Description of the Registrants Securities
Exhibit 4.4
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES REGISTERED UNDER SECTION 12 OF THE EXCHANGE ACT
The following description of the capital stock of ProMIS Neurosciences Inc. (the “Company”) is intended as a summary only and therefore is not a complete description of the Company’s capital stock. This description is based upon, and is qualified by reference to, the Articles of the Company, as amended (the “Articles”), and its Bylaws, as amended (the “Bylaws”, together with the Articles, the “Constating Documents”), which are filed as exhibits to the Annual Report on Form 10-K, of which this Exhibit 4.4 is a part.
General
The Company’s authorized share capital consists of an unlimited number of common shares, no par value (the “Common Shares”), an unlimited number of preferred shares, no par value, issuable in series (the “Preferred Shares”), and 70,000,000 Series 1 Preferred Shares (the “Series 1 Preferred Shares”).
Common Shares
Voting Rights
The holders of Common Shares shall be entitled to receive notice of all meetings of shareholders, and to attend, vote and speak at such meetings, except those meetings at which only holders of another specified class or series of shares of the Company are entitled to vote separately as a class or series. A quorum for a meeting of Shareholders shall be two shareholders, or two proxyholders representing shareholders, or any combination thereof, holding not less than thirty-three and one-third percent (331∕3%) of the issued shares entitled to be voted at the meeting. On all matters upon which holders of shares are entitled to vote, each Common Share is entitled to one vote per Common Share. Unless a different majority is required by law or the Constating Documents, resolutions to be approved by holders of shares require approval by a simple majority of the total number of votes of all shares cast at a meeting of Shareholders at which a quorum is present.
Dividend Rights
There are no restrictions in the Company’s Articles or elsewhere, which would prevent the Company from paying dividends. No dividends have been declared or paid on the Common Shares of the Company in the last five fiscal years, and it is not expected that dividends will be declared or paid in the immediate or foreseeable future. Consequently, to date there have been no distributions made by the Company. The policy of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) is to reinvest all available funds in operations. The Board will reassess this policy from time to time. Any decision to pay dividends on the Common Shares of the Company will be made by the Board based on the assessment of, among other factors, earnings, capital requirements and the operating and financial condition of the Company, subject to any rights of the holders of Preferred Shares.
Liquidation Rights
In the event of the liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company or any other distribution of the Company’s assets for the purpose of winding up the Company’s affairs, after the payment of dividends declared but unpaid, the holders of Common Shares shall be entitled pari passu to receive any remaining property of the Company.
Preemptive, Redemption and Other Rights
Holders of Common Shares do not have any preemptive, conversion, sinking fund or redemption rights. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of the Company’s Common Shares are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of the Company’s Preferred Shares that currently exist or that we may designate and issue in the future.
Preferred Shares and Series 1 Preferred Shares
The Preferred Shares of the Company may be issued in one or more series and the directors are authorized to fix the number of Preferred Shares in each series and to determine the designation, rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions attached to the Preferred Shares of each series. The special rights or restrictions which the directors may create, define or attach to any series of Preferred Shares may allow the directors to declare dividends with respect to
the Common Shares only or with respect to any series of Preferred Shares only or with respect to any combination of two or more such classes or series of classes. Where Preferred Shares or one or more series of Preferred Shares are entitled to cumulative dividends, and where cumulative dividends in respect of the Preferred Shares or a series of Preferred Shares are not paid in full, the shares of all series of Preferred Shares entitled to cumulative dividends shall participate ratably in respect of accumulated dividends in accordance with the amounts that would be payable on those shares if all the accumulated dividends were pain in full.
The Series 1 Preferred Shares are the Company’s only series of Preferred Shares outstanding and are convertible, at the option of the holder thereof, at any time and from time to time, into 1,166,667 fully paid non-assessable Common Shares. All outstanding Preferred Shares automatically convert into Common Shares at the effective conversion rate upon the closing of one or more sales of equity securities resulting in at least $30 million of gross proceeds to the Company.
Registration Rights
Certain of the Company’s holders are entitled to piggyback registration rights provided under the terms of a registration rights agreement between the Company and certain holders of the Company’s Common Shares, entered into in connection with a PIPE Offering to effect the filing of a resale Registration Statement on Form S-1. We are not required to register any securities pursuant to such registration rights agreement if such shares are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 or that are the subject of a then-effective registration statement.
Anti-Takeover effects of the Company’s Constating Documents
Provisions of the Company’s Constating Documents and the Canadian Business Corporations Act (the “CBCA”) may discourage, delay or prevent a merger or acquisition that shareholders may consider favorable, including transactions in which shareholders might otherwise receive a premium for their Common Shares, and may also frustrate or prevent any attempt by shareholders to change the direction or management. For example, these provisions:
| ● | require a 662∕3% majority of shareholder votes cast in favor of a resolution to effect various amendments to the articles; |
| ● | require that in the event of shareholders of the Company vote via written resolution, that such resolution must be signed by all shareholders of the Company entitled to vote on that resolution; |
| ● | establish advance notice requirements for nominations for election to the Board at any annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Company; and |
| ● | any transaction in which a third party seeks to acquire the Company’s voting securities or equity securities that would result in the acquiror holding greater than 20% of the securities of that class may be governed by NI 62-104 promulgated by the Canadian Securities Administrators (“CSA”), as more fully described below. |
Advance Notice Requirements
Under our advance notice provisions in our Bylaws, a shareholder wishing to nominate a director would be required to provide the Company with notice, in a prescribed form and within prescribed time periods. These time periods include, (1) in the case of an annual meeting of shareholders (including annual and special meetings), not less than 30 days prior to the date of the annual meeting of shareholders; provided that if the first public announcement of the date of the annual meeting of shareholders, which we refer to as the notice date, is less than 40 days before the meeting date, not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the notice date, and (2) in the case of a special meeting (which is not also an annual meeting) of shareholders called for any purpose which includes electing directors, not later than the close of business on the 15th day following the notice date.
Takeover Bid Provisions of Canadian Securities Law
All provinces of Canada have adopted NI 62-104 and related forms to harmonize and consolidate take-over bid and issuer bid regimes nationally. The CSA have also issued National Policy 62-203 entitled “Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids” (the “National Policy”) which contains regulatory guidance on the interpretation and application of NI 62-104 and on the conduct of parties involved in a bid. The National Policy and NI 62-104 are collectively referred to as the “Bid Regime.” The National Policy does not have the force of law, but is an indication by the CSA of what the intentions and desires of the regulators are in the areas covered by their policies.
A “take-over bid” or “bid” is an offer to acquire outstanding voting or equity securities of a class made to any person who is in one of the provinces of Canada or to any securityholder of an offeree issuer whose last address as shown on the books of a target is in such province, where the securities subject to the offer to acquire, together with the securities “beneficially owned” by the offeror, or any other person acting jointly or in concert with the offeror, constitute in the aggregate 20% or more of the outstanding securities of that class of securities at the date of the offer to acquire. For the purposes of the Bid Regime, a security is deemed to be “beneficially owned” by an offeror as of a specific date if the offeror is the beneficial owner of a security convertible into the security within 60 days following that date, or has a right or obligation permitting or requiring the offeror, whether or not on conditions, to acquire beneficial ownership of the security within 60 days by a single transaction or a series of linked transactions.
Offerors are also subject to early warning requirements, where an offeror who acquires “beneficial ownership of”, or control or direction over, voting or equity securities of any class of a reporting issuer or securities convertible into, voting or equity securities of any class of a target that, together with the offeror’s securities, would constitute 10% or more of the outstanding securities of that class must promptly publicly issue and file a news release containing certain prescribed information, and, within two business days, file an early warning report containing substantially the same information as is contained in the news release.
In addition, where an offeror is required to file an early warning report or a further report as described and the offeror acquires or disposes of beneficial ownership of, or the power to exercise control or direction over, an additional 2% or more of the outstanding securities of the class, or disposes of beneficial ownership of outstanding securities of the class below 10%, the offeror must issue an additional press release and file a new early warning report. Any change in material fact in a previously filed early warning report also triggers the issuance and filing of a new press release and early warning report. During the period commencing on the occurrence of an event in respect of which an early warning report is required and terminating on the expiry of one business day from the date that the early warning report is filed, the offeror may not acquire or offer to acquire beneficial ownership of any securities of the class in respect of which the early warning report was required to be filed or any securities convertible into securities of that class. This requirement does not apply to an offeror that has beneficial ownership of, or control or direction over, securities that comprise 20% of more of the outstanding securities of the class.
Related party transactions, issuer bids and insider bids are subject to additional regulation that may differ depending on the particular jurisdiction of Canada in which it occurs. For additional information on Shareholder Nominations and Proposals, Amendments to Constating Documents, Votes on Mergers, Consolidations and Sales of Assets, Transactions with Directors and Officers and other provisions, please see the section below entitled “Comparison of Canadian and Delaware Law.”
Comparison of Canadian Law and Delaware Law
There are significant differences between the CBCA and the Delaware General Corporate Law (the “DGCL”) which governs companies incorporated in the State of Delaware, including:
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Capital Structure | |
Under the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation must set forth the total number of shares of stock which the corporation shall have authority to issue and the par | Under the CBCA, the articles of incorporation may but are not required to set forth the maximum number of |
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value of each of such shares, or a statement that the shares are to be without par value. | shares that the corporation is authorized to issue. |
Dividends | |
The DGCL generally provides that, subject to certain restrictions, the directors of a corporation may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of its capital stock either out of the corporation’s surplus or, if there is no such surplus, out of its net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or the preceding fiscal year. Further, the holders of preferred or special stock of any class or series may be entitled to receive dividends at such rates, on such conditions and at such times as stated in the certificate of incorporation. | Under the CBCA, dividends may be declared on the common shares at the discretion of the board of directors. Any dividends declared shall be subject to the rights, if any, of shareholders holding shares with special rights as to dividends. Dividends may not be declared if there are reasonable grounds for believing that the corporation is, or would after the payment be, unable to pay its liabilities as they become due or the realizable value of the corporation’s assets would thereby be less than the aggregate of its liabilities and stated capital of all classes. |
Number and Election of Directors | |
Under the DGCL, the board of directors must consist of at least one person, and the number of directors is generally fixed by, or in the manner provided in, the by-laws of the corporation, unless the certificate of incorporation fixes the number of directors, in which case a change in the number of directors shall be made only by amendment of the certificate. The board of directors may be divided into three classes of directors, with one-third of each class subject to election by the stockholder each year after such classification becomes effective. | Under the CBCA, a distributing corporation, any of the issued securities of which remain outstanding and are held by more than one person, shall have no fewer than three directors, at least two of whom are not officers or employees of the corporation or its affiliates. The articles of incorporation will commonly set out the number of initial directors and, if applicable, the minimum and maximum number of directors of the corporation. The shareholders may amend the articles to increase or decrease the number of directors or the minimum or maximum number of directors. In the case of a distributing corporation, shareholders may elect directors to hold office for a term ending not later than the close of the next annual meeting of shareholders following the election of such directors. For a distributing corporation, a separate vote of shareholders shall be taken with respect to each candidate nominated for director. If at a meeting of shareholders of a distributing corporation at which an election is required, there is only one candidate nominated for each position available on the board, each candidate is elected only if the number of votes cast in their favour represents a majority of the votes cast for and against them by the shareholders present in person or represented by proxy, unless the articles require a great number of votes. |
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Removal of Directors | |
Under the DGCL, any or all directors may be removed with or without cause by the holders of a majority of shares entitled to vote at an election of directors unless the certificate of incorporation otherwise provides or in certain other circumstances if the corporation has cumulative voting. | Under the CBCA, the shareholders of a corporation may by ordinary resolution remove any director or directors from office. If the holders of any class or series of shares of a corporation have an exclusive right to elect one or more directors, a director so elected may only be removed by an ordinary resolution at a meeting of the shareholders of that class or series. |
Vacancies on the Board of Directors | |
Under the DGCL, vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the authorized number of directors, may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. | Under the CBCA, vacancies on the board may be filled by a quorum of directors, except a vacancy resulting from an increase in the number or the minimum or maximum number of directors or a failure to elect the number or minimum number of directors provided for in the articles. If there is not a quorum of directors or if there has been a failure to elect the number or minimum number of directors provided for in the articles, the directors then in office shall forthwith call a special meeting of shareholders to fill the vacancy and, if they fail to call a meeting or if there are no directors then in office, the meeting may be called by any shareholder. |
Qualifications of Directors | |
Under the DGCL, directors are not required to be residents of Delaware or the United States. The certificate of incorporation or by-laws may prescribe other qualifications for directors. | Under the CBCA, at least 25% of directors of a CBCA corporation must be resident Canadians and where the number of directors is less than four, at least one director must be a resident Canadian. The articles of incorporation may prescribe other qualifications for directors. |
Board of Director Quorum and Vote Requirements | |
Under the DGCL, a majority of the total number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business unless the certificate or by-laws require a greater number. The by-laws may lower the number required for a quorum to one-third the number of directors, but no less. | Under the CBCA, a majority of the number of directors or minimum number of directors required by the articles constitutes a quorum at any meeting of directors. Under the CBCA, directors may not transact business at a meeting of directors unless at least 25% of the directors present are resident Canadians or, if the corporation has less than 4 directors, at least one of the directors present is a resident Canadian, or, if a resident Canadian director who is unable to be present approves in writing, or by telephonic, electronic or other communication facility, the business transacted at the meeting, and the required number of resident Canadian directors would have been present had that |
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director been present at the meeting. | |
Transactions with Directors and Officers | |
The DGCL generally provides that no transaction between a corporation and one or more of its directors or officers, or between a corporation and any other corporation or other organization in which one or more of its directors or officers, are directors or officers, or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because the director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the board or committee which authorizes the transaction, or solely because any such director’s or officer’s votes are counted for such purpose, if (i) the material facts as to the director’s or officer’s interest and as to the transaction are known to the board of directors or the committee, and the board or committee in good faith authorizes the transaction by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum (ii) the material facts as to the director’s or officer’s interest and as to the transaction are disclosed or are known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the stockholders; or (iii) the transaction is fair as to the corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified, by the board of directors, a committee or the stockholders. | Under the CBCA, a director or an officer of a corporation shall disclose to the corporation, in writing or by requesting to have it entered in the minutes of meetings of directors or of meetings of committees of directors, the nature and extent of any interest that he or she has in a material contract or material transaction, whether made or proposed, with the corporation, if the director or officer (i) is a party to the contract or transaction; (ii) is a director or an officer, or an individual acting in a similar capacity, of a party to the contract or transaction; or (iii) has a material interest in a party to the contract or transaction. Under the CBCA, directors do not have to abstain from voting on matters related to director compensation, indemnity or insurance under the CBCA or which otherwise pertain to an affiliate. |
Limitation on Liability of Directors | |
The DGCL permits a corporation to include a provision in its certificate of incorporation eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of the director’s fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability: ● for breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders; ● for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law; ● under Section 174 of the DGCL, which concerns unlawful payment of dividends, stock purchases or redemptions; or ● for any transaction from which the director | No provision in a contract, the articles, the by-laws or a resolution may relieve a director or officer from the duty to act in accordance with the CBCA or the regulations or relieve him or her from liability for a breach thereof. |
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derived an improper personal benefit. | |
Indemnification of Directors and Officers | |
Under the DGCL, a corporation may indemnify any person who is made a party to any third-party action, suit or proceeding on account of being a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation (or was serving at the request of the corporation in such capacity for another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise) against expenses, including attorney’s fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the action, suit or proceeding through, among other things, a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the suit or proceeding, if the person: ● acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be; ● in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation; ● or, in some circumstances, at least not opposed to its best interests; and ● in a criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The DGCL permits indemnification for derivative suits against expenses (including legal fees) if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and only if the person is not found liable, unless a court determines the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to the indemnification. | Under the CBCA, a corporation may indemnify a director or officer of the corporation, a former director or officer of the corporation or another individual who acts or acted at the corporation’s request as a director or officer, or an individual acting in a similar capacity, of another entity, against all costs, charges and expenses, including an amount paid to settle an action or satisfy a judgment, reasonably incurred by the individual in respect of any civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or other proceeding in which the individual is involved because of that association with the corporation or other entity. A corporation may not indemnity an individual unless the individual: ● acted honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the corporation; and ● in the case of a criminal or administrative action or proceeding that is enforced by a monetary penalty, the individual had reasonable grounds for believing that the individual’s conduct was lawful. The CBCA permits indemnification for derivative suits with the approval of the court, or if the individual was not judged by the court or other competent authority to have committed any fault or omitted to do anything that the individual ought to have done, acted honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the corporation; and, in the case of a criminal or administrative action or proceeding that is enforced by a monetary penalty, the individual had reasonable grounds for believing that the individual’s conduct was lawful. |
Call and Notice of Stockholder Meetings | |
Under the DGCL, an annual or special stockholder meeting is held on such date, at such time and at such place as may be designated by the board of directors or any other person authorized to call such meeting under the corporation’s certificate of incorporation or by-laws. If an annual meeting for election of directors is not held on the date designated or an action by written consent to elect directors in lieu of an annual meeting has not been taken within 30 days after the date | Under the CBCA, the directors are required to call an annual meeting of shareholders not later than 18 months after the corporation comes into existence, and subsequently, not later than 15 months after holding the last preceding annual meeting (but not later than 6 months after the end of the corporation’s preceding fiscal year). The CBCA requires that a meeting of shareholders may be held anywhere in Canada as the by-laws or board of directors may determine. A meeting of shareholders may be held at a place outside Canada if the place is specified in the articles or all the |
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designated for the annual meeting, or if no date has been designated, for a period of 13 months after the later of the last annual meeting or the last action by written consent to elect directors in lieu of an annual meeting, the Delaware Court of Chancery may summarily order a meeting to be held upon the application of any stockholder or director. Special meetings of the stockholders may be called by the board of directors or by such person or persons as may be authorized by the certificate of incorporation or by the by-laws. | shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting agree that the meeting is to be held at that place. The directors may at any time call a special meeting of the shareholders. The holders of not less than five per cent of the issued and outstanding shares of a corporation that carry the right to vote at a meeting may requisition the directors to call a meeting of shareholders for the purposes stated in the requisition. |
Stockholder Action by Written Consent | |
Under the DGCL, a majority of the stockholders of a corporation may act by written consent without a meeting unless such action is prohibited by the corporation’s certificate of incorporation. | Under the CBCA, shareholders may act by written resolution signed by all the shareholders entitled to vote on that resolution at a meeting of shareholders. |
Stockholder Nominations and Proposals | |
Under the DGCL, the by-laws of a corporation may include provisions respecting the nomination of directors or proposals by stockholders, including requirements for advance notice to the corporation. | Under the CBCA, a registered holder or beneficial owner of shares that are entitled to be voted at an annual meeting of shareholders may submit to the corporation notice of any matter that the person proposes to raise at the meeting (a “proposal”); however, the by-laws of a corporation may include requirements for advance notice to the corporation. A proposal may include nominations for the election of directors if the proposal is signed by one or more holders of shares representing in the aggregate not less than five per cent of the issued and outstanding shares or five per cent of the issued and outstanding shares of a class of shares of the corporation entitled to vote at the meeting to which the proposal is to be presented, but this subsection does not preclude nominations made at a meeting of shareholders. |
Stockholder Quorum and Vote Requirements | |
Under the DGCL, quorum for a stock corporation is a majority of the shares entitled to vote at the meeting unless the certificate of incorporation or bylaws specify a different quorum, but in no event may a quorum be less than one-third of the shares entitled to vote. Unless the DGCL, certificate of incorporation or by-laws provide for a greater vote, generally the required vote under the DGCL is a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy, except for the election of directors which requires a | Unless the by-laws otherwise provide, under the CBCA the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, constitute a quorum for a meeting of shareholders. Unless the CBCA, articles of incorporation or by-laws provide for a greater vote, generally the required vote under the CBCA is a majority of the votes cast by the |
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plurality of the votes cast. | shareholders who voted in respect of that resolution. |
Amendment of Governing Instrument | |
Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation. Generally, under the DGCL, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding stock entitled to vote is required to approve a proposed amendment to the certificate of incorporation, following the adoption of the amendment by the board of directors of the corporation, provided that the certificate of incorporation may provide for a greater vote. Under the DGCL, holders of outstanding shares of a class or series are entitled to vote separately on an amendment to the certificate of incorporation if the amendment would have certain consequences, including changes that adversely affect the rights and preferences of such class or series. Amendment of By-laws. Under the DGCL, after a corporation has received any payment for any of its stock, the power to adopt, amend or repeal by-laws shall be vested in the stockholders entitled to vote; provided, however, that any corporation may, in its certificate of incorporation, provide that by-laws may be adopted, amended or repealed by the board of directors. The fact that such power has been conferred upon the board of directors shall not divest the stockholders of the power nor limit their power to adopt, amend or repeal the by-laws. | Amendment to Articles of Incorporation. Under the CBCA, either a director or a shareholder entitled to vote at an annual or special meeting of shareholders may make a proposal to amend the articles. A proposed amendment to the articles requires approval by special resolution of the shareholders. A special resolution is a resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the votes cast by the shareholders who voted in respect of the resolution or signed by all shareholders entitled to vote on that resolution. Under the CBCA, the holders of outstanding shares of a class or series are entitled to vote separately on an amendment to the articles of incorporation if the articles would have certain consequences, including increasing or decreasing the number of shares of such class, or changes that affect the rights and preferences of such class or series. Amendment to By-Laws. Under the CBCA, a shareholder entitled to vote at an annual or special meeting of shareholders may make a proposal to make, amend or repeal a by-law. Unless the articles, by-laws or a unanimous shareholder agreement otherwise provide, the directors may, by resolution, make, amend or repeal any by-laws that regulate the business or affairs of the corporation. The directors shall then submit such by-law, or amendment or repeal of such by-law, to the shareholders at the next meeting of shareholders, and the shareholders may, by ordinary resolution, confirm, reject or amend the by-law, amendment or repeal. |
Votes on Mergers, Consolidations and Sales of Assets | |
The DGCL provides that, unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or by-laws, the adoption of a merger agreement requires the approval of a majority of the outstanding stock of the corporation entitled to vote thereon. | Under the CBCA, the approval of an amalgamation agreement requires approval by special resolution. A special resolution is a resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the votes cast by the shareholders who voted in respect of the resolution or signed by all shareholders entitled to vote on that resolution. |
Dissenter’s Rights of Appraisal | |
Under the DGCL, a stockholder of a Delaware corporation generally has the right to dissent from and request payment for the stockholders shares upon a merger or consolidation in which the Delaware | Under the CBCA, a shareholder may dissent from a transaction and obtain a right of appraisal when the corporation resolves to: |
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corporation is participating, subject to specified procedural requirements, including that such dissenting stockholder does not vote in favor of the merger or consolidation. However, the DGCL does not confer appraisal rights, in certain circumstances, including if the dissenting stockholder owns shares traded on a national securities exchange and will receive publicly traded shares in the merger or consolidation. Under the DGCL, a stockholder asserting appraisal rights does not receive any payment for his or her shares until the court determines the fair value or the parties otherwise agree to a value. The costs of the proceeding may be determined by the court and assessed against the parties as the court deems equitable under the circumstances. | (a) amend its articles to add, change or remove any provisions restricting or constraining the issue, transfer or ownership of shares of that class; (b) amend its articles to add, change or remove any restriction on the business or businesses that the corporation may carry on; (c) amalgamate with another corporation (other than a short form amalgamation); (d) be continued under the laws of another jurisdiction; (e) sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all its property or assets; or (f) carry out a going-private transaction or a squeezeout transaction. Further, the holders of a class or series of shares entitled to vote as a separate class on an amendment to the articles of incorporation may dissent from such amendment, and this right to dissent applies even if there is only one class of shares. A shareholder asserting dissent rights is entitled, subject to specified procedural requirements, including objecting to the action giving rise to dissent rights and making a proper demand for payment, to be paid by the corporation the fair value of the shares in respect of which the shareholder dissents, determined as of the close of business on the day before the resolution was adopted or the order was made. Under the CBCA, if the shareholder and the corporation do not agree on the fair value for the shareholders shares, the corporation or the dissenting shareholder may apply to a court to fix a fair value for the shares. The court may in its discretion allow a reasonable rate of interest on the amount payable to each dissenting shareholder from the date the action approved by the resolution is effective until the date of payment. |
Anti-Takeover and Ownership Provisions | |
Unless an issuer opts out of the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL, Section 203 generally prohibits a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with a holder of 15% or more of the corporation’s voting stock (as defined in Section 203), referred to as an interested stockholder, for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the interested stockholder became an interested stockholder, except as otherwise provided in Section 203. For these purposes, the term “business combination” includes mergers, asset sales and other similar transactions with an interested stockholder. | The CBCA contains no restriction on adoption of a shareholder rights plan. The CBCA does not restrict related party transactions; however, in Canada, takeover bids and related party transactions are addressed in provincial securities legislation and policies. |
Inspection of Books and Records | |
Under the DGCL, any holder of record of stock or a person who is the beneficial owner of shares of such stock held either in a voting trust or by a nominee on | Under the CBCA, shareholders and creditors of a corporation and their personal representatives may examine the records of the corporation during the usual |
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behalf of such person may, upon written demand, inspect the corporation’s books and records during business hours for a proper purpose and may make copies and extracts therefrom. | business hours of the corporation, and may take extracts from those records, free of charge, and, if the corporation is a distributing corporation, any other person may do so upon payment of a reasonable fee. |
Derivative Actions | |
Under the DGCL, a stockholder may bring a derivative action on behalf of a corporation to enforce the corporation’s rights if he or she was a stockholder at the time of the transaction which is the subject of the action. Additionally, under Delaware case law, a stockholder must have owned stock in the corporation continuously until and throughout the litigation to maintain a derivative action. Delaware law also requires that, before commencing a derivative action, a stockholder must make a demand on the directors of the corporation to assert the claim, unless such demand would be futile. A stockholder also may commence a class action suit on behalf of himself or herself and other similarly situated stockholders where the requirements for maintaining a class action have been met. | Under the CBCA, a “complainant”, which includes a current or former shareholder (including a beneficial shareholder), director or officer of a corporation or its affiliates (or former director or officer of the corporation or its affiliates) and any other person who, in the discretion of the court, is an appropriate person, may make an application to court to bring an action in the name and on behalf of a corporation or any of its subsidiaries, or intervene in an action to which any such body corporate is a party, for the purpose of prosecuting, defending or discontinuing the action on behalf of the body corporate (a derivative action). No derivative action may be brought unless notice of the application has been given to the directors of the corporation or its subsidiary not less than fourteen days before bringing the application and the court is satisfied that (i) the complainant has given notice to the directors of the corporation or its subsidiary not less than fourteen days before bringing the application, or as otherwise ordered by the court, if the directors of the corporation or its subsidiary do not bring, diligently prosecute or defend or discontinue the action; (ii) the complainant is acting in good faith and (iii) it appears to be in the interests of the corporation or its subsidiary that the action be brought, prosecuted, defended or discontinued. In connection with a derivative action, the court may make any order it thinks fit, including an order requiring the corporation or its subsidiary to pay reasonable legal fees and any other costs reasonably incurred by the complainant in connection with the action. |
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for the Company’s common shares is Computershare Trust Company of Canada and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. The transfer agent and registrar’s address in the United States is 150 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021, and its telephone number is ###-###-####.
The Nasdaq Global Select Market and TSX
The Company’s Common Shares are listed on Nasdaq and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “PMN.”
