Description of Capital Stock
Exhibit 4.8
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
The following summary description of our capital stock is based on the provisions of our certificate of incorporation, or the Certificate of Incorporation, and amended and restated bylaws, or the Bylaws, and the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or the DGCL. This information is qualified entirely by reference to the applicable provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws.
General
Our authorized capital stock consists of 1,000,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share.
Common Stock
Voting Rights
Except as otherwise required by law or as otherwise provided in any certificate of designation for any series of preferred stock, the holders of common stock possess all voting power for the election of our directors and all other matters requiring stockholder action. Holders of common stock are entitled to one vote per share on matters to be voted on by stockholders.
Dividends
Holders of common stock are entitled to receive such dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors in its discretion out of funds legally available therefor. In no event will any stock dividends or stock splits or combinations of stock be declared or made on common stock unless the shares of common stock at the time outstanding are treated equally and identically.
Liquidation, Dissolution and Winding Up
In the event of our voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, distribution of assets or winding-up, the holders of the common stock are entitled to receive an equal amount per share of all of our assets of whatever kind available for distribution to stockholders, after the rights of the holders of the preferred stock have been satisfied.
Preemptive or Other Rights
The holders of our common stock have no preemptive rights or other subscription rights and there are no sinking fund or redemption provisions applicable to the common stock.
Election of Directors
Our board of directors has one class of directors, and each director will generally serve for a term of one year. Unless required by applicable law at the time of election, there is no cumulative voting with respect to the election of directors, therefore allowing the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors to elect all of the directors standing for election.
Preferred Stock
Our board of directors is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by Delaware law, to issue preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each series and to fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each series and any of its qualifications, limitations or restrictions. Our board of directors can also increase or decrease the number of shares of any series, but not below the number of shares of that series then outstanding, without any further vote or action by our stockholders. Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of the common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with financings, possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring, discouraging or preventing a change in control of our company, may adversely affect the market price of our common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of common stock and may reduce the likelihood that common stockholders will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
Among other things, our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws:
| ● | authorize the Complete Solaria Board to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, with any rights, preferences and privileges as they may designate, including the right to approve an acquisition or other change of control; |
| ● | provide that the authorized number of directors may be changed only by resolution of the Complete Solaria Board; |
| ● | provide that all vacancies, including newly created directorships, may, except as otherwise required by law, be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum; |
| ● | provide that stockholders seeking to present proposals before a meeting of stockholders or to nominate candidates for election as directors at a meeting of stockholders must provide advance notice in writing, and also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice; |
| ● | provide that Special Meetings of Complete Solaria’s stockholders may be called by the chairperson of the Complete Solaria Board, the chief executive officer or by the Complete Solaria Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors; and |
| ● | do not provide for cumulative voting rights, therefore allowing the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors to elect all of the directors standing for election, if they should so choose. |
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The amendment of any of these provisions would require approval by the holders of at least 66 2/3% of all of the then-outstanding capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors. The combination of these provisions will make it more difficult for the existing stockholders to replace the Complete Solaria Board as well as for another party to obtain control of Complete Solaria by replacing the Complete Solaria Board. Because the Complete Solaria Board has the power to retain and discharge its officers, these provisions could also make it more difficult for existing stockholders or another party to effect a change in management. In addition, the authorization of undesignated preferred stock makes it possible for the Complete Solaria Board to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to change our control.
These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continued stability in the composition of the Complete Solaria Board and its policies and to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to reduce Complete Solaria’s vulnerability to hostile takeovers and to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for Complete Solaria’s shares and may have the effect of delaying changes in our control or management. As a consequence, these provisions may also inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our common stock.
Delaware Anti-Takeover Law
Section 203 of the DGCL generally prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in any business combination with any interested stockholder for a period of three years after the date that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, with the following exceptions:
| ● | prior to the date of the transaction, our board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; |
| ● | the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of our voting stock outstanding upon consummation of the transaction, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding (1) shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers and (2) shares owned by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or |
| ● | on or subsequent to the consummation of the transaction, the business combination is approved by our board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock which 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. An interested stockholder is a person who, together with its affiliates and associates, owns or, within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status, did own 20% or more of Complete Solaria’s outstanding voting stock. These provisions may encourage companies interested in acquiring us to negotiate in advance with the Complete Solaria Board because the stockholder approval requirement would be avoided if the board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which results in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder. These provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in the Complete Solaria Board and may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions which stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.
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Choice of Forum
The Certificate of Incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction, any state court located within the State of Delaware or, if and only if all such state courts lack subject matter jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) is the sole and exclusive forum for the following types of actions or proceedings under Delaware statutory or common law:
| ● | any derivative action or proceeding brought on Complete Solaria’s behalf; |
| ● | any action or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of Complete Solaria’s directors, officers, or other employees to Complete Solaria or its stockholders; |
| ● | any action or proceeding asserting a claim against Complete Solaria or any of Complete Solaria’s directors, officers or other employees arising out of or pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws; |
| ● | any action or proceeding to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws (including any right, obligation, or remedy thereunder); |
| ● | any action or proceeding as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction to the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware; and |
| ● | any action or proceeding asserting a claim against Complete Solaria or any of Complete Solaria’s directors, officers, or other employees that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in all cases to the fullest extent permitted by law and subject to the court’s having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants. |
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This choice of forum provision would not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction, or the Securities Act. The Certificate of Incorporation further provides that, unless Complete Solaria consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. However, Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Accordingly, both state and federal courts have jurisdiction to entertain such claims. As noted above, the Certificate of Incorporation provides that the federal district courts of the United States will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action under the Securities Act. Due to the concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts created by Section 22 of the Securities Act over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder, there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce the exclusive form provision. Additionally, the Certificate of Incorporation provides that any person or entity holding, owning or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of Complete Solaria’s securities shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to these provisions. Investors also cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.
Exchange Listing
Our common stock and public warrants are listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbols “SPWR” and “SPWRW,” respectively.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company. The transfer agent’s address is 1 State Street, 30th Floor, New York, NY 10004.
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