As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on May 23, 2023
Registration No. 333-271671
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Amendment No. 1 to
Form S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | | | 7374 | | | 86-2759890 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | | | (Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) | | | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
595 Madison Avenue, 28th
Floor New York, New York 10022
(845) 579-5992
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Gregory A. Beard
Chief Executive Officer
595 Madison Avenue, 28th Floor
New York, New York 10022
(845) 579-5992
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
Daniel M. LeBey
Shelley A. Barber
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
1114 Avenue of the Americas, 32nd Floor
New York, New York 10036
(804) 327-6300
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
If the 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, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, 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, please 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.D. 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.D. 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 a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer | | | ☐ | | | | | Accelerated filer | | | ☐ | |
Non-accelerated filer | | | ☒ | | | | | Smaller reporting company | | | ☒ | |
| | | | | | | Emerging growth company | | | ☒ |
If an emerging growth company, 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 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 of 1933, as amended, or until this 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:
• | a resale prospectus which covers the offering and sale of 1,872,501 shares of Class A common stock of Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. that may be sold in one or more secondary offerings by the selling stockholders from time to time; |
• | a base prospectus which covers the offering, issuance and sale by us of up to $25.0 million in the aggregate of the securities identified below from time to time in one or more offerings; |
• | a prospectus supplement (the “ATM prospectus supplement”) covering the offering, issuance and sale by us of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $15,000,000 of our Class A common stock that may be issued and sold under an At The Market Offering Sales Agreement, dated May 23, 2023, by and between us and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, as sales agent. |
The specific terms of the securities offered pursuant to the base prospectus will be specified in one or more prospectus supplements to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act. The $15.0 million of Class A common stock that may be offered, issued and sold pursuant to the At The Market Offering Sales Agreement with H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC under the ATM prospectus supplement is included in the $25.0 million of securities that may be offered, issued and sold by us under the base prospectus. Upon termination of the At The Market Offering Sales Agreement with H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, any portion of the $15.0 million included in the ATM prospectus supplement that is not sold pursuant to the At The Market Offering Sales Agreement will be available for sale in other offerings pursuant to the base prospectus and a corresponding prospectus supplement, and if no shares are sold under the At The Market Offering Sales Agreement, the full $25.0 million of securities may be sold in other offerings pursuant to the base prospectus and a corresponding prospectus supplement.
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. The selling stockholders may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy, these securities in any state or jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MAY 23, 2023PROSPECTUS
1,872,501 Shares
Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc.
Class A Common Stock
This prospectus relates solely to the offer and sale from time to time of up to an aggregate of 1,872,501 shares of our Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, by the selling stockholders identified in this prospectus (which term as used in this prospectus includes pledgees, donees, transferees or other successors-in-interest). Such shares consist of (a) (i) 466,661 shares of Class A common stock that have been issued to Armistice Capital Master Fund Ltd. (“Armistice”), (ii) 433,340 shares of Class A common stock that are issuable upon the exercise of pre-funded warrants acquired by Armistice (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”), and (iii) 900,000 shares of Class A common stock that are issuable upon the exercise of warrants acquired by Armistice (the “Armistice Warrants” and together with the Pre-Funded Warrants, the “Warrants”), in each case pursuant to a securities purchase agreement, dated April 20, 2023, between us and Armistice (the “Armistice Securities Purchase Agreement”), and (b) 72,500 shares of Class A common stock that have been issued to Neiswonger Construction, Inc. (“Neiswonger” and together with Armistice, the “selling stockholders”).
The selling stockholders may offer such shares from time to time as they may determine through public or private transactions or through other means described in the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” at prevailing market prices, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at privately negotiated prices. This prospectus does not necessarily mean that the selling stockholders will offer or sell the shares. We cannot predict when or in what amounts the selling stockholders may sell any of the shares offered by this prospectus. Any shares of Class A common stock subject to resale hereunder will have been issued by us and acquired by the selling stockholders prior to any resale of such shares pursuant to this prospectus.
We are registering the shares offered by this prospectus for resale pursuant to, among other things, the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement (as defined herein), which we entered into pursuant to the Armistice Securities Purchase Agreement, and the Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release, dated April 26, 2023, by and between the Company and Neiswonger (the “Neiswonger Agreement”). We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of these shares of our Class A common stock by the selling stockholders. However, we may receive proceeds from the exercise of the Warrants, if any Warrants are exercised for cash. We intend to use those proceeds, if any, for general corporate purposes. We have agreed to pay all fees and expenses relating to registering these shares of Class A common stock. The selling stockholders will pay any broker commissions or similar commissions or fees incurred for the sale of these shares of Class A common stock.
Because all of the shares offered under this prospectus are being offered by the selling stockholders, we cannot currently determine the price or prices at which our shares may be sold under this prospectus. Our Class A common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “SDIG.” On May 19, 2023, the closing price of our Class A common stock was $6.45 per share.
We are an “emerging growth company” and a “smaller reporting company” under applicable federal securities laws and will be subject to reduced reporting requirements. This prospectus complies with the requirements that apply to an issuer that is an emerging growth company. We have two classes of common stock: Class A common stock and Class V common stock. Each share of Class V common stock has no economic rights but entitles its holder to one vote on all matters to be voted on by stockholders generally. Holders of Class A common stock and Class V common stock vote together as a single class on all matters presented to our stockholders for their vote or approval, except as otherwise required by applicable law or by our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation (as amended, the “second amended and restated certificate of incorporation”). Q Power LLC, which is controlled by Greg Beard, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Bill Spence, together with Messrs. Beard and Spence, held approximately 39.4% of the total voting stock outstanding as of May 5, 2023, including 100% of the Class V common stock outstanding, which votes together with the Class A common stock as a single class.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) 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.
Investing in our Class A common stock involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 6 and in the documents we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus to read about factors you should consider before buying shares of our Class A common stock.
The date of this prospectus is , 2023.
This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, the selling stockholder may offer and sell, from time to time, in one or more offerings, up to 1,872,501 shares of our Class A common stock.
We may file one or more prospectus supplements, or, if appropriate, post-effective amendments, to accompany this prospectus to add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. If the information varies between this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment, if any, you should rely on the information in the accompanying prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to the offering. You should read both this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment, if any, and any free writing prospectus together with the additional information described under “Where You Can Find More Information.” You should also carefully consider, among other things, the matters discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” herein, and the accompanying prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment, if any, and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in any other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and the accompanying prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment, if any, and any related free writing prospectus.
This prospectus contains summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed, will be filed or will be incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described below under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment or free-writing prospectus we may authorize to be delivered or made available to you. Neither we nor the selling stockholders have authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any free writing prospectus we have prepared. We and the selling stockholders take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. Offers to sell, and solicitations of offers to buy, shares of our Class A common stock are being made only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The information in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or of any sale of our Class A common stock. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since the date of this prospectus.
This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. See “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” appearing in this prospectus and in the documents we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
Industry and Market Data
The market data and certain other statistical information used or incorporated by reference into this prospectus are based on independent industry publications, publicly available information, business organizations, government publications and other published independent sources. Some data is also based on our good faith estimates. Although we believe these third-party sources are reliable as of their respective dates, neither we nor the selling stockholder have independently verified the accuracy or completeness of this information. Market share data is subject to change and may be limited by the availability of raw data, the voluntary nature of the data gathering process and other limitations in any statistical survey of market share data. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such market share data or any other such estimates. The industry in which we operate is subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” appearing in this prospectus and in the documents we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in these publications.
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Trademarks and Trade Names
We rely on various trade names that we use in connection with the operation of our business. This prospectus may also contain trademarks, service marks and trade names of third parties, which are the property of their respective owners. Our use or display of third parties’ trademarks, service marks, trade names or products in this prospectus is not intended to, and does not imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship by us. Solely for convenience, the trademarks, service marks and trade names referred to in this prospectus may appear without the ®, TM or SM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the right of the applicable licensor to these trademarks, service marks and trade names.
Presentation of Financial and Other Information
Certain monetary amounts, percentages and other figures included in this prospectus have been subject to rounding adjustments. Percentage amounts included in this prospectus have not in all cases been calculated on the basis of such rounded figures, but on the basis of such amounts prior to rounding. For this reason, percentage amounts in this prospectus may vary from those obtained by performing the same calculations using the figures in our combined financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Certain other amounts that appear in this prospectus may not sum due to rounding.
REVERSE STOCK SPLIT
On May 15, 2023, we effected a 1-for-10 reverse stock split of the shares of our Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A common stock”), and our Class V common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class V common stock”) (the “Reverse Stock Split”). Every 10 shares of issued and outstanding Class A common stock and Class V common stock were automatically combined into one issued and outstanding share of Class A common stock or Class V common stock, as applicable. Any fractional shares that would otherwise have resulted from the Reverse Stock Split were rounded up to the next whole number. Unless otherwise indicated, the number of shares of Class A common stock and Class V common stock presented in this prospectus is adjusted to reflect the Reverse Stock Split.
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and in accordance therewith file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The website address of the SEC is www.sec.gov.
We make available free of charge on or through our website at www.ir.strongholddigitalmining.com, our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with or otherwise furnish it to the SEC.
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the offering of these securities. The registration statement, including the attached exhibits, contains additional relevant information about us and the securities. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement. You can obtain a copy of the registration statement for free at www.sec.gov. The registration statement and the documents referred to below under “Incorporation of Certain Information By Reference” are also available on our website, www.ir.strongholddigitalmining.com.
We have not incorporated by reference into this prospectus the information on our website, and you should not consider it to be a part of this prospectus.
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The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information we file with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents without restating that information in this document. The information incorporated by reference into this prospectus is considered to be part of this prospectus, and information in documents that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede information contained in documents filed earlier with the SEC or contained in this prospectus. We incorporate by reference in this prospectus the documents listed below and all documents that we may subsequently file with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the date on which the registration statement was initially filed with the SEC (including all such documents that we may file with the SEC after the date the registration statement was initially filed and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement) until all offerings under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part are completed or terminated, provided, however, that we are not incorporating, in each case, any documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules:
• | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the SEC on April 3, 2023 (pursuant to Rule 12b-25 extension); |
• | our Definitive Information Statement on Schedule 14C, filed with the SEC on January 30, 2023; |
• | our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on May 12, 2023; |
• | our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC (except for items 2.02 and 7.01) on January 3, 2023, January 13, 2023, February 7, 2023, February 24, 2023, March 13, 2023, March 21, 2023, March 22, 2023, April 3, 2023, April 5, 2023, April 24, 2023, May 5, 2023, and May 19, 2023; and |
• | the description of our capital stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A, dated October 19, 2021 and any amendment or report filed with the SEC for the purposes of updating such description, including Exhibit 4.1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, filed on April 3, 2023. |
We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We will provide this information upon written or oral request at no cost to the requester. Requests for these documents should be directed to Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc., 595 Madison Avenue, 28th Floor, New York, New York 10022, telephone (845) 579-5992. We also maintain a website at www.strongholddigitalmining.com where incorporated reports or other documents filed with the SEC may be accessed. We have not incorporated by reference into this prospectus the information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website, and you should not consider it to be part of this prospectus.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus, including information incorporated by reference as described above, or any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment that we have specifically referred you to. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents or that any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than its filing date. You should not consider this prospectus to be an offer or solicitation relating to the securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation relating to the securities is not authorized. Furthermore, you should not consider this prospectus to be an offer or solicitation relating to the securities if the person making the offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so, or if it is unlawful for you to receive such an offer or solicitation.
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Except as otherwise indicated or required by the context, all references in this prospectus to the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our” relate to Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. (“Stronghold Inc.”) and its consolidated subsidiaries following the reorganization of the Company effected on April 1, 2021. References in this prospectus to “Q Power” refer to Q Power LLC, which prior to the reorganization (i) was the sole regarded owner of Stronghold Digital Mining LLC (f/k/a Stronghold Power LLC) (“SDM”) and (ii) indirectly held 70% of the limited partner interests and 100% of the general partner interests in Scrubgrass Reclamation Company, L.P. (f/k/a Scrubgrass Generating Company, L.P.) (“Scrubgrass LP”).
Overview
We are a low-cost, environmentally beneficial, vertically integrated crypto asset mining company currently focused on mining Bitcoin and environmental remediation and reclamation services. We wholly own and operate two coal refuse power generation facilities that we have upgraded: (i) our first reclamation facility located on a 650-acre site in Scrubgrass Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania, which we acquired the remaining interest of in April 2021 and has the capacity to generate approximately 83.5 megawatts (“MW”) of electricity and (ii) a facility located near Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania, which we acquired in November 2021 and which has the capacity to generate approximately 80 MW of electricity, each of which is as an Alternative Energy System because coal refuse is classified under Pennsylvania law as a Tier II Alternative Energy Source (large-scale hydropower is also classified in this tier). We are committed to generating our energy and managing our assets sustainably, and we believe that we are one of the first vertically integrated crypto asset mining companies with a focus on environmentally beneficial operations.
Emerging Growth Company and Smaller Reporting Company Status
As a company with less than $1.235 billion in revenue during our last fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include:
• | We are not required to engage an auditor to report on our internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; |
• | We are not required to comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (i.e., an auditor discussion and analysis); |
• | We are not required to submit certain executive compensation matters to stockholder advisory votes, such as “say-on-pay,” “say-on-frequency” and “say-on-golden parachutes”; and |
• | We are not required to disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the chief executive officer’s compensation to median employee compensation. |
We may take advantage of these provisions until the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering (the “IPO”) or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We would cease to be an emerging growth company upon the earliest of: (i) the last day of the first fiscal year in which our annual gross revenues are $1.235 billion or more; (ii) the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities; (iii) on the last day of the fiscal year following the date of the fifth anniversary of our first sale of common equity securities under an effective registration statement or (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a “large accelerated filer,” which will occur as of the end of any fiscal year in which we (x) have an aggregate market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates of $700 million or more as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, (y) have been required to file annual and quarterly reports under the Exchange Act, for a period of at least 12 months and (z) have filed at least one annual report pursuant to the Exchange Act.
We have elected to take advantage of the reduced disclosure obligations listed above in this prospectus and may elect to take advantage of other reduced reporting requirements in future filings. In particular, we have
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elected to adopt the reduced disclosure with respect to our executive compensation disclosure. As a result of this election, the information that we provide stockholders may be different than you might get from other public companies.
The JOBS Act permits an emerging growth company like us to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. We have elected to use this extended transition period and, as a result, we will adopt new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for private companies. Our election to use the transition periods permitted by this election may make it difficult to compare our financial statements to those of non-emerging growth companies and other emerging growth companies that have opted out of the extended transition periods permitted under the JOBS Act and that will comply with new or revised financial accounting standards. If we were to subsequently elect instead to comply with public company effective dates, such election would be irrevocable pursuant to the JOBS Act.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $250 million as of the end of that fiscal year’s second fiscal quarter and (2) our annual revenues exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of that fiscal year’s second fiscal quarter.
Our Offices
Our principal executive offices are located at 595 Madison Avenue, 28th Floor, New York, New York 10022, and our telephone number at that address is (845) 579-5992. Our website address is www.strongholddigitalmining.com. Information contained on our website does not constitute part of this prospectus.
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An investment in our Class A common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the information set forth under “Risk Factors” contained in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 (the “2022 Form 10-K”), and any updates in our subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K, together with the other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, including the risk factors described in our filings with the SEC, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus before investing in our Class A common stock. The occurrence of any of these risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, in which case the trading price of our Class A common stock could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Related to our Class A Common Stock
Sales of substantial amounts of our Class A common stock by the selling stockholders, or the perception that these sales could occur, could adversely affect the price of our Class A common stock.
We are registering the offer and sale of the Class A common shares covered by this prospectus to, among other things, satisfy the registration rights we granted to the selling stockholders, so that the Class A common stock may be offered for sale into the public market by the selling stockholders. Further, we have previously registered for resale additional shares of Class A common stock held by other stockholders pursuant to effective registration statements. Subject to certain exceptions, we may be obligated to keep this prospectus current so that the shares of Class A common stock covered by this prospectus can be sold in the public market at any time. The number of shares of Class A common stock covered by this prospectus is significant in relation to our currently outstanding Class A common stock and the historical trading volume of our Class A common stock. The sale by the selling stockholders of all or a significant portion of the shares of Class A common stock covered by this prospectus could have a material adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock. In addition, the perception in the public markets that the selling stockholders might sell all or a portion of the shares of Class A common stock covered by this prospectus could also, in and of itself, have a material adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock.
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The information in this prospectus includes “forward-looking statements.” All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this prospectus, regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. When used in this prospectus, the words “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “seek,” “approximately,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “continue,” “could,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions about future events and are based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements described under the heading “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Business” included in this prospectus or included in the 2022 Form 10-K, or any subsequent filings with the SEC under the Exchange Act and in the other documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current belief, based on currently available information, as to the outcome and timing of future events.
Forward-looking statements may include statements about:
• | the hybrid nature of our business model, which is highly dependent on the price of Bitcoin; |
• | our ability to raise capital to fund our business growth; |
• | our dependence on the level of demand and financial performance of the crypto asset industry; |
• | our ability to manage our growth, business, financial results and results of operations; |
• | uncertainty regarding our evolving business model; |
• | our ability to maintain sufficient liquidity to fund operations, growth and acquisitions; |
• | our substantial indebtedness and its effect on our results of operations and our financial condition; |
• | uncertainty regarding the outcomes of any investigations or proceedings; |
• | our ability to retain management and key personnel and the integration of new management; |
• | our ability to enter into purchase agreements, acquisitions and financing transactions; |
• | our ability to maintain our relationships with our third-party brokers and our dependence on their performance; |
• | public health crises, epidemics, and pandemics such as the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic; |
• | our ability to procure crypto asset mining equipment from foreign-based suppliers; |
• | developments and changes in laws and regulations, including increased regulation of the crypto asset industry through legislative action and revised rules and standards applied by The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network under the authority of the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act and the Investment Company Act; |
• | the future acceptance and/or widespread use of, and demand for, Bitcoin and other crypto assets; |
• | our ability to respond to price fluctuations and rapidly changing technology; |
• | our ability to operate our coal refuse power generation facilities as planned; |
• | our ability to remain listed on a stock exchange and maintain an active trading market |
• | our ability to avail ourselves of tax credits for the clean-up of coal refuse piles; and |
• | legislative or regulatory changes, and liability under, or any future inability to comply with, existing or future energy regulations or requirements. |
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We caution you that these forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. These risks include, but are not limited to, decline in demand for our products and services, the seasonality and volatility of the crypto asset industry, our acquisition strategies, the inability to comply with developments and changes in regulation, cash flow and access to capital, maintenance of third party relationships, the COVID-19 pandemic and the other risks described under “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and in the documents we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this prospectus occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements.
All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this prospectus are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that we or persons acting on our behalf may issue.
Any forward-looking statement that we make in this prospectus speaks only as of the date of such statement. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, we disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this prospectus.
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We are registering 1,872,501 shares of Class A common stock for resale by the selling stockholders, consisting of (i) 466,661 shares of Class A common stock that have been issued to Armistice, (ii) 433,340 shares of Class A common stock that are issuable upon the exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants issued to Armistice, (iii) 900,000 shares of Class A common stock that are issuable upon the exercise of the Armistice Warrants issued to Armistice, and (iv) 72,500 shares of Class A common stock that have been issued to Neiswonger. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares of our Class A common stock by the selling stockholders. However, we may receive proceeds from the exercise of the Warrants, if any Warrants are exercised for cash. We intend to use those proceeds, if any, for general corporate purposes. The net proceeds from the sale of the shares of our Class A common stock offered pursuant to this prospectus will be received by the selling stockholders for their respective accounts. Pursuant to the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement and the Neiswonger Settlement Agreement, we have agreed to pay all fees and expenses relating to registering these shares of our Class A common stock. The selling stockholders will pay any broker commissions or similar commissions or fees incurred for the sale of such shares.
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Pursuant to the Armistice Securities Purchase Agreement, we entered into the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement and agreed to prepare and file this registration statement covering the resale of all Registrable Securities (as defined in the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement), and to use our commercially reasonable efforts to cause this registration statement to become effective within the timeframes specified in the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement (but in no event after 60th calendar day following the date of the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement or, in the event of a review by the SEC, the 90th calendar day); failure to do so will result in certain liquidated damages as set forth in the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement. In addition, we agreed that, upon the registration statement being declared effective under the Securities Act, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to keep the registration statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date that all Registrable Securities covered hereby (i) have been sold thereunder or pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act, or (ii) may be sold without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 and without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144. Further, pursuant to the terms of the Neiswonger Agreement, we have agreed to use our commercially reasonable efforts to file a registration statement on Form S-3 registering the 72,500 shares of Class A common stock held by Neiswonger within 30 days of date of the Neiswonger Agreement.
We are registering 1,872,501 shares of Class A common stock consisting of, (i) 466,661 shares of Class A common stock that have been issued to Armistice, (ii) 433,340 shares of Class A common stock that are issuable upon the exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants issued to Armistice, (iii) 900,000 shares of Class A common stock that are issuable upon the exercise of the Armistice Warrants issued to Armistice, and (iv) 72,500 shares of Class A common stock that have been issued to Neiswonger, in order to permit the selling stockholders to offer such shares for resale from time to time pursuant to this prospectus. This prospectus also covers any additional securities that may become issuable in respect of the shares described in this paragraph by reason of stock splits, stock dividends or other similar transactions.
On April 20, 2023, we entered into the Armistice Securities Purchase Agreement with Armistice for the issuance and sale of 466,661 shares of Class A common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants to purchase an aggregate of 433,340 shares of Class A common stock, and the Armistice Warrants to purchase an aggregate of 900,000 shares of Class A common stock. The Pre-Funded Warrants and Armistice Warrants have an initial exercise price, subject to certain adjustments, of $0.0001 and $10.00 per share, respectively. Subject to certain ownership limitations, the Armistice Warrants are exercisable six months after the date of issuance and will be exercisable for five and a half years commencing upon the date of issuance. Subject to certain ownership limitations, the Pre-Funded Warrants are exercisable upon issuance. Additionally, on April 26, 2023, we entered into the Neiswonger Agreement for the issuance of 72,500 shares of Class A common stock to Neiswonger.
When we refer to the “selling stockholders” in this prospectus, we mean the persons and entities listed in the table below, and the pledgees, donees, permitted transferees, assignees, successors and others who later come to hold any of the selling stockholders’ interests in shares of our Class A common stock, in accordance with the terms of the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement and the Neiswonger Agreement and other than through a public sale.
The table below lists the selling stockholders and other information regarding the ownership of the shares of Class A common stock by the selling stockholders. This includes the number of shares of Class A common stock owned by the selling stockholders, based on information provided to us by each selling stockholder, based on its ownership of the shares of Class A common stock and securities convertible or exercisable into shares of Class A common stock, as of May 1, 2023, assuming exercise of the securities convertible into or exercisable for shares of Class A common stock held by such selling stockholder on that date, if applicable, without regard to any limitations on conversions or exercises.
This prospectus generally covers the resale of the maximum number of Class A common stock that may be received upon exercise of the Warrants. The table below assumes that the outstanding Warrants are converted or exercised in full into shares of Class A common stock as of the trading day immediately preceding the date this registration statement was initially filed with the SEC, without regard to any limitations, including any applicable Beneficial Ownership Limitations on the exercise of the Warrants or exercisability limitations. The column titled “Shares Beneficially Owned After the Offering” assumes the sale of all of the shares offered by the selling stockholders pursuant to this prospectus.
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Under the terms of the Armistice Warrants and the Pre-Funded Warrants, a selling stockholder may not exercise the Armistice Warrants or the Pre-Funded Warrants to the extent such exercise would cause such selling stockholder, together with its affiliates and attribution parties, to beneficially own a number of shares of Class A common stock which would exceed 4.99% and 9.99%, respectively, of our then outstanding Class A common stock following such exercise, excluding for purposes of such determination shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of such Armistice Warrants and the Pre-Funded Warrants which have not been converted or exercised (collectively, the “Beneficial Ownership Limitations”). Further, the Armistice Warrants are only exercisable six months after the date of issuance. The number of shares in the table do not reflect these limitations.
Except as noted in the footnotes to the table below or elsewhere in this prospectus, the selling stockholders do not have, and have not had since our inception, any position, office or other material relationship with us or any of our affiliates. Based on information provided to us by each selling stockholder and as of the date the same was provided to us, assuming that such selling stockholder sells all the shares of our Class A common stock beneficially owned by it that have been registered by us pursuant to this registration statement and does not acquire any additional shares during the offering, the selling stockholders will not own any shares other than those appearing in the column entitled “Shares Beneficially Owned After the Offering.” See “Plan of Distribution.” We cannot advise as to whether the selling stockholders will in fact sell any or all of such shares. In addition, the selling stockholders may have sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of, or may sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of, at any time and from time to time, the shares in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act after the date on which they provided the information set forth on the table below.
| | | Shares Beneficially Owned Prior to the Offering(1) | | | Number of Shares Being Offered(1) | | | Shares Beneficially Owned After the Offering(1) | |||||||||||||
| | | Class A Common Stock | | | Cumulative Voting Power | | | Class A Common Stock | | | Class A Common Stock | | | Cumulative Voting Power | |||||||
Name of Selling Stockholder | | | Number | | | %(1) | | | %(1) | | | Number | | | Number | | | % | | | % |
Armistice Capital Master Fund Ltd.(2) | | | 2,300,001 | | | 32.2% | | | 23.6% | | | 1,800,001 | | | 500,000 | | | 8.6% | | | 5.9% |
Neiswonger Construction, Inc.(3) | | | 72,500 | | | 1.4% | | | * | | | 72,500 | | | 0 | | | * | | | * |
* | Indicates beneficial ownership of less than 1%. |
(1) | Assumes that the outstanding Armistice Warrants and the Pre-Funded Warrants will be exercised in full, without regard to any limitations, including any beneficial ownership limitations, on the exercise of the Armistice Warrants and the Pre-Funded Warrants. Under the terms of the Armistice Warrants and the Pre-Funded Warrants, a selling stockholder may not exercise the Armistice Warrants and the Pre-Funded Warrants to the extent such exercise would cause such selling stockholder, together with its affiliates and attribution parties, to beneficially own a number of shares of common stock which would exceed 4.99% and 9.99%, respectively, of our then outstanding Class A common stock following such exercise, excluding for purposes of such determination shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of such Armistice Warrants and the Pre-Funded Warrants which have not been exercised. Further, the Armistice Warrants are only exercisable six months after the date of issuance. |
(2) | As of May 1, 2023, consists of (i) 466,661 shares of Class A common stock that have been issued to Armistice, (ii) 433,340 shares of Class A common stock that are issuable upon the exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants acquired by Armistice, (iii) 900,000 shares of Class A common stock that are issuable upon the exercise of the Armistice Warrants acquired by Armistice, and (iv) 500,000 shares of Class A common stock that are issuable upon the exercise of the warrants (the “2022 Warrants”), with an exercise price of $10.10 per share, acquired by Armistice. The 2022 Warrants have a Beneficial Ownership Limitation of 4.99%. Such securities are directly held by Armistice Capital Master Fund Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Master Fund”), and may be deemed to be indirectly beneficially owned by: (i) Armistice Capital, LLC (“Armistice Capital”), as the investment manager of the Master Fund; and (ii) Steven Boyd, as the Managing Member of Armistice Capital. Armistice Capital and Steven Boyd disclaim beneficial ownership of the securities except to the extent of their respective pecuniary interests therein. The business address of the Master Fund is c/o Armistice Capital, LLC, 510 Madison Ave, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022. |
(3) | Consists of 72,500 shares of Class A common stock directly held by Neiswonger Construction Inc. (the “Neiswonger Securities”). Such securities are directly held by Neiswonger, a Pennsylvania corporation, and may be deemed to be indirectly beneficially owned by Vincent Claire Neiswonger, its President, and by Michael Paul Johnston, its VP Finance. Each of Vincent Claire Neiswonger and Michael Paul Johnston disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interests therein. The principal business office of Neiswonger is 17592 RT 322, Strattanville, PA 16258. |
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The authorized capital stock of Stronghold Inc. consists of 238,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, 50,000,000 shares of Class V common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of which a series of 23,102 shares of Series C Preferred Stock has been designated. As of May 1, 2023, there were 5,300,275 shares of Class A common stock, 2,605,760 shares of Class V common stock, and 21,542 shares of Series C Preferred Stock issued and outstanding. As of May 1, 2023 there were 41 stockholders of record of our Class A common stock, one stockholder of record of our Class V common stock and three stockholders of record of our Series C Preferred Stock.
The following summary of the capital stock, our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws of Stronghold Inc. does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the provisions of applicable law and to our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
Class A Common Stock
Voting Rights. Holders of shares of Class A common stock are entitled to one vote per share held of record on all matters to be voted upon by the stockholders. The holders of Class A common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors.
Dividend Rights. Holders of shares of our Class A common stock are entitled to ratably receive dividends when and if declared by our Board out of funds legally available for that purpose, subject to any statutory or contractual restrictions on the payment of dividends and to any prior rights and preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding preferred stock.
Liquidation Rights. Upon our liquidation, dissolution, distribution of assets or other winding up, the holders of Class A common stock are entitled to receive ratably the assets available for distribution to the stockholders after payment of liabilities and the liquidation preference of any of our outstanding shares of preferred stock.
Other Matters. The shares of Class A common stock have no preemptive or conversion rights and are not subject to further calls or assessment by us. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the Class A common stock. All issued and outstanding shares of our Class A common stock are fully paid and non-assessable.
Class V Common Stock
Voting Rights. Holders of shares of our Class V common stock are entitled to one vote per share held of record on all matters to be voted upon by the stockholders. Holders of shares of our Class A common stock and Class V common stock vote together as a single class on all matters presented to our stockholders for their vote or approval.
Dividend and Liquidation Rights. Holders of our Class V common stock do not have any right to receive dividends, unless (i) the dividend consists of shares of our Class V common stock or of rights, options, warrants or other securities convertible or exercisable into or exchangeable or redeemable for shares of Class V common stock paid proportionally with respect to each outstanding share of Class V common stock and (ii) a dividend consisting of shares of Class A common stock or of rights, options, warrants or other securities convertible or exercisable into or exchangeable or redeemable for shares for Class A common stock on equivalent terms is simultaneously paid to the holders of Class A common stock. Holders of our Class V common stock do not have any right to receive a distribution upon a liquidation or winding up of Stronghold Inc.
Other Matters. The shares of Class V common stock have no preemptive or conversion rights and are not subject to further calls or assessment by us. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the Class V common stock. All outstanding shares of our Class V common stock are fully paid and non-assessable.
Preferred Stock
General Description
Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes our Board, subject to any limitations prescribed by law, without further shareholder approval, to establish and to issue from time to time
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one or more classes or series of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, covering up to an aggregate of 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock. Each class or series of preferred stock will cover the number of shares and will have the powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions determined by the Board.
The certificate of designation fixes for each class or series the designations, powers, preferences, rights, the number of shares constituting that series and the distinctive designation of that series, which number may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares then outstanding) from time to time by action of the board of directors;
• | the dividend rate and the manner and frequency of payment of dividends on the shares of that series, whether dividends will be cumulative, and, if so, from which date; |
• | whether that series will have voting rights, in addition to any voting rights provided by law, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights; |
• | whether that series will have conversion privileges, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion, including provision for adjustment of the conversion rate in such events as the board of directors may determine; |
• | whether or not the shares of that series will be redeemable, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such redemption; |
• | whether that series will have a sinking fund for the redemption or purchase of shares of that series, and, if so, the terms and amount of such sinking fund; |
• | whether or not the shares of the series will have priority over or be on a parity with or be junior to the shares of any other series or class in any respect; |
• | the rights of the shares of that series in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the corporation, and the relative rights or priority, if any, of payment of shares of that series; and |
• | any other relative rights, preferences, and limitations of that series. |
The rights, preferences, and privileges could include dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, liquidation preferences, sinking fund terms, and the number of shares constituting any series or the designation of such series, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of our common stock. Except as provided by law or in a preferred stock designation, the holders of preferred stock will not be entitled to vote at or receive notice of any meeting of stockholders. In some cases, the issuance of preferred stock could delay or discourage a change of control in us. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing desired flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could adversely affect the voting power of holders of our common stock. It could also affect the likelihood that holders of our common stock will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation.
Series C Preferred Stock
Pursuant to our Certificate of Designations (the “Certificate of Designations”), filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware with respect to the Series C Preferred Stock, we designated 23,102 shares of our authorized and unissued preferred stock as Series C Preferred Stock, and established the rights, preferences and privileges of the Series C Preferred Stock, which are summarized below. As of March 31, 2023, we had 21,542 shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding.
Designation and Amount. The Certificate of Designations designates twenty-three thousand, one hundred two (23,102) shares of Series C Preferred Stock, with each share having a stated value of $1,000, subject to any adjustment for stock splits, stock combinations, recapitalizations and similar transactions as set forth in the Certificate of Designations (the “Stated Value”).
Ranking and Liquidation Preference. The Series C Preferred Stock ranks, with respect to rights upon an acquisition, merger or consolidation of the Company, sale of all or substantially all assets of the Company, other business combination or liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Company, either voluntary or involuntary (collectively, a “Liquidation Event”), (i) senior to the Class A common stock and Class V common stock and any other class or series of capital stock of the Company the terms of which do not expressly provide
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that such class or series ranks senior to or on parity with the Series C Preferred Stock with respect to a Liquidation Event (“Junior Stock”), (ii) on a parity with any other class or series of capital stock of the Company the terms of which provide that such class or series ranks on a parity with the Series C Preferred Stock with respect to a Liquidation Event (“Parity Stock”), and (iii) junior to any other class or series of capital stock of the Company the terms of which expressly provide that such class or series ranks senior to the Series C Preferred Stock with respect to a Liquidation Event (“Senior Stock”). In the event of a Liquidation Event, each holder of shares of Series C Preferred Stock then outstanding shall be entitled to receive, before any payment or distribution of any assets of the Company shall be made or set apart for holders of the Junior Stock, an amount per share of Series C Preferred Stock equal to the Stated Value.
Voting Rights. Except as required by the DGCL or our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation, holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock do not have any voting rights, except that the approval of holders of at least two-thirds (66.67%) of the then-outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock is required to (i) amend, alter, repeal or otherwise modify (whether by merger, operation of law, consolidation or otherwise) (a) any provision of our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws in a manner that would adversely affect the powers, rights, preferences or privileges of the Series C Preferred Stock, or (b) any provision of the Certificate of Designations, (ii) authorize, create, increase the amount of, or issue any Series C Preferred Stock or any class or series of Senior Stock or Parity Stock or any security convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, shares of Series C Preferred Stock, Senior Stock, or Parity Stock, (iii) authorize, enter into or otherwise engage in a Fundamental Transaction (as defined in the Certificate of Designations) unless such Fundamental Transaction does not adversely affect the rights, preferences or privileges of the Series C Preferred Stock, and (iv) agree or consent to any of the foregoing.
Optional Conversion. Each holder is entitled, upon written notice to the Company, to convert all or a portion of such holder’s outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock into a number of shares of Class A common stock (an “Optional Conversion”) at a conversion rate equal to (i) the Stated Value plus cash in lieu of any fractional shares, divided by (ii) a conversion price of $4.00 per share of Class A common stock, subject to certain adjustments provided in the Certificate of Designations (the “Conversion Price”). A holder does not have the right to effect an Optional Conversion to the extent that, after giving effect to such conversion, such holder (together with such holder’s affiliates and any person acting as a group with such holder or any of its affiliates) would beneficially own in excess of 9.99% of the number of shares of Class A common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such conversion (the “Series C Beneficial Ownership Limitation”).
In the event of any Fundamental Transaction, as described in the Certificate of Designations and generally including any merger with or into another entity, sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, tender offer or exchange offer, reclassification of shares of the Class A common stock, or stock purchase agreement or other business combination wherein another person or group acquires more than 50% of the then-outstanding shares of Class A common stock, then upon any subsequent Optional Conversion or the Automatic Conversion (as defined below), the holder has the right to receive as alternative consideration, for each share of Class A common stock that would have been issuable upon such Optional Conversion or the Automatic Conversion immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, the number of shares of Class A common stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration receivable upon or as a result of such transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Class A common stock into which the shares of Series C Preferred Stock are convertible immediately prior to such event.
Automatic Conversion. Upon the fifth anniversary of the date of issuance of the Series C Preferred Stock, each share of Series C Preferred Stock then outstanding will automatically and immediately convert into shares of Class A common stock or, to the extent such conversion would cause a holder to exceed the Series C Beneficial Ownership Limitation, into Pre-Funded Warrants (the “Automatic Conversion”).
Other Rights. The Series C Preferred Stock is not entitled to receive dividends, does not have preemptive or subscription rights, and has no redemption or sinking fund provisions or rights.
This summary of certain provisions of the Certificate of Designations is not intended to be complete, and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the Certificate of Designations.
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Registration Rights Agreements
We have entered into various registration rights agreements, certain of which have continued registration obligations. The following summary of certain provisions of the following registration rights agreements is not intended to be complete, and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of such registration rights agreements.
Pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement, dated April 21, 2023, that we entered into with Armistice (the “Armistice Registration Rights Agreement”), we have agreed to file this registration statement with respect to the registration of the resale by Armistice of all Registrable Securities (as defined in the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement), and to use our commercially reasonable efforts to cause this registration statement to become effective within the timeframes specified in the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement (but in no event after 60th calendar day following the date of the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement or, in the event of a review by the SEC, the 90th calendar day); failure to do so will result in certain liquidated damages as set forth in the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement. In addition, we agreed that, upon the registration statement being declared effective under the Securities Act, we use commercially reasonable efforts to keep this registration statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date that all Registrable Securities covered hereby (i) have been sold thereunder or pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act, or (ii) may be sold without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 and without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144.
We have agreed to indemnify Armistice for certain violations of federal or state securities laws in connection with any registration statement in which such selling stockholder sells its Registrable Securities pursuant to these registration rights. The selling stockholders will, in turn, agree to indemnify us for federal or state securities law violations that occur in reliance upon written information it provides to us for use in the registration statement.
This summary of certain provisions of the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement is not intended to be complete, and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement.
Further, pursuant to the terms of the Neiswonger Agreement, we have agreed to use our commercially reasonable efforts to file a registration statement on Form S-3 registering the 72,500 shares of Class A common stock held by Neiswonger within 30 days of the date of the Neiswonger Agreement.
Other Registration Rights Agreements
Pursuant to the terms of (i) an exchange agreement, dated December 30, 2022, between us and certain parties thereto, we entered into a registration rights agreement with such parties (the “Exchange Registration Rights Agreement”), (ii) a credit agreement, dated October 27, 2022, as subsequently amended, we entered into a registration rights agreement with Whitehawk Finance LLC (the “Whitehawk Registration Rights Agreement”) and (iii) a settlement agreement and mutual release, dated March 28, 2023, we entered into a registration rights agreement with Bruce – Merrilees Electric Co. (the “B&M Registration Rights Agreement” and, together with the Exchange Registration Rights Agreement and the Whitehawk Registration Rights Agreement, the “2023 Registration Rights Agreements”).
Pursuant to the 2023 Registration Rights Agreements, we were required to file a registration statement covering the resale of the Registrable Securities (as defined in each 2023 Registration Rights Agreement) with the SEC on a continuous basis and, upon such registration statement being declared effective under the Securities Act, to use commercially reasonable efforts to keep such registration statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date that all securities covered thereunder (i) have been sold thereunder or pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act, or (ii) may be sold without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 and without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144. We filed such registration statement with the SEC on April 5, 2023 (SEC File No. 333-271151), and it was declared effective by the SEC on April 14, 2023.
On September 13, 2022, pursuant to the terms of a securities purchase agreement, dated September 13, 2022, between us and Armistice, as subsequently amended (the “2022 Armistice SPA”) we entered into a registration rights agreement (the “2022 Armistice Registration Rights Agreement”). Pursuant to the 2022 Armistice Registration Rights Agreement, we were required to file a registration statement covering the resale of the securities issued and sold
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pursuant to the 2022 Armistice SPA with the SEC on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act and, upon such registration statement being declared effective under the Securities Act, to use commercially reasonable efforts to keep such registration statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date that all securities covered thereunder (i) have been sold thereunder or pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act, or (ii) may be sold without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 and without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144. We filed such registration statement with the SEC on October 13, 2022 (SEC File No. 333-267869), and it was declared effective by the SEC on February 10, 2023.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, our Amended and Restated Bylaws and Delaware Law
Some provisions of Delaware law, and our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that could make the following transactions more difficult: acquisitions of us by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise; or removal of our incumbent officers and directors. These provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in our management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish or could deter transactions that stockholders may otherwise consider to be in their best interest or in our best interests, including transactions that might result in a premium over the market price for our shares.
These provisions, summarized below, are expected to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with us. We believe that the benefits of increased protection and our potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure us outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging these proposals because, among other things, negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.
Delaware Law
We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL, regulating corporate takeovers. In general, those provisions prohibit a Delaware corporation, including those whose securities are listed for trading on Nasdaq, from engaging in any business combination with any interested shareholder for a period of three years following the date that the shareholder became an interested shareholder, unless:
• | the transaction is approved by the Board before the date the interested shareholder attained that status; |
• | upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder, the interested shareholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced; or |
• | on or after such time the business combination is approved by the Board and authorized at a meeting of stockholders by at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested shareholder. |
Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws
Provisions of our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws may delay or discourage transactions involving an actual or potential change in control or change in our management, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares, or transactions that our stockholders might otherwise deem to be in their best interests. Therefore, these provisions could adversely affect the price of our Class A common stock.
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Among other things, our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws:
• | establish advance notice procedures with regard to shareholder proposals relating to the nomination of candidates for election as directors or new business to be brought before meetings of our stockholders. These procedures provide that notice of shareholder proposals must be timely given in writing to our corporate secretary prior to the meeting at which the action is to be taken. Generally, to be timely, notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the annual meeting for the preceding year. Our amended and restated bylaws specify the requirements as to form and content of all stockholders’ notices. These requirements may preclude stockholders from bringing matters before the stockholders at an annual or special meeting; |
• | provide that the authorized number of directors may be changed only by resolution of the Board, unless the second amended and restated certificate of incorporation fixes the number of directors, in which case, a change in the number of directors shall be made only by amendment of the certificate of incorporation; |
• | provide that our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation may only be amended by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 50% of our then outstanding of stock in the Company entitled to voted thereon, voting together as a single class; |
• | provide that all vacancies, including newly created directorships, may, except as otherwise required by law, be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum; |
• | provide that prior to the date on which Q Power and its affiliates no longer beneficially owns 40% or more of the combined outstanding shares of Class A common stock and Class V common stock (the “Trigger Date”), any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual meeting or special meeting of the stockholders of the Company may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote of stockholders, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is or are signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted. On and after the Trigger Date, subject to the rights of holders of any series of preferred stock with respect to such series of preferred stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by our stockholders must be taken at a duly held annual or special meeting of stockholders and may not be taken by any consent in writing; |
• | provide that the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, acting at a meeting of the stockholders or by written consent (if permitted), subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock, shall be required to remove any or all of the directors from office, and such removal may be with or without “cause”; |
• | provide that special meetings of our stockholders may only be called by the chief executive officer, the chairman of the board (or any co-chairman), or by a majority of the board; |
• | provide that our bylaws can be amended by the Board or stockholders of 66 2/3% of the voting power of the then-outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote thereon; and |
• | prohibit cumulative voting for the election of directors, unless otherwise provided in the second amended and restated certificate of incorporation. |
No Cumulative Voting
Under Delaware law, the right to vote cumulatively does not exist unless the certificate of incorporation specifically authorizes cumulative voting. Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not authorize cumulative voting. Therefore, stockholders holding a majority in voting power of the shares of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors will be able to elect all our directors.
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Forum Selection
Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum for:
• | any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; |
• | any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, employees or agents to us or our stockholders; |
• | any action asserting a claim against us or any director or officer or other employee of ours arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our bylaws; or |
• | any action asserting a claim against us or any director or officer or other employee of ours that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each such case subject to such Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act, the Securities Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation also provides that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of, and to have consented to, this forum selection provision. Although we believe these provisions will benefit us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law for the specified types of actions and proceedings, the provisions may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors, officers, employees and agents. The enforceability of similar exclusive forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that, in connection with one or more actions or proceedings described above, a court could rule that this provision in our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation is inapplicable or unenforceable.
Corporate Opportunities
Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation, to the fullest extent permitted by law, renounces any reasonable expectancy interest that we have in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any corporate or business opportunities that are from time to time presented to Q Power, its affiliated directors and affiliates, and our non-employee directors, and that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, such persons will have no duty to refrain from engaging in any transaction or matter that may be a corporate or business opportunity in which we or any of our subsidiaries could have an interest or expectancy. In addition, to the fullest extent permitted by law, in the event that Q Power, its affiliated directors and affiliates, and our directors acquire knowledge of any such opportunity, other than in their capacity as a member of our Board, such person will have no duty to communicate or present such opportunity to us or any of our subsidiaries, and they may take any such opportunity for themselves or offer it to another person or entity.
Limitation of Liability and Indemnification Matters
Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation limits the liability of our directors for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duty as directors, except for liability that cannot be eliminated under the DGCL. Delaware law provides that directors of a company will not be personally liable for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duty as directors, except for liabilities:
• | for any breach of their duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders; |
• | for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; |
• | for unlawful payment of dividend or unlawful stock repurchase or redemption, as provided under Section 174 of the DGCL; or |
• | for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. |
This provision also does not affect a director’s responsibilities under any other laws, such as the federal securities laws or state or federal environmental laws. Any amendment, repeal or modification of these provisions
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will be prospective only and would not affect any limitation on liability of a director for acts or omissions that occurred prior to any such amendment, repeal or modification.
Our amended and restated bylaws also provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Our bylaws also permits us to purchase insurance on behalf of any officer, director, employee or other agent for any liability arising out of that person’s actions as our officer, director, employee or agent, regardless of whether Delaware law would permit indemnification. We intend to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our current and future directors and officers. These agreements will require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liability that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified. We believe that the limitation of liability provision in our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the indemnification agreements facilitates our ability to continue to attract and retain qualified individuals to serve as directors and officers.
Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal and Payment
Under the DGCL, with certain exceptions, our stockholders have appraisal rights in connection with a merger or consolidation. Pursuant to the DGCL, stockholders who properly request and perfect appraisal rights in connection with such merger or consolidation will have the right to receive payment of the fair value of their shares as determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery.
Stockholders’ Derivative Actions
Under the DGCL, any of our stockholders may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action; provided that the stockholder bringing the action is a holder of our shares at the time of the transaction to which the action relates or such stockholder’s stock thereafter devolved by operation of law.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our Class A common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC.
Stock Exchange Listing
Our Class A common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Market and trades under the symbol “SDIG.”
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The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations related to the purchase, ownership and disposition of our Class A common stock by a non-U.S. holder (as defined below), that holds our Class A common stock as a “capital asset” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) (generally, property held for investment). This summary is based on the provisions of the Code, U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, administrative rulings and judicial decisions, all as in effect on the date hereof, and all of which are subject to change or differing interpretations, possibly with retroactive effect. We cannot assure you that a change in law will not significantly alter the tax considerations that we describe in this summary. We have not sought any ruling from the IRS with respect to the statements made and the positions and conclusions described in the following summary, and there can be no assurance that the IRS or a court will agree with such statements, positions and conclusions.
This summary does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to non-U.S. holders in light of their personal circumstances. In addition, this summary does not address the impact of the Medicare surtax on certain net investment income, U.S. federal estate or gift tax laws, any U.S. state or local or non-U.S. tax laws or any tax treaties. This summary also does not address all U.S. federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to particular non-U.S. holders in light of their personal circumstances or that may be relevant to certain categories of investors that may be subject to special rules, such as:
• | banks, insurance companies or other financial institutions; |
• | tax-exempt or governmental organizations; |
• | tax qualified retirement plans; |
• | “qualified foreign pension funds” as defined in Section 897(l)(2) of the Code (or any entities all of the interests of which are held by a qualified foreign pension fund); |
• | dealers in securities or foreign currencies; |
• | persons whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; |
• | traders in securities that use the mark-to-market method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes; |
• | “controlled foreign corporations,” “passive foreign investment companies,” and corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax; |
• | entities or arrangements treated as partnerships or pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes or holders of interests therein; |
• | persons deemed to sell our Class A common stock under the constructive sale provisions of the Code; |
• | persons that acquired our Class A common stock through the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as compensation or through a tax-qualified retirement plan; |
• | persons that hold our Class A common stock as part of a straddle, appreciated financial position, synthetic security, hedge, conversion transaction or other integrated investment or risk reduction transaction; and |
• | certain former citizens or long-term residents of the United States. |
PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT WITH AND RELY SOLELY UPON THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS (INCLUDING ANY POTENTIAL FUTURE CHANGES THERETO) TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATION, AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR CLASS A COMMON STOCK ARISING UNDER ANY OTHER TAX LAWS, INCLUDING U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE OR GIFT TAX LAWS OR UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY U.S. STATE OR LOCAL OR NON-U.S. TAXING JURISDICTION, OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATY.
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Non-U.S. Holder Defined
For purposes of this discussion, a “non-U.S. holder” is a beneficial owner of our Class A common stock that is not for U.S. federal income tax purposes a partnership or any of the following:
• | an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; |
• | a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
• | an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or |
• | a trust (i) the administration of which is subject to the primary supervision of a U.S. court and which has one or more “United States persons” (within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code) who have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) which has made a valid election under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person. |
If a partnership (including an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds our Class A common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. Accordingly, we urge partners in partnerships (including entities or arrangements treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes) considering the purchase of our Class A common stock to consult with and rely solely upon their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax considerations of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our Class A common stock by such partnership.
Distributions
We do not expect to pay any distributions on our Class A common stock in the foreseeable future. However, in the event we do make distributions of cash or other property on our Class A common stock, such distributions will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. To the extent those distributions exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, the distributions will be treated as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of the non-U.S. holder’s tax basis in our Class A common stock and thereafter as capital gain from the sale or exchange of such Class A common stock. See “—Gain on Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Common Stock.” Subject to the withholding requirements under FATCA (as defined below) and with respect to effectively connected dividends, each of which is discussed below, any distribution made to a non-U.S. holder on our Class A common stock generally will be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% of the gross amount of the distribution unless an applicable income tax treaty provides for a lower rate. To receive the benefit of a reduced treaty rate, a non-U.S. holder must provide the applicable withholding agent with an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable or successor form) certifying qualification for the reduced rate.
Dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder that are effectively connected with a trade or business conducted by the non-U.S. holder in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are treated as attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States) generally will be taxed on a net income basis at the rates and in the manner generally applicable to United States persons. Such effectively connected dividends will not be subject to U.S. withholding tax if the non-U.S. holder satisfies certain certification requirements by providing the applicable withholding agent with a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI certifying eligibility for exemption. If the non-U.S. holder is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it may also be subject to a branch profits tax (at a 30% rate or such lower rate as specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on its effectively connected earnings and profits (as adjusted for certain items), which will include effectively connected dividends.
Gain on Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Common Stock
Subject to the discussion below under “—Backup Withholding and Information Reporting,” a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax on any gain realized upon the sale or other taxable disposition of our Class A common stock unless:
• | the non-U.S. holder is an individual who is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the calendar year in which the sale or disposition occurs and certain other conditions are met; |
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• | the gain is effectively connected with a trade or business conducted by the non-U.S. holder in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States); or |
• | our Class A common stock constitutes a United States real property interest by reason of our status as a United States real property holding corporation (“USRPHC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes and as a result such gain is treated as effectively connected with a trade or business conducted by the non-U.S. holder in the United States. |
A non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate as specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on the amount of such gain, which generally may be offset by U.S. source capital losses provided the non-U.S. holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.
A non-U.S. holder whose gain is described in the second bullet point above or, subject to the exceptions described in the next paragraph, the third bullet point above, generally will be taxed on a net income basis at the rates and in the manner generally applicable to United States persons. If the non-U.S. holder is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes whose gain is described in the second bullet point above, then such gain would also be included in its effectively connected earnings and profits (as adjusted for certain items), which may be subject to a branch profits tax (at a 30% rate or such lower rate as specified by an applicable income tax treaty).
Generally a corporation is a USRPHC if the fair market value of its United States real property interests equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market value of its worldwide real property interests and its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. We believe that we currently are not a USRPHC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and we do not expect to become a USRPHC for the foreseeable future. However, in the event that we become a USRPHC, as long as our Class A common stock is and continues to be “regularly traded on an established securities market”(within the meaning of the U.S. Treasury regulations), only a non-U.S. holder that actually or constructively owns, or owned at any time during the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the disposition or the non-U.S. holder’s holding period for the Class A common stock, more than 5% of our Class A common stock will be treated as disposing of a United States real property interest and will be taxable on gain realized on the disposition of our Class A common stock as a result of our status as a USRPHC. If we were to become a USRPHC and our Class A common stock were not considered to be regularly traded on an established securities market, each non-U.S. holder (regardless of the percentage of stock owned) would be treated as disposing of a United States real property interest and would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a taxable disposition of our Class A common stock (as described in the preceding paragraph), and a 15% withholding tax would apply to the gross proceeds from such disposition.
Non-U.S. holders should consult with their own tax advisors with respect to the application of the foregoing rules to their ownership and disposition of our Class A common stock, including regarding potentially applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
Any dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder must be reported annually to the IRS and to the non-U.S. holder. Copies of these information returns may be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established. Payments of dividends to a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to backup withholding if the non-U.S. holder establishes an exemption by properly certifying its non-U.S. status on an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable or successor form).
Payments of the proceeds from a sale or other disposition by a non-U.S. holder of our Class A common stock effected by or through a U.S. office of a broker generally will be subject to information reporting and backup withholding (at the applicable rate) unless the non-U.S. holder establishes an exemption by properly certifying its non-U.S. status on an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable or successor form) and certain other conditions are met. Information reporting and backup withholding generally will not apply to any payment of the proceeds from a sale or other disposition of our Class A common stock effected outside the United States by a non-U.S. office of a broker. However, unless such broker has documentary evidence in its records that the non-U.S. holder is not a United States person and certain other conditions are met, or the non-U.S. holder otherwise establishes an exemption, information reporting will apply to a payment of the proceeds of the disposition of our Class A common stock effected outside the United States by such a broker if it has certain relationships within the United States.
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Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the U.S. federal income tax liability (if any) of persons subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If backup withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund may be obtained, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Additional Withholding Requirements under FATCA
Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, and the U.S. Treasury regulations and administrative guidance issued thereunder (“FATCA”), impose a 30% withholding tax on any dividends on our Class A common stock and, subject to the proposed U.S. Treasury regulations discussed below, on proceeds from sales or other dispositions of shares of our Class A common stock, if paid to a “foreign financial institution” or a “non-financial foreign entity” (each as defined in the Code) (including, in some cases, when such foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity is acting as an intermediary), unless (i) in the case of a foreign financial institution, such institution enters into an agreement with the U.S. government to withhold on certain payments and to collect and provide to the U.S. tax authorities substantial information regarding U.S. account holders of such institution (which includes certain equity and debt holders of such institution, as well as certain account holders that are non-U.S. entities with U.S. owners), (ii) in the case of a non-financial foreign entity, such entity certifies that it does not have any “substantial United States owners” (as defined in the Code) or provides the applicable withholding agent with a certification identifying the direct and indirect substantial United States owners of the entity (in either case, generally on an IRS Form W-8BEN-E), or (iii) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules and provides appropriate documentation (such as an IRS Form W-8BEN-E). Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing these rules may be subject to different rules. Under certain circumstances, a holder might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes. While gross proceeds from a sale or other disposition of our Class A common stock paid after January 1, 2019, would have originally been subject to withholding under FATCA, proposed U.S. Treasury regulations provide that such payments of gross proceeds do not constitute withholdable payments. Taxpayers may generally rely on these proposed U.S. Treasury regulations until they are revoked or final U.S. Treasury regulations are issued. Non-U.S. holders are encouraged to consult with their own tax advisors regarding the effects of FATCA on an investment in our Class A common stock.
INVESTORS CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF OUR CLASS A COMMON STOCK SHOULD CONSULT WITH AND RELY SOLELY UPON THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS (INCLUDING ANY POTENTIAL FUTURE CHANGES THERETO) TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS AND THE APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF ANY OTHER TAX LAWS, INCLUDING U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE AND GIFT TAX LAWS AND ANY U.S. STATE OR LOCAL OR NON-U.S. TAX LAWS, AND TAX TREATIES.
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The following is a summary of certain considerations associated with the acquisition and holding of shares of common stock by employee benefit plans that are subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), plans, individual retirement accounts and other arrangements that are subject to Section 4975 of the Code or employee benefit plans that are governmental plans (as defined in Section 3(32) of ERISA), certain church plans (as defined in Section 3(33) of ERISA), non-U.S. plans (as described in Section 4(b)(4) of ERISA) or other plans that are not subject to the foregoing but may be subject to provisions under any other federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of ERISA or the Code (collectively, “Similar Laws”), and entities whose underlying assets are considered to include “plan assets” of any such plan, account or arrangement (each, a “Plan”).
This summary is based on the provisions of ERISA and the Code (and related regulations and administrative and judicial interpretations) as of the date of this registration statement. This summary does not purport to be complete or comprehensive, and no assurance is or can be given that future legislation, court decisions, regulations, rulings or pronouncements will not significantly modify the requirements summarized below. Any of those changes may be retroactive and may thereby apply to transactions entered into prior to the date of their enactment or release, including the date of this prospectus. This discussion is general in nature and is not intended to be all inclusive, nor should it be construed as investment, legal or other advice.
General Fiduciary Matters
ERISA and the Code impose certain duties on persons who are fiduciaries of a Plan subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code (an “ERISA Plan”) and prohibit certain transactions involving the assets of an ERISA Plan and its fiduciaries or other interested parties. Under ERISA and the Code, any person who exercises any discretionary authority or control over the administration of an ERISA Plan or the management or disposition of the assets of an ERISA Plan, or who renders investment advice for a fee or other compensation to an ERISA Plan, is generally considered to be a fiduciary of the ERISA Plan.
In considering an investment in shares of common stock with a portion of the assets of any Plan, a fiduciary should consider the Plan’s particular circumstances and all of the facts and circumstances of the investment and determine whether the acquisition and holding of shares of common stock is in accordance with the documents and instruments governing the Plan and the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code, or any Similar Law relating to the fiduciary’s duties to the Plan, including, without limitation:
• | whether the investment is prudent under Section 404(a)(1)(B) of ERISA and any other applicable Similar Laws; |
• | whether, in making the investment, the ERISA Plan will satisfy the diversification requirements of Section 404(a)(1)(C) of ERISA and any other applicable Similar Laws; |
• | whether the investment is permitted under the terms of the applicable documents governing the Plan; |
• | whether the acquisition or holding of the shares of common stock will constitute a “prohibited transaction” under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code (please see discussion under “—Prohibited Transaction Issues” below); and |
• | whether the Plan will be considered to hold, as the Plan’s assets, (i) only shares of common stock or (ii) an undivided interest in our underlying assets (please see the discussion under “—Plan Asset Issues” below). |
Prohibited Transaction Issues
Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit ERISA Plans from engaging in specified transactions involving plan assets with persons or entities who are “parties in interest,” within the meaning of ERISA, or “disqualified persons,” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code, unless an exemption is available. A party in interest or disqualified person who engages in a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to excise taxes and other penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. In addition, the fiduciary of the ERISA Plan that engages in such a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to excise taxes, penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. The acquisition and/or holding of shares of common stock by an ERISA Plan with respect to which the issuer, the initial purchaser, or a guarantor is considered a party in
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interest or a disqualified person may constitute or result in a direct or indirect prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the Code, unless the investment is acquired and is held in accordance with an applicable statutory, class or individual prohibited transaction exemption.
Because of the foregoing, shares of common stock should not be acquired or held by any person investing “plan assets” of any Plan, unless such acquisition and holding will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA and the Code or a similar violation of any applicable Similar Laws.
Plan Asset Issues
Additionally, a fiduciary of a Plan should consider whether the Plan will, by investing in us, be deemed to own an undivided interest in our assets, with the result that we would become a fiduciary of the Plan and our operations would be subject to the regulatory restrictions of ERISA, including its prohibited transaction rules, as well as the prohibited transaction rules of the Code and any other applicable Similar Laws.
The Department of Labor (the “DOL”) regulations provide guidance with respect to whether the assets of an entity in which ERISA Plans acquire equity interests would be deemed “plan assets” under some circumstances. Under these regulations, an entity’s assets generally would not be considered to be “plan assets” if, among other things:
(a) | the equity interests acquired by ERISA Plans are “publicly offered securities” (as defined in the DOL regulations)—i.e., the equity interests are part of a class of securities that is widely held by 100 or more investors independent of the issuer and each other, are freely transferable, and are either registered under certain provisions of the federal securities laws or sold to the ERISA Plan as part of a public offering under certain conditions; |
(b) | the entity is an “operating company” (as defined in the DOL regulations)—i.e., it is primarily engaged in the production or sale of a product or service, other than the investment of capital, either directly or through a majority-owned subsidiary or subsidiaries; or |
(c) | there is no significant investment by “benefit plan investors” (as defined in the DOL regulations)—i.e., immediately after the most recent acquisition by an ERISA Plan of any equity interest in the entity, less than 25% of the total value of each class of equity interest (disregarding certain interests held by persons (other than benefit plan investors) with discretionary authority or control over the assets of the entity or who provide investment advice for a fee (direct or indirect) with respect to such assets, and any affiliates thereof) is held by ERISA Plans, individual retirement accounts and certain other Plans (but not including governmental plans, foreign plans and certain church plans), and entities whose underlying assets are deemed to include plan assets by reason of a Plan’s investment in the entity. |
Due to the complexity of these rules and the excise taxes, penalties and liabilities that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is particularly important that fiduciaries, or other persons considering acquiring and/or holding shares of our common stock on behalf of, or with the assets of, any Plan, consult with their counsel regarding the potential applicability of ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code and any Similar Laws to such investment and whether an exemption would be applicable to the acquisition and holding of shares of common stock. Purchasers of shares of common stock have the exclusive responsibility for ensuring that their acquisition and holding of shares of common stock complies with the fiduciary responsibility rules of ERISA and does not violate the prohibited transaction rules of ERISA, the Code or applicable Similar Laws. The sale of shares of common stock to a Plan is in no respect a representation by us or any of our affiliates or representatives that such an investment meets all relevant legal requirements with respect to investments by any such Plan or that such investment is appropriate for any such Plan.
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This prospectus includes the registration for resale of 1,872,501 shares of Class A common stock by the selling stockholders, consisting of (i) 466,661 shares of Class A common stock that have been issued to Armistice, (ii) 433,340 shares of Class A common stock that are issuable upon the exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants issued to Armistice, (iii) 900,000 shares of Class A common stock that are issuable upon the exercise of the Armistice Warrants issued to Armistice, and (iv) 72,500 shares of Class A common stock that have been issued to Neiswonger, to permit each of the selling stockholders and its pledgees, transferees or other successors-in-interest that receive its securities after the date of this prospectus to resell or otherwise dispose of the securities in the manner contemplated in this section.
The selling stockholders and any of their pledgees, donees, transferees, assignees and successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of their securities covered hereby on the Nasdaq Global Market or any other stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the shares are then traded or quoted or in private transactions. These sales may be fixed or negotiated prices. The selling stockholders may use any one or more of the following methods when selling securities:
• | ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers; |
• | block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell securities as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; |
• | purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account pursuant to this prospectus; |
• | an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange; |
• | privately negotiated transactions; |
• | to cover short sales made after the date that this registration statement is declared effective by the SEC; |
• | in transactions through broker-dealers that agree with the selling stockholders to sell a specified number of such securities at a stipulated price per security; |
• | through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise; |
• | a combination of any such methods of disposition; and |
• | any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law. |
The selling stockholders may also sell securities under Rule 144 or any other exemption from registration under the Securities Act, if available, rather than under this prospectus.
Broker-dealers engaged by the selling stockholders may arrange for other broker-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers, may receive commissions or discounts from the selling stockholders (or, if any broker-dealer acts as agent for the purchaser of securities, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated, but, except as set forth in a supplement to this prospectus, in the case of an agency transaction not in excess of a customary brokerage commission in compliance with Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) Rule 2121; and in the case of a principal transaction a markup or markdown in compliance with FINRA Rule 2121.
In connection with the sale of the securities or interests therein, the selling stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the securities in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The selling stockholders may also sell securities short and deliver these securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the securities to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The selling stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or create one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of securities offered by this prospectus, which securities such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).
The selling stockholders and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved in selling the securities may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the securities
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purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. The selling stockholders have informed us that they do not have any written or oral agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute their securities.
There can be no assurance that any selling stockholders will sell any or all of the securities registered pursuant to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part.
The aggregate proceeds to the selling stockholders from the sale of securities offered by them will be the purchase price of the securities less discounts or commissions, if any. The selling stockholders reserve the right to accept and, together with its agents from time to time, to reject, in whole or in part, any proposed purchase to be made directly or through agents. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of securities in this offering. However, we may receive proceeds from the exercise of the Warrants, if any Warrants are exercised for cash. We intend to use those proceeds, if any, for general corporate purposes.
We are required to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by us incident to the registration of the securities. We will bear all fees and expenses incident to our obligation to register the securities. We have agreed to indemnify the selling stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
We agreed to keep this prospectus effective until the earlier of (i) the date on which the securities may be resold by the selling stockholders without registration and without regard to any volume or manner-of-sale limitations by reason of Rule 144, without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information under Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect or (ii) all of the securities have been sold pursuant to this prospectus or Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect. The resale securities will be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers if required under applicable state securities laws. In addition, in certain states, the resale securities covered hereby may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.
Under applicable rules and regulations under the Exchange Act, any person engaged in the distribution of the resale securities may not simultaneously engage in market making activities with respect to the common stock for the applicable restricted period, as defined in Regulation M, prior to the commencement of the distribution. In addition, the selling stockholders will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of the Class A common stock by the selling stockholders or any other person. We will make copies of this prospectus available to the selling stockholders and have informed them of the need to deliver a copy of this prospectus to each purchaser at or prior to the time of the sale (including by compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act).
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The validity of our Class A common stock offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., New York, New York.
The audited financial statements of Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. incorporated by reference into this registration statement have been so included in reliance upon the report of Urish Popeck & Co., LLC, independent registered public accounting firm, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
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The information in this preliminary 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 preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy, these securities in any state or jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MAY 23, 2023PROSPECTUS
$25,000,000
Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc.
Class A Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Warrants
Depositary Shares
Stock Purchase Contracts
Units
Rights
We may offer and sell, from time to time, in one or more offerings, up to an aggregate of $25,000,000 of our Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A common stock”), shares of preferred stock, warrants, depositary shares, stock purchase contracts, units, and rights.
We may offer and sell these securities in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions and other factors at the time of the offering. We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis. See “Plan of Distribution.” This prospectus describes the general terms of these securities and the general manner in which we will offer the securities. The specific terms of any securities we offer will be included in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will also describe the specific manner in which we will offer the securities.
You should carefully read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement before you invest. You should also read the documents we refer to in the “Where You Can Find More Information” section of this prospectus for information on us and our financial statements.
Our Class A common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “SDIG.” On May 19, 2023, the closing price of our Class A common stock was $6.45 per share. As of May 19, 2023, the aggregate market value of our common stock held by our non-affiliates, as calculated pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), was approximately $53.6 million, based upon 4,742,615 shares of our outstanding common stock held by non-affiliates at the per share price of $11.30, the closing sale price of our Class A common stock on The Nasdaq Global Market on April 18, 2023 (as adjusted for the Reverse Stock Split). Pursuant to General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3, in no event will we sell securities in a public offering with a value exceeding more than one-third of our “public float” (i.e., the market value of our common stock held by our non-affiliates) in any 12-month period so long as our public float remains below $75.0 million. We have not sold any securities in reliance on General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3 during the 12 calendar months prior to and including the date of this prospectus.
We are an “emerging growth company” and a “smaller reporting company” under applicable federal securities laws and will be subject to reduced reporting requirements. This prospectus complies with the requirements that apply to an issuer that is an emerging growth company. We have two classes of common stock: Class A common stock and Class V common stock. Each share of Class V common stock has no economic rights but entitles its holder to one vote on all matters to be voted on by stockholders generally. Holders of Class A common stock and Class V common stock vote together as a single class on all matters presented to our stockholders for their vote or approval, except as otherwise required by applicable law or by our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation (as amended, the “second amended and restated certificate of incorporation”). Q Power LLC, which is controlled by Greg Beard, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Bill Spence, together with Messrs. Beard and Spence, held approximately 39.4% of the total voting stock outstanding as of May 5, 2023, including 100% of the Class V common stock outstanding, which votes together with the Class A common stock as a single class.
Neither the SEC 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.
Investing in our Class A common stock involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 6 and in the documents we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus to read about factors you should consider before buying shares of our Class A common stock.
The date of this prospectus is , 2023.
This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may offer and sell, from time to time, in one or more offerings, up to $25.0 million of our Class A common stock.
We may file one or more prospectus supplements, or, if appropriate, post-effective amendments, to accompany this prospectus to add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. Each time we offer securities, we will provide you with this prospectus and a prospectus supplement, or post-effective amendment, if applicable, that will describe, among other things, the specific amounts and prices and terms of the shares of the securities being offered. If the information varies between this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement, or post-effective amendment, if any, you should rely on the information in the accompanying prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to the offering. You should read both this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment, if any, and any free writing prospectus together with the additional information described under “Where You Can Find More Information.” You should also carefully consider, among other things, the matters discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” herein, and the accompanying prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment, if any, and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in any other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and the accompanying prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment, if any, and any related free writing prospectus.
This prospectus contains summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed, will be filed or will be incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described below under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment or free-writing prospectus we may authorize to be delivered or made available to you. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any free writing prospectus we have prepared. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. Offers to sell, and solicitations of offers to buy, shares of our Class A common stock are being made only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The information in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or of any sale of our Class A common stock. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since the date of this prospectus.
This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. See “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” appearing in this prospectus and in the documents we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
Industry and Market Data
The market data and certain other statistical information used or incorporated by reference into this prospectus are based on independent industry publications, publicly available information, business organizations, government publications and other published independent sources. Some data is also based on our good faith estimates. Although we believe these third-party sources are reliable as of their respective dates, we have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of this information. Market share data is subject to change and may be limited by the availability of raw data, the voluntary nature of the data gathering process and other limitations in any statistical survey of market share data. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such market share data or any other such estimates. The industry in which we operate is subject to a
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high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” appearing in this prospectus and in the documents we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in these publications.
Trademarks and Trade Names
We rely on various trade names that we use in connection with the operation of our business. This prospectus may also contain trademarks, service marks and trade names of third parties, which are the property of their respective owners. Our use or display of third parties’ trademarks, service marks, trade names or products in this prospectus is not intended to, and does not imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship by us. Solely for convenience, the trademarks, service marks and trade names referred to in this prospectus may appear without the ®, TM or SM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the right of the applicable licensor to these trademarks, service marks and trade names.
Presentation of Financial and Other Information
Certain monetary amounts, percentages and other figures included in this prospectus have been subject to rounding adjustments. Percentage amounts included in this prospectus have not in all cases been calculated on the basis of such rounded figures, but on the basis of such amounts prior to rounding. For this reason, percentage amounts in this prospectus may vary from those obtained by performing the same calculations using the figures in our combined financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Certain other amounts that appear in this prospectus may not sum due to rounding.
REVERSE STOCK SPLIT
On May 15, 2023, we effected a 1-for-10 reverse stock split of the shares of our Class A common stock and our Class V common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class V common stock”) (the “Reverse Stock Split”). Every 10 shares of issued and outstanding Class A common stock and Class V common stock were automatically combined into one issued and outstanding share of Class A common stock or Class V common stock, as applicable. Any fractional shares that would otherwise have resulted from the Reverse Stock Split were rounded up to the next whole number. Unless otherwise indicated, the number of shares of Class A common stock and Class V common stock presented in this prospectus is adjusted to reflect the Reverse Stock Split.
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and in accordance therewith file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The website address of the SEC is www.sec.gov.
We make available free of charge on or through our website at www.ir.strongholddigitalmining.com, our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with or otherwise furnish it to the SEC.
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the offering of these securities. The registration statement, including the attached exhibits, contains additional relevant information about us and the securities. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement. You can obtain a copy of the registration statement for free at www.sec.gov. The registration statement and the documents referred to below under “Incorporation of Certain Information By Reference” are also available on our website, www.ir.strongholddigitalmining.com.
We have not incorporated by reference into this prospectus the information on our website, and you should not consider it to be a part of this prospectus.
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The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information we file with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents without restating that information in this document. The information incorporated by reference into this prospectus is considered to be part of this prospectus, and information in documents that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede information contained in documents filed earlier with the SEC or contained in this prospectus. We incorporate by reference in this prospectus the documents listed below and all documents that we may subsequently file with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the date on which the registration statement was initially filed with the SEC (including all such documents that we may file with the SEC after the date the registration statement was initially filed and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement) until all offerings under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part are completed or terminated, provided, however, that we are not incorporating, in each case, any documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules:
• | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the SEC on April 3, 2023 (pursuant to Rule 12b-25 extension); |
• | our Definitive Information Statement on Schedule 14C, filed with the SEC on January 30, 2023; |
• | our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on May 12, 2023; |
• | our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC (except for items 2.02 and 7.01) on January 3, 2023, January 13, 2023, February 7, 2023, February 24, 2023, March 13, 2023, March 21, 2023, March 22, 2023, April 3, 2023, April 5, 2023, April 24, 2023, May 5, 2023, and May 19, 2023; and |
• | the description of our capital stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A, dated October 19, 2021 and any amendment or report filed with the SEC for the purposes of updating such description, including Exhibit 4.1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, filed on April 3, 2023. |
We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We will provide this information upon written or oral request at no cost to the requester. Requests for these documents should be directed to Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc., 595 Madison Avenue, 28th Floor, New York, New York 10022, telephone (845) 579-5992. We also maintain a website at www.strongholddigitalmining.com where incorporated reports or other documents filed with the SEC may be accessed. We have not incorporated by reference into this prospectus the information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website, and you should not consider it to be part of this prospectus.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus, including information incorporated by reference as described above, or any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment that we have specifically referred you to. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents or that any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than its filing date. You should not consider this prospectus to be an offer or solicitation relating to the securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation relating to the securities is not authorized. Furthermore, you should not consider this prospectus to be an offer or solicitation relating to the securities if the person making the offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so, or if it is unlawful for you to receive such an offer or solicitation.
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Except as otherwise indicated or required by the context, all references in this prospectus to the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our” relate to Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. (“Stronghold Inc.”) and its consolidated subsidiaries following the reorganization of the Company effected on April 1, 2021. References in this prospectus to “Q Power” refer to Q Power LLC, which prior to the reorganization (i) was the sole regarded owner of Stronghold Digital Mining LLC (f/k/a Stronghold Power LLC) (“SDM”) and (ii) indirectly held 70% of the limited partner interests and 100% of the general partner interests in Scrubgrass Reclamation Company, L.P. (f/k/a Scrubgrass Generating Company, L.P.) (“Scrubgrass LP”).
Overview
We are a low-cost, environmentally beneficial, vertically integrated crypto asset mining company currently focused on mining Bitcoin and environmental remediation and reclamation services. We wholly own and operate two coal refuse power generation facilities that we have upgraded: (i) our first reclamation facility located on a 650-acre site in Scrubgrass Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania, which we acquired the remaining interest of in April 2021 and has the capacity to generate approximately 83.5 megawatts (“MW”) of electricity and (ii) a facility located near Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania, which we acquired in November 2021 and which has the capacity to generate approximately 80 MW of electricity, each of which is as an Alternative Energy System because coal refuse is classified under Pennsylvania law as a Tier II Alternative Energy Source (large-scale hydropower is also classified in this tier). We are committed to generating our energy and managing our assets sustainably, and we believe that we are one of the first vertically integrated crypto asset mining companies with a focus on environmentally beneficial operations.
Emerging Growth Company and Smaller Reporting Company Status
As a company with less than $1.235 billion in revenue during our last fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include:
• | We are not required to engage an auditor to report on our internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; |
• | We are not required to comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (i.e., an auditor discussion and analysis); |
• | We are not required to submit certain executive compensation matters to stockholder advisory votes, such as “say-on-pay,” “say-on-frequency” and “say-on-golden parachutes”; and |
• | We are not required to disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the chief executive officer’s compensation to median employee compensation. |
We may take advantage of these provisions until the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering (the “IPO”) or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We would cease to be an emerging growth company upon the earliest of: (i) the last day of the first fiscal year in which our annual gross revenues are $1.235 billion or more; (ii) the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities; (iii) on the last day of the fiscal year following the date of the fifth anniversary of our first sale of common equity securities under an effective registration statement or (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a “large accelerated filer,” which will occur as of the end of any fiscal year in which we (x) have an aggregate market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates of $700 million or more as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, (y) have been required to file annual and quarterly reports under the Exchange Act, for a period of at least 12 months and (z) have filed at least one annual report pursuant to the Exchange Act.
We have elected to take advantage of the reduced disclosure obligations listed above in this prospectus, and may elect to take advantage of other reduced reporting requirements in future filings. In particular, we have elected to adopt
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the reduced disclosure with respect to our executive compensation disclosure. As a result of this election, the information that we provide stockholders may be different than you might get from other public companies.
The JOBS Act permits an emerging growth company like us to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. We have elected to use this extended transition period and, as a result, we will adopt new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for private companies. Our election to use the transition periods permitted by this election may make it difficult to compare our financial statements to those of non-emerging growth companies and other emerging growth companies that have opted out of the extended transition periods permitted under the JOBS Act and that will comply with new or revised financial accounting standards. If we were to subsequently elect instead to comply with public company effective dates, such election would be irrevocable pursuant to the JOBS Act.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $250 million as of the end of that fiscal year’s second fiscal quarter and (2) our annual revenues exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of that fiscal year’s second fiscal quarter.
Our Offices
Our principal executive offices are located at 595 Madison Avenue, 28th Floor, New York, New York 10022, and our telephone number at that address is (845) 579-5992. Our website address is www.strongholddigitalmining.com. Information contained on our website does not constitute part of this prospectus.
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An investment in our Class A common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the information set forth under “Risk Factors” contained in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 (the “2022 Form 10-K”), and any updates in our subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K, together with the other information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, including the risk factors described in our filings with the SEC, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus before investing in our Class A common stock. The occurrence of any of these risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, in which case the trading price of our Class A common stock could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.
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The information in this prospectus includes “forward-looking statements.” All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this prospectus, regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. When used in this prospectus, the words “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “seek,” “approximately,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “continue,” “could,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions about future events and are based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements described under the heading “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Business” included in this prospectus or included in the 2022 Form 10-K, or any subsequent filings with the SEC under the Exchange Act and in the other documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current belief, based on currently available information, as to the outcome and timing of future events.
Forward-looking statements may include statements about:
• | the hybrid nature of our business model, which is highly dependent on the price of Bitcoin; |
• | our ability to raise capital to fund our and growth; |
• | our dependence on the level of demand and financial performance of the crypto asset industry; |
• | our ability to manage our growth, business, financial results and results of operations; |
• | uncertainty regarding our evolving business model; |
• | our ability to maintain sufficient liquidity to fund operations, growth and acquisitions; |
• | our substantial indebtedness and its effect on our results of operations and our financial condition; |
• | uncertainty regarding the outcomes of any investigations or proceedings; |
• | our ability to retain management and key personnel and the integration of new management; |
• | our ability to enter into purchase agreements, acquisitions and financing transactions; |
• | our ability to maintain our relationships with our third-party brokers and our dependence on their performance; |
• | public health crises, epidemics, and pandemics such as the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic; |
• | our ability to procure crypto asset mining equipment from foreign-based suppliers; |
• | developments and changes in laws and regulations, including increased regulation of the crypto asset industry through legislative action and revised rules and standards applied by The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network under the authority of the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act and the Investment Company Act; |
• | the future acceptance and/or widespread use of, and demand for, Bitcoin and other crypto assets; |
• | our ability to respond to price fluctuations and rapidly changing technology; |
• | our ability to operate our coal refuse power generation facilities as planned; |
• | our ability to remain listed on a stock exchange and maintain an active trading market; |
• | our ability to avail ourselves of tax credits for the clean-up of coal refuse piles; and |
• | legislative or regulatory changes, and liability under, or any future inability to comply with, existing or future energy regulations or requirements. |
We caution you that these forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. These risks include, but are not limited to, decline in demand for our products and services, the seasonality and volatility of the crypto asset
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industry, our acquisition strategies, the inability to comply with developments and changes in regulation, cash flow and access to capital, maintenance of third party relationships, the COVID-19 pandemic and the other risks described under “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and in the documents we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this prospectus occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements.
All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this prospectus are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that we or persons acting on our behalf may issue.
Any forward-looking statement that we make in this prospectus speaks only as of the date of such statement. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, we disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this prospectus.
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Unless otherwise indicated to the contrary in an accompanying prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment, we will use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities covered by this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things, purchase of miners, repayment or refinancing of debt or funding acquisitions, capital expenditures or working capital.
Any specific allocation of the net proceeds of an offering of securities to a specific purpose will be determined at the time of such offering and will be described in the related prospectus supplement.
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The authorized capital stock of Stronghold Inc. consists of 238,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, 50,000,000 shares of Class V common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of which a series of 23,102 shares of Series C Preferred Stock has been designated. As of May 1, 2023, there were 5,300,275 shares of Class A common stock, 2,605,760 shares of Class V common stock, and 21,542 shares of Series C Preferred Stock issued and outstanding. As of May 1, 2023 there were 41 stockholders of record of our Class A common stock, one stockholder of record of our Class V common stock and three stockholders of record of our Series C Preferred Stock.
The following summary of the capital stock, our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws of Stronghold Inc. does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the provisions of applicable law and to our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
Class A Common Stock
Voting Rights. Holders of shares of Class A common stock are entitled to one vote per share held of record on all matters to be voted upon by the stockholders. The holders of Class A common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors.
Dividend Rights. Holders of shares of our Class A common stock are entitled to ratably receive dividends when and if declared by our Board out of funds legally available for that purpose, subject to any statutory or contractual restrictions on the payment of dividends and to any prior rights and preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding preferred stock.
Liquidation Rights. Upon our liquidation, dissolution, distribution of assets or other winding up, the holders of Class A common stock are entitled to receive ratably the assets available for distribution to the stockholders after payment of liabilities and the liquidation preference of any of our outstanding shares of preferred stock.
Other Matters. The shares of Class A common stock have no preemptive or conversion rights and are not subject to further calls or assessment by us. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the Class A common stock. All issued and outstanding shares of our Class A common stock are fully paid and non-assessable.
Class V Common Stock
Voting Rights. Holders of shares of our Class V common stock are entitled to one vote per share held of record on all matters to be voted upon by the stockholders. Holders of shares of our Class A common stock and Class V common stock vote together as a single class on all matters presented to our stockholders for their vote or approval.
Dividend and Liquidation Rights. Holders of our Class V common stock do not have any right to receive dividends, unless (i) the dividend consists of shares of our Class V common stock or of rights, options, warrants or other securities convertible or exercisable into or exchangeable or redeemable for shares of Class V common stock paid proportionally with respect to each outstanding share of Class V common stock and (ii) a dividend consisting of shares of Class A common stock or of rights, options, warrants or other securities convertible or exercisable into or exchangeable or redeemable for shares for Class A common stock on equivalent terms is simultaneously paid to the holders of Class A common stock. Holders of our Class V common stock do not have any right to receive a distribution upon a liquidation or winding up of Stronghold Inc.
Other Matters. The shares of Class V common stock have no preemptive or conversion rights and are not subject to further calls or assessment by us. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the Class V common stock. All outstanding shares of our Class V common stock are fully paid and non-assessable.
Preferred Stock
General Description
Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes our Board, subject to any limitations prescribed by law, without further shareholder approval, to establish and to issue from time to time
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one or more classes or series of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, covering up to an aggregate of 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock. Each class or series of preferred stock will cover the number of shares and will have the powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions determined by the Board.
The certificate of designation fixes for each class or series the designations, powers, preferences, rights, the number of shares constituting that series and the distinctive designation of that series, which number may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares then outstanding) from time to time by action of the board of directors;
• | the dividend rate and the manner and frequency of payment of dividends on the shares of that series, whether dividends will be cumulative, and, if so, from which date; |
• | whether that series will have voting rights, in addition to any voting rights provided by law, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights; |
• | whether that series will have conversion privileges, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion, including provision for adjustment of the conversion rate in such events as the board of directors may determine; |
• | whether or not the shares of that series will be redeemable, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such redemption; |
• | whether that series will have a sinking fund for the redemption or purchase of shares of that series, and, if so, the terms and amount of such sinking fund; |
• | whether or not the shares of the series will have priority over or be on a parity with or be junior to the shares of any other series or class in any respect; |
• | the rights of the shares of that series in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the corporation, and the relative rights or priority, if any, of payment of shares of that series; and |
• | any other relative rights, preferences, and limitations of that series. |
Once designated by our board of directors, each series of preferred stock may have specific financial and other terms that will be described in a prospectus supplement. The description of the preferred stock that is set forth in any prospectus supplement is not complete without reference to the documents that govern the preferred stock. These include our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation, the Certificate of Designations (as defined herein) and any certificates of designation that our board of directors may adopt.
All shares of preferred stock offered hereby will, when issued, be fully paid and non-assessable, including shares of preferred stock issued upon the exercise of preferred stock warrants or subscription rights, if any.
The rights, preferences, and privileges could include dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, liquidation preferences, sinking fund terms, and the number of shares constituting any series or the designation of such series, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of our common stock. Except as provided by law or in a preferred stock designation, the holders of preferred stock will not be entitled to vote at or receive notice of any meeting of stockholders. In some cases, the issuance of preferred stock could delay or discourage a change of control in us. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing desired flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could adversely affect the voting power of holders of our common stock. It could also affect the likelihood that holders of our common stock will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation.
Series C Preferred Stock
Pursuant to our Certificate of Designations (the “Certificate of Designations”), filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware with respect to the Series C Preferred Stock, we designated 23,102 shares of our authorized and unissued preferred stock as Series C Preferred Stock, and established the rights, preferences and privileges of the Series C Preferred Stock, which are summarized below. As of March 31, 2023, we had 21,542 shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding.
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Designation and Amount. The Certificate of Designations designates twenty-three thousand, one hundred two (23,102) shares of Series C Preferred Stock, with each share having a stated value of $1,000, subject to any adjustment for stock splits, stock combinations, recapitalizations and similar transactions as set forth in the Certificate of Designations (the “Stated Value”).
Ranking and Liquidation Preference. The Series C Preferred Stock ranks, with respect to rights upon an acquisition, merger or consolidation of the Company, sale of all or substantially all assets of the Company, other business combination or liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Company, either voluntary or involuntary (collectively, a “Liquidation Event”), (i) senior to the Class A common stock and Class V common stock and any other class or series of capital stock of the Company the terms of which do not expressly provide that such class or series ranks senior to or on parity with the Series C Preferred Stock with respect to a Liquidation Event (“Junior Stock”), (ii) on a parity with any other class or series of capital stock of the Company the terms of which provide that such class or series ranks on a parity with the Series C Preferred Stock with respect to a Liquidation Event (“Parity Stock”), and (iii) junior to any other class or series of capital stock of the Company the terms of which expressly provide that such class or series ranks senior to the Series C Preferred Stock with respect to a Liquidation Event (“Senior Stock”). In the event of a Liquidation Event, each holder of shares of Series C Preferred Stock then outstanding shall be entitled to receive, before any payment or distribution of any assets of the Company shall be made or set apart for holders of the Junior Stock, an amount per share of Series C Preferred Stock equal to the Stated Value.
Voting Rights. Except as required by the DGCL or our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation, holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock do not have any voting rights, except that the approval of holders of at least two-thirds (66.67%) of the then-outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock is required to (i) amend, alter, repeal or otherwise modify (whether by merger, operation of law, consolidation or otherwise) (a) any provision of our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws in a manner that would adversely affect the powers, rights, preferences or privileges of the Series C Preferred Stock, or (b) any provision of the Certificate of Designations, (ii) authorize, create, increase the amount of, or issue any Series C Preferred Stock or any class or series of Senior Stock or Parity Stock or any security convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, shares of Series C Preferred Stock, Senior Stock, or Parity Stock, (iii) authorize, enter into or otherwise engage in a Fundamental Transaction (as defined in the Certificate of Designations) unless such Fundamental Transaction does not adversely affect the rights, preferences or privileges of the Series C Preferred Stock, and (iv) agree or consent to any of the foregoing.
Optional Conversion. Each holder is entitled, upon written notice to the Company, to convert all or a portion of such holder’s outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock into a number of shares of Class A common stock (an “Optional Conversion”) at a conversion rate equal to (i) the Stated Value plus cash in lieu of any fractional shares, divided by (ii) a conversion price of $4.00 per share of Class A common stock, subject to certain adjustments provided in the Certificate of Designations (the “Conversion Price”). A holder does not have the right to effect an Optional Conversion to the extent that, after giving effect to such conversion, such holder (together with such holder’s affiliates and any person acting as a group with such holder or any of its affiliates) would beneficially own in excess of 9.99% of the number of shares of Class A common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such conversion (the “Series C Beneficial Ownership Limitation”).
In the event of any Fundamental Transaction, as described in the Certificate of Designations and generally including any merger with or into another entity, sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, tender offer or exchange offer, reclassification of shares of the Class A common stock, or stock purchase agreement or other business combination wherein another person or group acquires more than 50% of the then-outstanding shares of Class A common stock, then upon any subsequent Optional Conversion or the Automatic Conversion (as defined below), the holder has the right to receive as alternative consideration, for each share of Class A common stock that would have been issuable upon such Optional Conversion or the Automatic Conversion immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, the number of shares of Class A common stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration receivable upon or as a result of such transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Class A common stock into which the shares of Series C Preferred Stock are convertible immediately prior to such event.
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Automatic Conversion. Upon the fifth anniversary of the date of issuance of the Series C Preferred Stock, each share of Series C Preferred Stock then outstanding will automatically and immediately convert into shares of Class A common stock or, to the extent such conversion would cause a holder to exceed the Series C Beneficial Ownership Limitation, into Pre-Funded Warrants (the “Automatic Conversion”).
Other Rights. The Series C Preferred Stock is not entitled to receive dividends, does not have preemptive or subscription rights, and has no redemption or sinking fund provisions or rights.
This summary of certain provisions of the Certificate of Designations is not intended to be complete, and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the Certificate of Designations.
Registration Rights Agreements
We have entered into various registration rights agreements, certain of which have continued registration obligations. The following summary of certain provisions of the following registration rights agreements is not intended to be complete, and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of such registration rights agreements.
Pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement, dated April 21, 2023, that we entered into with Armistice (the “Armistice Registration Rights Agreement”), we have agreed to file a registration statement with respect to the registration of the resale by Armistice of all Registrable Securities (as defined in the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement), and to use our commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective within the timeframes specified in the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement (but in no event after 60th calendar day following the date of the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement or, in the event of a review by the SEC, the 90th calendar day); failure to do so will result in certain liquidated damages as set forth in the Armistice Registration Rights Agreement. In addition, we agreed that, upon the registration statement being declared effective under the Securities Act, we use commercially reasonable efforts to keep such registration statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date that all Registrable Securities covered hereby (i) have been sold thereunder or pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act, or (ii) may be sold without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 and without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144.
We have agreed to indemnify Armistice for certain violations of federal or state securities laws in connection with any registration statement in which such selling stockholder sells its Registrable Securities pursuant to these registration rights. The selling stockholders will, in turn, agree to indemnify us for federal or state securities law violations that occur in reliance upon written information it provides to us for use in the registration statement.
Pursuant to the terms of the Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release, dated April 26, 2023, by and between the Company and Neiswonger, we have agreed to use our commercially reasonable efforts to file a registration statement on Form S-3 registering the 72,500 shares of Class A common stock held by Neiswonger within 30 days of the date of the Neiswonger Agreement.
Pursuant to the terms of (i) an exchange agreement, dated December 30, 2022, between us and certain parties thereto, we entered into a registration rights agreement with such parties (the “Exchange Registration Rights Agreement”), (ii) a credit agreement, dated October 27, 2022, as subsequently amended, we entered into a registration rights agreement with Whitehawk Finance LLC (the “Whitehawk Registration Rights Agreement”) and (iii) a settlement agreement and mutual release, dated March 28, 2023, we entered into a registration rights agreement with Bruce – Merrilees Electric Co. (the “B&M Registration Rights Agreement” and, together with the Exchange Registration Rights Agreement and the Whitehawk Registration Rights Agreement, the “2023 Registration Rights Agreements”).
Pursuant to the 2023 Registration Rights Agreements, we were required to file a registration statement covering the resale of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the respective 2023 Registration Rights Agreement) with the SEC on a continuous basis and, upon such registration statement being declared effective under the Securities Act, to use commercially reasonable efforts to keep such registration statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date that all securities covered thereunder (i) have been sold thereunder or pursuant to Rule 144 of the
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Securities Act, or (ii) may be sold without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 and without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144. We filed such registration statement with the SEC on April 5, 2023 (SEC File No. 333-271151), and it was declared effective by the SEC on April 14, 2023.
On September 13, 2022, pursuant to the terms of a securities purchase agreement, dated September 13, 2022, between us and Armistice, as subsequently amended (the “2022 Armistice SPA”) we entered into a registration rights agreement (the “2022 Armistice Registration Rights Agreement”). Pursuant to the 2022 Armistice Registration Rights Agreement, we were required to file a registration statement covering the resale of the securities issued and sold pursuant to the 2022 Armistice SPA with the SEC on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act and, upon such registration statement being declared effective under the Securities Act, to use commercially reasonable efforts to keep such registration statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date that all securities covered thereunder (i) have been sold thereunder or pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act, or (ii) may be sold without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 and without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144. We filed such registration statement with the SEC on October 13, 2022 (SEC File No. 333-267869), and it was declared effective by the SEC on February 10, 2023.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, our Amended and Restated Bylaws and Delaware Law
Some provisions of Delaware law, and our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that could make the following transactions more difficult: acquisitions of us by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise; or removal of our incumbent officers and directors. These provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in our management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish or could deter transactions that stockholders may otherwise consider to be in their best interest or in our best interests, including transactions that might result in a premium over the market price for our shares.
These provisions, summarized below, are expected to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with us. We believe that the benefits of increased protection and our potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure us outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging these proposals because, among other things, negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.
Delaware Law
We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL, regulating corporate takeovers. In general, those provisions prohibit a Delaware corporation, including those whose securities are listed for trading on Nasdaq, from engaging in any business combination with any interested shareholder for a period of three years following the date that the shareholder became an interested shareholder, unless:
• | the transaction is approved by the Board before the date the interested shareholder attained that status; |
• | upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder, the interested shareholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced; or |
• | on or after such time the business combination is approved by the Board and authorized at a meeting of stockholders by at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested shareholder. |
Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws
Provisions of our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws may delay or discourage transactions involving an actual or potential change in control or change in our management, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares, or transactions that our stockholders might otherwise deem to be in their best interests. Therefore, these provisions could adversely affect the price of our Class A common stock.
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Among other things, our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws:
• | establish advance notice procedures with regard to shareholder proposals relating to the nomination of candidates for election as directors or new business to be brought before meetings of our stockholders. These procedures provide that notice of shareholder proposals must be timely given in writing to our corporate secretary prior to the meeting at which the action is to be taken. Generally, to be timely, notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the annual meeting for the preceding year. Our amended and restated bylaws specify the requirements as to form and content of all stockholders’ notices. These requirements may preclude stockholders from bringing matters before the stockholders at an annual or special meeting; |
• | provide that the authorized number of directors may be changed only by resolution of the Board, unless the second amended and restated certificate of incorporation fixes the number of directors, in which case, a change in the number of directors shall be made only by amendment of the certificate of incorporation; |
• | provide that our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation may only be amended by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 50% of our then outstanding of stock in the Company entitled to voted thereon, voting together as a single class; |
• | provide that all vacancies, including newly created directorships, may, except as otherwise required by law, be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum; |
• | provide that prior to the date on which Q Power and its affiliates no longer beneficially owns 40% or more of the combined outstanding shares of Class A common stock and Class V common stock (the “Trigger Date”), any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual meeting or special meeting of the stockholders of the Company may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote of stockholders, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is or are signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted. On and after the Trigger Date, subject to the rights of holders of any series of preferred stock with respect to such series of preferred stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by our stockholders must be taken at a duly held annual or special meeting of stockholders and may not be taken by any consent in writing; |
• | provide that the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, acting at a meeting of the stockholders or by written consent (if permitted), subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock, shall be required to remove any or all of the directors from office, and such removal may be with or without “cause”; |
• | provide that special meetings of our stockholders may only be called by the chief executive officer, the chairman of the board (or any co-chairman), or by a majority of the board; |
• | provide that our bylaws can be amended by the Board or stockholders of 66 2/3% of the voting power of the then-outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote thereon; and |
• | prohibit cumulative voting for the election of directors, unless otherwise provided in the second amended and restated certificate of incorporation. |
No Cumulative Voting
Under Delaware law, the right to vote cumulatively does not exist unless the certificate of incorporation specifically authorizes cumulative voting. Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not authorize cumulative voting. Therefore, stockholders holding a majority in voting power of the shares of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors will be able to elect all our directors.
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Forum Selection
Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum for:
• | any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; |
• | any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, employees or agents to us or our stockholders; |
• | any action asserting a claim against us or any director or officer or other employee of ours arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our bylaws; or |
• | any action asserting a claim against us or any director or officer or other employee of ours that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each such case subject to such Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act, the Securities Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation also provides that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of, and to have consented to, this forum selection provision. Although we believe these provisions will benefit us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law for the specified types of actions and proceedings, the provisions may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors, officers, employees and agents. The enforceability of similar exclusive forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that, in connection with one or more actions or proceedings described above, a court could rule that this provision in our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation is inapplicable or unenforceable.
Corporate Opportunities
Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation, to the fullest extent permitted by law, renounces any reasonable expectancy interest that we have in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any corporate or business opportunities that are from time to time presented to Q Power, its affiliated directors and affiliates, and our non-employee directors, and that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, such persons will have no duty to refrain from engaging in any transaction or matter that may be a corporate or business opportunity in which we or any of our subsidiaries could have an interest or expectancy. In addition, to the fullest extent permitted by law, in the event that Q Power, its affiliated directors and affiliates, and our directors acquire knowledge of any such opportunity, other than in their capacity as a member of our Board, such person will have no duty to communicate or present such opportunity to us or any of our subsidiaries, and they may take any such opportunity for themselves or offer it to another person or entity.
Limitation of Liability and Indemnification Matters
Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation limits the liability of our directors for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duty as directors, except for liability that cannot be eliminated under the DGCL. Delaware law provides that directors of a company will not be personally liable for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duty as directors, except for liabilities:
• | for any breach of their duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders; |
• | for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; |
• | for unlawful payment of dividend or unlawful stock repurchase or redemption, as provided under Section 174 of the DGCL; or |
• | for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. |
This provision also does not affect a director’s responsibilities under any other laws, such as the federal securities laws or state or federal environmental laws. Any amendment, repeal or modification of these provisions
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will be prospective only and would not affect any limitation on liability of a director for acts or omissions that occurred prior to any such amendment, repeal or modification.
Our amended and restated bylaws also provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Our bylaws also permits us to purchase insurance on behalf of any officer, director, employee or other agent for any liability arising out of that person’s actions as our officer, director, employee or agent, regardless of whether Delaware law would permit indemnification. We intend to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our current and future directors and officers. These agreements will require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liability that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified. We believe that the limitation of liability provision in our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the indemnification agreements facilitates our ability to continue to attract and retain qualified individuals to serve as directors and officers.
Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal and Payment
Under the DGCL, with certain exceptions, our stockholders have appraisal rights in connection with a merger or consolidation. Pursuant to the DGCL, stockholders who properly request and perfect appraisal rights in connection with such merger or consolidation will have the right to receive payment of the fair value of their shares as determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery.
Stockholders’ Derivative Actions
Under the DGCL, any of our stockholders may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action; provided that the stockholder bringing the action is a holder of our shares at the time of the transaction to which the action relates or such stockholder’s stock thereafter devolved by operation of law.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our Class A common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC.
Stock Exchange Listing
Our Class A common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Market and trades under the symbol “SDIG.”
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We may issue warrants for the purchase of shares of our Class A common stock or shares of our preferred stock. The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. The particular terms of the warrants and the extent, if any, to which the general terms and provisions may apply to the warrants so offered will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Warrants may be issued independently or together with other securities and may be attached to or separate from any offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not have any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants.
A copy of the forms of the warrant agreement and the warrant certificate, if any, relating to any particular issue of warrants will be filed with the SEC each time we issue warrants, and you should read those documents for provisions that may be important to you. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the forms of the warrant agreement and the related warrant certificate, if any, see “Where You Can Find More Information.”
Stock Warrants
The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of warrants to issue shares of our Class A common stock or shares of our preferred stock will describe the terms of the Class A common share warrants and preferred share warrants, including the following:
• | the title of the warrants; |
• | the offering price for the warrants, if any; |
• | the aggregate number of the warrants; |
• | the designation and terms of the shares of Class A common stock or shares of preferred stock that may be purchased upon exercise of the warrants; |
• | the terms for changes or adjustments to the exercise price of the warrants; |
• | if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities that the warrants are issued with and the number of warrants issued with each security; |
• | if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and any securities issued with the warrants will be separately transferable; |
• | the number of shares of Class A common stock or shares of preferred stock that may be purchased upon exercise of a warrant and the price at which the shares may be purchased upon exercise; |
• | the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants commence and expire; |
• | if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time; |
• | the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable; |
• | if applicable, a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations; |
• | anti-dilution provisions of the warrants, if any; |
• | redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to the warrants; |
• | any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants; and |
• | any other information we think is important about the warrants. |
Exercise of Warrants
Each warrant will entitle the holder of the warrant to purchase at the exercise price set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement the number of shares of Class A common stock or shares of preferred stock being offered. Holders may exercise warrants at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set
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forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants are void. Holders may exercise warrants as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants being offered.
Until a holder exercises the warrants to purchase our shares of Class A common stock or shares of preferred stock, the holder will not have any rights as a holder of our shares of Class A common stock or shares of preferred stock, as the case may be, by virtue of ownership of warrants.
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General
We may offer fractional shares of preferred stock, rather than full shares of preferred stock. If we do so, we may issue receipts for depositary shares that each represent a fraction of a share of a particular series of preferred stock. The prospectus supplement will indicate that fraction. The shares of preferred stock represented by depositary shares will be deposited under a depositary agreement between us and a bank depositary. The phrase “bank depositary” means a bank or trust company that meets certain requirements and is selected by us. Each owner of a depositary share will be entitled to all the rights and preferences of the preferred stock represented by the depositary share. The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the depositary agreement. Depositary receipts will be distributed to those persons purchasing the fractional shares of preferred stock in accordance with the terms of the offering.
We have summarized some common provisions of a depositary agreement and the related depositary receipts. The forms of the depositary agreement and the depositary receipts relating to any particular issue of depositary shares will be filed with the SEC each time we issue depositary shares, and you should read those documents for provisions that may be important to you.
Dividends and Other Distributions
If we pay a cash distribution or dividend on a series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares, the bank depositary will distribute such dividends to the record holders of such depositary shares. If the distributions are in property other than cash, the bank depositary will distribute the property to the record holders of the depositary shares. However, if the bank depositary determines that it is not feasible to make the distribution of property, the bank depositary may, with our approval, sell such property and distribute the net proceeds from such sale to the record holders of the depositary shares.
Redemption of Depositary Shares
If we redeem a series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares, the bank depositary will redeem the depositary shares from the proceeds received by the bank depositary in connection with the redemption. The redemption price per depositary share will equal the applicable fraction of the redemption price per share of the preferred stock. If fewer than all the depositary shares are redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot or pro rata as the bank depositary may determine.
Voting the Preferred Stock
Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of the preferred stock represented by depositary shares are entitled to vote, the bank depositary will mail the notice to the record holders of the depositary shares relating to such preferred stock. Each record holder of these depositary shares on the record date (which will be the same date as the record date for the preferred stock) may instruct the bank depositary as to how to vote the preferred stock represented by such holder’s depositary shares. The bank depositary will endeavor, insofar as practicable, to vote the amount of the preferred stock represented by such depositary shares in accordance with such instructions, and we will take all action which the bank depositary deems necessary in order to enable the bank depositary to do so. The bank depositary will abstain from voting shares of the preferred stock to the extent it does not receive specific instructions from the holders of depositary shares representing such preferred stock.
Amendment and Termination of the Depositary Agreement
The form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares and any provision of the depositary agreement may be amended by agreement between the bank depositary and us. However, any amendment that materially and adversely alters the rights of the holders of depositary shares will not be effective unless such amendment has been approved by the holders of at least a majority of the depositary shares then outstanding. The depositary agreement may be terminated by the bank depositary or us only if (1) all outstanding depositary shares have been redeemed or (2) there has been a final distribution in respect of the preferred stock in connection with any liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of us and such distribution has been distributed to the holders of depositary shares.
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Charges of Bank Depositary
We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. We will pay charges of the bank depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the preferred stock and any redemption of the preferred stock. Holders of depositary shares will pay other transfer and other taxes and governmental charges and any other charges, including a fee for the withdrawal of shares of preferred stock upon surrender of depositary receipts, as are expressly provided in the depositary agreement to be payable by such holders.
Withdrawal of Preferred Stock
Except as may be provided otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, upon surrender of depositary receipts at the principal office of the bank depositary, subject to the terms of the depositary agreement, the owner of the depositary shares may demand delivery of the number of whole shares of preferred stock and all money and other property, if any, represented by those depositary shares. Partial shares of preferred stock will not be issued. If the depositary receipts delivered by the holder evidence a number of depositary shares in excess of the number of depositary shares representing the number of whole shares of preferred stock to be withdrawn, the bank depositary will deliver to such holder at the same time a new depositary receipt evidencing the excess number of depositary shares. Holders of preferred stock thus withdrawn may not thereafter deposit those shares under the depositary agreement or receive depositary receipts evidencing depositary shares therefor.
Miscellaneous
The bank depositary will forward to holders of depositary shares all reports and communications from us that are delivered to the bank depositary and that we are required to furnish to the holders of the preferred stock.
Neither the bank depositary nor we will be liable if we are prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond its control in performing its obligations under the depositary agreement. The obligations of the bank depositary and us under the depositary agreement will be limited to performance in good faith of their respective duties under the depositary agreement, and we will not be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any depositary shares or preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. We may rely upon written advice of counsel or accountants, or upon information provided by persons presenting preferred stock for deposit, holders of depositary shares or other persons believed to be competent and on documents believed to be genuine.
Resignation and Removal of Bank Depositary
The bank depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its election to do so, and we may at any time remove the bank depositary. Any such resignation or removal will take effect upon the appointment of a successor bank depositary and its acceptance of such appointment. The successor bank depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company meeting the requirements of the depositary agreement.
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We may issue stock purchase contracts, including contracts obligating holders to purchase from us, and obligating us to sell to the holders, a specified number of shares of Class A common stock or other securities at a future date or dates, which we refer to in this prospectus as “stock purchase contracts.” The price per share of the securities and the number of shares of the securities may be fixed at the time the stock purchase contracts are issued or may be determined by reference to a specific formula set forth in the stock purchase contracts. The stock purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations under the stock purchase contracts in a specified manner. The stock purchase contracts also may require us to make periodic payments to such holders or vice versa, and those payments may be unsecured or refunded on some basis.
The stock purchase contracts, and, if applicable, collateral or depositary arrangements, relating to the stock purchase contracts, will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering of stock purchase contracts. The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of stock purchase contracts will describe the terms of those stock purchase contracts, including the following:
• | if applicable, a discussion of material United States federal income tax considerations; and |
• | any other information we think is important about the stock purchase contracts. |
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We may issue units consisting of any combination of two or more securities described in this prospectus from time to time. The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the units. Each unit may be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit would have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The particular terms of the units and the extent, if any, to which the general provisions may apply to the units so offered will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The following description and any description of the units in the applicable prospectus supplement may not be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the terms and provisions of the applicable unit agreement. A form of the unit agreement reflecting the particular terms and provisions of a series of offered units will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering and incorporated by reference herein.
We may issue units from time to time in such amounts and in as many distinct series as we determine. We will issue each series of units under a unit agreement to be entered into between us and a unit agent to be designated in the applicable prospectus supplement. When we refer to a series of units, we mean all units issued as part of the same series under the applicable unit agreement.
We may issue units consisting of any combination of two or more securities described in this prospectus. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date.
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the units offered pursuant to it, including one or more of the following:
• | the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately; |
• | the aggregate number of, and the price at which we will issue, the units; |
• | any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; |
• | whether the units will be issued in fully registered or global form; |
• | the name of the unit agent; |
• | a description of the terms of any unit agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as unit agent, governing the units; |
• | if applicable, a discussion of material United States federal income tax considerations; and |
• | whether the units will be listed on any securities exchange. |
We reserve the right to set forth in a prospectus supplement specific terms of the units that are not within the options and parameters set forth in this prospectus. To the extent that any particular terms of the units, units agreement, or units certificates described in a prospectus supplement differ from any of the terms described above, then the terms described above will be deemed to have been superseded by that prospectus supplement.
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We may issue rights to our stockholders to purchase shares of our Class A common stock or preferred stock. We may offer rights separately or together with one or more additional rights, preferred stock, Class A common stock, or warrants, or any combination of those securities in the form of units, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Each series of rights will be issued under a separate rights agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as rights agent. The rights agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the certificates relating to the rights of the series of certificates and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of rights certificates or beneficial owners of rights. The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the rights. The particular terms of the rights and the extent, if any, to which the general provisions may apply to the rights so offered will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. To the extent that any particular terms of the rights, rights agreement, or rights certificates described in a prospectus supplement differ from any of the terms described below, then the terms described below will be deemed to have been superseded by that prospectus supplement. We encourage you to read the applicable rights agreement and rights certificate for additional information before you decide whether to purchase any of our rights.
We will provide in a prospectus supplement the following terms of the rights being issued:
• | the date on which stockholders entitled to the rights distribution will be determined; |
• | the aggregate number of shares of Class A common stock or preferred stock purchasable upon exercise of the rights; |
• | the exercise price; |
• | the aggregate number of rights issued; |
• | the date, if any, on and after which the rights will be separately transferable; |
• | the date on which the ability to exercise the rights will commence, and the date on which such ability will expire; |
• | the conditions to the completion of the offering, if any; |
• | the withdrawal, termination, and cancellation rights, if any; |
• | any applicable material U.S. federal income tax considerations; and |
• | and other terms of the rights, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the distribution, exchange, and exercise of the rights. |
Each right will entitle the holder of rights to purchase, for cash, the number of shares of Class A common stock or preferred stock at the exercise price provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. Rights may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date for the rights provided in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Holders may exercise rights as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Upon receipt of payment and the rights certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the rights agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, forward the shares of Class A common stock or preferred stock, as applicable, purchasable upon exercise of the rights. If less than all of the rights issued in any rights offering are exercised, we may offer any unsubscribed securities directly to persons other than stockholders, 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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The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations related to the purchase, ownership and disposition of our Class A common stock by a non-U.S. holder (as defined below), that holds our Class A common stock as a “capital asset” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) (generally, property held for investment). This summary is based on the provisions of the Code, U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, administrative rulings and judicial decisions, all as in effect on the date hereof, and all of which are subject to change or differing interpretations, possibly with retroactive effect. We cannot assure you that a change in law will not significantly alter the tax considerations that we describe in this summary. We have not sought any ruling from the IRS with respect to the statements made and the positions and conclusions described in the following summary, and there can be no assurance that the IRS or a court will agree with such statements, positions and conclusions.
This summary does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to non-U.S. holders in light of their personal circumstances. In addition, this summary does not address the impact of the Medicare surtax on certain net investment income, U.S. federal estate or gift tax laws, any U.S. state or local or non-U.S. tax laws or any tax treaties. This summary also does not address all U.S. federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to particular non-U.S. holders in light of their personal circumstances or that may be relevant to certain categories of investors that may be subject to special rules, such as:
• | banks, insurance companies or other financial institutions; |
• | tax-exempt or governmental organizations; |
• | tax qualified retirement plans; |
• | “qualified foreign pension funds” as defined in Section 897(l)(2) of the Code (or any entities all of the interests of which are held by a qualified foreign pension fund); |
• | dealers in securities or foreign currencies; |
• | persons whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; |
• | traders in securities that use the mark-to-market method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes; |
• | “controlled foreign corporations,” “passive foreign investment companies,” and corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax; |
• | entities or arrangements treated as partnerships or pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes or holders of interests therein; |
• | persons deemed to sell our Class A common stock under the constructive sale provisions of the Code; |
• | persons that acquired our Class A common stock through the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as compensation or through a tax-qualified retirement plan; |
• | persons that hold our Class A common stock as part of a straddle, appreciated financial position, synthetic security, hedge, conversion transaction or other integrated investment or risk reduction transaction; and |
• | certain former citizens or long-term residents of the United States. |
PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT WITH AND RELY SOLELY UPON THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS (INCLUDING ANY POTENTIAL FUTURE CHANGES THERETO) TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATION, AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR CLASS A COMMON STOCK ARISING UNDER ANY OTHER TAX LAWS, INCLUDING U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE OR GIFT TAX LAWS OR UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY U.S. STATE OR LOCAL OR NON-U.S. TAXING JURISDICTION, OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATY.
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Non-U.S. Holder Defined
For purposes of this discussion, a “non-U.S. holder” is a beneficial owner of our Class A common stock that is not for U.S. federal income tax purposes a partnership or any of the following:
• | an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; |
• | a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
• | an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or |
• | a trust (i) the administration of which is subject to the primary supervision of a U.S. court and which has one or more “United States persons” (within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code) who have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) which has made a valid election under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person. |
If a partnership (including an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds our Class A common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. Accordingly, we urge partners in partnerships (including entities or arrangements treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes) considering the purchase of our Class A common stock to consult with and rely solely upon their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax considerations of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our Class A common stock by such partnership.
Distributions
We do not expect to pay any distributions on our Class A common stock in the foreseeable future. However, in the event we do make distributions of cash or other property on our Class A common stock, such distributions will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. To the extent those distributions exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, the distributions will be treated as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of the non-U.S. holder’s tax basis in our Class A common stock and thereafter as capital gain from the sale or exchange of such Class A common stock. See “—Gain on Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Common Stock.” Subject to the withholding requirements under FATCA (as defined below) and with respect to effectively connected dividends, each of which is discussed below, any distribution made to a non-U.S. holder on our Class A common stock generally will be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% of the gross amount of the distribution unless an applicable income tax treaty provides for a lower rate. To receive the benefit of a reduced treaty rate, a non-U.S. holder must provide the applicable withholding agent with an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable or successor form) certifying qualification for the reduced rate.
Dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder that are effectively connected with a trade or business conducted by the non-U.S. holder in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are treated as attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States) generally will be taxed on a net income basis at the rates and in the manner generally applicable to United States persons. Such effectively connected dividends will not be subject to U.S. withholding tax if the non-U.S. holder satisfies certain certification requirements by providing the applicable withholding agent with a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI certifying eligibility for exemption. If the non-U.S. holder is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it may also be subject to a branch profits tax (at a 30% rate or such lower rate as specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on its effectively connected earnings and profits (as adjusted for certain items), which will include effectively connected dividends.
Gain on Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Common Stock
Subject to the discussion below under “—Backup Withholding and Information Reporting,” a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax on any gain realized upon the sale or other taxable disposition of our Class A common stock unless:
• | the non-U.S. holder is an individual who is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the calendar year in which the sale or disposition occurs and certain other conditions are met; |
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• | the gain is effectively connected with a trade or business conducted by the non-U.S. holder in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States); or |
• | our Class A common stock constitutes a United States real property interest by reason of our status as a United States real property holding corporation (“USRPHC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes and as a result such gain is treated as effectively connected with a trade or business conducted by the non-U.S. holder in the United States. |
A non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate as specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on the amount of such gain, which generally may be offset by U.S. source capital losses provided the non-U.S. holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.
A non-U.S. holder whose gain is described in the second bullet point above or, subject to the exceptions described in the next paragraph, the third bullet point above, generally will be taxed on a net income basis at the rates and in the manner generally applicable to United States persons. If the non-U.S. holder is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes whose gain is described in the second bullet point above, then such gain would also be included in its effectively connected earnings and profits (as adjusted for certain items), which may be subject to a branch profits tax (at a 30% rate or such lower rate as specified by an applicable income tax treaty).
Generally a corporation is a USRPHC if the fair market value of its United States real property interests equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market value of its worldwide real property interests and its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. We believe that we currently are not a USRPHC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and we do not expect to become a USRPHC for the foreseeable future. However, in the event that we become a USRPHC, as long as our Class A common stock is and continues to be “regularly traded on an established securities market”(within the meaning of the U.S. Treasury regulations), only a non-U.S. holder that actually or constructively owns, or owned at any time during the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the disposition or the non-U.S. holder’s holding period for the Class A common stock, more than 5% of our Class A common stock will be treated as disposing of a United States real property interest and will be taxable on gain realized on the disposition of our Class A common stock as a result of our status as a USRPHC. If we were to become a USRPHC and our Class A common stock were not considered to be regularly traded on an established securities market, each non-U.S. holder (regardless of the percentage of stock owned) would be treated as disposing of a United States real property interest and would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a taxable disposition of our Class A common stock (as described in the preceding paragraph), and a 15% withholding tax would apply to the gross proceeds from such disposition.
Non-U.S. holders should consult with their own tax advisors with respect to the application of the foregoing rules to their ownership and disposition of our Class A common stock, including regarding potentially applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
Any dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder must be reported annually to the IRS and to the non-U.S. holder. Copies of these information returns may be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established. Payments of dividends to a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to backup withholding if the non-U.S. holder establishes an exemption by properly certifying its non-U.S. status on an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable or successor form).
Payments of the proceeds from a sale or other disposition by a non-U.S. holder of our Class A common stock effected by or through a U.S. office of a broker generally will be subject to information reporting and backup withholding (at the applicable rate) unless the non-U.S. holder establishes an exemption by properly certifying its non-U.S. status on an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable or successor form) and certain other conditions are met. Information reporting and backup withholding generally will not apply to any payment of the proceeds from a sale or other disposition of our Class A common stock effected outside the United States by a non-U.S. office of a broker. However, unless such broker has documentary evidence in its records that the non-U.S. holder is not a United States person and certain other conditions are met, or the non-U.S. holder otherwise establishes an exemption, information reporting will apply to a payment of the proceeds of the disposition of our Class A common stock effected outside the United States by such a broker if it has certain relationships within the United States.
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Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the U.S. federal income tax liability (if any) of persons subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If backup withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund may be obtained, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Additional Withholding Requirements under FATCA
Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, and the U.S. Treasury regulations and administrative guidance issued thereunder (“FATCA”), impose a 30% withholding tax on any dividends on our Class A common stock and, subject to the proposed U.S. Treasury regulations discussed below, on proceeds from sales or other dispositions of shares of our Class A common stock, if paid to a “foreign financial institution” or a “non-financial foreign entity” (each as defined in the Code) (including, in some cases, when such foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity is acting as an intermediary), unless (i) in the case of a foreign financial institution, such institution enters into an agreement with the U.S. government to withhold on certain payments and to collect and provide to the U.S. tax authorities substantial information regarding U.S. account holders of such institution (which includes certain equity and debt holders of such institution, as well as certain account holders that are non-U.S. entities with U.S. owners), (ii) in the case of a non-financial foreign entity, such entity certifies that it does not have any “substantial United States owners” (as defined in the Code) or provides the applicable withholding agent with a certification identifying the direct and indirect substantial United States owners of the entity (in either case, generally on an IRS Form W-8BEN-E), or (iii) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules and provides appropriate documentation (such as an IRS Form W-8BEN-E). Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing these rules may be subject to different rules. Under certain circumstances, a holder might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes. While gross proceeds from a sale or other disposition of our Class A common stock paid after January 1, 2019, would have originally been subject to withholding under FATCA, proposed U.S. Treasury regulations provide that such payments of gross proceeds do not constitute withholdable payments. Taxpayers may generally rely on these proposed U.S. Treasury regulations until they are revoked or final U.S. Treasury regulations are issued. Non-U.S. holders are encouraged to consult with their own tax advisors regarding the effects of FATCA on an investment in our Class A common stock.
INVESTORS CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF OUR CLASS A COMMON STOCK SHOULD CONSULT WITH AND RELY SOLELY UPON THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS (INCLUDING ANY POTENTIAL FUTURE CHANGES THERETO) TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS AND THE APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF ANY OTHER TAX LAWS, INCLUDING U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE AND GIFT TAX LAWS AND ANY U.S. STATE OR LOCAL OR NON-U.S. TAX LAWS, AND TAX TREATIES.
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The following is a summary of certain considerations associated with the acquisition and holding of shares of common stock by employee benefit plans that are subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), plans, individual retirement accounts and other arrangements that are subject to Section 4975 of the Code or employee benefit plans that are governmental plans (as defined in Section 3(32) of ERISA), certain church plans (as defined in Section 3(33) of ERISA), non-U.S. plans (as described in Section 4(b)(4) of ERISA) or other plans that are not subject to the foregoing but may be subject to provisions under any other federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of ERISA or the Code (collectively, “Similar Laws”), and entities whose underlying assets are considered to include “plan assets” of any such plan, account or arrangement (each, a “Plan”).
This summary is based on the provisions of ERISA and the Code (and related regulations and administrative and judicial interpretations) as of the date of this registration statement. This summary does not purport to be complete or comprehensive, and no assurance is or can be given that future legislation, court decisions, regulations, rulings or pronouncements will not significantly modify the requirements summarized below. Any of those changes may be retroactive and may thereby apply to transactions entered into prior to the date of their enactment or release, including the date of this prospectus. This discussion is general in nature and is not intended to be all inclusive, nor should it be construed as investment, legal or other advice.
General Fiduciary Matters
ERISA and the Code impose certain duties on persons who are fiduciaries of a Plan subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code (an “ERISA Plan”) and prohibit certain transactions involving the assets of an ERISA Plan and its fiduciaries or other interested parties. Under ERISA and the Code, any person who exercises any discretionary authority or control over the administration of an ERISA Plan or the management or disposition of the assets of an ERISA Plan, or who renders investment advice for a fee or other compensation to an ERISA Plan, is generally considered to be a fiduciary of the ERISA Plan.
In considering an investment in shares of common stock with a portion of the assets of any Plan, a fiduciary should consider the Plan’s particular circumstances and all of the facts and circumstances of the investment and determine whether the acquisition and holding of shares of common stock is in accordance with the documents and instruments governing the Plan and the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code, or any Similar Law relating to the fiduciary’s duties to the Plan, including, without limitation:
• | whether the investment is prudent under Section 404(a)(1)(B) of ERISA and any other applicable Similar Laws; |
• | whether, in making the investment, the ERISA Plan will satisfy the diversification requirements of Section 404(a)(1)(C) of ERISA and any other applicable Similar Laws; |
• | whether the investment is permitted under the terms of the applicable documents governing the Plan; |
• | whether the acquisition or holding of the shares of common stock will constitute a “prohibited transaction” under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code (please see discussion under “—Prohibited Transaction Issues” below); and |
• | whether the Plan will be considered to hold, as the Plan’s assets, (i) only shares of common stock or (ii) an undivided interest in our underlying assets (please see the discussion under “—Plan Asset Issues” below). |
Prohibited Transaction Issues
Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit ERISA Plans from engaging in specified transactions involving plan assets with persons or entities who are “parties in interest,” within the meaning of ERISA, or “disqualified persons,” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code, unless an exemption is available. A party in interest or disqualified person who engages in a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to excise taxes and other penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. In addition, the fiduciary of the ERISA Plan that engages in such a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to excise taxes, penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. The acquisition and/or holding of shares of common stock by an ERISA Plan with respect to which the issuer, the initial purchaser, or a guarantor is considered a party in
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interest or a disqualified person may constitute or result in a direct or indirect prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the Code, unless the investment is acquired and is held in accordance with an applicable statutory, class or individual prohibited transaction exemption.
Because of the foregoing, shares of common stock should not be acquired or held by any person investing “plan assets” of any Plan, unless such acquisition and holding will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA and the Code or a similar violation of any applicable Similar Laws.
Plan Asset Issues
Additionally, a fiduciary of a Plan should consider whether the Plan will, by investing in us, be deemed to own an undivided interest in our assets, with the result that we would become a fiduciary of the Plan and our operations would be subject to the regulatory restrictions of ERISA, including its prohibited transaction rules, as well as the prohibited transaction rules of the Code and any other applicable Similar Laws.
The Department of Labor (the “DOL”) regulations provide guidance with respect to whether the assets of an entity in which ERISA Plans acquire equity interests would be deemed “plan assets” under some circumstances. Under these regulations, an entity’s assets generally would not be considered to be “plan assets” if, among other things:
(a) | the equity interests acquired by ERISA Plans are “publicly offered securities” (as defined in the DOL regulations)—i.e., the equity interests are part of a class of securities that is widely held by 100 or more investors independent of the issuer and each other, are freely transferable, and are either registered under certain provisions of the federal securities laws or sold to the ERISA Plan as part of a public offering under certain conditions; |
(b) | the entity is an “operating company” (as defined in the DOL regulations)—i.e., it is primarily engaged in the production or sale of a product or service, other than the investment of capital, either directly or through a majority-owned subsidiary or subsidiaries; or |
(c) | there is no significant investment by “benefit plan investors” (as defined in the DOL regulations)—i.e., immediately after the most recent acquisition by an ERISA Plan of any equity interest in the entity, less than 25% of the total value of each class of equity interest (disregarding certain interests held by persons (other than benefit plan investors) with discretionary authority or control over the assets of the entity or who provide investment advice for a fee (direct or indirect) with respect to such assets, and any affiliates thereof) is held by ERISA Plans, individual retirement accounts and certain other Plans (but not including governmental plans, foreign plans and certain church plans), and entities whose underlying assets are deemed to include plan assets by reason of a Plan’s investment in the entity. |
Due to the complexity of these rules and the excise taxes, penalties and liabilities that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is particularly important that fiduciaries, or other persons considering acquiring and/or holding shares of our common stock on behalf of, or with the assets of, any Plan, consult with their counsel regarding the potential applicability of ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code and any Similar Laws to such investment and whether an exemption would be applicable to the acquisition and holding of shares of common stock. Purchasers of shares of common stock have the exclusive responsibility for ensuring that their acquisition and holding of shares of common stock complies with the fiduciary responsibility rules of ERISA and does not violate the prohibited transaction rules of ERISA, the Code or applicable Similar Laws. The sale of shares of common stock to a Plan is in no respect a representation by us or any of our affiliates or representatives that such an investment meets all relevant legal requirements with respect to investments by any such Plan or that such investment is appropriate for any such Plan.
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We may sell the securities offered by this prospectus from time to time in one or more transactions, including without limitation:
• | through underwriters, initial purchasers, brokers or dealers; |
• | directly to agents or other purchasers; |
• | in a rights offering; |
• | 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; |
• | through a combination of any of these methods; or |
• | through any other method permitted by applicable law and described in a prospectus supplement. |
In addition, we may enter into derivative or hedging transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. In connection with such a transaction, the third parties may sell securities covered by and pursuant to this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement. If so, the third party may use securities borrowed from us or others to settle such sales and may use securities received from us to close out any related short positions. We may also loan or pledge securities covered by this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement to third parties, who may sell the loaned securities or, in an event of default in the case of a pledge, sell the pledged securities pursuant to this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement.
The prospectus supplement with respect to any offering of securities will include the following information:
• | the terms of the offering; |
• | the names of any underwriters, dealers, agents or direct purchasers; |
• | the name or names of any managing underwriter or underwriters; |
• | the purchase price or initial public offering price of the securities; |
• | the net proceeds from the sale of the securities; |
• | any delayed delivery arrangements; |
• | any underwriting discounts, commissions and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation; |
• | any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; |
• | any commissions paid to agents; and |
• | any securities exchange on which the securities may be listed. |
Sale through Underwriters or Dealers
If underwriters are used in the sale, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account. The underwriters may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Underwriters may offer securities to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. Unless we inform you otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the offered securities if they purchase any of them. The underwriters may change from time to time any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.
We will describe the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents, any compensation they receive from us and the purchase price of the securities in a prospectus supplement relating to the securities.
In connection with the sale of the securities, underwriters may receive compensation from us or from purchasers of the securities, for whom they may act as agents, in the form of discounts, concessions or
31
commissions. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers, and these dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents, which is not expected to exceed that customary in the types of transactions involved. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts or commissions they receive from us, and any profit on the resale of the securities they realize may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions, under the Securities Act.
Underwriters or agents could make sales in privately negotiated transactions and/or any other method permitted by law, including block trades, sales deemed to be an “at-the-market” offering, sales made directly on Nasdaq, the existing trading market for our common stock, or such other exchange or automated quotation system on which our securities trade, or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange. The name of any such underwriter or agent involved in the offer and sale of our securities, the amounts sold, and the nature of its obligations to take our securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we inform you otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, any agent will agree to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit purchasers for the period of its appointment.
We currently intend to list any shares of Class A common stock sold pursuant to this prospectus on Nasdaq. It is possible that one or more underwriters may make a market in a series of the securities, but underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Therefore, we can give no assurance about the liquidity of or the trading market for any of the securities.
Under agreements we may enter into, we may indemnify underwriters, dealers, and agents who participate in the distribution of the securities against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribute with respect to payments that the underwriters, dealers or agents may be required to make. Unless otherwise set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, the obligations of any underwriters to purchase any of the securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent.
To facilitate the offering of securities, certain persons participating in the offering may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities. This may include over-allotments or short sales of the securities, which involve the sale by persons participating in the offering of more securities than we sold to them. In these circumstances, these persons would cover such over-allotments or short positions by making purchases in the open market or by exercising their over-allotment option, if any. In addition, these persons may stabilize or maintain the price of the securities by bidding for or purchasing securities in the open market or by imposing penalty bids, whereby selling concessions allowed to dealers participating in the offering may be reclaimed if securities sold by them are repurchased in connection with stabilization transactions. The effect of these transactions may be to stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. These transactions may be discontinued at any time.
From time to time, we or our affiliates may engage in transactions with these underwriters, dealers and agents in the ordinary course of business. Underwriters may from time to time in the future provide investment banking services to us for which they have in the past received, and may in the future receive, customary fees.
If so indicated in a prospectus supplement, we will authorize underwriters or other persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by institutional investors to purchase securities pursuant to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date. We may enter contracts with commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and other institutional investors. The obligations of any institutional investor under such delayed delivery contract will be subject to the condition that its purchase of the offered securities will not be illegal at the time of delivery. The underwriters and other agents will not be responsible for the validity or performance of contracts.
Direct Sales and Sales through Agents
We may sell the securities directly. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. We may also sell the securities through agents designated by us from time to time. In the applicable prospectus supplement, we will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the offered securities, and we will describe any commissions payable to the agent. Unless we inform you otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, any agent will agree to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit purchases for the period of its appointment.
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We may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sale of those securities. We will describe the terms of any sales of these securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.
At the Market Offerings
We may also sell the securities offered by any applicable prospectus supplement 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.
Remarketing Arrangements
Securities may also be offered and sold, if so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, in connection with a remarketing upon their purchase, in accordance with a redemption or repayment pursuant to their terms, or otherwise, by one or more remarketing firms, acting as principals for their own accounts or as agents for us. Any remarketing firm will be identified and the terms of its agreements, if any, with us and its compensation will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Delayed Delivery Contracts
If we so indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase securities from us at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts. These contracts would provide for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future.
The contracts would be subject only to those conditions described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.
General Information
We may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers, agents and remarketing firms to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute with respect to payments that the underwriters, dealers, agents or remarketing firms may be required to make. Underwriters, dealers, agents and remarketing firms may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of their businesses.
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The validity of our securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., New York, New York.
The audited financial statements of Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. incorporated by reference into this registration statement have been so included in reliance upon the report of Urish Popeck & Co., LLC, independent registered public accounting firm, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
34
Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc.
$25,000,000
Class A Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Warrants
Depositary Shares
Stock Purchase Contracts
Units
Right
PROSPECTUS
, 2023
The information in this prospectus supplement 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 supplement is not an offer to sell these securities, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy, these securities in any state or jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MAY 23, 2023PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(to Prospectus dated , 2023)
$15,000,000
Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc.
Class A Common Stock
We have entered into an at the market offering agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (“Wainwright”), dated May 23, 2023, relating to the sale of shares of our Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class A common stock”) offered by this prospectus supplement. In accordance with the terms of the Sales Agreement, under this prospectus supplement we may offer and sell shares of our Class A common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $15,000,000 from time to time through Wainwright, acting as sales agent or principal.
Sales of our Class A common stock, 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”). If we and Wainwright agree on any method of distribution other than sales of shares of our Class A common stock on or through the Nasdaq Global Market or another existing trading market in the United States at market prices, we will file a prospectus supplement providing all information about such offering as required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act. Wainwright is not required to sell any specific amount, but will act as our sales agent using commercially reasonable efforts consistent with their normal trading and sales practices on mutually agreed terms between Wainwright and us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in any escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
Wainwright will be entitled to compensation at a commission rate equal to 3.0% of the gross sales price of the shares of our Class A common stock sold through it pursuant to the Sales Agreement. See “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page S-14 for additional information regarding the compensation to be paid to Wainwright. In connection with the sale of the Class A common stock on our behalf, Wainwright may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation of Wainwright may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have also agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to Wainwright with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
You should carefully read this prospectus supplement and any prospectus supplement before you invest. You should also read the documents we refer to in the “Where You Can Find More Information” section of this prospectus supplement for information on us and our financial statements.
We are an “emerging growth company” and a “smaller reporting company” under applicable federal securities laws and will be subject to reduced reporting requirements. This prospectus supplement complies with the requirements that apply to an issuer that is an emerging growth company. We have two classes of common stock: Class A common stock and Class V common stock. Each share of Class V common stock has no economic rights but entitles its holder to one vote on all matters to be voted on by stockholders generally. Holders of Class A common stock and Class V common stock vote together as a single class on all matters presented to our stockholders for their vote or approval, except as otherwise required by applicable law or by our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation (as amended, the “second amended and restated certificate of incorporation”). Q Power LLC, which is controlled by Greg Beard, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Bill Spence, together with Messrs. Beard and Spence, held approximately 39.4% of the total voting stock outstanding as of May 5, 2023, including 100% of the Class V common stock outstanding, which votes together with the Class A common stock as a single class.
Our Class A common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “SDIG.” On May 19, 2023, the closing price of our Class A common stock was $6.45 per share. As of May 19, 2023, the aggregate market value of our common stock held by our non-affiliates, as calculated pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), was approximately $53.6 million, based upon 4,742,615 shares of our outstanding common stock held by non-affiliates at the per share price of $11.30, the closing sale price of our Class A common stock on The Nasdaq Global Market on April 18, 2023 (as adjusted for the Reverse Stock Split). Pursuant to General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3, in no event will we sell securities in a public offering with a value exceeding more than one-third of our “public float” (i.e., the market value of our common stock held by our non-affiliates) in any 12-month period so long as our public float remains below $75.0 million. We have not sold any securities in reliance on General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3 during the 12 calendar months prior to and including the date of this prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) 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.
Investing in our Class A common stock involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-8 and in the documents we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement to read about factors you should consider before buying shares of our Class A common stock.
H.C. Wainwright & Co.
The date of this prospectus supplement is , 2023.
This prospectus supplement is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may offer and sell shares of our Class A common stock having an aggregate offering price up to $15,000,000, from time to time, in one or more offerings under this prospectus supplement at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of offering.
We provide information to you about this offering of our Class A common stock in two separate documents that are bound together: (1) this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific details regarding this offering; and (2) the accompanying base prospectus, which provides general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. Generally, when we refer to this “prospectus supplement,” we are referring to both documents combined. If information in this prospectus supplement is inconsistent with the accompanying base prospectus, you should rely on this prospectus supplement. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus supplement, on the one hand, and the information contained in any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement. 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.
We have not, and Wainwright has not, authorized anyone to provide you with information other than that contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus and any free writing prospectus. We are not, and Wainwright is not, making an offer to sell or soliciting any offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted or in which the person making that offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering is accurate only as of the date of those respective documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. You should read this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering in their entirety before making an investment decision.
Before buying any of the Class A common stock that we are offering, we urge you to carefully read this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus and all of the information incorporated by reference herein and therein, as well as the additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference.” This prospectus supplement contains summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed, will be filed or will be incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described below under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.” These documents contain important information that you should consider when making your investment decision.
We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of Class A common stock only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The distribution of this prospectus supplement and the offering of the Class A common stock in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. 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 Class A common stock and the distribution of this prospectus supplement outside the United States. This prospectus supplement does not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities offered by this prospectus supplement by any person in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful for such person to make such an offer or solicitation.
This prospectus supplement contains forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. See “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” appearing in this prospectus supplement and in the documents we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.
S-1
Industry and Market Data
The market data and certain other statistical information used or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement are based on independent industry publications, publicly available information, business organizations, government publications and other published independent sources. Some data is also based on our good faith estimates. Although we believe these third-party sources are reliable as of their respective dates, we have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of this information. Market share data is subject to change and may be limited by the availability of raw data, the voluntary nature of the data gathering process and other limitations in any statistical survey of market share data. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such market share data or any other such estimates. The industry in which we operate is subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” appearing in this prospectus supplement and in the documents we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement. These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in these publications.
Trademarks and Trade Names
We rely on various trade names that we use in connection with the operation of our business. This prospectus supplement may also contain trademarks, service marks and trade names of third parties, which are the property of their respective owners. Our use or display of third parties’ trademarks, service marks, trade names or products in this prospectus supplement is not intended to, and does not imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship by us. Solely for convenience, the trademarks, service marks and trade names referred to in this prospectus supplement may appear without the ®, TM or SM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the right of the applicable licensor to these trademarks, service marks and trade names.
Presentation of Financial and Other Information
Certain monetary amounts, percentages and other figures included in this prospectus supplement have been subject to rounding adjustments. Percentage amounts included in this prospectus supplement have not in all cases been calculated on the basis of such rounded figures, but on the basis of such amounts prior to rounding. For this reason, percentage amounts in this prospectus supplement may vary from those obtained by performing the same calculations using the figures in our combined financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus supplement. Certain other amounts that appear in this prospectus supplement may not sum due to rounding.
REVERSE STOCK SPLIT
On May 15, 2023, we effected a 1-for-10 reverse stock split of the shares of our Class A common stock and our Class V common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class V common stock”) (the “Reverse Stock Split”). Every 10 shares of issued and outstanding Class A common stock and Class V common stock were automatically combined into one issued and outstanding share of Class A common stock or Class V common stock, as applicable. Any fractional shares that would otherwise have resulted from the Reverse Stock Split were rounded up to the next whole number. Unless otherwise indicated, the number of shares of Class A common stock and Class V common stock presented in this prospectus supplement is adjusted to reflect the Reverse Stock Split.
S-2
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and in accordance therewith file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The website address of the SEC is www.sec.gov.
We make available free of charge on or through our website at www.ir.strongholddigitalmining.com, our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with or otherwise furnish it to the SEC.
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the offering of these securities. The registration statement, including the attached exhibits, contains additional relevant information about us and the securities. This prospectus supplement does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement. You can obtain a copy of the registration statement for free at www.sec.gov. The registration statement and the documents referred to below under “Incorporation of Certain Information By Reference” are also available on our website, www.ir.strongholddigitalmining.com.
We have not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement the information on our website, and you should not consider it to be a part of this prospectus supplement.
S-3
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus supplement the information we file with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents without restating that information in this document. The information incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement is considered to be part of this prospectus supplement, and information in documents that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede information contained in documents filed earlier with the SEC or contained in this prospectus supplement. We incorporate by reference in this prospectus supplement the documents listed below and all documents that we may subsequently file with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the date on which the registration statement was initially filed with the SEC (including all such documents that we may file with the SEC after the date the registration statement was initially filed and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement) until all offerings under the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement forms a part are completed or terminated, provided, however, that we are not incorporating, in each case, any documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules:
• | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the SEC on April 3, 2023 (pursuant to Rule 12b-25 extension); |
• | our Definitive Information Statement on Schedule 14C, filed with the SEC on January 30, 2023; |
• | our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on May 12, 2023; |
• | our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC (except for items 2.02 and 7.01) on January 3, 2023, January 13, 2023, February 7, 2023, February 24, 2023, March 13, 2023, March 21, 2023, March 22, 2023, April 3, 2023, April 5, 2023, April 24, 2023, May 5, 2023, and May 19, 2023; and |
• | the description of our capital stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A, dated October 19, 2021 and any amendment or report filed with the SEC for the purposes of updating such description, including Exhibit 4.1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, filed on April 3, 2023. |
We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus supplement is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement. We will provide this information upon written or oral request at no cost to the requester. Requests for these documents should be directed to Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc., 595 Madison Avenue, 28th Floor, New York, New York 10022, telephone (845) 579-5992. We also maintain a website at www.strongholddigitalmining.com where incorporated reports or other documents filed with the SEC may be accessed. We have not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement the information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website, and you should not consider it to be part of this prospectus supplement.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus supplement, including information incorporated by reference as described above, or any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment that we have specifically referred you to. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus supplement or any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents or that any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than its filing date. You should not consider this prospectus supplement to be an offer or solicitation relating to the securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation relating to the securities is not authorized. Furthermore, you should not consider this prospectus supplement to be an offer or solicitation relating to the securities if the person making the offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so, or if it is unlawful for you to receive such an offer or solicitation.
S-4
This summary contains basic information about us and the offering. Because it is a summary, it does not contain all the information that you should consider before investing in our Class A common stock. You should read and carefully consider this entire prospectus supplement before making an investment decision, especially the information presented under the heading “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” included in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, and the information incorporated herein by reference, including our financial statements.
Except as otherwise indicated or required by the context, all references in this prospectus supplement to the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our” relate to Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. (“Stronghold Inc.”) and its consolidated subsidiaries following the reorganization of the Company effected on April 1, 2021. References in this prospectus supplement to “Q Power” refer to Q Power LLC, which prior to the reorganization (i) was the sole regarded owner of Stronghold Digital Mining LLC (f/k/a Stronghold Power LLC) (“SDM”) and (ii) indirectly held 70% of the limited partner interests and 100% of the general partner interests in Scrubgrass Reclamation Company, L.P. (f/k/a Scrubgrass Generating Company, L.P.) (“Scrubgrass LP”).
Overview
We are a low-cost, environmentally beneficial, vertically integrated crypto asset mining company currently focused on mining Bitcoin and environmental remediation and reclamation services. We wholly own and operate two coal refuse power generation facilities that we have upgraded: (i) our first reclamation facility located on a 650-acre site in Scrubgrass Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania, which we acquired the remaining interest of in April 2021 and has the capacity to generate approximately 83.5 megawatts (“MW”) of electricity and (ii) a facility located near Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania, which we acquired in November 2021 and which has the capacity to generate approximately 80 MW of electricity, each of which is as an Alternative Energy System because coal refuse is classified under Pennsylvania law as a Tier II Alternative Energy Source (large-scale hydropower is also classified in this tier). We are committed to generating our energy and managing our assets sustainably, and we believe that we are one of the first vertically integrated crypto asset mining companies with a focus on environmentally beneficial operations.
Emerging Growth Company and Smaller Reporting Company Status
As a company with less than $1.235 billion in revenue during our last fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include:
• | We are not required to engage an auditor to report on our internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; |
• | We are not required to comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (i.e., an auditor discussion and analysis); |
• | We are not required to submit certain executive compensation matters to stockholder advisory votes, such as “say-on-pay,” “say-on-frequency” and “say-on-golden parachutes”; and |
• | We are not required to disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the chief executive officer’s compensation to median employee compensation. |
We may take advantage of these provisions until the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering (the “IPO”) or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We would cease to be an emerging growth company upon the earliest of: (i) the last day of the first fiscal year in which our annual gross revenues are $1.235 billion or more; (ii) the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities; (iii) on the last day of the fiscal year following the date of the fifth anniversary of our first sale of common equity securities under an effective registration statement or (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be
S-5
a “large accelerated filer,” which will occur as of the end of any fiscal year in which we (x) have an aggregate market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates of $700 million or more as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, (y) have been required to file annual and quarterly reports under the Exchange Act, for a period of at least 12 months and (z) have filed at least one annual report pursuant to the Exchange Act.
We have elected to take advantage of the reduced disclosure obligations listed above in this prospectus supplement, and may elect to take advantage of other reduced reporting requirements in future filings. In particular, we have elected to adopt the reduced disclosure with respect to our executive compensation disclosure. As a result of this election, the information that we provide stockholders may be different than you might get from other public companies.
The JOBS Act permits an emerging growth company like us to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. We have elected to use this extended transition period and, as a result, we will adopt new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for private companies. Our election to use the transition periods permitted by this election may make it difficult to compare our financial statements to those of non-emerging growth companies and other emerging growth companies that have opted out of the extended transition periods permitted under the JOBS Act and that will comply with new or revised financial accounting standards. If we were to subsequently elect instead to comply with public company effective dates, such election would be irrevocable pursuant to the JOBS Act.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $250 million as of the end of that fiscal year’s second fiscal quarter and (2) our annual revenues exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of that fiscal year’s second fiscal quarter.
Our Offices
Our principal executive offices are located at 595 Madison Avenue, 28th Floor, New York, New York 10022, and our telephone number at that address is (845) 579-5992. Our website address is www.strongholddigitalmining.com. Information contained on our website does not constitute part of this prospectus supplement.
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Issuer
Stronghold Digital Mining Inc.
Class A common stock offered by us
Shares of Class A common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $15,000,000.
Class A common stock outstanding prior to this offering
5,500,275 shares (as of May 19, 2023) (subject to adjustments as a result of the Reverse Stock Split).
Class V common stock outstanding prior to this offering
2,405,760 shares (as of May 19, 2023). Class V shares do not have economic rights. In connection with any redemption of Stronghold LLC Units pursuant to the Redemption Right or our Call Right, the corresponding number of shares of Class V common stock will be cancelled.
Plan of Distribution
“At the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act, that may be made from time to time on the Nasdaq Global Market or other existing trading market for our Class A common stock through Wainwright, as agent or principal. See the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” on page S-14 of this prospectus supplement.
Use of Proceeds
We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things, purchase of miners, repayment or refinancing of debt or funding acquisitions, capital expenditures or working capital. See the section entitled “Use of Proceeds” on page S-12 of this prospectus supplement.
Listing symbol
Our Class A common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “SDIG.”
Risk factors
You should carefully read and consider the information beginning on page S-8 of this prospectus supplement set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” and in the documents we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and all other information set forth in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement before deciding to invest in our Class A common stock.
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An investment in our Class A common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the information described below and set forth under “Risk Factors” contained in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 (the “2022 Form 10-K”), and any updates in our subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K, together with the other information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, including the risk factors described in our filings with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, before investing in our Class A common stock. The occurrence of any of these risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, in which case the trading price of our Class A common stock could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment. The risks and uncertainties we have described are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our operations. The occurrence of any of these risks might cause you to lose all or part of your investment in the offered securities.
Risks Relating to this Offering
We have broad discretion to determine how to use the funds raised in this offering, and may use them in ways that may not enhance our operating results or the price of our Class A common stock.
Our management will have broad discretion over the use of proceeds from this offering, and we could spend the proceeds from this offering in ways our stockholders may not agree with or that do not yield a favorable return, if at all. Because of the number and variability of factors that will determine our use of the proceeds from this offering, their ultimate use may vary substantially from their currently intended use. We expect to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things, purchase of miners, repayment or refinancing of debt or funding acquisitions, capital expenditures or working capital. If we do not invest or apply the proceeds from this offering in ways that enhance stockholder value, we may fail to achieve expected financial results, which could cause our stock price to decline.
The trading price of shares of our Class A common stock has been volatile.
The trading price of our Class A common stock has been, and is likely to continue to be, volatile, and may be influenced by various factors beyond our control as well as those discussed in our “Risk Factors” set forth in our 2022 Form 10-K, including, but not limited to:
• | the underlying volatility in pricing of, and demand for, energy and/or Bitcoin; |
• | price and volume fluctuations in the stock markets generally which create highly variable and unpredictable pricing of equity securities; |
• | actual or anticipated variations in our annual or quarterly results of operations, including our earnings estimates and whether we meet market expectations with regard to our earnings; |
• | significant volatility in the market price and trading volume of securities of companies in the sectors in which our business operates, which may not be related to the operating performance of these companies and which may not reflect the performance of our businesses; |
• | loss of a major funding source; |
• | operating performance of companies comparable to us; |
• | changes in regulations or tax law, including those affecting the holding, transferring or mining of cryptocurrency; |
• | share transactions by principal stockholders; |
• | recruitment or departure of key personnel; |
• | general economic trends and other external factors including inflation and interest rates; |
• | increased scrutiny by governmental authorities or individual actors or community groups regarding our business, our competitors or the industry in which we operate; |
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• | publication of research reports by analysts and others about us or the cryptocurrency mining industry, which may be unfavorable, inaccurate, inconsistent or not disseminated on a regular basis; |
• | sentiment of retail investors about our Class A common stock and business generally (including as may be expressed on financial trading and other social media sites and online forums); and |
• | speculation in the media or investment community about us or the cryptocurrency industry more broadly. |
In addition, the stock markets in general, and the markets for crypto asset mining stocks in particular, have experienced extreme volatility that may have been unrelated to the operating performance of the issuer. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the trading price or liquidity of our Class A common stock. In the past, when the trading price of a stock has been volatile, holders of that stock have sometimes instituted securities class action litigation against the issuer. If any of our stockholders were to bring such a lawsuit against us, we could incur substantial costs defending the lawsuit and the attention of our management would be diverted from the operation of our business.
Future sales or issuances of our Class A common stock in the public markets, or the perception of such sales, could depress the trading price of our Class A common stock.
The sale of a substantial number of shares of our Class A common stock or other equity-related securities in the public markets, or the perception that such sales could occur, could depress the market price of our Class A common stock and impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. We may sell large quantities of our Class A common stock at any time pursuant to this prospectus supplement or in one or more separate offerings. We cannot predict the effect that future sales of Class A common stock or other equity-related securities would have on the market price of our Class A common stock.
The actual number of shares we will issue under the Sales Agreement, at any one time or in total, is uncertain.
Subject to certain limitations in the Sales Agreement and compliance with applicable law, we have the discretion to deliver a sales notice to Wainwright at any time throughout the term of the Sales Agreement. The number of shares that are sold by Wainwright after delivering a sales notice will fluctuate based on the market price of our Class A common stock during the sales period and limits we set with Wainwright. Because the price per share of each share sold will fluctuate based on the market price of our Class A common stock during the sales period, it is not possible at this stage to predict the number of shares that will be ultimately issued.
The Class A common stock offered hereby will be sold in “at the market offerings,” and investors who buy shares at different times will likely pay different prices.
Investors who purchase 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 shares sold, and there is no minimum or maximum sales price. Investors may experience a decline in the value of their shares as a result of share sales made at prices lower than the prices they paid.
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The information in this prospectus supplement includes “forward-looking statements.” All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this prospectus supplement, regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. When used in this prospectus supplement, the words “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “seek,” “approximately,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “continue,” “could,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions about future events and are based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements described under the heading “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Business” included in this prospectus supplement or included in the 2022 Form 10-K, or any subsequent filings with the SEC under the Exchange Act and in the other documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current belief, based on currently available information, as to the outcome and timing of future events.
Forward-looking statements may include statements about:
• | the hybrid nature of our business model, which is highly dependent on the price of Bitcoin; |
• | our ability to raise capital to fund our business growth; |
• | our dependence on the level of demand and financial performance of the crypto asset industry; |
• | our ability to manage our growth, business, financial results and results of operations; |
• | uncertainty regarding our evolving business model; |
• | our ability to maintain sufficient liquidity to fund operations, growth and acquisitions; |
• | our substantial indebtedness and its effect on our results of operations and our financial condition; |
• | uncertainty regarding the outcomes of any investigations or proceedings; |
• | our ability to retain management and key personnel and the integration of new management; |
• | our ability to enter into purchase agreements, acquisitions and financing transactions; |
• | our ability to maintain our relationships with our third-party brokers and our dependence on their performance; |
• | public health crises, epidemics, and pandemics such as the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic; |
• | our ability to procure crypto asset mining equipment from foreign-based suppliers; |
• | developments and changes in laws and regulations, including increased regulation of the crypto asset industry through legislative action and revised rules and standards applied by The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network under the authority of the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act and the Investment Company Act; |
• | the future acceptance and/or widespread use of, and demand for, Bitcoin and other crypto assets; |
• | our ability to respond to price fluctuations and rapidly changing technology; |
• | our ability to operate our coal refuse power generation facilities as planned; |
• | our ability to remain listed on a stock exchange and maintain an active trading market; |
• | our ability to avail ourselves of tax credits for the clean-up of coal refuse piles; and |
• | legislative or regulatory changes, and liability under, or any future inability to comply with, existing or future energy regulations or requirements. |
We caution you that these forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. These risks include, but are not
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limited to, decline in demand for our products and services, the seasonality and volatility of the crypto asset industry, our acquisition strategies, the inability to comply with developments and changes in regulation, cash flow and access to capital, maintenance of third party relationships, the COVID-19 pandemic and the other risks described under “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement and in the documents we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.
Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this prospectus supplement occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements.
All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this prospectus supplement are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that we or persons acting on our behalf may issue.
Any forward-looking statement that we make in this prospectus supplement speaks only as of the date of such statement. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, we disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this prospectus supplement.
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We may issue and sell shares of our Class A common stock having aggregate sales proceeds of up to $15,000,000 from time to time. 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. There can be no assurance that we will be able to sell any shares under or fully utilize the Sales Agreement with Wainwright.
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things, purchase of miners, repayment or refinancing of debt or funding acquisitions, capital expenditures or working capital.
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We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our capital stock, and we do not currently intend to pay any cash dividends for the foreseeable future. We expect to retain future earnings, if any, to finance the growth and development of our business. Any future determination to pay dividends on our Class A common stock will be at the discretion of the board of directors and will depend upon, among other factors, our financial condition, operating results, current and anticipated cash needs, plans for expansion and other factors that the board of directors may deem relevant.
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We have entered into the Sales Agreement with Wainwright under which we may issue and sell shares of our Class A common stock having an aggregate gross sales price of up to $15,000,000 from time to time through Wainwright acting as agent. The Sales Agreement has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus form a part.
Upon delivery of a placement notice and subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, Wainwright may sell our Class A common stock by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) promulgated under the Securities Act, including sales made directly on The Nasdaq Global Market or any other existing trading market of our Class A common stock. We may instruct Wainwright not to sell Class A common stock if the sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by us from time to time. We or Wainwright may suspend the offering of Class A common stock upon notice and subject to other conditions. If we and Wainwright agree on any method of distribution other than sales of shares of our Class A common stock on or through the Nasdaq Global Market or another existing trading market in the United States at market prices, we will file a prospectus supplement providing all information about such offering as required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act.
We will pay Wainwright commissions, in cash, for its services in acting as agent in the sale of our Class A common stock. Wainwright will be entitled to compensation at a fixed commission rate equal to 3.0% of the gross sales price per share sold pursuant to the Sales Agreement. 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 have also agreed to reimburse Wainwright for certain specified expenses, including the fees and disbursements of its legal counsel in an amount up to $50,000, in addition to up to $2,500 per due diligence update session for Wainwright’s counsel’s fees and any incidental expenses to be reimbursed by us. We will report at least quarterly the number of shares of Class A common stock sold through Wainwright under the Sales Agreement, the net proceeds to us and the compensation paid by us to Wainwright in connection with the sales of Class A common stock.
Settlement for sales of Class A common stock will generally occur on the second business day following the date on which any sales are made or such shorter settlement cycle as may be in effect under Exchange Act Rule 15c6-1 from time to time, or on some other date that is agreed upon by us and Wainwright in connection with a particular transaction, in return for payment of the net proceeds to us. Sales of our Class A common stock as contemplated in this prospectus supplement will be settled through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company or by such other means as we and Wainwright may agree upon. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
Wainwright will use its commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with its sales and trading practices, to sell shares of our Class A common stock under the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Sales Agreement. In connection with the sale of the Class A common stock on our behalf, Wainwright will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation of Wainwright will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to Wainwright against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
The offering of our Class A common stock pursuant to the Sales Agreement will terminate upon the termination of the Sales Agreement or as otherwise permitted therein. We or Wainwright may suspend the offering of the Class A common stock being made through Wainwright under the Sales Agreement upon proper notice to the other party.
Our Class A common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Market and trades under the symbol “SDIG.” The transfer agent and registrar for our Class A common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC.
Wainwright and its affiliates have provided, and may in the future provide, various investment banking, commercial banking and other financial services for us and our affiliates, for which services they may in the future receive customary fees. To the extent required by Regulation M promulgated under the Exchange Act, Wainwright will not engage in any market making activities involving our Class A common stock while the offering is ongoing under this prospectus supplement.
S-14
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus in electronic format may be made available on a website maintained by Wainwright and Wainwright may distribute this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus electronically.
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., New York, New York, will pass upon certain legal matters relating to the issuance and sale of the securities offered hereby on behalf of Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC is being represented in connection with this offering by Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP.
The audited financial statements of Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. incorporated by reference into this registration statement have been so included in reliance upon the report of Urish Popeck & Co., LLC, independent registered public accounting firm, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
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Part II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. | Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution |
The following table sets forth an itemized statement of the amounts of all expenses (excluding underwriting discounts and commissions) payable by us in connection with the registration of the common stock offered hereby. With the exception of the SEC registration fee, the amounts set forth below are estimates.
| | | Amount | |
SEC registration fee | | | $4,529.61 |
Accountants’ fees and expenses | | | 20,000 |
Legal fees and expenses | | | 100,000 |
Miscellaneous expenses | | | 15,000 |
Total | | | $139,529.61 |
Item 15. | Indemnification of Directors and Officers |
Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that a director will not be liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duties to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”). In addition, if the DGCL is amended to authorize the further elimination or limitation of the liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the corporation, in addition to the limitation on personal liability provided for in our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation, will be limited to the fullest extent permitted by the amended DGCL. Our amended and restated bylaws provide that the corporation will indemnify, and advance expenses to, any officer or director to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL.
Section 145 of the DGCL provides that a corporation may indemnify directors and officers as well as other employees and individuals against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement in connection with specified actions, suits and proceedings whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, other than a derivative action by or in the right of the corporation, if they acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful. A similar standard is applicable in the case of derivative actions, except that indemnification extends only to expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such action and the statute requires court approval before there can be any indemnification where the person seeking indemnification has been found liable to the corporation. The statute provides that it is not exclusive of other indemnification that may be granted by a corporation’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws, disinterested director vote, stockholder vote, agreement or otherwise.
Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains indemnification rights for our directors and our officers. Specifically, our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we shall indemnify our officers and directors to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL. Furthermore, we may maintain insurance on behalf of our officers and directors against expense, liability or loss asserted against, or incurred by, them in their capacities as officers and directors.
We have obtained directors’ and officers’ insurance to cover our directors, officers and some of our employees for certain liabilities.
We entered into written indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers. Under these agreements, if an officer or director makes a claim of indemnification to us, either a majority of the independent directors or independent legal counsel selected by the independent directors must review the relevant facts and make a determination whether the officer or director has met the standards of conduct under Delaware law that would permit (under Delaware law) and require (under the indemnification agreement) us to indemnify the officer or director.
Item 16. | Exhibits and financial statement schedules |
See the Exhibit Index immediately preceding the signature page hereto, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
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Item 17. | Undertakings |
(a) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: |
(1) | To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
(i) | to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; |
(ii) | to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the 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 SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Filing Fee Tables” in the effective registration statement; and |
(iii) | 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)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC 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.
(2) | That, for the purpose 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. |
(3) | 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. |
(4) | That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser: |
(i) | 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 |
(ii) | 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 the 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. |
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(5) | 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: |
(i) | Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
(ii) | 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; |
(iii) | 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 |
(iv) | Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
(b) | The undersigned registrant 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 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. |
(c) | 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 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. |
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INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit Number | | | Description |
1.1* | | | Form of Underwriting Agreement |
| | | ||
| | | Sales Agreement, dated as of May 23, 2023, by and between Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, as sales agent. | |
| | | ||
| | | Master Transaction Agreement, dated as of April 1, 2021, by and among Q Power LLC, Stronghold Digital Mining Holdings LLC, Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc., Stronghold Digital Mining LLC, EIF Scrubgrass, LLC, Falcon Power LLC, Scrubgrass Power LLC, Scrubgrass Generating Company, L.P., Gregory A. Beard and William Spence (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-258188) filed on July 27, 2021). | |
| | | ||
| | | Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40931) filed on October 25, 2021). | |
| | | ||
| | | Certificate of Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40931) filed on May 19, 2023). | |
| | | ||
| | | Certificate of Designations of the Series C Convertible Preferred Stock of Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40931) filed on February 24, 2023). | |
| | | ||
| | | Amended and Restated Bylaws of Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40931) filed on October 25, 2021). | |
| | | ||
| | | Form of Stock Purchase Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40931) filed on April 24, 2023). | |
| | | ||
| | | Pre-Funded Warrant, by and between Stronghold Digital Mining Inc. and Armistice Capital Fund Ltd. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-40931) filed on April 24, 2023). | |
| | | ||
4.6* | | | Form of Certificate of Designation for Preferred Stock |
| | | ||
4.7* | | | Form of Preferred Stock Certificate |
| | | ||
4.8* | | | Form of Depositary Agreement |
| | | ||
4.9* | | | Form of Depositary Certificate |
| | | ||
4.10* | | | Form of Warrant Agreement |
| | | ||
4.11* | | | Form of Warrant Certificate |
| | | ||
4.12* | | | Form of Purchase Contract Agreement |
| | |
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Exhibit Number | | | Description |
4.13* | | | Form of Subscription Rights |
| | | ||
4.14* | | | Form of Subscription Rights Certificate |
| | | ||
4.15* | | | Form of Unit Agreement |
| | | ||
4.16* | | | Form of Unit Certificate |
| | | ||
| | | Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to the legality of the securities being registered. | |
| | | ||
| | | Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to the legality of the securities being registered. | |
| | | ||
| | | Consent of Urish Popeck & Co., LLC. | |
| | | ||
23.2** | | | |
| | | ||
| | | Power of Attorney | |
| | | ||
| | | Filing Fee Table |
* | To be filed, if necessary, by amendment or as an exhibit to a report filed under the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference. |
** | Filed herewith. |
*** | Previously filed. |
¥ | Certain schedules and exhibits to this agreement have been omitted in accordance with Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K. A copy of any omitted schedule and/or exhibit will be furnished to the SEC on request. |
# | Certain portions of this exhibit were redacted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2)(ii) of Regulation S-K. |
II-5
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, New York, on May 23, 2023.
| | | Stronghold Digital Mining Inc. | ||||
| | | | | |||
| | | By: | | | /s/ Gregory A. Beard | |
| | | | | Gregory A. Beard | ||
| | | | | Chief Executive Officer and Chairman | ||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated below as of May 23, 2023.
Name | | | Title | | | Date |
| | | | | |||
/s/ Gregory A. Beard | | | Chief Executive Officer and Chairman (Principal Executive Officer) | | | May 23, 2023 |
Gregory A. Beard | | |||||
| | | | | |||
* | | | Chief Financial Officer and Director (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | | | May 23, 2023 |
Matthew J. Smith | | |||||
| | | | | |||
* | | | Director | | | May 23, 2023 |
Sarah P. James | | |||||
| | | | | |||
* | | | Director | | | May 23, 2023 |
Thomas J. Pacchia | | |||||
| | | | | |||
* | | | Director | | | May 23, 2023 |
Thomas R. Trowbridge, IV | | |||||
| | | | | |||
* | | | Director | | | May 23, 2023 |
Indira Agarwal | | |||||
| | | | | |||
* | | | Director | | | May 23, 2023 |
Thomas Doherty | |
* By: | | | /s/ Gregory A. Beard | | | |
| | | Gregory A. Beard | | | ||
| | | Attorney-in-Fact | | |
II-6
Exhibit 1.2
AT THE MARKET OFFERING AGREEMENT
May 23, 2023
H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC
430 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware (the “Company”), confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (the
“Manager”) as follows:
1.
Definitions. The terms that follow, when used in this Agreement and any Terms Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.
“Accountants” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(m).
“Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Action” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(p).
“Affiliate” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(o).
“Applicable Time” shall mean, with respect to any Shares, the time of sale of such Shares pursuant to this Agreement or any relevant Terms Agreement.
“Base Prospectus” shall mean the base prospectus contained in the Registration Statement at the Effective Time.
“Board” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b)(iii).
“Broker Fee” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b)(v).
“Business Day” shall mean any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain
closed; provided, however, that, for purposes of clarity, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter-in-place”, “non-essential employee” or any other
similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New
York generally are open for use by customers on such day.
“Commission” shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common Stock” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.
“Common Stock Equivalents” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(g).
“Company Counsel” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(l).
“DTC” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b)(vii).
“Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto became or becomes effective.
“Effective Time” shall mean the first date and time that the Registration Statement becomes effective.
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Execution Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.
“Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405.
“GAAP” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(m).
“Incorporated Documents” shall mean the documents or portions thereof filed with the Commission on or prior to the Effective Date that are incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus and any documents or portions thereof filed with the Commission after the Effective Date that are deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.
“Intellectual Property Rights” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(v).
2
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433.
“Losses” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 7(d).
“Material Adverse Effect” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(b).
“Material Permits” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(t).
“Maximum Amount” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.
“Net Proceeds” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b)(v).
“Permitted Free Writing Prospectus” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(g).
“Placement” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(c).
“Proceeding” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(b).
“Prospectus” shall mean the Base Prospectus, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement in the Registration Statement at the Effective Time and any subsequently filed
Prospectus Supplement.
“Prospectus Supplement” shall mean the prospectus supplement relating to the offering and sale of the Shares contemplated hereunder contained in the Registration Statement
at the Effective Time and any other prospectus supplement relating to such Shares prepared and filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) from time to time.
“Registration Statement” shall mean the shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-271671) registering $25,000,000 of securities of the Company initially filed
on May 5, 2023, as subsequently amended, including exhibits and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Shares that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration statement
pursuant to Rule 430B, as amended on each Effective Date and, in the event any pre-effective amendment or post-effective amendment thereto becomes effective, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended.
3
“Representation Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(k).
“Required Approvals” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(e).
“Rule 158”, “Rule 164”, “Rule 172”, “Rule 173”, “Rule 405”, “Rule 415”, “Rule 424”, “Rule 430B” and “Rule 433”
refer to such rules under the Act.
“Sales Notice” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b)(i).
“SEC Reports” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(m).
“Settlement Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b)(vii).
“Shares” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.
“Subsidiary” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a).
“Terms Agreement” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(a).
“Time of Delivery” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(c).
“Trading Day” means a day on which the Trading Market is open for trading.
“Trading Market” means the Nasdaq Global Market.
4
2.
Sale and Delivery of Shares. The Company proposes to issue and sell through or to the Manager, as sales agent and/or principal, from time to
time during the term of this Agreement and on the terms set forth herein, up to the lesser of such number of shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), that does not
exceed (a) the number or dollar amount of shares of Common Stock registered on the Registration Statement, pursuant to which the offering is being made, (b) the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock (less the number of shares of
Common Stock issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any outstanding securities of the Company or otherwise reserved from the Company’s authorized capital stock), or (c) the number or dollar amount of shares of Common Stock that would
cause the Company or the offering of the Shares to not satisfy the eligibility and transaction requirements for use of Form S-3, including, if applicable, General Instruction I.B.6 of Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the lesser of (a), (b) and
(c), the “Maximum Amount”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitations set forth in this Section 2 on the number and aggregate sales price of Shares issued and
sold under this Agreement shall be the sole responsibility of the Company and that the Manager shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance.
(a)
Appointment of Manager as Selling Agent; Terms Agreement. For purposes of selling the Shares through the Manager, the Company hereby appoints the Manager as
exclusive agent of the Company for the purpose of selling the Shares of the Company pursuant to this Agreement and the Manager agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell the Shares on the terms and subject to the conditions stated
herein. The Company agrees that, whenever it determines to sell the Shares directly to the Manager as principal, it will enter into a separate agreement (each, a “Terms Agreement”) in substantially the form of Annex I hereto,
relating to such sale in accordance with Section 2 of this Agreement.
(b)
Agent Sales. Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, no earlier than 30 days following the
Effective Time, the Company will issue and agrees to sell Shares from time to time through the Manager, acting as sales agent, and the Manager agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell, as sales agent for the Company, on the
following terms:
(i)
The Shares are to be sold on any day that (A) is a Trading Day, (B) the Company has instructed the Manager by telephone (confirmed promptly by electronic mail) to make
such sales (“Sales Notice”) and (C) the Company has satisfied its obligations under Section 6 of this Agreement. The Company will designate the maximum amount of the Shares to be sold by the Manager on any day (subject to the limitations
set forth in Section 2(d)) and the minimum price per Share at which such Shares may be sold. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Manager shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell on a particular day all of the Shares
designated for the sale by the Company on such day. The gross sales price of the Shares sold under this Section 2(b) shall be the market price for the shares of Common Stock sold by the Manager under this Section 2(b) on the Trading Market at the
time of sale of such Shares.
(ii)
The Company acknowledges and agrees that (A) there can be no assurance that the Manager will be successful in selling the Shares, (B) the Manager will incur no liability
or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell the Shares for any reason other than a failure by the Manager to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and
applicable law and regulations to sell such Shares as required under this Agreement, and (C) the Manager shall be under no obligation to purchase Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise specifically agreed by the
Manager and the Company pursuant to a Terms Agreement.
5
(iii)
The Company shall not authorize the issuance and sale of, and the Manager shall not be obligated to use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell, any Share at a price
lower than the minimum price therefor designated from time to time by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), or a duly authorized committee thereof, or such duly authorized officers of the Company, and notified to the Manager in
writing. The Company or the Manager may, upon notice to the other party hereto by telephone (confirmed promptly by electronic mail), suspend the offering of the Shares for any reason and at any time; provided, however, that such
suspension or termination shall not affect or impair the parties’ respective obligations with respect to the Shares sold hereunder prior to the giving of such notice.
(iv)
The Manager may sell Shares by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415 under the Act, including without limitation
sales made directly on the Trading Market, on any other existing trading market for the Common Stock or to or through a market maker. The Manager may also sell Shares in privately negotiated transactions, provided that the Manager receives the
Company’s prior written approval for any sales in privately negotiated transactions and if so provided in the “Plan of Distribution” section of the Prospectus Supplement or a supplement to the Prospectus Supplement or a new Prospectus Supplement
disclosing the terms of such privately negotiated transaction.
(v)
The compensation to the Manager for sales of the Shares under this Section 2(b) shall be a placement fee of 3.0% of the gross sales price of the Shares sold pursuant to
this Section 2(b) (“Broker Fee”). The foregoing rate of compensation shall not apply when the Manager acts as principal, in which case the Company may sell Shares to the Manager as principal at a price agreed upon at the relevant Applicable
Time pursuant to a Terms Agreement. The remaining proceeds, after deduction of the Broker Fee and deduction of any transaction fees imposed by any clearing firm, execution broker, or governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such
sales, shall constitute the net proceeds to the Company for such Shares (the “Net Proceeds”).
(vi)
The Manager shall provide written confirmation (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) to the Company following the close of trading on the Trading Market each
day in which the Shares are sold under this Section 2(b) setting forth the number of the Shares sold on such day, the aggregate gross sales proceeds and the Net Proceeds to the Company, and the compensation payable by the Company to the Manager
with respect to such sales.
6
(vii)
Unless otherwise agreed between the Company and the Manager, settlement for sales of the Shares will occur at 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the second (2nd) Trading
Day (or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading) following the date on which such sales are made (each, a “Settlement Date”). On or before the Trading Day prior to each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will
cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Shares being sold by crediting the Manager’s or its designee’s account (provided that the Manager shall have given the Company written notice of such designee at least one Trading Day prior
to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which Shares in all cases shall be
freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form. On each Settlement Date, the Manager will deliver the related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company. The Company agrees that, if the
Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable), defaults in its obligation to deliver duly authorized Shares on a Settlement Date, in addition to and in no way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in Section 7 hereto, the Company will (i)
hold the Manager harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or reasonable, documented expense (including reasonable and documented legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company, and (ii) pay
to the Manager any commission, discount or other compensation to which the Manager would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.
(viii)
At each Applicable Time, Settlement Date and Representation Date, the Company shall be deemed to have affirmed each representation and warranty contained in this
Agreement as if such representation and warranty were made as of such date (except to the extent that such representations and warranties speak as of another date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of
such other date), modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended as of such date. Any obligation of the Manager to use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell the Shares on behalf of the Company
shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the continuing satisfaction of the additional conditions specified in
Section 6 of this Agreement.
(ix)
If the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of shares of Common Stock, by way of
return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other
similar transaction) (a “Distribution” and the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive the Distribution, the “Record Date”), the Company hereby covenants that, in connection with any sales of Shares
pursuant to a Sales Notice on the Record Date, the Company shall issue and deliver such Shares to the Manager on the Record Date and the Record Date shall be the Settlement Date and the Company shall cover any additional costs of the Manager in
connection with the delivery of Shares on the Record Date.
7
(c)
Term Sales. If the Company wishes to sell the Shares pursuant to this Agreement in a manner other than as set forth in Section 2(b) of this Agreement (each, a “Placement”),
the Company will notify the Manager of the proposed terms of such Placement. If the Manager, acting as principal, wishes to accept such proposed terms (which it may decline to do for any reason in its sole discretion) or, following discussions with
the Company wishes to accept amended terms, the Manager and the Company will enter into a Terms Agreement setting forth the terms of such Placement. The terms set forth in a Terms Agreement will not be binding on the Company or the Manager unless
and until the Company and the Manager have each executed such Terms Agreement accepting all of the terms of such Terms Agreement. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Terms Agreement, the terms of such
Terms Agreement will control. A Terms Agreement may also specify certain provisions relating to the reoffering of such Shares by the Manager. The commitment of the Manager to purchase the Shares pursuant to any Terms Agreement shall be deemed to
have been made on the basis of the representations and warranties of the Company herein contained and shall be subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth. Each Terms Agreement shall specify the number of the Shares to be purchased by the
Manager pursuant thereto, the price to be paid to the Company for such Shares, any provisions relating to rights of, and default by, underwriters acting together with the Manager in the reoffering of the Shares, and the time and date (each such
time and date being referred to herein as a “Time of Delivery”) and place of delivery of and payment for such Shares. Such Terms Agreement shall also specify any requirements for opinions of counsel, accountants’ letters and officers’
certificates pursuant to Section 6 of this Agreement and any other information or documents required by the Manager.
(d)
Maximum Number of Shares. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Shares if, after giving effect to the sale of such
Shares, the aggregate amount of Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement would exceed the lesser of (A) together with all sales of Shares under this Agreement, the Maximum Amount, (B) the amount available for offer and sale under the currently
effective Registration Statement and (C) the amount authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the Board, a duly authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized executive committee, and notified to the Manager in
writing. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Shares pursuant to this Agreement at a price lower than the minimum price authorized from time to time by the Board, a duly authorized committee thereof or
a duly authorized executive officer, and notified to the Manager in writing. Further, under no circumstances shall the Company cause or permit the aggregate offering amount of Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement to exceed the Maximum Amount.
(e)
Regulation M Notice. Unless the exceptive provisions set forth in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M under the Exchange Act are satisfied with respect to the Shares,
the Company shall give the Manager at least one (1) Business Day’s prior notice of its intent to sell any Shares in order to allow the Manager time to comply with Regulation M.
8
3.
Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Manager at the Execution Time and on each such time that the following
representations and warranties are repeated or deemed to be made pursuant to this Agreement, as set forth below, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Incorporated Documents.
(a)
Subsidiaries. All of the direct and indirect subsidiaries (individually, a “Subsidiary”) of the Company are set forth on
Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other
equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any “Liens” (which for purposes of this Agreement shall mean a lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction), and
all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities.
(b)
Organization and Qualification. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently
conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation or in default of any of the provisions of its respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the
Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary,
except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not have or reasonably be expected to result in: (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, (ii) a material
adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any
Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or the Incorporated Documents, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under this Agreement (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a
“Material Adverse Effect”) (provided that a change in the market price or trading volume of the Common Stock alone shall not be deemed, in and of itself, to constitute a Material Adverse Effect) and no “Proceeding”
(which for purposes of this Agreement shall mean any action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened) has
been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.
9
(c)
Authorization and Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly
authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Board or the Company’s stockholders in connection herewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals. This Agreement has
been duly executed and delivered by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as
limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the
availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.
(d)
No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares
and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or
charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any
Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, anti-dilution or similar adjustments (other than customary price-based anti-dilution provisions that are set forth in outstanding warrants and documentation related to convertible
securities previously issued by the Company and set forth in the SEC Reports or the Incorporated Documents), acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument
(evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the
Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including
federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not, individually or in the aggregate,
have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
10
(e)
Filings, Consents and Approvals. The Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any
notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other “Person” (defined as an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated
association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind, including the Trading Market) in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by
the Company of this Agreement, other than (i) the filings contemplated by this Agreement, (ii) the filing with the Commission of the Prospectus Supplement and any Current Reports on Form 8-K with respect to this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby, (iii) the filing of notice(s) or application(s) to and approval by the Trading Market for the listing of the Shares for trading thereon in the time and manner required thereby, and (iv) such filings as are required to be made
under applicable state securities laws and the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).
(f)
Issuance of Shares. The Shares are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with this Agreement, will be duly and validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Company has reserved from its duly authorized capital stock the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to this Agreement. Upon the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the issuance by the Company of the Shares will be registered under the Act and issued pursuant to the Registration Statement and, upon issuance in accordance with this Agreement, all of the Shares
will be freely transferable and tradable by the purchasers thereof without restriction under U.S. securities laws (other than any restrictions arising solely from an act, omission or status (e.g., as an Affiliate of the Company) of such a
purchaser). The “Plan of Distribution” section within the Registration Statement permits the issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement. Upon receipt of the Shares, the purchasers of such Shares will have good
and marketable title to such Shares and the Shares will be freely tradable on the Trading Market.
11
(g)
Capitalization. The capitalization of the Company as of the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Company included
in or incorporated by reference into the SEC Reports or the Incorporated Documents is as set forth in the SEC Reports or the Incorporated Documents. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports or as set forth in or incorporated by reference into the
Registration Statement, the Company has not issued any capital stock since the date of its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, other than pursuant to the grant or exercise of employee
stock options and other awards under the Company’s stock option or other incentive plans, and pursuant to the conversion and/or exercise of securities exercisable, exchangeable or convertible into Common Stock (“Common Stock Equivalents”)
outstanding as of the Execution Date. No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Except as set forth in the SEC
Reports or the Incorporated Documents, there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any shares of Common Stock or the capital stock of any Subsidiary, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or
may become bound to issue additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents or capital stock of any Subsidiary. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports or the Incorporated Documents, the issuance and sale of the Shares will not obligate
the Company or any Subsidiary to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to any Person. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports or the Incorporated Documents, there are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any
Subsidiary with any provision that adjusts the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price of such security or instrument upon an issuance of securities by the Company or any Subsidiary. Other than as disclosed in the SEC Reports or the
Incorporated Documents, there are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary that contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the
Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or such Subsidiary. Except as disclosed in the SEC Reports and the Incorporated Documents, the Company does not have any stock appreciation rights or “phantom
stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state
securities laws, and none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. No further approval or authorization of any stockholder, the Board or others is
required for the issuance and sale of the Shares. Except as disclosed in the SEC Reports or the Incorporated Documents, there are no stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company’s capital stock
to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s stockholders.
12
(h)
Registration Statement. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Act and has prepared and filed with the Commission the Registration
Statement, including a related Base Prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Shares. After the Effective Time, the Registration Statement shall be effective and available for the offer and sale of the Shares. As
filed, the Base Prospectus contains all information required by the Act and the rules thereunder, and, except to the extent the Manager shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to the
Manager prior to the Execution Time or prior to any such time this representation is repeated or deemed to be made. The Registration Statement, at the Execution Time, each such time this representation is repeated or deemed to be made, and at all
times during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172, 173 or any similar rule) in connection with any offer or sale of the Shares, meets the requirements set forth in Rule
415(a)(1)(x). The initial Effective Date of the Registration Statement will not be earlier than the date three years before the Execution Time. The Company meets the transaction requirements as set forth in General Instruction I.B.1 of Form S-3
or, if applicable, as set forth in General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3 with respect to the aggregate market value of securities being sold pursuant to this offering and during the twelve (12) months prior to this offering.
(i)
Accuracy of Incorporated Documents. The Incorporated Documents, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material
respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, and none of the Incorporated Documents, when they were filed with the Commission, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus
Supplement or the Prospectus, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, as applicable, and will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(j)
Ineligible Issuer. (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide
offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Shares and (ii) as of the Execution Time and on each such time this representation is repeated or deemed to be made (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause
(ii)), the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.
13
(k)
Free Writing Prospectus. The Company is eligible to use Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not include any information
the substance of which conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any Incorporated Documents and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified; and each Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The
foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Manager specifically for use therein. Any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of
the Act and the rules thereunder. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) or that was prepared by or behalf of or used by the Company
complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the rules thereunder. The Company will not, without the prior consent of the Manager, prepare, use or refer to, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses.
(l)
Proceedings Related to Registration Statement. The Registration Statement is not the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of
the Act, and the Company is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Act in connection with the offering of the Shares. The Company has not received any notice that the Commission has issued or
intends to issue a stop-order with respect to the Registration Statement or that the Commission otherwise has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, or intends or has threatened
in writing to do so.
(m)
SEC Reports. The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by
the Company under the Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the two years preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (the
foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, together with the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Reports”) on a timely basis or
has filed for a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the
Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any 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. The financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Reports or the Incorporated Documents comply in all material respects with applicable accounting
requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on
a consistent basis during the periods involved (“GAAP”), except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP,
and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of
unaudited statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.
14
(n)
[RESERVED]
(o)
Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Since the date of the latest balance sheet included within the SEC Reports filed prior to the
date on which this representation is being made, (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities
(contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant
to GAAP or disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased,
redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock, (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or “Affiliate” (defined as any Person that,
directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 144 under the Act), except pursuant to existing equity
incentive plans, and (vi) no executive officer of the Company or member of the Board has resigned from any position with the Company. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information.
Except for the issuance of the Shares contemplated by this Agreement, no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its
Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, prospects, properties, operations, assets or financial condition that is required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made
that has not been publicly disclosed at least one (1) Trading Day prior to the date that this representation is made.
(p)
Litigation. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports or the Incorporated Documents, there is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation,
proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency
or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”), which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the Shares or (ii) could, if there were
an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports or the Incorporated Documents, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer thereof,
is, or has been within the ten year period preceding the date on which this representation is made, the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary
duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company. The Commission has not
issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Act.
15
(q)
Labor Relations. No labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the
employees of the Company, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company or such
Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good. To the knowledge of the Company,
no current executive officer (as defined under Rule 3b-7 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of the Company or any Subsidiary, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure
or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and
employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(r)
Compliance. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with
notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is currently in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture,
loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any judgment, decree or order
of any court, arbitrator or other governmental authority or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule, ordinance or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws
relating to taxes, occupational health and safety, product quality and safety and employment and labor matters, except in each case as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(s)
Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws relating to pollution or
protection of human health (to the extent such health relates to exposure to Hazardous Materials, as defined below) or the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including laws relating
to emissions, discharges, or releases of regulated chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture,
processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all legally enforceable authorizations, codes, decrees, demands, or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or
notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations, issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder (“Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other authorizations required of them under Environmental Laws to
conduct their respective businesses as they are currently operated; and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or authorization as described in (ii), except in each case where the failure to comply with
such Environmental Laws under (i), the failure to receive such permits, licenses or authorizations under (ii), or the failure to comply with such terms and conditions under (iii) would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
16
(t)
Regulatory Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or
foreign regulatory authorities (but excluding any certificates, authorizations and permits issued under Environmental Laws) necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports or the Incorporated Documents, except where
the failure to possess such permits would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (“Material Permits”), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or
modification of any Material Permit.
(u)
Title to Assets. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports or the Incorporated Documents, the Company and the Subsidiaries
have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them and good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear
of all Liens, except for (i) Liens as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries and (ii) Liens for the payment
of federal, state or other taxes, for which appropriate reserves have been made therefor in accordance with GAAP and, the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the
Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects.
(v)
Intellectual Property. The Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications,
trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights necessary or required for use in connection with their respective businesses
as described in the SEC Reports or the Incorporated Documents and which the failure to so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”). All of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the
Company are valid, subsisting, and, to the knowledge of the Company, enforceable. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports or the Incorporated
Documents, a written notice of a claim or otherwise has any knowledge that the Intellectual Property Rights violate or infringe upon the rights of any Person, except as could not have or reasonably be expected to not have a Material Adverse
Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned or licensed by the Company. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to
protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
17
(w)
Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such
losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage. Neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary has 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 similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a
significant increase in cost.
(x)
Affiliate Transactions. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports or the Incorporated Documents, none of the officers or
directors of the Company or any Subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as
employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, providing for the borrowing of money from or
lending of money to or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer,
director, trustee, stockholder, member or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) other
employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock option plan or pursuant to other equity incentive plans of the Company.
(y)
Sarbanes Oxley Compliance. The Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with any and all applicable requirements of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, that are effective as of the date hereof, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof. The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls 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 GAAP 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. The Company and the Subsidiaries have established
disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the Company and the Subsidiaries and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the
Company in the reports 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. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of the end of the period covered by the most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act (such date, the “Evaluation Date”). The
Company presented in its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation
Date. Since the Evaluation Date, there have been no changes in the internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act) of the Company and its Subsidiaries that have materially affected, or is reasonably likely
to materially affect, the internal control over financial reporting of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
18
(z)
Certain Fees. Other than payments to be made to the Manager, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company or any Subsidiary
to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Manager shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with
respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(aa)
No Other Sales Agency Agreement. The Company has not entered into any other sales agency agreements or other similar arrangements with any agent or any other
representative in respect of at the market offerings of the Shares.
(bb)
[RESERVED]
(cc)
Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The Common Stock is listed on the Trading Market and the issuance of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement does not
contravene the rules and regulations of the Trading Market. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the
effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. Except as disclosed in the SEC Reports or the
Incorporated Documents, the Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is or has been listed or quoted to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the
listing or maintenance requirements of such Trading Market. The Company is, and has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements. The Common Stock
is currently eligible for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation and the Company is current in payment of the fees to the Depository Trust Company (or such other established clearing
corporation) in connection with such electronic transfer.
(dd)
Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and the Board have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share
acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti‑takeover provision under the Company’s certificate of incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its state
of incorporation that is or could become applicable to the Shares.
19
(ee)
Solvency. Based on the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of the date hereof, (i) the fair saleable value of the Company’s assets exceeds the
amount that will be required to be paid on or in respect of the Company’s existing debts and other liabilities (including known contingent liabilities) as they mature, (ii) the Company’s assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry
on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted including its capital needs taking into account the particular capital requirements of the business conducted by the Company, consolidated and projected capital requirements and
capital availability thereof, and (iii) the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, would be
sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid. The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts
of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). The Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any
jurisdiction within one year from the date hereof. The SEC Reports or the Incorporated Documents sets forth all outstanding secured and unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the Company or any Subsidiary has
commitments. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Indebtedness” means (x) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $50,000 (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (y) all
guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect of indebtedness of others, whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement
of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (z) the present value of any lease payments in excess of $50,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with
GAAP. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any Indebtedness.
(ff)
Tax Status. Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the
Company and its Subsidiaries each (i) has made or filed all United States federal, state and local income and all foreign income and franchise tax returns, reports and declarations required to have been filed by it by any jurisdiction to which it
is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, and which are shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations, (iii) has set aside on its books provision
reasonably adequate in accordance with GAAP for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply, and (iv) there are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be
due from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company or of any Subsidiary have no knowledge of any such claim being threatened by a taxing authority.
20
(gg)
Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, any agent or other person acting on
behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment to
foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company or any Subsidiary (or made by any person
acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is in violation of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
(hh)
Accountants. The Company’s accounting firm is set forth in the SEC Reports. To the knowledge and belief of the Company, such accounting firm is a registered
public accounting firm as required by the Exchange Act.
(ii)
Regulation M Compliance. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to
cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Shares, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or, paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of
the Shares, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, other than, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), compensation paid to the Manager in connection with
the Shares.
(jj)
[RESERVED]
(kk)
Stock Option Plans. Each stock option granted by the Company under the Company’s stock option plan was granted (i) in accordance with the terms of the Company’s
stock option plan and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date such stock option would be considered granted under GAAP and applicable law. No stock option granted under the Company’s stock
option plan has been backdated. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no Company policy or practice to knowingly grant, stock options prior to, or otherwise knowingly coordinate the grant of stock options with, the
release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its Subsidiaries or their financial results or prospects.
21
(ll)
Cybersecurity. (i)(x) There has been no material security breach or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s
or any Subsidiary’s information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data (including the data of its respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of it), equipment
or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”) and (y) the Company and the Subsidiaries have not been notified of, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or
other compromise to its IT Systems and Data; (ii) the Company and the Subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or
regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification,
except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) the Company and the Subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable safeguards designed to maintain and protect its material
confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and Data; and (iv) the Company and the Subsidiaries have implemented commercially reasonable backup and disaster recovery technology.
(mm)
Office of Foreign Assets Control. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor, to the Company's knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate
of the Company or any Subsidiary is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”).
(nn)
U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. The Company is not and has never been a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Company shall so certify upon the Manager’s request.
(oo)
Bank Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its Affiliates is subject to the Bank Holding
Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of
its Affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the
BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its Affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is
subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.
(pp)
Money Laundering. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial
record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”),
and no Action or Proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any
Subsidiary, threatened.
(qq)
FINRA Member Shareholders. There are no affiliations with any FINRA member firm among the Company’s officers, directors or, to the
knowledge of the Company, any ten percent (10%) or greater stockholder of the Company, except as set forth in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus.
22
4.
Agreements. The Company agrees with the Manager that:
(a)
Right to Review Amendments and Supplements to Registration Statement and Prospectus. During any period when the delivery of a prospectus relating to the Shares
is required (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172, 173 or any similar rule) to be delivered under the Act in connection with the offering or the sale of Shares, the Company will not file any
amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement (including any Prospectus Supplement) to the Base Prospectus unless the Company has furnished to the Manager a copy for its review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment
or supplement to which the Manager reasonably objects (provided, however, that the Company will have no obligation to provide the Manager any advance copy of such filing or to provide the Manager an opportunity to object to such filing if the
filing does not name the Manager and does not relate to the transactions under this Agreement). The Company will cause any supplement to the Prospectus filed after the Effective Time to be properly completed, in a form approved by the Manager, and
will file such supplement with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed thereby and will provide evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Manager of such timely filing. The Company will
promptly advise the Manager (i) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), (ii) when, during any period when the delivery of a prospectus (whether physically or
through compliance with Rule 172, 173 or any similar rule) is required under the Act in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective (other than any annual
report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act), (iii) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, or for any supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional
information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any notice objecting to its use or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (v) of
the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its
commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain as
soon as reasonably possible the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration statement and using its commercially
reasonable efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable. The Company and the Manager agree that the Company may file a Prospectus Supplement to decrease the number or dollar amount of
Shares in the offering pursuant to this Agreement.
(b)
Subsequent Events. If, at any time on or after an Applicable Time but prior to the related Settlement Date, any event occurs as a result of which the
Registration Statement or Prospectus would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances
then prevailing not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Manager so that any use of the Registration Statement or Prospectus may cease until such are amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Registration Statement or
Prospectus to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any such amendment or supplement to the Manager in such quantities as the Manager may reasonably request.
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(c)
Notification of Subsequent Filings. During any period when the delivery of a prospectus relating to the Shares is required (including in circumstances where such
requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172, 173 or any similar rule) to be delivered under the Act, any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement, file a new registration statement or
supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder, including in connection with use or delivery of the Prospectus, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Manager of any such event, (ii)
subject to Section 4(a), prepare and file with the Commission an amendment or supplement or new registration statement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, (iii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to have
any amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable in order to avoid any disruption in use of the Prospectus and (iv) supply any supplemented Prospectus to the Manager in such
quantities as the Manager may reasonably request.
(d)
Earnings Statements. As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Manager an earnings statement or
statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company’s compliance with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act shall be deemed to
satisfy the requirements of this Section 4(d).
(e) Delivery of Registration Statement. Upon the request of the Manager, the Company will furnish to the Manager and counsel for the Manager, without charge,
copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by the Manager or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172,
173 or any similar rule), as many copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Manager may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents
relating to the offering.
(f)
Qualification of Shares. The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Shares for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Manager
may designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so
qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Shares, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.
(g)
Free Writing Prospectus. The Company agrees that, unless it has or shall have obtained the prior written consent of the Manager, and the Manager agrees with the
Company that, unless it has or shall have obtained, as the case may be, the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the 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 by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Manager or the
Company is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that (i) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (ii)
it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.
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(h)
Subsequent Equity Issuances. The Company shall not deliver any Sales Notice hereunder (and any Sales Notice previously delivered shall not apply during such
three Business Days) for at least three (3) Business Days prior to any date on which the Company or any Subsidiary offers, sells, issues, contracts to sell, contracts to issue or otherwise disposes of, directly or indirectly, any other shares of
Common Stock or any Common Stock Equivalents (other than the Shares), subject to Manager’s right to waive this obligation, provided that, without compliance with the foregoing obligation, the Company may issue and sell Common Stock or Common Stock
Equivalents pursuant to any equity incentive plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company in effect at the Execution Time and the Company may issue Common Stock issuable upon the conversion or exercise of Common Stock
Equivalents outstanding at the Execution Time.
(i)
Market Manipulation. Until the termination of this Agreement, the Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute
or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation in violation of the Act, Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder of the price of any security of the Company
to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise violate any provision of Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
(j)
Notification of Incorrect Certificate. The Company will, at any time during the term of this Agreement, as supplemented from time to time, advise the Manager
immediately after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect any opinion, certificate, letter and other document provided to the Manager pursuant to Section 6 herein.
(k)
Certification of Accuracy of Disclosure. Upon commencement of the offering of the Shares under this Agreement (and upon the recommencement of the offering of the
Shares under this Agreement following the termination of a suspension of sales hereunder lasting more than 30 Trading Days), and each time that (i) the Registration Statement or Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented, other than by means of
Incorporated Documents, (ii) the Company files its Annual Report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act, (iii) the Company files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act, (iv) the Company files a Current Report on Form 8-K containing
amended financial information (other than information that is furnished and not filed), if the Manager reasonably determines that the information in such Form 8-K is material, or (v) the Shares are delivered to the Manager as principal at the Time
of Delivery pursuant to a Terms Agreement (such commencement or recommencement date and each such date referred to in (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) above, a “Representation Date”), unless waived by the Manager, the Company shall furnish or
cause to be furnished to the Manager forthwith a certificate dated and delivered on the Representation Date, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Manager to the effect that the statements contained in the certificate referred to in Section 6 of
this Agreement which were last furnished to the Manager are true and correct at the Representation Date, as though made at and as of such date (except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
as amended and supplemented to such date) or, in lieu of such certificate, a certificate of the same tenor as the certificate referred to in said Section 6, modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended
and supplemented to the date of delivery of such certificate. The requirement to furnish or cause to be furnished a certificate under this Section 4(k) shall at the request of the Company be waived for any Representation Date occurring on a date
on which no instruction to the Manager to sell Shares pursuant to this Agreement has been delivered by the Company or is pending. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following any Representation Date
when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide the Manager a certificate pursuant to this Section 4(k), then, before the Company is entitled to deliver a Sales Notice to the Manager to sell Shares pursuant to this Agreement, the Company
shall provide the Manager such a certificate.
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(l)
Bring Down Opinions; Negative Assurance. Within five (5) Trading Days of each Representation Date, unless waived by the Manager, the Company shall furnish or
cause to be furnished forthwith to the Manager and to counsel to the Manager a written opinion of counsel to the Company (“Company Counsel”) addressed to the Manager and dated and delivered within five (5) Trading Days of such Representation
Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Manager, including a negative assurance representation. The requirement to furnish or cause to be furnished an opinion (but not with respect to a negative assurance representation) under
this Section 4(l) shall be waived for any Representation Date other than a Representation Date on which a material amendment to the Registration Statement or Prospectus is made or the Company files its Annual Report on Form 10-K or a material
amendment thereto under the Exchange Act, unless the Manager reasonably requests such deliverable required this Section 4(l) in connection with a Representation Date, upon which request such deliverable shall be deliverable hereunder. The
requirement to furnish or cause to be furnished an opinion or negative assurance under this Section 4(1) shall at the request of the Company be waived for any Representation Date occurring on a date on which no instruction to the Manager to sell
Shares pursuant to this Agreement has been delivered by the Company or is pending. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following any Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did
not provide the Manager a certificate pursuant to this Section 4(1), then, before the Company is entitled to deliver a Sales Notice to the Manager to sell Shares pursuant to this Agreement, the Company shall provide the Manager such an opinion or
negative assurance.
(m)
Auditor Bring Down “Comfort” Letter. Within five (5) Trading Days of each Representation Date, unless waived by the Manager, the Company shall cause (1) the
Company’s auditors (the “Accountants”), or other independent accountants satisfactory to the Manager forthwith to furnish the Manager a letter, and (2) the Chief Financial Officer of the Company forthwith to furnish the Manager a
certificate, in each case dated within five (5) Trading Days of such Representation Date, in form satisfactory to the Manager, of the same tenor as the letters and certificate referred to in Section 6 of this Agreement but modified to relate to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letters and certificate. The requirement to furnish or cause to be furnished a “comfort” letter under this Section 4(m) shall be waived for any
Representation Date other than a Representation Date on which a material amendment to the Registration Statement or Prospectus is made or the Company files its Annual Report on Form 10-K or a material amendment thereto under the Exchange Act,
unless the Manager reasonably requests the deliverables required by this Section 4(m) in connection with a Representation Date, upon which request such deliverable shall be deliverable hereunder. The requirement to furnish or cause to be furnished
on or more letters or certificates under this Section 4(m) shall at the request of the Company be waived for any Representation Date occurring on a date on which no instruction to the Manager to sell Shares pursuant to this Agreement has been
delivered by the Company or is pending. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following any Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide the Manager a certificate
pursuant to this Section 4(m), then, before the Company is entitled to deliver a Sales Notice to the Manager to sell Shares pursuant to this Agreement, the Company shall provide the Manager such letters or certificates.
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(n)
Due Diligence Session. Upon commencement of the offering of the Shares under this Agreement (and upon the recommencement of the offering of the Shares under this
Agreement following the termination of a suspension of sales hereunder lasting more than 30 Trading Days), and at each Representation Date, for which the Company is obligated to deliver a certification pursuant to Section 4(k) for which no waiver
is applicable, the Company will conduct a due diligence session, in form and substance, reasonably satisfactory to the Manager, which shall include representatives of management and Accountants. The Company shall cooperate timely with any
reasonable due diligence request from or review conducted by the Manager or its agents from time to time in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, providing information and available
documents and access to appropriate corporate officers and the Company’s agents during regular business hours, and timely furnishing or causing to be furnished such certificates, letters and opinions from the Company, its officers and its agents,
as the Manager may reasonably request. The Company shall reimburse the Manager for Manager’s counsel’s fees in each such due diligence update session, up to a maximum of $2,500 per update, plus any incidental expense incurred by the Manager in
connection therewith.
(o)
Acknowledgment of Trading. The Company acknowledges that the Manager may trade in the Common Stock for the Manager’s own account and for the account of its
clients at the same time as sales of the Shares occur pursuant to this Agreement or pursuant to a Terms Agreement.
(p)
Disclosure of Shares Sold. The Company will disclose in its Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as applicable, the number of Shares
sold through the Manager under this Agreement, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation paid by the Company with respect to sales of Shares pursuant to this Agreement during the relevant quarter; and, if required by any subsequent
change in Commission policy or request, more frequently by means of a Current Report on Form 8-K or a further Prospectus Supplement.
(q)
Rescission Right. If to the knowledge of the Company, the conditions set forth in Section 6 shall not have been satisfied as of the applicable Settlement Date,
the Company will offer to any person who has agreed to purchase Shares from the Company as the result of an offer to purchase solicited by the Manager the right to refuse to purchase and pay for such Shares.
(r)
Bring Down of Representations and Warranties. Each acceptance by the Company of an offer to purchase the Shares hereunder, and each execution and delivery by the
Company of a Terms Agreement, shall be deemed to be an affirmation to the Manager that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in or made pursuant to this Agreement are true and correct as of the date of such acceptance or of
such Terms Agreement as though made at and as of such date, and an undertaking that such representations and warranties will be true and correct as of the Settlement Date for the Shares relating to such acceptance or as of the Time of Delivery
relating to such sale, as the case may be, as though made at and as of such date (except that such representations and warranties shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented relating to
such Shares).
(s)
Reservation of Shares. The Company shall ensure that there are at all times sufficient shares of Common Stock to provide for the issuance, free of any preemptive
rights, out of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock or shares of Common Stock held in treasury, of the maximum aggregate number of Shares authorized for issuance by the Board pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. The Company will
use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Shares to be listed for trading on the Trading Market and to maintain such listing.
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(t)
Obligation Under Exchange Act. During any period when the delivery of a prospectus relating to the Shares is required (including in circumstances where such
requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172, 173 or any similar rule) to be delivered under the Act, the Company will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by
the Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder (as applicable, giving effect to any extension pursuant to Rule 12b-25 under the Exchange Act).
(u)
DTC Facility. The Company shall cooperate with the Manager and use its commercially reasonable efforts to permit the Shares to be eligible for clearance and
settlement through the facilities of DTC.
(v)
Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the Net Proceeds from the sale of the Shares in the manner set forth in the Prospectus.
(w)
Filing of Prospectus Supplement. If any sales are made pursuant to this Agreement which are not made in “at the market” offerings as defined in Rule 415,
including, without limitation, any Placement pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the Company shall file a Prospectus Supplement describing the terms of such transaction, the amount of Shares sold, the price thereof, the Manager’s compensation, and such
other information as may be required pursuant to Rule 424 and Rule 430B, as applicable, within the time required by Rule 424.
(x)
Additional Registration Statement. To the extent that the Registration Statement is not available for the sales of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement,
and to the extent that the Company is eligible and able to file a new registration statement with respect to any additional shares of Common Stock necessary to complete such sales of the Shares, the Company shall file such registration statement
and shall cause such registration statement to become effective as promptly as reasonably practicable. After the effectiveness of any such registration statement, all references to “Registration Statement” included in this Agreement shall be
deemed to include such new registration statement, including all documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3, and all references to “Base Prospectus” included in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the
final form of prospectus, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, included in any such registration statement at the time such registration statement became effective.
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5.
Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, whether or not the
transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, including without limitation: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), the
Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to any of them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares;
(iii) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the Shares, including any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Shares; (iv) the printing (or reproduction) and
delivery of this Agreement, any blue sky memorandum and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Shares; (v) the registration of the Shares under the Exchange Act, if applicable,
and the listing of the Shares on the Trading Market; (vi) any registration or qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of
counsel for the Manager relating to such registration and qualification); (vii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of Company representatives in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Shares;
(viii) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company; (ix) the filing fee under FINRA Rule 5110; (x) the reasonable fees and expenses of the Manager’s
counsel, not to exceed $50,000 (excluding any periodic due diligence fees provided for under Section 4(n)), which shall be paid upon the Effective Time; and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder.
6.
Conditions to the Obligations of the Manager. The obligations of the Manager under this Agreement and any Terms Agreement shall be subject to (i) the accuracy of the
representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time, each Representation Date, and as of each Applicable Time, Settlement Date and Time of Delivery, (ii) the performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder and (iii) the following additional conditions:
(a)
Effectiveness of the Registration Statement; Filing of Prospectus Supplement. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission and the
Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, required by Rule 424 to be filed with the Commission shall have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) with respect to any sale of Shares; each Prospectus Supplement filed
after the Effective Time shall have been filed in the manner required by Rule 424(b) within the time period required hereunder and under the Act; any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, shall
have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use shall have been issued
and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened.
(b)
Delivery of Opinion. The Company shall have caused the Company Counsel to furnish to the Manager its opinion and negative assurance statement, dated as of such
date and addressed to the Manager in form and substance acceptable to the Manager.
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(c)
Delivery of Officer’s Certificate. The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Manager a certificate of the Company signed by the Chief
Executive Officer or the President and the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated as of such date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any
Prospectus Supplement and any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements or amendments thereto and this Agreement and that:
(i)
the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of such date with the same effect as if made on such date and the
Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to such date;
(ii)
no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened; and
(iii)
since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Incorporated Documents, there has been no Material
Adverse Effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or
contemplated in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(d)
Delivery of Accountants’ “Comfort” Letter. The Company shall have requested and caused the Accountants to have furnished to the Manager letters (which may refer
to letters previously delivered to the Manager), dated as of such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Manager, confirming that they are independent accountants within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act and the respective
applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder and that they have performed a review of any unaudited interim financial information of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus and provide customary “comfort” as to such review in form and substance satisfactory to the Manager.
(e)
No Material Adverse Event. Since the respective dates as of which information is disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Incorporated
Documents, except as otherwise stated therein, there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease in previously reported results specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (d) of this Section 6 or (ii) any change, or any
development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary
course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Incorporated Documents (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or
(ii) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Manager, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Shares as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment
thereof), the Incorporated Documents and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
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(f)
Payment of All Fees. The Company shall have paid the required Commission filing fees relating to the Shares within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i)
of the Act without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Act and, if applicable, shall have updated the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in
a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b).
(g)
No FINRA Objections. FINRA shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms and arrangements under this
Agreement.
(h)
Shares Listed on Trading Market. The Shares shall have been listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the Trading Market, and satisfactory evidence of
such actions shall have been provided to the Manager.
(i)
Other Assurances. Prior to each Settlement Date and Time of Delivery, as applicable, the Company shall have furnished to the Manager such further information,
certificates and documents as the Manager may reasonably request.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in
this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Manager and counsel for the Manager, this Agreement and all obligations of the Manager hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, any Settlement Date or
Time of Delivery, as applicable, by the Manager. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone and confirmed in writing by email.
The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered to the office of Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, counsel for the Manager, at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York,
New York 10105, email: xxxxx@xxxxx.com, on each such date as provided in this Agreement.
7.
Indemnification and Contribution.
(a)
Indemnification by Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Manager, the directors, officers, employees and agents of the Manager and each
person who controls the Manager within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act
or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement for the registration of the Shares as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in the Base Prospectus, any Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or result from or relate to any breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss,
claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the
Manager specifically for inclusion therein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that the Company may otherwise have.
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(b)
Indemnification by Manager. The Manager agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration
Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the Manager, but only with reference to written information relating to
the Manager furnished to the Company by the Manager specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity; provided, however, that in no case shall the Manager be responsible for any amount in excess of
the Broker Fee applicable to the Shares and paid hereunder. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Manager may otherwise have.
(c)
Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 7 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified
party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 7, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not
relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not,
in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the
indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses
of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying
party’s election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs
and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of,
any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or
additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the
institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the
indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or
not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action,
suit or proceeding.
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(d)
Contribution. In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 7 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an
indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Manager agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending the
same) (collectively “Losses”) to which the Company and the Manager may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and by the Manager on the other from the offering
of the Shares; provided, however, that in no case shall the Manager be responsible for any amount in excess of the Broker Fee applicable to the Shares and paid hereunder. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding
sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Manager severally shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the
Manager on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from
the offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Manager shall be deemed to be equal to the Broker Fee applicable to the Shares and paid hereunder as determined by this Agreement. Relative fault shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the
Manager on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Manager agree that it would not be just and equitable
if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 7, each person who controls the
Manager within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and agent of the Manager shall have the same rights to contribution as the Manager, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of
either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable
terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).
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8.
Termination.
(a)
The Company shall have the right, by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate the provisions of this Agreement relating to the solicitation of offers
to purchase the Shares in its sole discretion at any time upon ten (10) Business Days’ prior written notice. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that (i) with respect to any pending sale, through
the Manager for the Company, the obligations of the Company, including in respect of compensation of the Manager, shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the termination and (ii) the provisions of Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, the
second sentence of 13, 14 and 15 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
(b)
The Manager shall have the right, by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate the provisions of this Agreement relating to the solicitation of offers
to purchase the Shares in its sole discretion at any time. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, the second sentence of 13, 14 and 15 of this
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
(c)
This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect until such date that this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Sections 8(a) or (b) above or otherwise by mutual
agreement of the parties, provided that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, the second sentence of 13, 14 and 15 shall remain in full force and effect.
(d)
Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination, provided that such termination shall not be effective until the
close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by the Manager or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date or Time of Delivery for any sale of the Shares, such sale of the Shares shall
settle in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(b) of this Agreement.
(e)
In the case of any purchase of Shares by the Manager pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the obligations of the Manager pursuant to such Terms Agreement shall be subject to
termination, in the absolute discretion of the Manager, by prompt oral notice given to the Company prior to the Time of Delivery relating to such Shares, if any, and confirmed promptly by electronic mail, if since the time of execution of the Terms
Agreement and prior to such delivery and payment, (i) trading in the Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or the Trading Market or trading in securities generally on the Trading Market shall have been suspended or limited or
minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York State authorities or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities,
declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Manager, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the
offering or delivery of the Shares as contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
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9.
Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and
of the Manager set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by the Manager or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons
referred to in Section 7, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.
10.
Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and will be mailed, delivered, or e-mailed to the addresses of the Company and
the Manager, respectively, set forth on the signature page hereto.
11.
Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees,
agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 7, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
12.
No Fiduciary Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company,
on the one hand, and the Manager and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Manager is acting solely as sales agent and/or principal in connection with the purchase and sale of the Company’s securities and not as a
fiduciary of the Company and (c) the Company’s engagement of the Manager in connection with the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that
it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether the Manager has advised or is currently advising the Company on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim
that the Manager has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
13.
Integration. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement supersede all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Manager
with respect to the subject matter hereof. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the letter agreements, dated June 2, 2021 and May 6, 2022, respectively, by and between the Company and the Manager and (ii) any other letter agreement
or document by and between the Company and the Manager prior to the date hereof ((i) and (ii), collectively, the “Letter Agreements”) shall continue to be effective and the terms therein shall continue to survive and be enforceable by the
Manager in accordance with its terms, provided that, in the event of a conflict between the terms of the Letter Agreements and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail.
14.
Amendments; Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an
amendment, by the Company and the Manager. No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a
waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right.
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15.
Applicable Law. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts
made and to be performed within the State of New York. Each of the Company and the Manager: (i) agrees that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be instituted exclusively in New York Supreme
Court, County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, (ii) waives any objection which it may have or hereafter to the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding, and (iii) irrevocably consents to
the exclusive jurisdiction of the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in any such suit, action or proceeding. Each of the Company and the Manager further agrees to
accept and acknowledge service of any and all process which may be served in any such suit, action or proceeding in the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and
agrees that service of process upon the Company mailed by certified mail to the Company’s address shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Company, in any such suit, action or proceeding, and service of process upon
the Manager mailed by certified mail to the Manager’s address shall be deemed in every respect effective service process upon the Manager, in any such suit, action or proceeding. If either party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any
provision of this Agreement, then the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its reasonable attorney’s fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution
of such action or proceeding.
16.
WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. THE COMPANY 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, ANY TERMS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.
17.
Counterparts. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together
shall constitute one and the same agreement, which may be delivered in .pdf file via e-mail.
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18.
Headings. The section headings used in this Agreement and any Terms Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a
binding agreement among the Company and the Manager.
Very truly yours,
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STRONGHOLD DIGITAL MINING, INC.
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By:
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/s/ Gregory A. Beard |
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Name:
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Gregory A. Beard |
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Title:
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Chief Executive Officer |
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Address for Notice:
595 Madison Avenue, 28th Floor
New York, New York 10022
Attention: General Counsel
E-mail: xxxxx@xxxxx.com
The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first written above.
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H.C. WAINWRIGHT & CO., LLC
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By:
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/s/ Edward D. Silvera |
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Name:
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Edward D. Silvera |
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Title:
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Chief Operating Officer |
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Address for Notice:
430 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
E-mail: xxxxx@xxxxx.com
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Form of Terms Agreement
ANNEX I
STRONGHOLD DIGITAL MINING, INC.
TERMS AGREEMENT
Dear Sirs:
Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. (the “Company”) proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the At The Market Offering Agreement, dated May 23, 2023 (the “At
The Market Offering Agreement”), between the Company and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (“Manager”), to issue and sell to Manager the securities specified in the Schedule I hereto (the “Purchased Shares”).
Each of the provisions of the At The Market Offering Agreement not specifically related to the solicitation by the Manager, as agent of the Company, of offers to purchase securities is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be part of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein. Each of the representations and warranties set forth therein shall
be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Terms Agreement and the Time of Delivery, except that each representation and warranty in Section 3 of the At The Market Offering Agreement which makes reference to the Prospectus (as
therein defined) shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty as of the date of the At The Market Offering Agreement in relation to the Prospectus, and also a representation and warranty as of the date of this Terms Agreement and the Time of
Delivery in relation to the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to relate to the Purchased Shares.
An amendment to the Registration Statement (as defined in the At The Market Offering Agreement), or a supplement to the Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Purchased Shares,
in the form heretofore delivered to the Manager is now proposed to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the At The Market Offering Agreement which are incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the
Manager and the latter agrees to purchase from the Company the number of shares of the Purchased Shares at the time and place and at the purchase price set forth in the Schedule I hereto.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us a counterpart hereof, whereupon this Terms Agreement, including those
provisions of the At The Market Offering Agreement incorporated herein by reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between the Manager and the Company.
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STRONGHOLD DIGITAL MINING, INC.
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Name:
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Title:
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ACCEPTED as of the date first written above.
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H.C. WAINWRIGHT & CO., LLC
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Name:
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Exhibit 5.1
Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc.
595 Madison Avenue, 28th Floor
New York, New York 10022
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel for Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement on Form S-3, filed by the
Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on May 5, 2023 (File No. 333-271671), as amended by Amendment No. 1 filed by the Company with the Commission on or about the date hereof (as so amended, the “Registration
Statement”),with respect to certain legal matters in connection with the registration by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Registration Statement includes (i) a base prospectus (the “Base
Prospectus”) relating to the offer and sale from time to time of up to $25,000,000 (subject to the limitations of General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S‑3) of (a) shares (the “Class A Shares”) of the Company’s Class A common stock, par
value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A Common Stock”), (b) shares (the “Preferred Shares”) of the Company’s preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), (c) depositary shares evidenced by depositary
receipts and representing fractional shares of Preferred Shares (the “Depositary Shares”), (d) warrants to purchase Common Shares or Preferred Shares (“Warrants”), (e) rights to purchase Common Shares or Preferred Shares (“Rights”),
(f) stock purchase contracts, including contracts obligating holders to purchase from the Company, and obligating the Company to sell to the holders, a specified number of Primary Securities (as defined herein) at a later date (“Contracts”),
and (g) units consisting of one or more of the Primary Securities (“Units” and, together with the Equity Securities, Depositary Shares, Warrants, Rights and Contracts, the “Primary Securities”); and (ii) a resale prospectus (the “Resale
Prospectus” and, together with the Base Prospectus, each a “Prospectus”) relating to the offer and sale from time to time by the selling stockholders named in the Resale Prospectus (the “Selling Stockholders”) of up to 1,872,501
shares of Class A Common Stock (the “Resale Shares” and, together with the Primary Securities, the “Offered Securities”), consisting of (a) up to 539,161 shares of Class A Common Stock held by the Selling Stockholders (the “Resale
Common Shares”), (b) up to 900,000 shares of Class A Common Stock (the “Armistice Warrant Shares”) issuable upon exercise of warrants (the “Armistice Warrants”) acquired by Armistice Capital Master Fund Ltd. (“Armistice”),
and (c) up to 433,340 shares of Class A Common Stock (the “Pre-Funded Warrant Shares” and, together with the Armistice Warrant Shares, the “Resale Warrant Shares”) issuable upon exercise of pre-funded warrants (the “Pre-Funded
Warrants”) acquired by Armistice.
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Vinson & Elkins LLP Attorneys at Law
Austin Dallas Dubai Houston London Los Angeles New York
Richmond San Francisco Tokyo Washington
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The Grace Building, 1114 Avenue of the Americas, 32nd Floor
New York, NY 10036-7708
Tel +1.212.237.0000 Fax +1.212.237.0100 velaw.com
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May 23, 2023 Page 2
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The Offered Securities may be issued (as applicable) and sold from time to time in multiple transactions pursuant to Rule 415 of the General Rules and Regulations promulgated under the Securities Act
and as set forth in the Registration Statement, any amendments thereto, the applicable Prospectus contained therein and any amendments or supplements thereto (each, a “Prospectus Supplement”). Any (i) Depositary Shares will be issued pursuant
to one or more deposit agreements (each, a “Deposit Agreement”) between the Company and the depositary party thereto, (ii) Rights will be issued pursuant to one or more rights agreements (each, a “Rights Agreement”) between the Company
and the rights agent party thereto, (iii) Warrants will be evidenced by a warrant certificate and issued pursuant to one or more warrant agreements (each, a “Warrant Agreement”) between the Company and the warrant agent party thereto, (iv)
Contracts will be issued pursuant to one or more stock purchase contracts (each, a “Stock Purchase Contract”) between the Company and the stock purchase contract agent party thereto, and (v) Units will be evidenced by a unit certificate and
issued pursuant to one or more unit agreements (each, a “Unit Agreement”) between the Company and the unit agent party thereto; in each case, in the form to be filed as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or
as an exhibit to a document filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and incorporated into the Registration Statement by reference.
In connection with this opinion, we have assumed that (i) the Company will continue to be incorporated and in existence and good standing in its jurisdiction of organization, (ii) the Registration
Statement, and any amendments thereto (including post-effective amendments) will have become effective (and such effectiveness shall not have been terminated or rescinded) and comply with all applicable laws at the time the Offered Securities are
offered, issued (as applicable) and sold in the manner and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, any Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement, as applicable, (iii) one or more Prospectus Supplements to the applicable Prospectus will have
been prepared and filed with the Commission describing the Primary Securities offered thereby, (iv) a Prospectus properly describing the applicable Offered Securities offered thereby will have been delivered to the purchaser(s) of such Offered
Securities as required in accordance with applicable law, (v) upon issuance, including upon exercise or conversion of any Primary Securities, the total number of shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock issued and outstanding will not exceed the
total number of shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock that the Company has authority to issue under the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company and the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, each as currently
in effect, (collectively, the “Company Charter Documents”), (vi) there will not have occurred any change in law or in the Company Charter Documents adversely affecting the Offered Securities or the rights of the holders thereof, and (vii) each
of the applicable Depositary Shares, Rights, Warrants, Contracts and Units (including any Primary Securities issuable upon conversion, exercise or exchange thereof) and the Deposit Agreements, Rights Agreements, Warrant Agreements, Stock Purchase
Contracts and Unit Agreements governing such Primary Securities will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered and governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
In connection with the opinion expressed herein, we have examined, among other things, (i) the Company Charter Documents, (ii) the records of corporate proceedings that have occurred prior to the
date hereof with respect to the Registration Statement, the Armistice Warrants and the Pre-Funded Warrants, (iii) the Registration Statement, (iv) the Base Prospectus and the Resale Prospectus, (v) the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of April
20, 2023, by and between the Company and Armistice, (vi) the Pre-Funded Warrants, (vii) the Armistice Warrants, and (viii) such other corporate records of the Company as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of the opinions hereafter
expressed.
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May 23, 2023 Page 3
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We have also reviewed such questions of law as we have deemed necessary or appropriate. As to matters of fact relevant to the opinion expressed herein, and as to factual matters arising in
connection with our examination of corporate documents, records and other documents and writings, we relied upon certificates and other communications of corporate officers of the Company, without further investigation as to the facts set forth
therein. In making such examination and rendering the opinions set forth below, we have assumed without verification the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to originals of all
documents submitted to us as copies and the legal capacity of all individuals executing any of the foregoing documents.
Based on the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, qualifications, limitations and exceptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that
(i) with respect to the Class A Shares, (a) when the terms of the issuance and sale of the Class A Shares have been duly established in conformity with the Company Charter Documents and (b) when the
Class A Shares have been duly issued and sold as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the applicable Prospectus contained therein and any applicable Prospectus Supplement, and if all of the foregoing actions are taken in accordance with
appropriate corporate authorization of the Company, and so as not to violate any applicable law or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding on the Company and so as to comply with any requirement or restriction
imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company, and the Company has received full payment therefor in accordance with such corporate authorization, then the Class A Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable;
(ii) with respect to the Preferred Shares, (a) when the terms of the particular class or series of Preferred Stock and of the issuance and sale of such Preferred Shares have been duly established in
conformity with the Company Charter Documents, (b) with respect to a particular class or series of Preferred Stock, when the related designating amendment to the Company Charter Documents establishing the relative powers, designations, preferences,
rights, duties, limitations or restrictions of such Preferred Stock has been annexed to the Company Charter Documents, and (c) when shares of such class or series of Preferred Stock have been duly issued and sold as contemplated by the Registration
Statement, the applicable Prospectus contained therein and any applicable Prospectus Supplement, and if all of the foregoing actions are taken in accordance with appropriate corporate authorization of the Company, and so as not to violate any
applicable law or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding on the Company and so as to comply with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company, and
the Company has received full payment therefor in accordance with such corporate authorization, then the Preferred Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable;
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(iii) with respect to the Depositary Shares, (a) when the terms of the particular class or series of Depositary Shares and of the issuance and sale of such Depositary Shares have been duly
established in conformity with the Company Charter Documents, (b) when such Depositary Shares have been duly issued and sold as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the applicable Prospectus contained therein and any applicable Prospectus
Supplement, (c) when the applicable Deposit Agreement has been duly executed and delivered and (d) when the certificates representing such Depositary Shares have been duly executed and delivered in accordance with the applicable Deposit Agreement,
and if all of the foregoing actions are taken in accordance with appropriate corporate authorization of the Company, and so as not to violate any applicable law or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding on the
Company and so as to comply with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company, and the Company has received full payment therefor in accordance with such corporate authorization, then
such Depositary Shares will be validly issued and will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company under New York law in accordance with the terms of such Depositary Shares and the terms of the
applicable Deposit Agreement, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited or otherwise affected by (1) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and (2)
principles of equity, whether considered at law or equity;
(iv) with respect to the Rights, (a) when the terms of the particular Rights and of the issuance and sale of such Rights have been duly established in conformity with the Company Charter Documents,
(b) when such Rights have been duly issued and sold as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the applicable Prospectus contained therein and any applicable Prospectus Supplement, (c) when the applicable Rights Agreement (including a form of
certificate representing the Rights) has been duly executed and delivered and (d) when the certificates representing such Rights have been duly executed and delivered in accordance with the applicable Rights Agreement, and if all of the foregoing
actions are taken in accordance with appropriate corporate authorization of the Company, and so as not to violate any applicable law or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding on the Company and so as to comply
with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company, and the Company has received full payment therefor in accordance with such corporate authorization, then such Rights will be validly
issued and will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company under New York law in accordance with the terms of such Rights and the terms of the applicable Rights Agreement, except as the
enforceability thereof may be limited or otherwise affected by (1) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and (2) principles of equity, whether considered at
law or equity;
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(v) with respect to the Warrants, (a) when the terms of the particular class or series of Warrants and of the issuance and sale of such Warrants have been duly established in conformity with the
Company Charter Documents, (b) when such Warrants have been duly issued and sold as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the applicable Prospectus contained therein and any applicable Prospectus Supplement, (c) when the applicable Warrant
Agreement (including a form of certificate representing the Warrants) has been duly executed and delivered and (d) when the certificates representing such Warrants have been duly executed and delivered in accordance with the applicable Warrant
Agreement, and if all of the foregoing actions are taken in accordance with appropriate corporate authorization of the Company, and so as not to violate any applicable law or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding
on the Company and so as to comply with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company, and the Company has received full payment therefor in accordance with such corporate authorization,
then such Warrants will be validly issued and will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company under New York law in accordance with the terms of such Warrants and the terms of the applicable
Warrant Agreement, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited or otherwise affected by (1) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and (2) principles
of equity, whether considered at law or equity;
(vi) with respect to the Contracts, (a) when the terms of the particular Contracts and of the issuance and sale of such Contracts have been duly established in conformity with the Company Charter
Documents, (b) when such Contracts have been duly issued and sold as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the applicable Prospectus contained therein and any applicable Prospectus Supplement, (c) when the applicable Stock Purchase Contract
(including a form of certificate representing the Contracts) has been duly executed and delivered and (d) when the certificates representing such Contracts have been duly executed and delivered in accordance with the applicable Stock Purchase
Contract, and if all of the foregoing actions are taken in accordance with appropriate corporate authorization of the Company, and so as not to violate any applicable law or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding
on the Company and so as to comply with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company, and the Company has received full payment therefor in accordance with such corporate authorization,
then such Contracts will be validly issued and will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company under New York law in accordance with the terms of such Contracts and the terms of the applicable
Stock Purchase Contract, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited or otherwise affected by (1) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and (2)
principles of equity, whether considered at law or equity;
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(vii) with respect to the Units, (a) when the terms of the particular Units and of the issuance and sale of such Units have been duly established in conformity with the Company Charter Documents, (b)
when such Units have been duly issued and sold as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the applicable Prospectus contained therein and any applicable Prospectus Supplement, (c) when the applicable Unit Agreement (including a form of
certificate representing the Units) has been duly executed and delivered and (d) when the certificates representing such Units have been duly executed and delivered in accordance with the applicable Unit Agreement, and if all of the foregoing actions
are taken in accordance with appropriate corporate authorization of the Company, and so as not to violate any applicable law or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding on the Company and so as to comply with any
requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company, and the Company has received full payment therefor in accordance with such corporate authorization, then such Units will be validly issued and
will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company under New York law in accordance with the terms of such Units and the terms of the applicable Unit Agreement, except as the enforceability thereof
may be limited or otherwise affected by (1) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and (2) principles of equity, whether considered at law or equity;
(viii) the Resale Common Shares are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and
(ix) the Resale Warrant Shares, when issued upon exercise of the Armistice Warrants and the Pre-Funded Warrants in accordance with the terms of the Armistice Warrants and the Pre-Funded Warrants, as
applicable, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
The foregoing opinions are limited in all respects to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (including the applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and the reported judicial
decisions interpreting these laws), the laws of the State of New York, and the federal laws of the United States of America, and we do not express any opinions as to the laws of any other jurisdiction. We undertake no, and hereby disclaim any,
obligation to make any inquiry after the date hereof or to advise you of any changes in any matter set forth herein, whether based on a change in the law, a change in any fact relating to the Company or any other person or any other circumstance.
We hereby consent to the statements with respect to us under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Base Prospectus and the Resale Prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement and to the
filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act, and the rules and regulations
thereunder.
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Very truly yours,
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/s/ Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
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Exhibit 5.2
Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc.
595 Madison Avenue, 28th Floor
New York, New York 10022
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel for Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the issuance and sale by the Company, from time to time, pursuant to
Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of up to $15,000,000 of shares of the Company’s Class A common stock (the “Shares”), $0.0001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), pursuant to a
Sales Agreement entered into on or about the date hereof between the Company and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (the “Sales Agreement”), filed as Exhibit 1.2 to Amendment No. 1, which is being filed by the Company with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on or about the date hereof, to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-271671) filed by the Company with the Commission on May 5, 2023 (as so amended, the “Registration Statement”).
In connection with this opinion, we have assumed that (i) the Company will continue to be incorporated and in existence and good standing in its jurisdiction of organization, (ii) a Prospectus (as
defined herein) properly describing the Shares offered thereby will have been delivered to the purchaser(s) of such Shares as required in accordance with applicable law, (iii) upon issuance, the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and
outstanding will not exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock that the Company has authority to issue under the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company and the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, each
as currently in effect, (collectively, the “Company Charter Documents”), (iv) the authorization relating to the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares by the Company will not have been modified or rescinded, and (v) there will not have
occurred any change in law or in the Company Charter Documents adversely affecting the Shares or the rights of the holders thereof.
In connection with the opinion expressed herein, we have examined, among other things, (i) the Company Charter Documents, (ii) the records of corporate proceedings that have occurred prior to the
date hereof with respect to the Registration Statement and the Sales Agreement (the “Resolutions”), (iii) the Registration Statement, including the base prospectus and the preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the Shares included
therein, (iv) the form of Sales Agreement, and (v) such other corporate records of the Company as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of the opinions hereafter expressed.
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Vinson & Elkins LLP Attorneys at Law
Austin Dallas Dubai Houston London Los Angeles New York
Richmond San Francisco Tokyo Washington
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The Grace Building, 1114 Avenue of the Americas, 32nd Floor
New York, NY 10036-7708
Tel +1.212.237.0000 Fax +1.212.237.0100 velaw.com
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May 23, 2023 Page 2
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We have also reviewed such questions of law as we have deemed necessary or appropriate. As to matters of fact relevant to the opinion expressed herein, and as to factual matters arising in
connection with our examination of corporate documents, records and other documents and writings, we relied upon certificates and other communications of corporate officers of the Company, without further investigation as to the facts set forth
therein. In making such examination and rendering the opinions set forth below, we have assumed without verification the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to originals of all
documents submitted to us as copies and the legal capacity of all individuals executing any of the foregoing documents.
Based on the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, qualifications, limitations and exceptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable when
(i) the Company’s final prospectus relating to the Shares (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “Prospectus”) and final prospectus supplement relating to the Shares
(together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “Prospectus Supplement”) and the issuance and sale of the Shares pursuant to the Sales Agreement has been filed with the Commission in compliance with the Securities Act and the rules
and regulations thereunder,
(ii) the Registration Statement, as finally amended (including any necessary post-effective amendment), shall have been declared effective under the Securities Act, (and such effectiveness shall not
have been terminated or rescinded) and comply with all applicable laws at the time the Shares are offered and issued in the manner and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement,
(iii) the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof shall have duly adopted final resolutions in conformity with the Company Charter Documents and the Resolutions, setting the price
of the Shares, and authorizing the issue and sale of the Shares,
(iv) the Sales Agreement will have been duly executed and delivered, and
(v) certificates representing such Shares shall have been duly executed, countersigned and registered and duly delivered to the purchasers thereof against payment of the agreed consideration therefor
in an amount not less than the par value thereof or, if any such Shares are to be issued in uncertificated form, the Company’s books shall reflect the issuance of such Shares to the purchasers thereof against payment of the agreed consideration
therefor in an amount not less than the par value thereof, all in accordance with the Sales Agreement.
The foregoing opinions are limited in all respects to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (including the applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and the reported judicial
decisions interpreting these laws), and the federal laws of the United States of America, and we do not express any opinions as to the laws of any other jurisdiction. We undertake no, and hereby disclaim any, obligation to make any inquiry after the
date hereof or to advise you of any changes in any matter set forth herein, whether based on a change in the law, a change in any fact relating to the Company or any other person or any other circumstance.
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May 23, 2023 Page 3
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We hereby consent to the statements with respect to us under the heading “Legal Matters” and to all references to our Firm included in or made a part of the Registration Statement and to the filing
of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder.
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Very truly yours,
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/s/ Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
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Exhibit 107
Calculation of Filing Fee Tables
FORM S-3
(Form Type)
Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities
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Security
Type |
Security
Class Title |
Fee
Calculation or Carry Forward Rule |
Amount
Registered |
Proposed
Maximum Offering Price Per Unit |
Maximum
Aggregate Offering Price |
Fee
Rate |
Amount of
Registration Fee |
Carry
Forward Form Type |
Carry
Forward File Number |
Carry
Forward Initial Effective Date |
Filing Fee
Previously Paid In Connection with Unsold Securities to be Carried Forward |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Newly Registered Securities
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fees to Be Paid | - | - |
- |
- | - | - |
- | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Fees Previously Paid
|
Equity
|
Class A Common Stock, $0.0001 par value
|
Rule 457
|
(o)
|
(1)
|
$
|
(2)
|
$
|
(2)
|
$
|
(2)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Fees Previously Paid
|
Equity
|
Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value
|
Rule 457
|
(o)
|
(1)
|
$
|
(2)
|
$
|
(2)
|
$
|
(2)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Fees Previously Paid
|
Equity
|
Depositary Shares
|
Rule 457
|
(o)
|
(1)
|
$
|
(2)
|
$
|
(2)
|
$
|
(2)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
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Fees Previously Paid
|
Equity
|
Warrants
|
Rule 457
|
(o)
|
(1)
|
$
|
(2)
|
$
|
(2)
|
$
|
(2)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Fees Previously Paid
|
Equity
|
Subscription Rights
|
Rule 457
|
(o)
|
(1)
|
$
|
(2)
|
$
|
(2)
|
$
|
(2)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Fees Previously Paid
|
Equity
|
Purchase Contracts
|
Rule 457
|
(o)
|
(1)
|
$
|
(2)
|
$
|
(2)
|
$
|
(2)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
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Fees Previously Paid
|
Equity
|
Units
|
Rule 457
|
(o)
|
(1)
|
$
|
(2)
|
$
|
(2)
|
$
|
(2)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
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Fees Previously Paid
|
Unallocated (Universal) Shelf
|
-
|
Rule 457
|
(o)
|
N/A
|
$
|
Unallocated (Universal) Shelf
|
$
|
25,000,000
|
0.0001102
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$
|
2,755.00
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
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Fees Previously Paid
|
Equity
|
Class A Common Stock, $0.0001 par value
|
Rule 457
|
(c)
|
1,872,501(3)
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$
|
8.60(4)
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$
|
16,103,508.60
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(4)
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0.0001102
|
$
|
1,774.61
|
||||||||||||||||||||
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Carry Forward Securities
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Total Offering Amounts
|
$
|
41,103,508.60
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0.0001102
|
$
|
4,529.61
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Total Fees Previously Paid
|
$
|
4,529.61
|
(5) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Total Fee Offsets
|
$
|
-
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Net Fee Due
|
$
|
-
|
(5) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(1)
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The securities registered hereunder include such indeterminate number of (a) shares of Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Class A Common Stock”), (b) shares of preferred stock,
$0.0001 par value per share (“Preferred Stock”), (c) depositary shares, (d) warrants to purchase Class A Common Stock or Preferred Stock, (e) subscription rights to purchase Class A Common Stock, Preferred Stock, depositary shares, warrants
or units consisting of some or all of these securities, (f) purchase contracts and (g) units consisting of some or all of these securities, as may be sold from time to time by Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. (the “Registrant”). There are also
being registered hereunder an indeterminate number of shares of Class A Common Stock and Preferred Stock as shall be issuable upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any securities that provide for such issuance. Pursuant to Rule 416 under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of the Registrant’s securities that become issuable by reason of any stock splits, stock dividends or similar
transactions. The aggregate maximum offering price of all unallocated securities issued under this Registration Statement will not exceed $25,000,000.
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(2)
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The proposed maximum per security and aggregate offering prices per class of securities will be determined from time to time by the Registrant in connection with the issuance by the Registrant of
the securities registered hereunder and is not specified as to each class of security pursuant to General Instruction II.D. of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. Separate consideration may or may not be received for securities that are issuable
on exercise, conversion or exchange of other securities, or that are issued in units.
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(3)
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Comprised of (i) 539,161 shares of Class A Common Stock issued to the selling stockholders named in the Registration Statement, (ii) 900,000 shares of Class A Common Stock that are issuable upon
the exercise of the Armistice Warrants, and (iii) 433,340 shares of Class A Common Stock that are issuable upon the exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants (each as defined in the Registration Statement).
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(4)
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Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act, based on the average of the high and low prices of the Class A
Common Stock as reported on The Nasdaq Global Market on May 3, 2023.
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| (5) |
In connection with the initial filing of this Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-271671) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 5, 2023, the
Registrant paid a filing fee of $4,529.61. No filing fee is being transmitted herewith.
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