Description of Registrants Securities
EX-4.6 2 exhibit46descriptionofsecu.htm EX-4.6 Document
Exhibit 4.6
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2021
As of December 31, 2021, our only class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, was our common stock, par value of $0.0001 per share. The following is a summary of the material terms of our common stock, and provisions of our current certificate of incorporation and current bylaws. The following summary of the material terms of our common stock is not intended to be a complete summary of the rights and preferences of such securities and is qualified in its entirety by our current certificate of incorporation and our current bylaws. The full texts of our current certificate of incorporation and our current bylaws are filed as exhibits to this Annual Report. For a complete description of the rights and preferences of our securities, we urge you to read our current certificate of incorporation, our current bylaws and the applicable provisions of Delaware law.
Authorized and Outstanding Stock
Our current certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of shares of our capital stock, each with a par value of $0.0001, consisting of (a) 15,000,000,000 shares of common stock and (b) 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock. The outstanding shares of common stock are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
Our current certificate of incorporation provides that shares of preferred stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board is authorized to fix the voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences, the relative, participating, optional or other special rights and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, applicable to the shares of each series. The Board is able to, without stockholder approval, issue preferred stock with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of the common stock and could have anti-takeover effects. The ability of the Board to issue preferred stock without stockholder approval could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of us or the removal of existing management.
Voting Power
Except as otherwise required by law or as otherwise provided in any certificate of designation for any series of preferred stock, under our current certificate of incorporation, the holders of common stock will possess all voting power for the election of directors and all other matters requiring stockholder action and will be entitled to one vote per share on matters to be voted on by stockholders. The holders of our common stock will at all times vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of the common stock under our current certificate of incorporation.
Dividends
Subject to limitations contained in the DGCL and our current certificate of incorporation, under our current bylaws, the Board may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of our common stock, which dividends may be paid either in cash, in property or in shares of our common stock.
We have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements, the terms of any outstanding indebtedness and general financial condition. The payment of any cash dividends s will be within the discretion of the Board at such time. In addition, the Board is not currently contemplating and does not anticipate declaring any stock dividends in the foreseeable future. Further, if we incur any indebtedness, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
Liquidation, Dissolution and Winding Up
In the event of the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding-up of the Company, the holders of our common stock will be entitled to receive all the remaining assets of the Company available for distribution to stockholders, ratably in proportion to the number of shares of common stock held by them, after the rights of creditors of the Company and the holders of any outstanding shares of preferred stock have been satisfied.
Preemptive or Other Rights
The holders of our common stock do not have preemptive or other subscription rights and there is no sinking fund or redemption provisions applicable to our common stock.
Annual Stockholder Meetings
Our current certificate of incorporation and our current bylaws provide that annual stockholder meetings will be held at a date, time and place, if any, as exclusively selected by the Board. To the extent permitted under applicable law, we may conduct meetings by remote communications.
Effects of Our Current Certificate of Incorporation, Our Current Bylaws and Certain Provisions of Delaware Law
Our current certificate of incorporation, our current bylaws and the DGCL contain provisions, which are summarized in the following paragraphs, that are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of the Board. These provisions are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, reduce our vulnerability to a hostile change of control and enhance the ability of the Board to maximize stockholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire us. However, these provisions may have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a merger or acquisition of the Company by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or other takeover attempt that a stockholder might consider in its best interest, including attempts that might result in a premium over the prevailing market price for the shares of our common stock held by stockholders.
Authorized but Unissued Capital Stock
Delaware law does not require stockholder approval for any issuance of authorized shares. However, the listing requirements of Nasdaq, which would apply if and so long as our common stock remains listed on Nasdaq, require stockholder approval of certain issuances equal to or exceeding 20% of the then outstanding voting power or then outstanding number of shares of our common stock. Additional shares that may be used in the future may be used for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings, to raise additional capital or to facilitate acquisitions.
The Board may generally issue one or more series of preferred shares on terms calculated to discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of the Company or the removal of our management. Moreover, our authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock will be available for future issuances in one or more series without stockholder 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 authorized and unissued and unreserved common stock or preferred stock may be to enable the Board 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 stockholders of opportunities to sell their shares of common stock at prices higher than prevailing market prices.
Business Combinations
In our current certificate of incorporation, we have not opted out of Section 203 of the DGCL, which prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in certain “business combinations” with any “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that the stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:
● | prior to such time, the Board approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; |
● | upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding certain shares; or |
● | at or subsequent to that time, the business combination is approved by our Board and by the affirmative vote of holders of at least two-thirds of the votes of our outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder. |
Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset or stock sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Subject to certain exceptions, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with that person’s affiliates and associates, owns, or within the previous three years owned, 15% or more of the votes of our outstanding voting stock. For purposes of this provision,” voting stock” means any class or series of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.
Under certain circumstances, this provision will make it more difficult for a person who would be an “interested stockholder” to effect various business combinations with us for a three-year period. This provision may encourage companies interested in acquiring us to negotiate in advance with our Board because the stockholder approval requirement would be avoided if our Board approves either the business combination or the transaction that results in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder. This provision also may have the effect of preventing changes in our Board and may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.
2
Removal of Directors; Vacancies
Under the DGCL, unless otherwise provided in our current certificate of incorporation, directors serving on a board may be removed by the stockholders only for cause. Our current certificate of incorporation provides that no director may be removed from office by the stockholders except for cause with the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than two-thirds (66 2/3 %) of the total voting power of all of our outstanding securities generally entitled to vote in the election of directors, voting together as a single class. However, pursuant to the Investor Rights Agreement, Ayar has the exclusive right to (i) remove its nominees from the Board, and we are required to take all necessary action to cause the removal of any such nominee at the request of Ayar and (ii) designate directors for election or appointment, as applicable, to the Board to fill vacancies created by reason of death, removal or resignation of its nominees to the Board, and we are required to take all necessary action to nominate or cause the Board to appoint, as applicable, replacement directors designated by Ayar to fill any such vacancies created pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above as promptly as practicable after such designation (and in any event prior to the next meeting or action of the Board or applicable committee). In addition, our current certificate of incorporation provides that, without limiting the rights of any party to the Investor Rights Agreement, vacancies on the Board resulting from death, resignation, removal or otherwise and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors shall, except as otherwise required by law, be filled solely by a majority of the directors then in office (although less than a quorum) or by the sole remaining director, and each director so elected shall hold office until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation, or removal. Our current certificate of incorporation provides that, subject to the Investor Rights Agreement, the number of directors constituting the Board can be fixed exclusively by one or more resolutions adopted from time to time solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board.
No Cumulative Voting
Under Delaware law, the right to vote cumulatively does not exist unless the certificate of incorporation specifically authorizes cumulative voting. Our current 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 of our directors.
Special Stockholder Meetings
Our current certificate of incorporation provides that special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by the Board acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board. Our amended and restated bylaws prohibit the conduct of any business at a special meeting other than as specified in the notice for such meeting. 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 Stockholder Proposals
Our current bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of the Board or a committee of the Board. In order for any matter to be properly brought before a meeting of our stockholders, a stockholder will have to comply with advance notice requirements and provide us with certain information. Generally, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received by our secretary not less than 90 calendar days nor more than 120 calendar days prior to the first anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders. Our current bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. Our current bylaws allow the chairperson of the meeting at a meeting of the stockholders 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 deter, 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.
Stockholder Action by Written Consent
Pursuant to Section 228 of the DGCL, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is 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 of our stock entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, unless our current certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our current certificate of incorporation precludes stockholder action by written consent at any time when Ayar and its permitted transferees beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 50% in voting power of the stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, other than certain rights that holders of our preferred stock may have to act by written consent.
3
Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal and Payment
Under the DGCL, with certain exceptions, our stockholders will 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 incident to which the action relates or such stockholder’s stock thereafter devolved by operation of law.
Exclusive Forum
Our current bylaws provide that unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director or officer or other employee of the Company to the Company or the Company’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Company or any director or officer or other employee of the Company arising pursuant to any provision of Delaware law or our current certificate of incorporation or our current bylaws (in each case, as they may be amended from time to time), or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Company or any director or officer or other employee of the Company governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be a state court located within the State of Delaware (or, if no state court located within the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware), in all cases subject to the court’s having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants. These provisions do not apply to claims arising under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal securities laws for which there is exclusive federal or concurrent federal and state jurisdiction. Unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Company shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provisions in our current bylaws. However, it is possible that a court could find our forum selection provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable.
Limitation on Liability and Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL allows a corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of the corporation will not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached the duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit. The Company’s current certificate of incorporation provides for this limitation of liability.
Section 145 of the DGCL, provides, among other things, that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was, is or is threatened to be made, 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 such corporation), by reason of the fact that such person is or was an officer, director, employee or agent of such corporation or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful. A Delaware corporation may indemnify any persons who were or are a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests, provided further that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the officer, director, employee or agent is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Where an officer or director is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him or her against the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) which such officer or director has actually and reasonably incurred.
Section 145 further authorizes a corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who 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 or enterprise, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the corporation would otherwise have the power to indemnify such person under Section 145.
4
The Company’s current certificate of incorporation provides that we must indemnify and advance expenses to our directors and officers to the full extent authorized by the DGCL.
We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers, and certain other officers. Such agreements may require us, among other things, to advance expenses and otherwise indemnify our officers and directors against certain liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as officers or directors, to the fullest extent permitted by law. We intend to enter into indemnification agreements with any new directors and executive officers, and certain other officers, in the future.
The indemnification rights set forth above shall not be exclusive of any other right which an indemnified person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, any provision of the Company’s current certificate of incorporation, the Company’s current bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated to indemnify a director or officer in respect of a proceeding (or part thereof) instituted by such director or officer, unless such proceeding (or part thereof) has been authorized by the Board pursuant to the applicable procedure outlined in the indemnification agreements.
Section 174 of the DGCL provides, among other things, that a director, who willfully or negligently approves of an unlawful payment of dividends or an unlawful stock purchase or redemption, may be held jointly and severally liable for such actions. A director who was either absent when the unlawful actions were approved or dissented at the time may avoid liability by causing his or her dissent to such actions to be entered in the books containing the minutes of the meetings of the board of directors at the time such action occurred or immediately after such absent director receives notice of the unlawful acts.
The Company maintains and expect to maintain standard policies of insurance that provide coverage (1) to its directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act and (2) to the Company with respect to indemnification payments that the Company may make to such directors and officers.
These provisions may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit the Company and our stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
The Company believes that these provisions, the insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced officers and directors.
Our Transfer Agent and Warrant Agent
The transfer agent for our common stock and warrant agent for our warrants is Equiniti Trust Company. We have agreed to indemnify Equiniti Trust Company in its roles as transfer agent and warrant agent, its agents and each of its stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all liabilities, including judgments, costs and reasonable counsel fees that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of the indemnified person or entity.
5