11 CEST https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/fsd/fsf showing that the Company is not included on the Sanctions List. We have not investigated any matter that is the subject of an assumption made in this legal opinion other than as set forth herein.
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We express no opinion as to any law other than the laws of the Netherlands in force at the date hereof as applied and interpreted according to present duly published case law of the Dutch courts. No opinion is rendered with respect to any matters of fact, anti-trust law, market abuse, equal treatment of shareholders, financial assistance, tax law or the laws of the European Communities, to the extent not or not fully implemented in the laws of the Netherlands.
In this legal opinion, Dutch legal concepts are expressed in English terms and not in their original Dutch terms. Where indicated in italics, Dutch equivalents of these English terms have been given for the purpose of clarification. The Dutch concepts may not be identical to the concepts described by the same English terms as they exist under the laws of other jurisdictions. Terms and expressions of law and of legal concepts as used in this legal opinion have the meaning attributed to them under the laws of the Netherlands and this legal opinion should be read and understood accordingly.
This legal opinion is strictly limited to the matters stated herein and may not be read as extending by implication to any matter not specifically referred to. Nothing in this legal opinion should be taken as expressing an opinion in respect of the factual accuracy of any representations or warranties, or other information, contained in any document, referred to herein or examined in connection with this legal opinion, except as expressly stated otherwise. For the purpose hereof, we have assumed such accuracy.
Based upon the foregoing (including, without limitation, the documents and the assumptions set out above) and subject to the qualifications set out below and any facts, circumstances, events or documents not disclosed to us in the course of our examination referred to above, we are, at the date hereof, of the opinion that:
(i) | The Company has been duly incorporated as a private limited liability company (besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid) and is validly existing as a public company with limited liability (naamloze vennootschap) under Dutch law. |
(ii) | When issued, the Registration Shares will have been validly issued, fully paid and will be non-assessable. |
The opinions expressed above are subject to the following qualifications:
(A) | The opinions expressed above may be affected or limited by (i) any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance (actio pauliana), reorganization, suspension of payment and other or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally (including set off) in any relevant jurisdiction including but not limited to Sections 3:45 et seq. of the Dutch Civil Code and Sections 42 through 51 of the Dutch Bankruptcy Code (Faillissementswet) relating to fraudulent conveyance and (ii) any reconstruction, arrangement, compromise or private restructuring plan in connection with the Act on Court Confirmation of Extrajudicial Restructuring Plans (Wet Homologatie Onderhands Akkoord). |
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(B) | A court applying the laws of the Netherlands may: (i) at the request of any party to an agreement change the effect of an arrangement or dissolve it in whole or in part in the event of unforeseen circumstances (onvoorziene omstandigheden) of such nature that do not, according the standards of reasonableness and fairness, justify the other party to expect the agreement to be maintained unchanged; (ii) limit any claim for damages or penalties on the basis that such claim is deemed excessive by the court; and (iii) refuse to give effect to any provisions for the payment of expenses in respect of the costs of enforcement (actual or attempted) or unsuccessful litigation brought before such court or tribunal or where such court or tribunal has itself made an order for costs. |
(C) | Pursuant to Section 2:7 of the Dutch Civil Code, any transaction entered into by a legal entity may be nullified by the legal entity itself or its liquidator in bankruptcy proceedings (curator) if the objects of that entity were transgressed by the transaction and the other party to the transaction knew or should have known this without independent investigation. The Dutch Supreme Court has ruled that in determining whether the objects of a legal entity are transgressed, not only the description of the objects in that legal entity’s articles of association is decisive, but all (relevant)circumstances must be taken into account, in particular whether the interests of the legal entity were served by the transaction. Based on the objects clause contained in the N.V. Articles of Association, we have no reason to believe that, by issuing Registration Shares, the Company would transgress the description of the objects contained in the N.V. Articles of Association. However, we cannot assess whether there are other relevant circumstances that must be taken into account, in particular whether the interests of the Company are served by issuing Registration Shares. |
(D) | Pursuant to Section 2:98c of the Dutch Civil Code, a public company may grant loans only in accordance with the restrictions set out in Section 2:98c of the Dutch Civil Code, and may not provide security (zekerheid stellen), give a price guarantee (koersgarantiegeven) or otherwise bind itself, whether jointly and severally or otherwise with or for third parties (zich op andere wijze sterk maken of zich hoofdelijk of anderszins naast of voor anderen verbinden) with a view to the subscription or acquisition by third parties of shares in its share capital or depository receipts. This prohibition also applies to its subsidiaries. It is generally assumed that a transaction entered into in violation of Section 2:98c of the Dutch Civil Code is null and void. |
(E) | If a party is controlled by or otherwise connected with a person, organization or country that is currently the subject of sanctions by the United Nations, the European Community or the Netherlands, implemented, effective or sanctioned in the Netherlands under the Sanctions Act 1977 (Sanctiewet 1977), the Economic Offences Act (Wet op de economische delicten) or the Financial Supervision Act (Wet op het Financieel Toezicht) or is otherwise the target of any such sanctions, the obligations of the Company to that party may be unenforceable, void or otherwise affected. |
(F) | The term “non-assessable” has no equivalent legal term under Dutch law and for the purpose of these opinions, “non-assessable” means that a holder of a Registration Share will not by reason of merely being such a holder, be subject to assessment or calls by the Company or its creditors for further payment on such Registration Share. |
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This opinion is rendered to you for the sole purpose of the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement to be submitted by the Company on the date hereof, to which filing we consent under the express condition that:
(i) | we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required within Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933; |
(ii) | any issues of interpretation of liability arising under this legal opinion will be governed exclusively by the laws of the Netherlands and be brought exclusively before a Dutch court; |
(iii) | this legal opinion is subject to acceptance of the limitation of liability as mentioned on the first page of this letter; |
(iv) | we do not assume any obligation to notify or to inform you of any developments subsequent to the date hereof that might render its contents untrue or inaccurate in whole or in part at such time; and |
(v) | this legal opinion is strictly limited to the matters set forth herein and no opinion may be inferred or implied beyond our opinion expressly stated herein. |
Yours faithfully,
/s/ CMS Derks Star Busmann N.V.
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draft | |||
Davis Polk & Wardwell llp 450 Lexington Avenue davispolk.com |
Exhibit 5.2
OPINION OF DAVIS POLK & WARDWELL LLP
August 2, 2021
Immatics N.V.
Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 15
72076 Tübingen
Federal Republic of Germany
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Immatics N.V., a naamloze vennootschap organized under the laws of the Netherlands (the “Company”) is filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration Statement on Form F-3 (the “Registration Statement”) for the purpose of registering under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), (a) ordinary shares, nominal value €0.01 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”) of the Company; (b) the Company’s debt securities (the “Debt Securities”), which may be issued pursuant to an indenture to be entered into between the Company and the trustee to be named therein (the “Trustee”) (the “Indenture”); (c) warrants of the Company (the “Warrants”), which may be issued pursuant to one or more warrant agreements to be entered into between the Company and the warrant agent to be named therein (the “Warrant Agent”) (each such warrant agreement, a “Warrant Agreement”); (d) purchase contracts (the “Purchase Contracts”), which may be issued pursuant to one or more purchase contract agreements to be entered into between the Company and the purchase contract agent to be named therein (the “Purchase Contract Agent”) (each such purchase contract agreement, a “Purchase Contract Agreement”); (e) units (the “Units”), which may be issued pursuant to one or more unit agreements to be entered into among the Company, a bank or trust company, as unit agent (the “Unit Agent”), and the holders from time to time of the Units (each such unit agreement, a “Unit Agreement”); and (f) subscription rights (the “Rights”), which may be issued pursuant to one or more subscription rights agreements to be entered into between the Company and the subscription agent to be named therein (the “Rights Agent”) (each such subscription rights agreement, a “Rights Agreement”).
We, as your counsel, have examined originals or copies of such documents, corporate records, certificates of public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of rendering this opinion.
In rendering the opinions expressed herein, we have, without independent inquiry or investigation, assumed that (i) all documents submitted to us as originals are authentic and complete, (ii) all documents submitted to us as copies conform to authentic, complete originals, (iii) all documents filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that have not been executed will conform to the forms thereof, (iv) all signatures on all documents that we reviewed are genuine, (v) all natural persons executing documents had and have the legal capacity to do so, (vi) all statements in certificates of public officials and officers of the Company that we reviewed were and are accurate and (vii) all representations made by the Company as to matters of fact in the documents that we reviewed were and are accurate.
Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the additional assumptions and qualifications set forth below, we advise you that, in our opinion:
1. | When the Indenture and any supplemental indenture to be entered into in connection with the issuance of any Debt Securities have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee and the Company; the specific terms of a particular series of Debt Securities have been duly authorized and established in accordance with the Indenture; and such Debt Securities have been duly authorized, executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the Indenture and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, such Debt Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability, and may be subject to possible judicial or regulatory actions giving effect to governmental actions or foreign laws affecting creditors’ rights, provided that we express no opinion as to (w) the enforceability of any waiver of rights under any usury or stay law, (x) the effect of fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or similar provision of applicable law on the conclusions expressed above, (y) the validity, legally binding effect or enforceability of any section of the Indenture that requires or relates to adjustments to the conversion rate at a rate or in an amount that a court would determine in the circumstances under applicable law to be commercially unreasonable or a penalty or forfeiture or (z) the validity, legally binding effect or enforceability of any provision that permits holders to collect any portion of stated principal amount upon acceleration of the Debt Securities to the extent determined to constitute unearned interest. |
2. | When the Warrant Agreement to be entered into in connection with the issuance of any Warrants has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Warrant Agent and the Company; the specific terms of the Warrants have been duly authorized and established in accordance with the Warrant Agreement; and such Warrants have been duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered in accordance with the Warrant Agreement and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, such Warrants will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability, and may be subject to possible judicial or regulatory actions giving effect to governmental actions or foreign laws affecting creditors’ rights. |
3. | When the Purchase Contract Agreement to be entered into in connection with the issuance of any Purchase Contracts has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Purchase Contract Agent and the Company; the specific terms of the Purchase Contracts have been duly authorized and established in accordance with the Purchase Contract Agreement; and such Purchase Contracts have been duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered in accordance with the Purchase Contract Agreement and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, such Purchase Contracts will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability, and may be subject to possible judicial or regulatory actions giving effect to governmental actions or foreign laws affecting creditors’ rights. |
4. | When the Unit Agreement to be entered into in connection with the issuance of any Units has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Unit Agent and the Company; the specific terms of the Units have been duly authorized and established in accordance with the Unit Agreement; and such Units have been duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered in accordance with the Unit Agreement and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, such Units will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability, and may be |
subject to possible judicial or regulatory actions giving effect to governmental actions or foreign laws affecting creditors’ rights.
5. | When the Rights Agreement to be entered into in connection with the issuance of any Rights has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Rights Agent and the Company; the specific terms of the Rights have been duly authorized and established in accordance with the Rights Agreement; and such Rights have been duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered in accordance with the Rights Agreement and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, such Rights will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability, and may be subject to possible judicial or regulatory actions giving effect to governmental actions or foreign laws affecting creditors’ rights. |
In connection with the opinions expressed above, we have assumed that, at or prior to the time of the delivery of any such security, (i) the Board of Directors of the Company shall have duly established the terms of such security and the Board of Directors of the Company and, to the extent required under Dutch law, the shareholders of the Company shall have duly authorized the issuance and sale of such security and such authorization shall not have been modified or rescinded; (ii) the Company is, and shall remain, validly existing as a corporation in good standing (to the extent such concept exists) under the laws of the Netherlands; (iii) the Registration Statement shall have become effective and such effectiveness shall not have been terminated or rescinded; (iv) the Indenture, the Debt Securities, the Warrant Agreement, the Purchase Contract Agreement, the Unit Agreement and the Rights Agreement are each valid, binding and enforceable agreements of each party thereto (other than as expressly covered above in respect of the Company); and (v) there shall not have occurred any change in law affecting the validity or enforceability of such security. We have also assumed that the terms of any security whose terms are established subsequent to the date hereof and the issuance, execution, delivery and performance by the Company of any such security (a) are within its corporate powers, (b) do not contravene, or constitute a default under, the articles of association or other constitutive documents of the Company, (c) require no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official and (d) do not contravene, or constitute a default under, any provision of applicable law or public policy or regulation or any judgment, injunction, order or decree or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company and (ii) any Warrant Agreement, Purchase Contract Agreement, Unit Agreement and Rights Agreement and any security issued pursuant to any such agreements will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.
We are members of the Bar of the State of New York and the foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of New York and the federal laws of the United States. Insofar as the foregoing opinion involves matters governed by the laws of the Netherlands, we have relied, without independent inquiry or investigation, on the opinion of CMS Derks Star Busmann N.V. delivered to you today.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement referred to above and further consent to the reference to our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus, which is a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form F-3 of Immatics N.V. of our report dated March 30, 2021 relating to the consolidated financial statements, which appears in Immatics N.V.’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020. We also consent to the reference to us under the headings “Experts” in such Registration Statement.
Stuttgart, Germany
August 2, 2021
PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH
Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft
/s/ Dietmar Eglauer | /s/ ppa. Jens Rosenberger |
Wirtschaftsprüfer | Wirtschaftsprüfer |
(German Public Auditor) | (German Public Auditor) |