Description of the Registrants Securities
Exhibit 4.2
DESCRIPTION OF THE 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 Drilling Tools International Corporation (the “Company”) 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 second amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) and our amended and restated bylaws (the “Bylaws”), copies of which are incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of which this Exhibit 4.2 is a part. We encourage you to read our certificate of incorporation, our bylaws, and the applicable provisions of Delaware law for additional information.
Authorized and Outstanding Capital Stock
Our Certificate of Incorporation authorizes the issuance of 500,000,000 shares of the Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”) and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.0001 par value. The outstanding shares of Common Stock are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. As of March 28, 2024, there were 29,768,568 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding and no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.
Voting Power
Except as otherwise required by law, our Certificate of Incorporation or as otherwise provided in any certificate of designation for any series of preferred stock, stockholders possess all voting power for the election of directors and all other matters requiring stockholder action. Except as otherwise provided in our Certificate of Incorporation or expressly required by law, stockholders are entitled to one (1) vote per share on matters to be voted on by stockholders.
Except as otherwise required by law, stockholders, as such, are not entitled to vote on any amendment that relates solely to the rights, powers, preferences (or the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof) or other terms of one or more outstanding series of preferred stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant our Certificate of Incorporation or pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”).
Dividends
Subject to applicable law and the rights and preferences of any holders of any outstanding series of preferred stock, stockholders, as such, are entitled to the payment of dividends on the Common Stock when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) in accordance with applicable law.
Liquidation, Dissolution and Winding Up
Exhibit 4.2
Subject to the rights and preferences of any holders of any shares of any outstanding series of preferred stock, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, the funds and assets of the Company that may be legally distributed to stockholders will be distributed among the holders of the then outstanding Common Stock pro rata in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock held by each holder.
Preemptive or Other Rights
Subject to the preferential rights of any other class or series of stock, all shares of Common Stock have equal dividend, distribution, liquidation and other rights, and have no preference or appraisal rights, except for any appraisal rights provided by the DGCL. Furthermore, holders of Common Stock have no preemptive rights and there are no conversion, sinking fund or redemption rights, or rights to subscribe for any of our securities. The voting, dividend, liquidation, and other rights and powers of the Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers and preferences of any series of preferred stock as may be designated by the Board and outstanding from time to time.
Election of Directors
The Board is divided into three classes, each of which generally serves for a term of three years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the election of directors, with the result that the holders of more than 50% of the shares voted for the election of directors can elect all of the directors.
Preferred Stock
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that shares of preferred stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board is authorized to fix the designations, powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of any series of preferred stock, including, without limitation, authority to fix by resolution the dividend rights, dividend rate, conversion rights, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption (including sinking fund provisions), redemption price or prices, and liquidation preferences of any such series and the number of shares constituting any such series and the designation thereof, or any of the foregoing. The Board can, without Stockholder approval, issue preferred stock with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of Common Stock and could have anti-takeover effects. The ability of the Board to issue preferred stock without Stockholder approval could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of us or the removal of existing management.
We have no preferred stock outstanding at the date hereof.
Transfer Agent
The transfer agent for the Common Stock is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (“Continental”). We have agreed to indemnify Continental in its role as transfer agent, its agents
Exhibit 4.2
and each of its stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all liabilities, including judgments, costs and reasonable counsel fees that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of the indemnified person or entity.
Certain Anti-Takeover Provisions of Delaware Law, our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
Section 203 of the DGCL
We have not opted out of Section 203 of the DGCL in our Certificate of Incorporation. This statute prevents us, under certain circumstances, from engaging in a “business combination” with:
A “business combination” includes a merger or sale of more than 10% of our assets. However, the above provisions of Section 203 do not apply if:
Under certain circumstances, declining to opt out of Section 203 of the DGCL will make it more difficult for a person who would be an “interested stockholder” to effect various business combinations with us for a three-year period. This may encourage companies interested in acquiring us to negotiate in advance with the Board because the stockholder approval requirement would be avoided if the Board approves the acquisition which results in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder. This may also have the effect of preventing changes in the Board and may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions which stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.
Classified Board of Directors
Exhibit 4.2
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that the Board is divided into three classes of directors, with the classes to be as nearly equal in number as possible, and with each director serving a three-year term. As a result, approximately one-third of the Board is elected each year. The classification of directors has the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of the Board.
Authorized but Unissued Shares
The authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock and preferred stock are available for future issuance without stockholder approval, subject to any limitations imposed by the listing standards of the Nasdaq. These additional shares may be used for a variety of corporate finance transactions, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of our authorized but unissued and unreserved shares of Common Stock and preferred stock could make it more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
Written Consent by Stockholders
Under our Certificate of Incorporation, subject to the rights of holders of preferred stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders must be effected at an annual or special meeting of stockholders and may not be taken by written consent in lieu of a meeting.
Special Meeting of Stockholders
Under our Certificate of Incorporation, subject to the terms of any series of preferred stock, special meetings of stockholders may be called only by the Board, the chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President, and may not be called by any other person or persons. Only such business shall be considered at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been stated in the notice for such meeting.
Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations
Under our Certificate of Incorporation, advance notice of Stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business proposed to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders must be given in the manner provided in our Bylaws.
Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws
Our Bylaws may be amended or repealed by the Board or by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the total voting power of all of the shares of our capital stock entitled to vote in the election of directors, voting as one class. The affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the total voting power of all the then outstanding shares of Common Stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, is required to amend certain provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation.
Board Vacancies
Exhibit 4.2
Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of preferred stock to elect directors, except as otherwise provided by law, any vacancies on the Board and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors are filled exclusively by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (other than any directors elected by the separate vote of one or more outstanding series of preferred stock), and are not filled by the stockholders. Any director appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence holds office until the expiration of the term to which such director shall have been appointed or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, or removal.
Exclusive Forum
Unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, another state court in Delaware or the federal district court for the District of Delaware) is, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, stockholder, officer or other employee of the Company to the Company or stockholders, (c) any action arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time) or (d) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, except for, as to each of (a) through (d) above, any claim as to which such court determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of such court (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of such court within 10 days following such determination), which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than such court or for which such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction.
Unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act against any person in connection with any offering of Company securities, including, without limitation and for the avoidance of doubt, any auditor, underwriter, expert, control person, or other defendant.
There is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce the exclusive forum provision of our Certificate of Incorporation. Holders of Common Stock cannot waive compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. The exclusive forum provision of our Certificate of Incorporation does not apply to actions arising under the Exchange Act.
Limitation on Liability and Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that our directors and officers will be indemnified and advanced expenses by us to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by the DGCL as it now exists or may in the future be amended. No director or officer of the Company has any personal liability to the Company or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty
Exhibit 4.2
as a director or officer, as applicable, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or hereafter may be amended.
Our Bylaws also permit us to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any officer, director, employee or agent of us for any liability arising out of his or her status as such, regardless of whether the DGCL would permit indemnification.
These provisions may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions. We believe that these provisions, the insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced directors and officers.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
Rule 144
Pursuant to Rule 144, a person who has beneficially owned restricted shares of Common Stock for at least six months would be entitled to sell such shares provided that (a) such person is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale and (b) we are subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least three months before the sale and have filed all required reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the 12 months (or such shorter period as we were required to file reports) preceding the sale.
Persons who have beneficially owned restricted shares of Common Stock for at least six months but who are our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale, would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three-month period a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of:
Sales by our affiliates under Rule 144 are also limited by manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.
Restrictions on Use of Rule 144 by Shell Companies or Former Shell Companies
Exhibit 4.2
Rule 144 is not available for the resale of securities initially issued by shell companies (other than business combination related shell companies) or issuers that have been at any time previously a shell company. However, Rule 144 also includes an important exception to this prohibition if the following conditions are met:
As a result, it is likely that pursuant to Rule 144, our insiders will be able to sell their shares of Common Stock freely without registration one year after the Closing Date assuming they are not an affiliate of ours at that time.
Listing of Securities
The Common Stock is currently listed on the Nasdaq under the symbol “DTI”.