Description of Capital Stock

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Stock Agreements
EX-4.5 2 sunrun-ex45xdescriptionofc.htm EX-4.5 Document
Exhibit 4.5
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
 
General
The following is a summary of the rights of our common stock and preferred stock and certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws. This summary does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated bylaws, amended and restated investors’ rights agreement and shareholders agreement, which are filed as exhibits to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of which this exhibit is a part, and to the applicable provisions of Delaware law.
Our authorized capital stock consists of 2,200,000,000 shares of capital stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of which:
 
  2,000,000,000 shares are designated as common stock; and
 
  200,000,000 shares are designated as preferred stock.
As of February 22, 2021, there were 202,583,673 shares of our common stock outstanding, held by 341 stockholders of record, and no shares of our preferred stock outstanding.

Common Stock

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.

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. We have not provided for cumulative voting for the election of directors in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation establishes a classified board of directors that is divided into three classes with staggered three-year terms. Only the directors in one class are subject to election by a plurality of the votes cast at each annual meeting of our stockholders, with the directors in the other classes continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year terms.
 
No Preemptive or Similar Rights
Our common stock is not entitled to preemptive rights and is not subject to conversion, redemption or sinking fund provisions.
 
Right to Receive Liquidation Distributions
If we become subject to a 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 and payment of liquidation preferences, if any, on any outstanding shares of preferred stock.
 



 
Fully Paid and Non-Assessable
All of the outstanding shares of our common stock are fully paid and non-assessable.
 
Preferred Stock
Pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the stockholders, to issue from time to time shares of preferred stock in one or more series. Our board of directors may designate the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of the preferred stock, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, redemption rights, liquidation preference, sinking fund terms, and the number of shares constituting any series or the designation of any series. The issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of restricting dividends on our common stock, diluting the voting power of our common stock, impairing the liquidation rights of our common stock, or delaying, deterring, or preventing a change in control. Such issuance could have the effect of decreasing the market price of our common stock. We currently have no plans to issue any shares of preferred stock.
 
Options
As of December 31, 2020, we had outstanding options to purchase an aggregate of 7,850,754 shares of our common stock, with a weighted-average exercise price of approximately $9.70 per share, under our equity compensation plans and the equity compensation plan we assumed in connection with one of our acquisitions.
 
Restricted Stock Units
As of December 31, 2020, we had outstanding 6,886,787 shares of our common stock issuable upon the vesting of RSUs under our equity compensation plans.
 
 
Registration Rights
Certain holders of our common stock are entitled to rights with respect to the registration of their shares under the Securities Act. These registration rights are contained in our shareholders agreement (the “Shareholders Agreement”). We and certain former securityholders of CEE are parties to the Shareholders Agreement. The registration rights set forth in the Shareholders Agreement will expire seven years following our initial public offering, or, with respect to any particular stockholder, when such stockholder is able to sell all of its shares entitled to registration rights pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act during any 90-day period. We will pay the registration expenses (other than underwriting discounts and commissions and stock transfer taxes) of the holders of the shares registered pursuant to the registrations described below.

Demand Registration Rights
The holders of at least a majority of the shares entitled to registration rights then outstanding can request that we file a registration statement to register the offer and sale of their shares. We are obligated to effect only two such registrations. Such request for registration must cover securities the anticipated aggregate public offering price of which, before payment of underwriting discounts and commissions, is at least $60,000,000 for the first request, and at least $10,000,000 for the second request. If we determine that it would be materially detrimental to us and our



stockholders to effect such a demand registration, we have the right to defer such registration, not more than once in any 12-month period, for a period of up to 90 days.

Piggyback Registration Rights
If we propose to register the offer and sale of shares of our common stock under the Securities Act, all holders of shares entitled to registration rights then outstanding can request that we include their shares in such registration, subject to certain marketing and other limitations. As a result, whenever we propose to file a registration statement under the Securities Act, other than with respect to (i) a registration on Form S-8 relating solely to employee stock option, stock purchase or other benefit plans, or (ii) a registration on Form S-4 relating solely to a transaction covered by Rule 145 promulgated under the Securities Act, the holders of these shares are entitled to notice of the registration and have the right, subject to certain limitations, to include their shares in the registration.

S-3 Registration Rights
The holders of at least a majority of the shares entitled to registration rights then outstanding can request that we register the offer and sale of their shares of our common stock on a registration statement on Form S-3 if we are eligible to file a registration statement on Form S-3 so long as the request covers securities the anticipated aggregate public offering price of which, before payment of underwriting discounts and commissions, is at least $3,000,000. These stockholders may make an unlimited number of requests for registration on a registration statement on Form S-3. However, we will not be required to effect a registration on Form S-3 if we have effected two such registrations within the 12-month period preceding the date of the request. Additionally, if we determine that it would be materially detrimental to us and our stockholders to effect such a registration, we have the right to defer such registration, not more than once in any 12-month period, for a period of up to 90 days.
 
Anti-Takeover Provisions
The provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws, which are summarized below, may have the effect of delaying or discouraging another person from acquiring control of us. These provisions are 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 of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless:
 
  the transaction was approved by the board of directors prior to the time that the stockholder became an interested stockholder;
 
  upon consummation of the transaction which 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 shares owned by directors who are also officers of the corporation and 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 time the stockholder became an interested stockholder, the business combination was 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 two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder.
In general, Section 203 defines a “business combination” to include mergers, asset sales and other transactions resulting in financial benefit to a stockholder and an “interested stockholder” as a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years did own, 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock. These provisions may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing changes in control of our company.
 
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaw Provisions
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws include a number of provisions that could delay or discourage an unsolicited takeover or a change in control or changes in our board of directors or management team, including the following:
 
Board of Directors Vacancies. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated 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 is be permitted to be set only by a resolution adopted by a majority vote of our entire board of directors. These provisions 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 and promotes continuity of management.
 
Classified Board. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws provide that our board of directors is classified into three classes of directors. 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. See the section titled “Management—Classified Board of Directors.”
 
Directors Removed Only for Cause. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that stockholders may remove directors only for cause.
 
Stockholder Action; Special Meeting of Stockholders. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation 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 is not
able to amend our amended and restated bylaws or remove directors without holding a meeting of our stockholders called in accordance with our amended and restated bylaws. Our amended and restated bylaws further 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 preventing 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 amended and restated bylaws provide advance notice procedures for stockholders seeking to bring business before our annual or special meetings of stockholders or to nominate candidates for election as directors at our annual or special meetings of stockholders. Our amended and restated 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 or special meetings of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at our annual or special meetings of stockholders if the proper procedures are not followed. We expect that these provisions may also discourage 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 Delaware General Corporation Law provides that stockholders are not entitled to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless a corporation’s certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not provide for cumulative voting.
 
Amendment of Charter Provisions. Any amendment of the above provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation would require approval by holders of at least 66 2⁄3% of our then outstanding capital stock.
 
Issuance of Undesignated Preferred Stock. Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by our stockholders, to designate and issue shares of 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 undesignated 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 bylaws provide that, unless the we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, shall in each case be a state or federal court located within the state of Delaware, in all cases subject to the court’s having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants. In addition, our bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, 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 of 1933, as amended. 
 
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, New York 11219.
 
Limitations of Liability and Indemnification
See the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Limitation of Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors” of the Annual Report on Form 10-K of which this Exhibit 4.7 is a part.
 
 
Listing
Our common stock is currently listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “RUN.”