January 20, 2016 S-3/A DOC

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 20, 2016
Registration No. 333-208605 

 



UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

_________________________

PRE-EFFECTIVE
AMENDMENT NO. 2
to
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

_________________________

 

S&W SEED COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Nevada

0139

27-1275784

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number)

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

7108 North Fresno Street, Suite 380
Fresno, CA 93720
(559) 884-2535
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)

Mark S. Grewal
7108 North Fresno Street, Suite 380
Fresno, CA 93720
(559) 884-2535
Name, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copies to:

P. Rupert Russell, Esq.
Shartsis Friese LLP
One Maritime Plaza, 18th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 421-6500

Jolie Kahn, Esq.
2 Liberty Place
50 South 16th Street, Suite 3401
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 253-6645

_________________________

Approximate Date of Commencement of the Proposed Sale to the Public: As soon as practicable 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 in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: x

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, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer    ¨

Accelerated filer    ¨

Non-accelerated filer    ¨
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

Smaller reporting company   x

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

S&W Seed Company is filing this Amendment No. 2 to its registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-208605) (the "Registration Statement") to file a revised Exhibit 8.1 to the Registration Statement. Accordingly, this Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement only consists of the facing page, this explanatory note, Part II of the Registration Statement, the signature page to the Registration Statement, the Exhibit Index and Exhibit 8.1 filed herewith. Part I of the Registration Statement is unchanged and therefore has been omitted.

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 the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 



PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The estimated expenses of the offering, all of which are to be borne by the Registrant, are as follows:

SEC Registration Fee

$

1,045

Accounting Fees and Expenses

15,000

Legal Fees and Expenses

100,000

Printing and Engraving Expenses

20,000

Subscription Agent, Information Agent and Escrow Agent Fees and Expenses

12,000

Miscellaneous

25,000

Total

$

173,045

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Nevada Revised Statutes ("NRS") 78.138(7) provides that, subject to certain very limited statutory exceptions or unless the articles of incorporation provide for greater individual liability, a director or officer is not individually liable to the corporation or its stockholders for any damages as a result of any act or failure to act in his or her capacity as a director or officer, unless it is proven that the act or failure to act constituted a breach of his or her fiduciary duties as a director or officer and such breach involved intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law.

NRS 78.7502(1) empowers a corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (an "Indemnified Party"), against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the Indemnified Party in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the Indemnified Party would not be liable pursuant to NRS 78.138 or the Indemnified Party acted in good faith and in a manner the Indemnified Party 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 the Indemnified Party's conduct was unlawful.

NRS 78.7502(2) empowers a corporation to indemnify any Indemnified Party who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor against expenses (including amounts paid in settlement and attorneys' fees actually and reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party) in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such Indemnified Party would not be liable pursuant to NRS 78.138 or such Indemnified Party acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification may be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which the Indemnified Party shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation or for amounts paid in settlement to the corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court in which such action or suit was brought determines upon application that in view of all the circumstances, the Indemnified Party is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court deems proper.

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NRS 78.7502(3) provides that to the extent an Indemnified Party has been successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in Subsection 1 or 2 of NRS 78.7502 described above or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, the corporation shall indemnify the Indemnified Party against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the Indemnified Party in connection therewith.

NRS 78.751(1) provides that any discretionary indemnification pursuant to NRS 78.7502, unless ordered by a court or advanced pursuant to NRS 78.751(2), may be made by a corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the Indemnified Person is proper in the circumstances. Such determination must be made (a) by the stockholders, (b) by the board of directors by majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the action, suit or proceeding, (c) if a majority vote of a quorum of such disinterested directors so orders, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (d) by independent legal counsel in a written opinion if a quorum of such disinterested directors cannot be obtained.

NRS 78.751(2) provides that a corporation's articles of incorporation or bylaws or an agreement made by the corporation may require the corporation to pay the expenses of officers and directors incurred in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding as such expenses are incurred and in advance of the final disposition, upon receipt by the corporation of an undertaking by or on behalf of the officer or director to repay the amount if it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation. The provisions of NRS 78.751(2) do not affect any rights to advancement of expenses to which corporate personnel other than officers and directors may be entitled under contract or otherwise by law.

NRS 78.751(3) provides that indemnification pursuant to NRS 78.7502 and advancement of expenses authorized in or ordered by a court pursuant to NRS 78.751 does not exclude any other rights to which an Indemnified Party may be entitled under the articles of incorporation or any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, for either an action in his or her official capacity or in another capacity while holding his or her office; provided, however, that unless ordered by a court pursuant to NRS 78.7502 or for the advancement of expenses pursuant to NRS 78.751(2), indemnification may not be made to or on behalf of any director or officer of the corporation if a final adjudication establishes that his or her acts or omissions involved intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of the law which was material to the cause of action. Additionally, the scope of such indemnification and advancement of expenses shall continue as to an Indemnified Party who has ceased to hold one of the positions specified above, and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators.

NRS 78.752 empowers a corporation to purchase and maintain insurance or make other financial arrangements on behalf of an Indemnified Party for any liability asserted against such Indemnified Party or liability and expenses incurred by such Indemnified Party, whether or not the corporation has the authority to indemnify such person against such liability and expenses.

The Bylaws of the registrant provide for indemnification of Indemnified Parties substantially identical in scope to that permitted under the NRS. Such Bylaws provide that the expenses of directors and officers of the registrant incurred in defending any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, must be paid by the registrant as they are incurred and in advance of the final disposition of the action, suit or proceeding, upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay all amounts so advanced if it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that the director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified by the registrant.

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In addition to indemnification provided in the registrant's Bylaws, the registrant has entered into agreements to indemnify the directors and executive officers of the registrant and directors of the Registrant's wholly owned subsidiaries. These agreements require that the registrant indemnify the directors and officers against all expenses incurred by any such person arising out of such person's service as a director or officer of the registrant or its subsidiaries, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to any greater extent that applicable law may in the future permit. The registrant has also purchased insurance coverage for such directors and officers with respect to litigation and other costs and liabilities arising out of their actual or alleged misconduct.

The above-described provisions relating to the indemnification of directors and officers are sufficiently broad to permit the indemnification of such persons in certain circumstances against liabilities (including reimbursement of expenses incurred) arising under the Securities Act. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted for our directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to applicable state law, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Item 16. Exhibits.

The list of exhibits in the Exhibit Index to this registration statement is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 17. Undertakings.

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 of 1933;

(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 Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent, no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement; and

(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 (1)(i), (ii) and (iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

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(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, 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 of 1933 to any purchaser, if the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. 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 first use, 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 date of first use.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 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.

The undersigned registrant hereby further undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) 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.

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Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the provisions described in "Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers" above, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 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 of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

 

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Fresno, California on January 20, 2016.

 

S&W SEED COMPANY

 

By: /s/ Mark S. Grewal
Mark S. Grewal
President and Chief Executive Officer

   

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature

Title

Date

     
     

/s/ Mark S. Grewal
Mark S. Grewal

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)

January 20, 2016

     
     

/s/ Matthew K. Szot
Matthew K. Szot

Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

January 20, 2016

     

  *                            
Mark J. Harvey

Chairman of the Board

January 20, 2016

     
     

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  *                            
Glen D. Bornt

Director

January 20, 2016

     
     

  *                            
Michael M. Fleming

Director

January 20, 2016

     
     

  *                            
Alexander C. Matina

Director

January 20, 2016

     

  *                            
Charles B. Seidler

Director

January 20, 2016

     
     

  *                            
William S. Smith

Director

January 20, 2016

 

     
     

  *                            
Grover T. Wickersham

Director

January 20, 2016

     
     

  *                            
Mark Wong

Director

January 20, 2016

 

 

* By: /s/ Matthew K. Szot
      Matthew K. Szot, Attorney-in-Fact

 

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INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.

 

Description

     

4.1

 

Form of Common Stock Certificate(1)

4.2

 

Form of Underwriter Warrant issued to Rodman & Renshaw, LLC(2)

4.3

 

Securities Purchase Agreement between the Registrant and MFP Partners, L.P., dated December 31, 2014(3)

4.4

 

Form of Securities Purchase Agreement between the Registrant and each of the purchasers of 8% Senior Secured Convertible Debentures and Common Stock Purchase Warrants, dated December 30, 2014(3)

4.5

 

Form of 8% Senior Secured Convertible Debentures(3)

4.6

 

Form of Common Stock Purchase Warrant(3)

4.7

 

Securities Purchase Agreement between the Registrant and MFP Partners, L.P., dated November 23, 2015(4)

4.8

 

Form of Subscription Rights Certificate(5)

5.1

 

Opinion of Jolie Kahn, Esq.(5)

8.1

 

Opinion of Shartsis Friese LLP as to certain tax matters(6)

23.1

 

Consent of Crowe Horwath LLP(5)

23.2

 

Consent of M&K CPAS PLLC(5)

23.3

 

Consent of Jolie Kahn, Esq. (included in Exhibit 5.1)(5)

23.4

 

Consent of Shartsis Friese LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1)(6)

24.1

 

Powers of Attorney (included on page II-6 of this registration statement as filed on December 18, 2015)

99.1

 

Form of Instructions for Use of S&W Seed Company Subscription Rights Certificates(5)

99.2

 

Form of Letter to Stockholders who are Record Holders(5)

99.3

 

Form of Letter to Nominees(5)

99.4

 

Form of Letter to Clients(5)

99.5

 

Form of Beneficial Owner Election Form(5)

99.6

 

Form of Nominee Holder Certification(5)

99.7

 

Form of Letter to Convertible Note and Warrant Holders(5)

 


_________

(1) Incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-1749599), filed with the Commission on March 26, 2010.

(2) Incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on May 18, 2012.

(3) Incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on December 31, 2014.

(4) Incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on November 24, 2015.

(5) Filed as part of Pre-effective Amendment No. 1 to this Registration Statement, which was filed on January 14, 2016.

(6) Filed herewith.