Description of Capital Stock

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Stock Agreements
EX-4.2 2 exhibit42.htm EXHIBIT 4.2 DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK exhibit42
Exhibit 4.2 Description of Capital Stock The following discussion is a summary of the material terms of our common stock, preferred stock, Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, Charter and bylaws. Authorized Capital Our authorized capital stock currently consists of 100 million shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share and 5 million shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share. Common Stock Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters on which stockholders generally are entitled to vote. Holders of our common stock vote together as a single class on all matters presented to our stockholders for their vote or approval, except as otherwise required by applicable law. Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends when and if declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available therefor, subject to any statutory or contractual restrictions on the payment of dividends and to any restrictions on the payment of dividends imposed by the terms of any outstanding preferred stock. We do not intend to pay cash dividends on our common stock for the foreseeable future. In the event of our dissolution, liquidation or winding up, 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. The holders of our common stock have no conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock. Preferred Stock Our board of directors has the authority, subject to any limitations imposed by law or Nasdaq rules, without further action by the stockholders, to issue up to 5 million shares of preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of each series of such preferred stock. These rights, preferences and privileges include, but are not limited to, dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, liquidation preferences, sinking fund terms and the number of shares constituting any series or the designation of that series, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of common stock. Anti-Takeover Effects of Our Charter and Bylaws Our Charter and bylaws contain certain provisions that are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors. These provisions may


 
have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a future takeover or change in control of our company, even in those cases where such a transaction may be at a premium to the current market price of our common stock. These provisions include: Action by Written Consent; Special Meetings of Stockholders Our Charter provides that stockholder action (other than actions by holders of preferred stock, if any) can be taken only at an annual or special meeting of stockholders and cannot be taken by written consent in lieu of a meeting. Our bylaws provide that, except as otherwise required by law, special meetings of the stockholders can only be called by the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer or the president, or pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the board of directors. Stockholders are not permitted to call a special meeting or to require the board of directors to call a special meeting. Advance Notice Procedure Our bylaws establish an advance notice procedure for stockholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting of our stockholders, including proposed nominations of candidates for election to the board of directors. Stockholders at an annual meeting will be able to consider only proposals or nominations specified in the notice of meeting or brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the board of directors or by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record on the record date for the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has given our secretary timely written notice, in proper form, of the stockholder’s intention to bring that business before the meeting. Although the bylaws do not give the board of directors the power to approve or disapprove stockholder nominations of candidates or proposals regarding other business to be conducted at a special or annual meeting, the bylaws may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed or may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of the Company. Authorized but Unissued Shares Subject to Nasdaq listing requirements, our authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock will be available for future issuance without stockholder approval. These additional shares may be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings to raise additional capital, corporate acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock may also have the effect of deferring, delaying or discouraging hostile takeovers, or changes in control or management of our company.


 
Certain Other Provisions of Our Charter and Bylaws and Delaware Law Board of Directors Our Charter provides that the number of directors will be fixed in the manner provided in our bylaws. Our bylaws provide that the number of directors will be fixed from time to time solely pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board. Our board of directors currently has seven members. Section 203 of the DGCL Our Charter expressly states that we have elected not to be subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Subject to exceptions specified therein, Section 203 of the DGCL prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder,” including general mergers or consolidations or acquisitions of additional shares of the corporation, for a three-year period following the time that such stockholder became an interested stockholder. Except as otherwise specified in Section 203, an “interested stockholder” is defined to include: • any person that is the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation, or is an affiliate or associate of the corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation at any time within the three years immediately prior to the date of determination; and • the affiliates and associates of any such person. The statute is intended to prohibit or delay mergers or other takeover or change in control attempts. Although we have elected to opt out of the statute’s provisions, we could elect to be subject to Section 203 in the future.