Description of Gartner, Inc.'s Common Stock

EX-4.8 2 descriptionofcommonsto.htm EXHIBIT 4.8 Exhibit

Exhibit 4.8

DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES

REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

As of December 31, 2019, Gartner, Inc. (“Gartner,” “we,” “us” or “our”) had one class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”): our common stock, par value $0.0005 per share (the “common stock”).

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

We are authorized to issue 250,000,000 shares of common stock and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share.

The principal stock exchange on which our common stock is listed is the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “IT.” All outstanding shares of common stock are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

The following description of the terms of our common stock is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our amended and restated articles of incorporation and our by-laws, each of which is incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of which this Exhibit 4.8 is a part.

Voting Rights

The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters submitted for action by our stockholders. There is no provision for cumulative voting with regard to the election of directors.

Dividend and Liquidation Rights

Subject to the preferences applicable to any shares of preferred stock outstanding at any time, holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends when, as, and if declared by our board of directors from funds legally available therefor and are entitled, in the event of a liquidation, to share ratably in all assets available for distribution after payment of all debts.

Other Rights

The holders of our common stock have no preemptive rights and no rights to convert their common stock into any other securities, and our common stock is not subject to any redemption or sinking fund provisions.

Anti-Takeover Provisions of our Articles of Incorporation, our By-Laws and Delaware Law

Various provisions contained in our amended and restated articles of incorporation, our by-laws and Delaware law could delay or discourage some transactions involving an actual or potential change in control of Gartner or our management and may limit the ability of our stockholders to remove current management or approve transactions that our stockholders may deem to be in their best interests. Provisions in our amended and restated articles of incorporation and our by-laws:


•	authorize our board of directors to establish one or more series of undesignated preferred stock, the terms of which can be determined by the board of directors at the time of issuance;


•	do not authorize cumulative voting;


•	authorize the board of directors to amend, alter or repeal the by-laws and to adopt new by-laws;


•	provide that only the board of directors or the chief executive officer may call a special meeting of the stockholders;


•	in connection with stockholder meetings, provide an advanced written notice procedure with respect to stockholder nomination for directors and bringing other business; and


•	provide that our directors may fill any vacancies on our board of directors, including newly created board seats resulting from an increase in the authorized number of directors and vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause.

In addition, we are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which regulates, subject to some exceptions, acquisitions of publicly held Delaware corporations. In general, Section 203 prohibits us from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years following the date the person becomes an interested stockholder, unless:


•	our board of directors approved the business combination or the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder prior to the date the person attained this status;

•

upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the person becoming an interested stockholder, the person owned at least 85 percent of our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers and issued under employee stock plans under 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 date the person became an interested stockholder, our board of directors approved the business combination and the stockholders other than the interested stockholder authorized the transaction at an annual or special meeting of stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3 percent of the outstanding stock not owned by the interested stockholder.

Section 203 defines a “business combination” to include:


•	any merger or consolidation involving us and the interested stockholder;


•	any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition involving the interested stockholder of 10 percent or more of our assets;


•	in general, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by us of any of our stock to the interested stockholder;


•	any transaction involving us that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of our stock owned by the interested stockholders; and


•	the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges, or other financial benefits provided by or through us.

In general, Section 203 defines an “interested stockholder” as any person who, together with the person’s affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years prior to the time of determination of interested stockholder status did own, 15 percent or more of a corporation’s voting stock.