Description of Securities
EX-4.1 2 golf12311910-kexhibit41.htm EXHIBIT 4.1 Exhibit
Exhibit 4.1
DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES
REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
The following summary of the terms of our common stock is based upon our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), and our amended and restated bylaws (the “Bylaws”). The summary is not complete, and is qualified by reference to our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws, which are filed as exhibits to this Annual Report on Form 10-K and are incorporated by reference herein. We encourage you to read our Certificate of Incorporation, our Bylaws, and the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law for additional information.
Acushnet Holdings Corp. (“Acushnet,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) has one class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended: our common stock, $0.001 par value per share.
Authorized Shares of Capital Stock
Our authorized capital stock consists of 500,000,000 shares of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share.
Listing
Our common stock is listed and principally traded on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the symbol “GOLF.”
Voting Rights
Holders of our common stock are entitled to one (1) vote for each share held of record on all matters on which shareholders are entitled to vote generally, including the election or removal of directors. The holders of our common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors.
Dividend Rights
Holders of outstanding shares of common stock are entitled to receive dividends out of assets legally available at the times and in the amounts as the board of directors may from time to time determine. The time and amount of dividends will be dependent upon our financial condition, operations, cash requirements and availability, debt repayment obligations, capital expenditure needs and restrictions in our debt instruments, industry trends, the provisions of Delaware law affecting the payment of distributions to shareholders and any other factors our board of directors may consider relevant.
Conversion or Redemption Rights
Our common stock is neither convertible nor redeemable.
Liquidation Rights
Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up and after payment in full of all amounts required to be paid to creditors and to the holders of preferred stock having liquidation preferences, if any, the holders of our common stock will be entitled to receive pro rata our remaining assets available for distribution.
Rights and Preferences
Holders of our common stock do not have preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. The common stock will not be subject to further calls or assessment by us. There will be no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. All shares of our outstanding common stock are fully paid and non-assessable. The rights, powers, preferences and privileges of holders of our common stock will be subject to those of the holders of any shares of our preferred stock that we may designate in the future.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A. The transfer agent and registrar’s address is 462 South 4th Street, Suite 1600, Louisville, KY 40202.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Our Certificate of Incorporation and Our By-Laws
Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws contain and the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) contains provisions, which are summarized in the following paragraphs, which are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors. These provisions are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, reduce our vulnerability to a hostile change of control and enhance the ability of our board of directors to maximize shareholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire us.
These provisions include:
Authorized but Unissued Capital Stock. Delaware law does not require shareholder approval for any issuance of authorized shares. However, the listing requirements of the NYSE, which would apply if and so long as our common stock remains listed on the NYSE, require shareholder approval of certain issuances equal to or exceeding 20% of the then outstanding voting power or then outstanding number of shares of common stock and certain other circumstances. Additional shares that may be issued in the future may be used for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings, to raise additional capital or to facilitate acquisitions.
Our board of directors may generally issue preferred shares on terms calculated to discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of the Company or the removal of our management. Such preferred shares may be issued in one or more series, from time to time, and with such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights as the board of directors may determine. Moreover, our authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock are available for future issuances without shareholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, to facilitate acquisitions and employee benefit plans. One of the effects of the existence of unissued and unreserved common stock or preferred stock may be to enable our board of directors to issue shares to persons friendly to current management, which issuance could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of the Company by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise, and thereby protect the continuity of our management and possibly deprive our shareholders of opportunities to sell their shares of common stock at prices higher than prevailing market prices.
Removal of Directors; Vacancies. Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that directors may be removed with or without cause upon the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of all outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class; provided, however, at any time when Magnus and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 50% in voting power of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, directors may be removed with or without cause, but only by the affirmative vote of holders of at least 662/3% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of our stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class. In addition, our Certificate of Incorporation also provides that, subject to the rights granted to one or more series of preferred stock then outstanding, any vacancy occurring in our board of directors may only be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (and not by the shareholders).
Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL. In general, Section 203 prohibits a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. A “business combination” includes mergers, asset sales, or other transactions resulting in a financial benefit to the stockholder. An “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years did own, 15% or more of the corporation's outstanding voting stock. These provisions may have the effect of delaying, deferring, or preventing a change in our control.
No Cumulative Voting. Under Delaware law, the right to vote cumulatively does not exist unless the certificate of incorporation specifically authorizes cumulative voting. Our Certificate of Incorporation does not authorize cumulative voting. Therefore, shareholders holding a majority in voting power of the shares of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors are able to elect all our directors.
Special Shareholder Meetings; No Action by Written Consent. Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that special meetings of our shareholders may be called at any time only by or at the direction of our board of directors or the chairman of our board of directors; provided, however, at any time when Magnus and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least 50% in voting power of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, special meetings of our shareholders shall also be called by our board of directors or the chairman of our board of directors at the request of Magnus and its affiliates. Our Bylaws prohibit the conduct of any business at a special meeting other than as specified in the notice for such meeting. In addition, our Certificate of Incorporation precludes shareholder action by written consent. These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying or discouraging hostile takeovers, or changes in control or management of the Company.
Requirements for Advance Notification of Director Nominations and Shareholder Proposals. Our Bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to shareholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors. In order for any matter to be "properly brought" before a meeting, a shareholder will have to comply with advance notice requirements and provide us with certain information. Generally, to be timely, a shareholder's 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 immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders. Our Bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a shareholder's notice. Our Bylaws allow the chairman of the meeting at a meeting of the shareholders to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings which may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the rules and regulations are not followed. These provisions may also defer, delay or discourage a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer's own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to influence or obtain control of the Company.
Supermajority Provisions. Our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws provide that our board of directors is expressly authorized to make, alter, amend, change, add to, rescind or repeal, in whole or in part, our Bylaws without a shareholder vote in any matter not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Delaware and our Certificate of Incorporation. For as long as Magnus and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least 50% in voting power of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any amendment, alteration, rescission or repeal of our Bylaws by our shareholders will require the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of our stock present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting of shareholders and entitled to vote on such amendment, alteration, rescission or repeal. At any time when Magnus and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 50% in voting power of all outstanding shares of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any amendment, alteration, rescission or repeal of our bylaws by our shareholders will require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of our stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class.
The DGCL provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, is required to amend a corporation's certificate of incorporation, unless the certificate of incorporation requires a greater percentage.
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that at any time when Magnus and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 50% in voting power of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, the following provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation may be amended, altered, repealed or rescinded only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of our stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class:
•the provision requiring a 66 2/3% supermajority vote for shareholders to amend our Bylaws;
•the provisions regarding shareholder action by written consent;
•the provisions regarding the removal of directors;
•the provisions regarding calling special meetings of shareholders;
•the provisions regarding filling vacancies on our board of directors and newly created directorships;
•the provisions eliminating monetary damages for breaches of fiduciary duty by a director;
•the provision regarding exclusive forum;
•and the amendment provision requiring that the above provisions be amended only with a 66 2/3% supermajority vote.
The combination of the classification of our board of directors, the lack of cumulative voting and the supermajority voting requirements may make it more difficult for our existing shareholders to replace our board of directors as well as for another party to obtain control of us by replacing our board of directors. Because our board of directors has the power to retain and discharge our officers, these provisions could also make it more difficult for existing shareholders or another party to effect a change in management.
Exclusive Forum. Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that, unless we consent to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors or officers to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us or any of our directors or officers arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our Certificate of Incorporation or our Bylaws, or (iv) any other action asserting a claim against us or any of our directors or officers that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation described above. Although we believe these provisions 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 and officers. The enforceability of similar choice of 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 find the choice of forum provisions contained in our Certificate of Incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable.
