EXHIBIT A

 

coda octopus group, inc.

 

CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION OF PREFERENCES,

RIGHTS AND LIMITATIONS

OF

SERIES C CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK

 

PURSUANT TO SECTION 151 OF THE

delaware GENERAL CORPORATION LAW

 

The undersigned, Annmarie Gayle, does hereby certify that:

 

1. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Coda Octopus Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”).

 

2. The Corporation is authorized to issue 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, 50,000 of which have been designated as Series A Convertible Preferred Stock and 6,287 of which have been issued, and 50,000 of which have been designated as Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, none of which have been issued.

 

3. The following resolutions were duly adopted by the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”):

 

WHEREAS, the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation provides for a class of its authorized stock known as preferred stock, consisting of 5,000,000 shares, $0.001 par value per share, issuable from time to time in one or more series;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors is authorized to fix the dividend rights, dividend rate, voting rights, conversion rights, rights and terms of redemption and liquidation preferences of any wholly unissued series of preferred stock and the number of shares constituting any series and the designation thereof, of any of them; and

 

WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Board of Directors, pursuant to its authority as aforesaid, to fix the rights, preferences, restrictions and other matters relating to a series of the preferred stock, which shall consist of 1,100 shares of the preferred stock (to be designated as “Series C Preferred Stock”) which the Corporation has the authority to issue, as follows:

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors does hereby provide for the issuance of a series of preferred stock for cash or exchange of other securities, rights or property and does hereby fix and determine the rights, preferences, restrictions and other matters relating to such series of preferred stock as follows:

 

 
   

 

TERMS OF THE SERIES C PREFERRED STOCK

 

Section 1. Definitions. For the purposes hereof, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

Affiliate” means 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 405 of the Securities Act.

 

Alternate Consideration” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(e).

 

Business Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

 

Change of Control Transaction” means the occurrence after the date hereof of any of (a) an acquisition after the date hereof by an individual or legal entity or “group” (as described in Rule 13d-5(b)(1) promulgated under the Exchange Act) of effective control (whether through legal or beneficial ownership of capital stock of the Corporation, by contract or otherwise) of in excess of 33% of the voting securities of the Corporation (other than by means of conversion or exercise of Preferred Stock and the Securities issued together with the Preferred Stock), (b) the Corporation merges into or consolidates with any other Person, or any Person merges into or consolidates with the Corporation and, after giving effect to such transaction, the stockholders of the Corporation immediately prior to such transaction own less than 66% of the aggregate voting power of the Corporation or the successor entity of such transaction, (c) the Corporation sells or transfers all or substantially all of its assets to another Person and the stockholders of the Corporation immediately prior to such transaction own less than 66% of the aggregate voting power of the acquiring entity immediately after the transaction, (d) a replacement at one time or within a one year period of more than one-half of the members of the Board of Directors which is not approved by a majority of those individuals who are members of the Board of Directors on the Original Issue Date (or by those individuals who are serving as members of the Board of Directors on any date whose nomination to the Board of Directors was approved by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors who are members on the Original Issue Date), or (e) the execution by the Corporation of an agreement to which the Corporation is a party or by which it is bound, providing for any of the events set forth in clauses (a) through (d) above.

 

Closing” means the issuance of the Preferred Stock pursuant to the Exchange Agreement.

 

Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

 
   

 

Common Stock” means the Corporation’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and stock of any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

 

Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Corporation or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

 

Conversion Amount” means the sum of the Stated Value at issue.

 

Conversion Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(a).

 

Conversion Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(b).

 

Conversion Shares” means, collectively, the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the shares of Preferred Stock in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

Exchange Agreement” means the Exchange Agreement, dated June 30, 2015, pursuant to which the Holder and the Company have agreed to exchange shares of the Company’s outstanding Series A Convertible Preferred Stock for the Preferred Stock.

 

Fundamental Transaction” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b).

 

Holder” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 2.

 

Liquidation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.

 

Notice of Conversion” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(a).

 

Original Issue Date” means the date of the first issuance of any shares of the Preferred Stock regardless of the number of transfers of any particular shares of Preferred Stock and regardless of the number of certificates which may be issued to evidence such Preferred Stock.

 

Person” means 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.

 

Preferred Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.

 

Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.

 

 
   

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Share Delivery Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(c).

 

Stated Value” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2, as the same may be increased pursuant to Section 3.

 

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Corporation, including any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Corporation formed or acquired after the date hereof.

Successor Entity” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(e).

 

Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market is open for business.

 

Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE MKT, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange, the OTCQB Market operated by OTC Markets Group Inc., the OTCQX Market operated by OTC Markets Group Inc. or the OTC Pink Market operated by OTC Markets Group Inc. (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

Transaction Documents” means this Certificate of Designation and the Exchange Agreement, and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Exchange Agreement.

 

Transfer Agent” means Olde Monmouth Stock Transfer Co., Inc., the current transfer agent of the Corporation with a mailing address of 200 Memorial Pkwy., Atlantic Heights, NJ 07716, and a facsimile number of (732) 872-2728, and any successor transfer agent of the Corporation.

 

Section 2. Designation, Amount and Par Value. The series of preferred stock shall be designated as its Series C Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”) and the number of shares so designated shall be 1,100 (which shall not be subject to increase without the written consent of all of the holders of the Preferred Stock (each, a “Holder” and collectively, the “Holders”)). Each share of Preferred Stock shall have a par value of $0.001 per share and a stated value equal to $1,000, subject to increase as set forth in Section 3 below (the “Stated Value”).

 

Section 3. Dividends; No Dividends Payable. No dividends shall be paid or shall accrue on shares of Preferred Stock. Additionally, the Corporation shall not pay cash dividends or distributions on Common Stock of the Corporation until the Preferred Shares are no longer outstanding.

 

 
   

 

Section 4. Voting Rights. Except as otherwise provided herein or as otherwise required by law, the Preferred Stock shall have no voting rights. However, as long as any shares of Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Corporation shall not, without the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority of the then outstanding shares of the Preferred Stock alter or change adversely the powers, preferences or rights given to the Preferred Stock or alter or amend this Certificate of Designation.

 

Section 5. Liquidation. Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary (a “Liquidation”), the Holders shall be entitled to receive out of the assets, whether capital or surplus, of the Corporation an amount equal to the Stated Value for each share of Preferred Stock before any distribution or payment shall be made to the holders of any Junior Securities, and if the assets of the Corporation shall be insufficient to pay in full such amounts, then the entire assets to be distributed to the Holders shall be ratably distributed among the Holders in accordance with the respective amounts that would be payable on such shares if all amounts payable thereon were paid in full.

 

Section 6. Conversion.

 

a) (i) Conversions at Option of Holder. Each share of Preferred Stock shall be convertible, at any time and from time to time from and after the Original Issue Date at the option of the Holder thereof, into that number of shares of Common Stock determined by dividing the Stated Value of such share of Preferred Stock by the Conversion Price. Holders shall effect conversions by providing the Corporation with the form of conversion notice attached hereto as Annex A (a “Notice of Conversion”). Each Notice of Conversion shall specify the number of shares of Preferred Stock to be converted, the number of shares of Preferred Stock owned prior to the conversion at issue, the number of shares of Preferred Stock owned subsequent to the conversion at issue and the date on which such conversion is to be effected, which date may not be prior to the date the applicable Holder delivers by facsimile such Notice of Conversion to the Corporation (such date, the “Conversion Date”). If no Conversion Date is specified in a Notice of Conversion, the Conversion Date shall be the date that such Notice of Conversion to the Corporation is deemed delivered hereunder. To effect conversions of shares of Preferred Stock, a Holder shall not be required to surrender the certificate(s) representing the shares of Preferred Stock to the Corporation unless all of the shares of Preferred Stock represented thereby are so converted, in which case such Holder shall deliver the certificate representing such shares of Preferred Stock promptly following the Conversion Date at issue. Shares of Preferred Stock converted into Common Stock or redeemed in accordance with the terms hereof shall be canceled and shall not be reissued.

 

(ii) Forced Conversion. The Company may force conversion of the Preferred Stock upon one (1) Trading Days’ notice to the Holders if the Common Stock has a closing price (or last trade if no closing price is quoted by the Trading Market) of not less than the then-effective Conversion Price on the principal Trading Market for ten (10) consecutive Trading Days, at any time. Such notice must be given within three (3) Trading Days of the Common Stock closing at the necessary prices.

 

 
   

 

b) Conversion Price. The conversion price for the Preferred Stock shall equal $0.50, subject to adjustment herein (the “Conversion Price”).

 

c) Mechanics of Conversion.

 

i. Delivery of Conversion Shares Upon Conversion. Promptly following each Conversion Date (the “Share Delivery Date”), the Corporation shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the converting Holder Conversion Shares representing the number of Conversion Shares being acquired upon the conversion of the Preferred Stock.

 

ii. Reservation of Shares Issuable Upon Conversion. The Corporation covenants that it will at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock for the sole purpose of issuance upon conversion of the Preferred Stock as herein provided, free from preemptive rights or any other actual contingent purchase rights of Persons other than the Holder (and the other holders of the Preferred Stock), not less than such aggregate number of shares of the Common Stock as shall be issuable upon the conversion of the then outstanding shares of Preferred Stock. The Corporation covenants that all shares of Common Stock that shall be so issuable shall, upon issue, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

iii. Fractional Shares. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the conversion of the Preferred Stock. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such conversion, the Corporation shall at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Conversion Price or round up to the next whole share.

 

iv. Transfer Taxes and Expenses. The issuance of Conversion Shares on conversion of this Preferred Stock shall be made without charge to any Holder for any documentary stamp or similar taxes that may be payable in respect of the issue or delivery of such Conversion Shares, provided that the Corporation shall not be required to pay any tax that may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any such Conversion Shares upon conversion in a name other than that of the Holders of such shares of Preferred Stock and the Corporation shall not be required to issue or deliver such Conversion Shares unless or until the Person or Persons requesting the issuance thereof shall have paid to the Corporation the amount of such tax or shall have established to the satisfaction of the Corporation that such tax has been paid.

 

 
   

 

Section 7. Certain Adjustments.

 

a) Stock Dividends and Stock Splits. If the Corporation, at any time while this Preferred Stock is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions payable in shares of Common Stock on shares of Common Stock or any other Common Stock Equivalents (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any shares of Common Stock issued by the Corporation upon conversion of this Preferred Stock), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of a reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues, in the event of a reclassification of shares of the Common Stock, any shares of capital stock of the Corporation, then the Conversion Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding any treasury shares of the Corporation) outstanding immediately before such event, and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 7(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.

 

b) Fundamental Transaction; Change of Control. If, at any time while this Preferred Stock is outstanding, (i) the Corporation, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Corporation with or into another Person, (ii) the Corporation, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Corporation or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, (iv) the Corporation, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, (v) the Corporation, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person whereby such other Person acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) or (vi) there is a Change of Control (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent conversion of this Preferred Stock, unless the Corporation has elected to redeem the Preferred Stock, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Conversion Share that would have been issuable upon such conversion immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction on the conversion of this Preferred Stock), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Corporation, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Preferred Stock is convertible immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction. For purposes of any such conversion, the determination of the Conversion Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Corporation shall apportion the Conversion Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration.

 

 
   

 

c) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 7 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 7, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding any treasury shares of the Corporation) issued and outstanding.

 

d) Notice to the Holders. Whenever the Conversion Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 7, the Corporation shall promptly deliver to each Holder a notice setting forth the Conversion Price after such adjustment and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

 

Section 8. Redemption. On the earlier of (i) December 31, 2016 and (ii) the date that the Corporation, at its election, delivers a redemption notice to the Holders (an “Optional Redemption Notice” and the date such notice is deemed delivered hereunder, the “Optional Redemption Notice Date”), the Corporation shall redeem some or all of the then outstanding Preferred Stock for cash in an amount equal to the Stated Value per share (the Optional Redemption Amount”) on the earlier of December 31, 2016 and the 10th Trading Day following the Optional Redemption Notice Date (such date, the “Optional Redemption Date” and such redemption, the “Optional Redemption”). The Optional Redemption Amount is payable in full on the Optional Redemption Date. Any Notices of Conversion tendered after the time of a delivery of the Optional Redemption Notice shall be null and void and of no further force or effect. For the avoidance of doubt, the Corporation shall mandatorily redeem all Preferred Shares in cash for the Stated Value no later than December 31, 2016.

 

Section 9. Miscellaneous.

 

a) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holders hereunder including, without limitation, any Notice of Conversion, shall be in writing and delivered as provided for in the Exchange Agreement. personally, by facsimile, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Corporation, at the address set forth above Attention: Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, e-mail address annmarie.gayle@codaoctopus.com and mikem@colmek.com or such other facsimile number, e-mail address or address as the Corporation may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holders delivered in accordance with this Section 9. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Corporation hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to each Holder at the facsimile number or address of such Holder appearing on the books of the Corporation, or if no such facsimile number or address appears on the books of the Corporation, at the principal place of business of such Holder. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth in this Section prior to 5:30 p.m. (London time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (London time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given.

 

 
   

 

b) Lost or Mutilated Preferred Stock Certificate. If a Holder’s Preferred Stock certificate shall be mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Corporation shall execute and deliver, in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation of a mutilated certificate, or in lieu of or in substitution for a lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, a new certificate for the shares of Preferred Stock so mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, but only upon receipt of evidence of such loss, theft or destruction of such certificate, and of the ownership hereof reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation.

 

c) Governing Law; Fees. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Certificate of Designation shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflict of laws thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretation, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by any of the Transaction Documents shall be brought and adjudicated as provided for in the Exchange Agreement If any party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Certificate of Designation, then the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred in the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.

 

d) Waiver. Any waiver by the Corporation or a Holder of a breach of any provision of this Certificate of Designation shall not operate as or be construed to be a waiver of any other breach of such provision or of any breach of any other provision of this Certificate of Designation or a waiver by any other Holders. The failure of the Corporation or a Holder to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Certificate of Designation on one or more occasions shall not be considered a waiver or deprive that party (or any other Holder) of the right thereafter to insist upon strict adherence to that term or any other term of this Certificate of Designation on any other occasion. Any waiver by the Corporation or a Holder must be in writing.

 

e) Severability. If any provision of this Certificate of Designation is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the balance of this Certificate of Designation shall remain in effect, and if any provision is inapplicable to any Person or circumstance, it shall nevertheless remain applicable to all other Persons and circumstances. If it shall be found that any interest or other amount deemed interest due hereunder violates the applicable law governing usury, the applicable rate of interest due hereunder shall automatically be lowered to equal the maximum rate of interest permitted under applicable law.

 

 
   

 

f) Next Business Day. Whenever any payment or other obligation hereunder shall be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

g) Headings. The headings contained herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Certificate of Designation and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

 

h) Status of Converted or Redeemed Preferred Stock. If any shares of Preferred Stock shall be converted, redeemed or reacquired by the Corporation, such shares shall resume the status of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock and shall no longer be designated as Series C Convertible Preferred Stock.

 

*********************

 

 
   

 

RESOLVED, FURTHER, that the Chairman, the president or any vice-president, and the secretary or any assistant secretary, of the Corporation be and they hereby are authorized and directed to prepare and file this Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and Limitations in accordance with the foregoing resolution and the provisions of Delaware law.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Certificate this 30th day of June 2015.

 

   
Name:   Name:  
Title:   Title:  

 

 
   

 

ANNEX A

 

NOTICE OF CONVERSION

 

(To be Executed by the Registered Holder in order to Convert Shares of Preferred Stock)

 

The undersigned hereby elects to convert the number of shares of Series C Convertible Preferred Stock indicated below into shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of Coda Octopus Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), according to the conditions hereof, as of the date written below. If shares of Common Stock are to be issued in the name of a Person other than the undersigned, the undersigned will pay all transfer taxes payable with respect thereto and is delivering herewith such certificates and opinions as may be required by the Corporation. No fee will be charged to the Holders for any conversion, except for any such transfer taxes.

 

Conversion calculations:  

 

Date to Effect Conversion: ___________________________________________________________________

 

Number of shares of Preferred Stock owned prior to Conversion: _______________________________________

 

Number of shares of Preferred Stock to be Converted: _______________________________________________

 

Stated Value of shares of Preferred Stock to be Converted: ____________________________________________

 

Number of shares of Common Stock to be Issued: __________________________________________________

 

Applicable Conversion Price: __________________________________________________________________

 

Number of shares of Preferred Stock subsequent to Conversion: _______________________________________

 

Address for Delivery: _______________________

 

Or  

 

DWAC Instructions:

Broker no:  ___________________

Account no:  _________________

 

  [HOLDER]
   
  By:  
  Name:  
  Title: