Description of Registrants Securities
Exhibit 4.1
RESHAPE LIFESCIENCES INC.
DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
The following description of ReShape Lifesciences Inc.’s securities is a summary. This summary is qualified by reference to the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) and the complete text of ReShape Lifesciences Inc.’s restated certificate of incorporation, as amended (the “Charter”), and amended and restated bylaws (the “Bylaws”). We urge you to read that law and those documents carefully.
Common Stock
General. Our Charter authorizes 100,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share.
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, including the election of directors. We do not provide for cumulative voting for the election of directors in our Charter. Accordingly, holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock are able to elect all of our directors.
Outstanding preferred stock and potential issuance of preferred stock. Pursuant to our Charter, our board of directors is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by Delaware law, to issue from time to time up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, and to fix the designation, vesting, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights, if any, of the shares of each such series and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, in each case without further vote or action by our stockholders.
In accordance with a certificate of designation filed on June 15, 2021, which has been filed as an exhibit to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, we have designated 95,388 shares of preferred stock as series C convertible preferred stock, all of which remained issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2021, and which are convertible into 38 shares of common stock. The series C convertible preferred stock has a liquidation preference of $274.88 per share, or approximately $26.2 million in the aggregate. Holders of the series C convertible preferred stock have the right to convert their shares into shares of common stock instead of receiving the liquidation preference. In general, the series C convertible preferred stock is entitled to receive dividends (on an as-if-converted-to-common stock basis) actually paid on shares of common stock when, as and if such dividends are paid on shares of common stock. No other dividends will be paid on shares of series C convertible preferred stock. Except in connection with the election of directors, which the holders of series C convertible preferred stock are entitled to vote for on an as-converted to common stock basis, the series C convertible preferred stock generally does not have voting rights. However, as long as any shares of series C convertible preferred stock remain outstanding, we cannot, without the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the then-outstanding shares of series C convertible preferred stock, (a) alter or change adversely the powers, preferences or rights given to the series C convertible preferred stock (including by the designation, authorization, or issuance of any shares of preferred stock that purports to have equal rights with, or be senior in rights or preferences to, the series C convertible preferred stock), (b) alter or amend the series C convertible preferred stock certificate of designation, (c) amend our certificate of incorporation or other charter documents in any manner that adversely affects any rights of the holders of series C convertible preferred stock, (d) increase the number of authorized shares of series C convertible preferred stock or (e) enter into any agreement with respect to any of the foregoing.
Although the board has no intention at the present time of issuing additional shares of preferred stock, the rights of holders of common stock may be materially limited or qualified by the rights of the holders of series C convertible preferred stock and holders of preferred stock that we may issue in the future.
Dividend rights. Subject to preferences that may apply to any shares of preferred stock outstanding at the time, the holders 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.
No preemptive or similar rights. Our common stock is not entitled to preemptive or subscription rights, and is not subject to conversion, redemption or sinking fund provisions. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of our common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of our preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.
Right to receive liquidation distributions. Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders would be distributable ratably among the holders of our common stock and any participating preferred stock outstanding at that time, subject to prior satisfaction of all outstanding debt and liabilities and the preferential rights of and the payment of liquidation preferences, if any, on any outstanding shares of preferred stock.
Fully Paid and Nonassessable. All outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and nonassessable.
Annual Stockholder Meetings
Our Bylaws provide that annual stockholder meetings will be held at a date, place (if any) and time, as selected by the board of directors. To the extent permitted under applicable law, we may, but are not obligated to conduct meetings by remote communications.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
The provisions of Delaware law, our Charter and our Bylaws could have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another person from acquiring control of our company, or make removing incumbent officers and directors more difficult. 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 Law
We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL, or Section 203, regulating corporate takeovers. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years following the date on which the person became an interested stockholder unless:
| ● | prior to the date of the transaction, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; |
| ● | upon consummation 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 commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding, but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder, (i) shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) 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 |
| ● | at or subsequent to the date of the transaction, the business combination is approved by the board of directors of the corporation and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66.67% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder. |
Generally, a business combination includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction or series of transactions together resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. An interested stockholder is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns or, within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status, did own 15% or more of a corporation’s outstanding voting stock. We expect the existence of this provision to have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions our board of directors does not approve in advance. We also anticipate that Section 203 may also discourage attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.
Provisions Relating to our Charter and Bylaws
Our Charter and our Bylaws include a number of provisions that could deter hostile takeovers or delay or prevent changes in control of our company, including the following:
| ● | Board of Directors Vacancies. Our Charter and 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 will be permitted to be set only by a resolution adopted by a majority vote of our entire board of directors. These provisions would 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 Charter and Bylaws provide that our board of directors be 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 Charter 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 would not be able to amend our Bylaws or remove directors without holding a meeting of our stockholders called in accordance with our Bylaws. Further, our Bylaws and Charter 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 might 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 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 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 making nominations for directors at our annual meeting of stockholders if the proper procedures are not followed. We expect that these provisions might 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 DGCL provides that stockholders are not entitled to the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless a corporation’s certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our Charter does not provide for cumulative voting. |
| ● | Directors Removed Only for Cause. Our Charter 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 above expected provisions in our Charter would require approval by holders of at least two-thirds of our outstanding common stock, unless such amendment is approved by at least two-thirds of our directors, in which case the amendment may be approved by the holders of a majority of our outstanding common stock. |
| ● | Amendment of Bylaw Provisions. Any amendment of our Bylaws would require approval by a majority of the board of directors or the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of our outstanding common stock, unless such amendment is approved by at least two-thirds of the board of directors, in which case the amendment may be approved by holders of a majority 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. |
| ● | Choice of Forum. Our Charter provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for: any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty; any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to the DGCL, our Charter or our Bylaws; any action to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of our Charter or our Bylaws; or any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. The enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that a court could find these types of provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable. |
Stock Exchange Listing
Our shares of common stock are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “RSLS”.
No Sinking Fund
The shares of common stock have no sinking fund provisions.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC. The transfer agent and registrar’s address is 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219.
