Description of Registrants securities registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Exhibit 4.7
Anti-Takeover Provisions of Delaware Law and Charter Provisions
Interested Stockholder Transactions. We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any “business combination” with any “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, with the following exceptions:
| ● | 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 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 began, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding those shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers and 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 | |
| ● | 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, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66-2/3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder. |
Section 203 defines “business combination” to include the following:
| ● | any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder; | |
| ● | any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition involving the interested stockholder of assets with a value of 10% or more of either the total assets or all outstanding stock of the corporation; | |
| ● | 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 loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits by or through the corporation. |
In general, Section 203 defines “interested stockholder” as an entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation or any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by such entity or person.
In addition, some provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws may be deemed to have an anti-takeover effect and may delay or prevent a tender offer or takeover attempt that a stockholder might consider in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares held by stockholders.
Cumulative Voting. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation expressly denies stockholders the right to cumulative voting in the election of directors.
Classified Board of Directors. Our board of directors is divided into three classes of directors serving staggered three-year terms. As a result, approximately one-third of the board of directors is elected each year, which has the effect of requiring at least two annual stockholder meetings, instead of one, to replace a majority of the members of the board. These provisions, when coupled with the provision of our Certificate of Incorporation authorizing only the board of directors to fill vacant directorships or increase the size of the board of directors, may deter a stockholder from removing incumbent directors and simultaneously gaining control of the board of directors by filling the vacancies created by such removal with its own nominees. The certificate of incorporation also provides that directors may be removed by stockholders only for cause. Since the board of directors has the power to retain and discharge our officers, these provisions could also make it more difficult for existing stockholders or another party to effect a change in management.
Stockholder Action; Special Meeting of Stockholders. Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws do not permit stockholders to act by written consent. They provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by the chairman of our board of directors, our chief executive officer or a majority of our directors. Further, our Certificate of Incorporation provides that the stockholders may amend bylaws adopted by the board of directors or specified provisions of the certificate of incorporation by the affirmative vote of at least 66-2/3% of our capital stock.
Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals and Directors Nominations. Our Bylaws provide that stockholders seeking to bring business before an annual meeting of stockholders, or to nominate candidates for election as directors at an annual meeting of stockholders, must provide timely notice in writing. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to or mailed and received at our principal executive offices not more than 120 days or less than 90 days prior to the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders. However, in the event that the annual meeting is called for a date that is not within 30 days before or after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder in order to be timely must be received not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the date on which notice of the date of the annual meeting was mailed to stockholders or made public, whichever first occurs. Our Bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. These provisions may preclude stockholders from bringing matters before an annual meeting of stockholders or from nominating directors at an annual meeting of stockholders.
Authorized But Unissued Shares. Our authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock are available for future issuance without stockholder approval. These additional shares may be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings to raise additional capital, corporate acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of Stereotaxis by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
Amendments; Supermajority Vote Requirements. The Delaware General Corporation Law provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares entitled to vote on any matter is required to amend a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, unless either a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws require a greater percentage. Our Certificate of Incorporation imposes supermajority vote requirements of 66-2/3% of the voting power of our capital stock in connection with the amendment of certain provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, including those provisions relating to the classified board of directors, action by written consent and the ability of stockholders to call special meetings.
