Description of Common Stock
Exhibit 4.3
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES REGISTERED UNDER SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
The following description of the common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of Natera, Inc. (“us,” “our,” “we,” or the “Company”), which is the only security of the Company registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), summarizes certain information regarding the Common Stock in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our amended and restated by-laws and applicable provisions of Delaware general corporate law (the “DGCL”), and is qualified by reference to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated by-laws, which are incorporated by reference as Exhibit 3.1 and Exhibit 3.2, respectively, to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020.
Our authorized capital stock consists of 750,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value, $0.0001 per share.
Common Stock
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “NTRA”.
Voting Rights. Each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote per share on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders. We have not provided for cumulative voting in the election of directors.
Dividends. 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 assets legally available at the times and in the amounts that our board of directors may determine from time to time.
Liquidation and Dissolution. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the holders of common stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of all liabilities and the liquidation preferences of any outstanding preferred stock.
Other Rights. Holders of common stock have no preemptive or conversion rights or other subscription rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of Delaware Law and Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
Certain provisions of the DGCL, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws could have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another party from acquiring control of us. These provisions, which are summarized below, are expected to discourage certain types of coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed, in part, to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate 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 such proposals, including proposals that are priced above the then-current market value of our common stock, because, among other reasons, the negotiation of such proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.
Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws include provisions that:
| • | authorize our board of directors to issue, without further action by the stockholders, up to 50,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock; |
| • | require that any action to be taken by our stockholders be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting and not by written consent; |
Exhibit 4.3
| • | specify that special meetings of our stockholders can be called only by our board of directors, our chairman of the board, or our chief executive officer; |
| • | establish an advance notice procedure for stockholder approvals to be brought before an annual meeting of our stockholders, including proposed nominations of persons for election to our board of directors; |
| • | establish that our board of directors is divided into three classes, Class I, Class II and Class III, with each class serving staggered terms; |
| • | provide that our directors may be removed only for cause; |
| • | provide that vacancies on our board of directors may, except as otherwise required by law, be filled only by a majority of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum; |
| • | specify that no stockholder is permitted to cumulate votes at any election of directors; and |
| • | require a super-majority of votes to amend certain of the above-mentioned provisions. |
Delaware Law
We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law regulating corporate takeovers. Section 203 prohibits a Delaware corporation, under certain circumstances, from engaging in a business combination with any interested stockholder for a period of three years after the date that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:
| • | before such date, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; |
| • | upon the closing of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction began, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder) those shares owned by (i) persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) 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 after such date, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders by at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder. |
In general, Section 203 defines business combination to include:
| • | any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder; |
| • | any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation involving the interested stockholder; |
| • | subject to certain exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder; |
| • | any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock or any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; or |
| • | the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loss, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits by or through the corporation. |
In general, Section 203 defines an interested stockholder as any entity or person who, together with the entity's or person's affiliates and associates, beneficially owns, or within three years prior to the time of determination of interested stockholder status did own, 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporations.
Exhibit 4.3
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 amended and restated certificate of incorporation or amended and restated 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 of us may be discouraged or prevented.
