Description of Registrants Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

EX-4.2 2 lc123121ex42.htm EX-4.2 Document

EXHIBIT 4.2
DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

The following description sets forth certain material terms and provisions of the securities of LendingClub Corporation that are registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. This description also summarizes relevant provisions of Delaware law. The following summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the applicable provisions of Delaware law and our restated certificate of incorporation (as amended) and our amended and restated bylaws, copies of which are incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of which this Exhibit 4.2 is a part. We encourage you to read our restated certificate of incorporation (as amended) our amended and restated bylaws and the applicable provisions of Delaware law for additional information.

Authorized Capital Stock

Our restated certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue up to 180,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share.

Common Stock

Common Stock Outstanding. Our common stock currently outstanding is fully paid and nonassessable.

Dividend Rights. Subject to preferences that may apply to shares of preferred stock outstanding at the time, the holders of outstanding shares of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends out of funds legally available if our board of directors, in its discretion, determines to issue dividends and then only at the times and in the amounts that our board of directors may determine.

Voting Rights. Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders. Our restated certificate of incorporation (as amended) does not provide for cumulative voting for the election of directors. Accordingly, holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock are able to elect all of our directors. Our restated certificate of incorporation (as amended) establishes a classified board of directors, to be divided into three classes with staggered three-year terms. Only one class of directors is elected at each annual meeting of our stockholders, with the other classes continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year terms.

No Preemptive or Similar Rights. Our common stock is not entitled to preemptive rights and is not subject to conversion, redemption or sinking fund provisions.

Right to Receive Liquidation Distributions. Upon our dissolution, liquidation or winding-up, the assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders are distributable ratably among the holders of our common stock, subject to prior satisfaction of all outstanding debt and liabilities and the preferential rights and payment of liquidation preferences, if any, on any outstanding shares of preferred stock.

Preferred Stock

Pursuant to the provisions of our restated certificate of incorporation (as amended) our board of directors is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by Delaware law, to issue convertible 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, vesting, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights, if any, of the shares of each series and any of its qualifications, limitations or restrictions, in each case without further vote or action by our stockholders. The issuance of preferred stock could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company and might adversely affect the market price of our common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of our common stock.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

The provisions of Delaware law and our restated certificate of incorporation (as amended) and amended and restated bylaws could have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another person from acquiring control of our company. These provisions, which are summarized below, may have the effect of discouraging takeover bids. They are also designed, in part, to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate first with our board of directors. We believe that the benefits of increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with an unfriendly or unsolicited acquirer outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging a proposal to acquire us because negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.

Delaware Anti-Takeover Law

We are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law regulating corporate takeovers. This section prevents some Delaware corporations from engaging, under some circumstances, in a business combination, which includes a merger or sale of at least 10% of the corporation’s assets with any interested stockholder, meaning a stockholder who, together with affiliates and associates, owns or, within three years prior to the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, did own 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock, unless:
the transaction is approved by the board of directors prior to the time that the interested stockholder became an interested stockholder;
upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder’s becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced; or
at or subsequent to such time that the stockholder became an interested stockholder, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders by at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

A Delaware corporation may “opt out” of these provisions with an express provision in its original certificate of incorporation or an express provision in its certificate of incorporation or bylaws resulting from a stockholders’ amendment approved by at least a majority of the outstanding voting shares. We have not opted out of these provisions. As a result, mergers or other takeover or change in control attempts may be discouraged or prevented. We also anticipate that Section 203 may discourage attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of outstanding common stock.




Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws Provisions

Our restated certificate of incorporation (as amended) and our amended and restated bylaws include a number of provisions that may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers or delaying or preventing changes in control of our management team, including the following:

Board of Directors Vacancies. Our restated certificate of incorporation (as amended) and amended and restated bylaws authorize only our board of directors to fill vacant directorships, including newly created seats. In addition, the number of directors constituting our board of directors may be set only by a resolution adopted by a majority vote of our entire board of directors. These provisions prevent a stockholder from increasing the size of our board of directors and then gaining control of our board of directors by filling the resulting vacancies with its own nominees. This makes it more difficult to change the composition of our board of directors but promotes continuity of management.
Classified Board. Our restated certificate of incorporation (as amended) and amended and restated bylaws provide that our board of directors is classified into three classes of directors, each with staggered three-year terms. A third party may be discouraged from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us as it is more difficult and time consuming for stockholders to replace a majority of the directors on a classified board of directors.
Stockholder Action; Special Meetings of Stockholders. Our restated certificate of incorporation (as amended) provides that our stockholders may not take action by written consent, but may only take action at annual or special meetings of our stockholders. As a result, a holder controlling a majority of our capital stock is unable to amend our amended and restated bylaws or remove directors without holding a meeting of our stockholders called in accordance with our amended and restated bylaws. Further, our amended and restated bylaws and restated certificate of incorporation (as amended) provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by a majority of our board of directors, the chairman of our board of directors, our Chief Executive Officer or our President, thus prohibiting a stockholder from calling a special meeting. These provisions could delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or for stockholders controlling a majority of our capital stock to take any action, including the removal of directors.
Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations. Our amended and restated bylaws provide advance notice procedures for stockholders seeking to bring business before our annual meeting of stockholders or to nominate candidates for election as directors at our annual meeting of stockholders. Our amended and restated bylaws also specify certain requirements regarding the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. These provisions might preclude our stockholders from bringing matters before our annual meeting of stockholders or from nominating directors at our annual meeting of stockholders if the proper procedures are not followed. These provisions may also discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.
No Cumulative Voting. The Delaware General Corporation Law provides that stockholders are not entitled to the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless a corporation’s restated certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Neither our restated certificate of incorporation (as amended) nor amended and restated bylaws provide for cumulative voting.



Directors Removed Only for Cause. Our restated certificate of incorporation (as amended) provides that stockholders may remove directors only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of our outstanding common stock.
Amendment of Charter Provisions. Any amendment of the provisions in our restated certificate of incorporation (as amended) described above would require approval by holders of at least two-thirds of our outstanding common stock.
Issuance of Undesignated Preferred Stock. Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock with rights and preferences, including voting rights, designated from time to time by our board of directors. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock would enable our board of directors to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or other means. Our board of directors approved the designation of 200,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 600,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share. As of the date hereof, no shares of preferred stock are outstanding.

Listing

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “LC.”

Transfer Agent and Registrar

Our transfer agent for the common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC.