Restated Articles of Incorporation of
Dynex Capital, Inc.
I. NAME
The name of the corporation is DYNEX CAPITAL, INC. (the “Corporation”).
II. PURPOSE
The purpose for which the Corporation is formed is to transact any or all lawful business, not required to be specifically stated in these Articles, for which corporations may be incorporated under the Virginia Stock Corporation Act as amended from time to time.
III. CAPITAL STOCK
Common Stock
The number of shares of Common Stock that the Corporation shall have the authority to issue shall be 90,000,000 shares of Common Stock with the par value of $.01 each.
No holder of shares of any class of the Common Stock of the Corporation shall have any preemptive or preferential right to purchase or subscribe to (i) any shares of any class of the Corporation, whether now or hereafter authorized; (ii) any warrants, rights, or options to purchase any such shares; or (iii) any securities or obligations convertible into any such shares or into warrants, rights, or options to purchase any such shares.
As of 11:59 p.m., Richmond, Virginia time, on June 20, 2019 (the “Effective Time”), every three shares of the Corporation’s Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and held by each holder, shall automatically be combined into one validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable share of Common Stock, par value of $.01 each, without any further action by the Corporation or the holder thereof, subject to the treatment of fractional share interests as described in the next paragraph (the “Reverse Stock Split”).
No fractional shares shall be issued in connection with the Reverse Stock Split. A holder of Common Stock who would otherwise be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share of Common Stock as a result of the Reverse Stock Split shall, with respect to such fractional interest, be entitled to receive cash (without interest) from the Corporation in lieu of such fractional interest an amount equal to the product of (i) the closing price per share of the Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange (or any other exchange or system on which the Common Stock is then listed, traded or quoted) on the day of the Effective Time and (ii) the fraction of one share owned by such holder.
Each certificate that, immediately prior to the Effective Time, represented shares of the Common Stock (the “Old Certificates”) shall thereafter represent the number of shares of Common Stock into which the shares of Common Stock represented by the Old Certificates shall have been combined, subject to the elimination of fractional share interests as provided above.
Preferred Stock
The number of shares of Preferred Stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue shall be 50,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock with the par value of $0.01 each. The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more classes or series, with such distinctive designations, rights and preferences as shall be stated and expressed herein or in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of shares of a particular series, and in such resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of shares of such series, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to fix:
The annual or other periodic dividend rate for such series, the dividend payment dates, the date from which dividends on all shares of such series issued shall be cumulative, and the extent of participation rights, if any;
The redemption price or prices, if any for such series and other terms and conditions on which such series may be retired and redeemed;
The obligation, if any, of the Corporation to purchase and retire or redeem shares of such series as a sinking fund or otherwise, and the terms and conditions of any such redemption;
The option or obligation of holders of one or more series of preferred stock to participate in a dividend reinvestment program;
The designation and maximum number of shares of such series issuable;
The right to vote, if any, with holders of shares of any other class or series and any right to vote as a separate voting group, either generally or as a condition to specified corporate action;
The amount payable upon shares in event of involuntary liquidation;
The amount payable upon shares in event of voluntary liquidation;
The rights, if any, of the holders of shares of such series to convert such shares into other classes of stock of the Corporation and the terms and conditions of any such conversion; and
Such other rights as may be specified by the Board of Directors and not prohibited by law.
All shares of Preferred Stock of any one series shall be identical with each other in all respects except, if so determined by the Board of Directors, as to the dates from which dividends thereon shall be cumulative; and all shares of Preferred Stock shall be of equal rank with each other, regardless of series, and shall be identical with each other in all respects except as provided herein or in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of a particular series. In case dividends on all shares of Preferred Stock for any quarterly dividend period are not paid in full, all such shares shall participate ratably in any partial payment of dividends for such period in proportion to the full amounts of dividends for such period to which they are respectively entitled.
IIIA. SERIES A PREFERRED
Section 1. Designation and Number of Shares. This series of Preferred Stock shall be designated as 8.50% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) and eight million (8,000,000) shall be the maximum number of shares constituting this series.
Section 2. Definitions. For purposes of the Series A Preferred Stock, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
“Board of Directors” or “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any committee duly authorized by such Board of Directors to perform any of its responsibilities with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock.
“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which state or federally chartered banking institutions in New York, New York are not required to be open.
“Common Stock” shall mean the common stock, $.01 par value per share, of the Corporation or such shares of the Corporation’s capital stock into which such Common Stock shall be reclassified.
“Issue Price” shall mean the amount of $25.00.
“Person” shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, corporation or other entity and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
“Set apart for payment” shall be deemed to include, without any action other than the following, the recording by the Corporation in its accounting ledgers of any accounting or bookkeeping entry which indicates, pursuant to a declaration of dividends or other distribution by the Board of Directors, the allocation of funds to be paid on any series or class of capital stock of the Corporation; provided, however, that if any funds for any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation raking junior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends or distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation are placed in a separate account of the Corporation or delivered to a disbursing, paying or other similar agent,
then “set apart for payment” with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock shall mean placing such funds in a separate account or delivering such funds to a disbursing, paying or other similar agent.
Section 3. Maturity. The Series A Preferred Stock has no stated maturity and will not be subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption, and will remain outstanding unless (i) the Corporation decides to redeem or otherwise repurchase the Series A Preferred Stock or (ii) the Series A Preferred Stock becomes convertible and is actually converted pursuant to Section 8 hereof. The Corporation is not required to set aside funds to redeem the Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 4. Ranking. The Series A Preferred Stock will rank, with respect to rights to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, (i) senior to all classes or series of the Corporation’s Common Stock and to all other equity securities issued by the Corporation other than equity securities referred to in clauses (ii) and (iii) of this Section 4, (ii) on a parity with all equity securities issued by the Corporation with terms specifically providing that those equity securities rank on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to rights to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, and (iii) junior to all equity securities issued by the Corporation with terms specifically providing that those equity securities rank senior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to rights to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
Section 5. Dividends.
(a) The holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for that purpose, cumulative dividends payable in cash at the rate of 8.50% of the Issue Price per annum (equivalent to $2.125 per annum per share). Dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock issued in connection with the Corporation’s initial public offering of Series A Preferred Stock on August 1, 2012 (including any shares of Series A Preferred Stock which may be issued in connection with the over-allotment option related to such initial public offering) shall accrue daily and shall be cumulative from, and including, August 1, 2012 (the “Original Issue Date”) and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year (each, a “Dividend Payment Date”); provided, that if any Dividend Payment Date is not a Business Day, then the dividend which would otherwise have been payable on that Dividend Payment Date may be paid on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if paid on such Dividend Payment Date and no interest, additional dividends or other sums will accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Dividend Payment Date to such next succeeding Business Day. Any dividend payable on the Series A Preferred Stock, including dividends payable for any partial dividend period, will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months (it being understood that the dividend payable on October 15, 2012 will be for less than the full quarterly dividend period). Dividends will be payable to holders of record as they appear in the stock records of the Corporation for the Series
A Preferred Stock at the close of business on the applicable record date, which shall be the first day of the calendar month, whether or not a Business Day, in which the applicable Dividend Payment Date falls (each, a “Dividend Record Date”). The dividends payable on any Dividend Payment Date shall include dividends accumulated to, but not including, such Dividend Payment Date.
(b) No dividends on shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be authorized by the Board or paid or set apart for payment by the Corporation at any time when the terms and provisions of any agreement of the Corporation, including any agreement relating to any indebtedness of the Corporation, prohibit the authorization, payment or setting apart for payment thereof or provide that the authorization, payment or setting apart for payment thereof would constitute a breach of the agreement or a default under the agreement, or if the authorization, payment or setting apart for payment shall be restricted or prohibited by law.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock will accrue whether or not the Corporation has earnings, whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of those dividends and whether or not those dividends are declared. No interest, or sum in lieu of interest, will be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on the Series A Preferred Stock which may be in arrears, and holders of the Series A Preferred Stock will not be entitled to any dividends in excess of full cumulative dividends described in Section 5(a). Any dividend payment made on the Series A Preferred Stock shall first be credited against the earliest accumulated but unpaid dividend due with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock.
(d) Except as provided in Section 5(e), unless full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for payment for all past dividend periods, (i) no dividends (other than in shares of Common Stock or in shares of any series of preferred stock (“Preferred Stock”) that the Corporation may issue ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation) shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment upon shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock as to dividends or upon liquidation, (ii) no other distribution shall be declared or made upon shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock as to dividends or upon liquidation, and (iii) any shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock as to dividends or upon liquidation shall not be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such shares) by the Corporation (except (x) by conversion into or exchange for other capital stock of the Corporation that it may issue ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation, (y) for surrenders of shares of Common Stock to the Corporation to satisfy tax withholding or similar obligations in connection with restricted stock granted under an equity compensation or incentive plan, or (z) for redemptions made pursuant to the provisions of Article VI or Article VII of the Articles of Incorporation).
(e) When dividends are not paid in full (or a sum sufficient for such full payment is not so set apart) upon the Series A Preferred Stock and the shares of any other series of Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue ranking on a parity as to dividends with the Series A Preferred Stock, all dividends declared upon the Series A Preferred Stock and any other series of Preferred Stock ranking on a parity that the Corporation may issue as to dividends with the Series A Preferred Stock shall be declared pro rata so that the amount of dividends declared per share of Series A Preferred Stock and such other series of Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accrued dividends per share on the Series A Preferred Stock and such other series of Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue (which shall not include any accrual in respect of unpaid dividends for prior dividend periods if such Preferred Stock does not have a cumulative dividend) bear to each other. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on the Series A Preferred Stock which may be in arrears.
Section 6. Liquidation Preference.
(a) In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to be paid out of the assets the Corporation has legally available for distribution to its shareholders, subject to the preferential rights of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation it may issue ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, a liquidation preference of per share of the Issue Price, plus an amount equal to any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the date of payment, before any distribution of assets is made to holders of Common Stock or any other class or series of stock of the Corporation it may issue that ranks junior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to liquidation rights.
(b) In the event that, upon any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the available assets of the Corporation are insufficient to pay the amount of the liquidating distributions on all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the corresponding amounts payable on all shares of other classes or series of capital stock of the Corporation that it may issue ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock in the distribution of assets, then the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and all other such classes or series of capital stock shall share ratably in any such distribution of assets in proportion to the full liquidating distributions to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled.
(c) Holders of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to written notice of any such liquidation no fewer than 30 days and no more than 60 days prior to the payment date. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distributions to which they are entitled, the holders of Series A Preferred Stock will have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Corporation. The consolidation or merger of the Corporation with or into any other corporation, trust or entity or of any other entity with or into the Corporation, or the sale, lease, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of the property or business the Corporation, shall not be deemed to constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
Section 7. Redemption.
(a) The Series A Preferred Stock is not redeemable prior July 31, 2017 except as described in this Section 7 and except that, as provided in Article VI and Articles VII, respectively, (i) the Corporation may purchase or redeem shares of the Series A Preferred Stock prior to that date in order to preserve the Corporation’s qualification as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for federal income tax purposes, and (ii) the Corporation may purchase or redeem shares of the Series A Preferred Stock prior to that date in order to protect the tax status of one or more real estate mortgage conduits (“REMICs”) in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest or avoid the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation.
(b) Optional Redemption Right. On and after July 31, 2017, the Corporation may, at its option, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ written notice, redeem the Series A Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption price per share of the Issue Price, plus any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the date fixed for redemption. If the Corporation elects to redeem any shares of Series A Preferred Stock as described in this Section 7(b), it may use any available cash to pay the redemption price, and it will not be required to pay the redemption price only out of the proceeds from the issuance of other equity securities or any other specific source.
(c) Special Optional Redemption Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 7(a), upon the occurrence of a Change of Control (as defined below), the Corporation may, at its option, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ written notice, redeem the Series A Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, within 120 days after the first date on which such Change of Control occurred, for cash at a redemption price per share of the Issue Price, plus any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the date fixed for redemption. If, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date (as hereinafter defined), the Corporation has provided notice of its election to redeem some or all of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 7, the holders of Series A Preferred Stock will not have the Change of Control Conversion Right (as hereinafter defined) with respect to the shares called for redemption. If the Corporation elects to redeem any shares of Series A Preferred Stock as described in this Section 7(c), it may use any available cash to pay the redemption price, and it will not be required to pay the redemption price only out of the proceeds from the issuance of other equity securities or any other specific source.
(d) A “Change of Control” is deemed to occur when, after the Original Issue Date, the following have occurred and are continuing: (i) the acquisition by any person, including any syndicate or group deemed to be a “person” under Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions of stock of the Corporation entitling that person to exercise more than 50% of the total voting power of all stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the Corporation (except that such person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to
acquire, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition); and (ii) following the closing of any transaction referred to in clause (i), neither the Corporation nor the acquiring or surviving entity has a class of common securities (or American Depositary Receipts representing such securities) listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), the NYSE Amex Equities (the “NYSE Amex”) or the Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”), or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE Amex or Nasdaq.
(e) In the event the Corporation elects to redeem Series A Preferred Stock, the notice of redemption will be mailed by the Corporation, postage prepaid, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, to each holder of record of Series A Preferred Stock called for redemption at such holder’s address as it appears on the stock transfer records of the Corporation and shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where certificates (if any) for the Series A Preferred Stock are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; (v) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accumulate on the redemption date; (vi) whether such redemption is being made pursuant to Section 7(a), Section 7(b) or Section 7(c); (vii) if applicable, that such redemption is being made in connection with a Change of Control and, in that case, a brief description of the transaction or transactions constituting such Change of Control; and (viii) if such redemption is being made in connection with a Change of Control, that the holders of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock being so called for redemption will not be able to tender such shares of Series A Preferred Stock for conversion in connection with the Change of Control and that each share of Series A Preferred Stock tendered for conversion that is called, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date (as defined below), for redemption will be redeemed on the related date of redemption instead of converted on the Change of Control Conversion Date. If less than all of the Series A Preferred Stock held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder shall also specify the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by such holder to be redeemed. No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given.
(f) Holders of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall surrender the Series A Preferred Stock at the place designated in the notice of redemption and shall be entitled to the redemption price and any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon payable upon the redemption following the surrender.
(g) If notice of redemption of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock has been given and if the Corporation irrevocably sets aside the funds necessary for redemption in trust for the benefit of the holders of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock so called for redemption, then from and after the redemption date (unless the Corporation shall default in providing for the payment of the redemption price plus accumulated and unpaid dividends, if any), dividends will cease to accrue on those shares of Series A Preferred Stock, those shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights of the holders of those shares will
terminate, except the right to receive the redemption price plus accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon, if any, payable upon redemption.
(h) If any redemption date is not a Business Day, then the redemption price and accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon, if any, payable upon redemption may be paid on the next Business Day and no interest, additional dividends or other sums will accrue on the amount payable for the period from and after that redemption date to that next Business Day.
(i) If less than all of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock is to be redeemed, the Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall be selected pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional shares).
(j) Immediately prior to any redemption of Series A Preferred Stock, the Corporation shall pay, in cash, any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon through and including the redemption date, unless a redemption date falls after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, in which case each holder of Series A Preferred Stock at the close of business on such Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares before such Dividend Payment Date. Except as provided in this Section 7(j), the Corporation will make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on shares of the Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed.
(k) Unless full cumulative dividends on all shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof has been or contemporaneously is set apart for payment for all past dividend periods, no shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be redeemed unless all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock are simultaneously redeemed and the Corporation shall not purchase or otherwise acquire directly or indirectly any shares of Series A Preferred Stock (except by exchanging it for its capital stock ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation); provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase, redemption or acquisition by the Corporation of shares of Series A Preferred Stock (i) to preserve the Corporation’s status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, as provided by Article VI, (ii) to protect the tax status of one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest or avoid the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation, as provided by Article VII or (iii) pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 8. Conversion Rights. Shares of Series A Preferred Stock are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Corporation, except as provided in this Section 8.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, each holder of Series A Preferred Stock will have the right (unless, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, the Corporation has provided notice of its election to redeem some or all of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by such holder pursuant to Section 7, in which case such holder will have
the right only with respect to shares of Series A Preferred Stock that are not called for redemption) to convert some or all of the Series A Preferred Stock held by such holder (the “Change of Control Conversion Right”) on the Change of Control Conversion Date into a number of shares of Common Stock per share of Series A Preferred Stock (the “Common Stock Conversion Consideration”) equal to the lesser of: (i) the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the sum of the Issue Price plus the amount of any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the Change of Control Conversion Date (unless the Change of Control Conversion Date is after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date for the Series A Preferred Stock, in which case no additional amount for such accrued and unpaid dividends will be included in this sum) by (y) the Common Stock Price (as defined below) (such quotient, the “Conversion Rate”); and (ii) 4.9116 (the “Share Cap”), subject to adjustments provided in Section 8(b) below.
(b) The Share Cap is subject to pro rata adjustments for any share splits (including those effected pursuant to a distribution of Common Stock to existing holders of Common Stock), subdivisions or combinations (in each case, a “Share Split”) with respect to Common Stock as follows: the adjusted Share Cap as the result of a Share Split will be the number of shares of Common Stock that is equivalent to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the Share Cap in effect immediately prior to such Share Split by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such Share Split and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such Share Split. For the avoidance of doubt, subject to the immediately succeeding sentence, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock (or equivalent Alternative Conversion Consideration (as defined below), as applicable) issuable or deliverable, as applicable, in connection with the exercise of the Change of Control Conversion Right will not exceed 39,292,800 shares of Common Stock (or equivalent Alternative Consideration, as applicable) (the “Exchange Cap”). The Exchange Cap is subject to pro rata adjustments for any Share Splits on the same basis as the corresponding adjustment to the Share Cap.
(c) The “Change of Control Conversion Date” is the date the Series A Preferred Stock is to be converted, which will be a Business Day selected by the Corporation that is no fewer than 20 days nor more than 35 days after the date on which it provides the notice described in Section 8(h) to the holders of Series A Preferred Stock.
(d) The “Common Stock Price” is (i) if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of Common Stock is solely cash, the amount of cash consideration per share of Common Stock or (ii) if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by holders of Common Stock is other than solely cash (x) the average of the closing sale prices per share of Common Stock (or, if no closing sale price is reported, the average of the closing bid and ask prices per share or, if more than one in either case, the average of the average closing bid and the average closing ask prices per share) for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the date on which such Change of Control occurred as reported on the principal U.S. securities exchange on which Common Stock is then traded, or (y) the average of the last quoted bid prices for Common Stock in the over-the-
counter market as reported by Pink OTC Markets Inc. or similar organization for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the date on which such Change of Control occurred, if Common Stock is not then listed for trading on a U.S. securities exchange.
(e) In the case of a Change of Control pursuant to which Common Stock is or will be converted into cash, securities or other property or assets (including any combination thereof) (the “Alternative Form Consideration”), a holder of Series A Preferred Stock will receive upon conversion of such Series A Preferred Stock the kind and amount of Alternative Form Consideration which such holder would have owned or been entitled to receive upon the Change of Control had such holder held a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Common Stock Conversion Consideration immediately prior to the effective time of the Change of Control (the “Alternative Conversion Consideration”; the Common Stock Conversion Consideration or the Alternative Conversion Consideration, whichever shall be applicable to a Change of Control, is referred to as the “Conversion Consideration”).
(f) If the holders of Common Stock have the opportunity to elect the form of consideration to be received in the Change of Control, the Conversion Consideration in respect of such Change of Control will be deemed to be the kind and amount of consideration actually received by holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock that made or voted for such an election (if electing between two types of consideration) or holders of a plurality of the outstanding shares of Common Stock that made or voted for such an election (if electing between more than two types of consideration), as the case may be, and will be subject to any limitations to which all holders of Common Stock are subject, including, without limitation, pro rata reductions applicable to any portion of the consideration payable in such Change of Control.
(g) No fractional shares of Common Stock upon the conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock in connection with a Change of Control will be issued. Instead, the Corporation will make a cash payment equal to the value of such fractional shares based upon the Common Stock Price used in determining the Common Stock Conversion Consideration for such Change of Control.
(h) Within 15 days following the occurrence of a Change of Control, provided that the Corporation has not then exercised its right to redeem all shares of Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 7, the Corporation will provide to holders of Series A Preferred Stock a notice of occurrence of the Change of Control that describes the resulting Change of Control Conversion Right, which notice shall be delivered to the holders of record of the shares of the Series A Preferred Stock in their addresses as they appear on the stock transfer records of the Corporation and shall state: (i) the events constituting the Change of Control; (ii) the date of the Change of Control; (iii) the last date on which the holders of Series A Preferred Stock may exercise their Change of Control Conversion Right; (iv) the method and period for calculating the Common Stock Price; (v) the Change of Control Conversion Date; (vi) that if, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, the Corporation has provided notice of its election to redeem all or any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, holders will not be able to convert the shares of Series A Preferred Stock called for redemption and such shares will be redeemed on the
related redemption date, even if such shares have already been tendered for conversion pursuant to the Change of Control Conversion Right; (vii) if applicable, the type and amount of Alternative Conversion Consideration entitled to be received per share of Series A Preferred Stock; (viii) the name and address of the paying agent, transfer agent and conversion agent for the Series A Preferred Stock; (ix) the procedures that the holders of Series A Preferred Stock must follow to exercise the Change of Control Conversion Right (including procedures for surrendering shares for conversion through the facilities of a Depositary (as defined below)), including the form of conversion notice to be delivered by such holders as described below; and (x) the last date on which holders of Series A Preferred Stock may withdraw shares surrendered for conversion and the procedures that such holders must follow to effect such a withdrawal.
(i) The Corporation shall also issue a press release containing such notice provided for in Section 8(h) for publication on Dow Jones & Company, Inc., Business Wire, PR Newswire or Bloomberg Business News (or, if these organizations are not in existence at the time of issuance of the press release, such other news or press organization as is reasonably calculated to broadly disseminate the relevant information to the public), and post a notice on its website, in any event prior to the opening of business on the first Business Day following any date on which it provides the notice provided for in Section 8(h) to the holders of Series A Preferred Stock.
(j) To exercise the Change of Control Conversion Right, the holders of Series A Preferred Stock will be required to deliver, on or before the close of business on the Change of Control Conversion Date, the certificates (if any) representing the shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be converted, duly endorsed for transfer (or, in the case of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock held in book-entry form through a Depositary (as defined below), to deliver, on or before the close of business on the Change of Control Conversion Date, the shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be converted through the facilities of such Depositary), together with a written conversion notice in the form provided by the Corporation, duly completed, to its transfer agent. The conversion notice must state: (i) the relevant Change of Control Conversion Date; (ii) the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be converted; and (iii) that the Series A Preferred Stock is to be converted pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Series A Preferred Stock.
(k) Holders of Series A Preferred Stock may withdraw any notice of exercise of a Change of Control Conversion Right (in whole or in part) by a written notice of withdrawal delivered to the transfer agent of the Corporation prior to the close of business on the Business Day prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date. The notice of withdrawal delivered by any holder must state: (i) the number of withdrawn shares of Series A Preferred Stock; (ii) if certificated Series A Preferred Stock has been surrendered for conversion, the certificate numbers of the withdrawn shares of Series A Preferred Stock; and (iii) the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, if any, which remain subject to the holder’s conversion notice.
(l) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Sections 8(j) and 8(k), if any shares of Series A Preferred Stock are held in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or a similar depositary (each, a “Depositary”), the
conversion notice and/or the notice of withdrawal, as applicable, must comply with applicable procedures, if any, of the applicable Depositary.
(m) Series A Preferred Stock as to which the Change of Control Conversion Right has been properly exercised and for which the conversion notice has not been properly withdrawn will be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration in accordance with the Change of Control Conversion Right on the Change of Control Conversion Date, unless prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date the Corporation has provided notice of its election to redeem some or all of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 7, in which case only the shares of Series A Preferred Stock properly surrendered for conversion and not properly withdrawn that are not called for redemption will be converted as aforesaid. If the Corporation elects to redeem shares of Series A Preferred Stock that would otherwise be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration on a Change of Control Conversion Date, such shares of Series A Preferred Stock will not be so converted and the holders of such shares will be entitled to receive on the applicable redemption date the redemption price as provided in Section 7.
(n) The Corporation shall deliver all securities, cash and any other property owing upon conversion no later than the third Business Day following the Change of Control Conversion Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the persons entitled to receive any shares of Common Stock or other securities delivered on conversion will be deemed to have become the holders of record thereof as of the Change of Control Conversion Date.
(o) In connection with the exercise of any Change of Control Conversion Right, the Corporation shall comply with all federal and state securities laws and stock exchange rules in connection with any conversion of Series A Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock or other property. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Series A Preferred Stock, no holder of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to convert such Series A Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock to the extent that (i) receipt of such Common Stock would cause such holder (or any other person) to exceed the share ownership Limit contained in Article VI of the Articles of Incorporation, unless the Board of Directors provides an exemption, or (ii) receipt of such Common Stock would endanger the tax status of one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest or would cause the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation as provided in Article VII of the Articles of Incorporation.
(p) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein and except as otherwise required by law, the persons who are the holders of record of shares of Series A Preferred Stock at the close of business on a Dividend Record Date will be entitled to receive the dividend payable on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the conversion of those shares after such Dividend Record Date and on or prior to such Dividend Payment Date and, in such case, the full amount of such dividend shall be paid on such Dividend Payment Date to the persons who were the holders of record at the close of business on such Dividend Record Date. Except as provided in this Section 8(p), the Corporation will make no allowance for unpaid dividends that are not in arrears on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be converted.
Section 9. Series A Preferred Stock Reacquired. All shares of Series A Preferred Stock which shall have been issued and reacquired in any manner by the Corporation shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock, without designation as to class or series, and may thereafter be reissued as any class or series of Preferred Stock. The Corporation may also retire any unissued shares of Series A Preferred Stock, and such shares shall then be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock, without designation as to class or series, and may thereafter be reissued as any class or series of Preferred Stock.
Section 10. Voting Rights.
(a) Holders of the Series A Preferred Stock will not have any voting rights, except as set forth in this Section 10 or as otherwise required by law. On each matter on which holders of Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to vote, each share of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to one vote, except that when shares of any other class or series of the Preferred Stock have the right to vote with the Series A Preferred Stock as a single voting group on any matter, the Series A Preferred Stock and the shares of each such other class or series will have one vote for each $25.00 of liquidation preference (excluding accumulated dividends).
(b) Whenever dividends on any shares of Series A Preferred Stock are in arrears for six or more quarterly dividend periods, whether or not consecutive, the number of directors constituting the Board will be automatically increased by two (if not already increased by two by reason of the election of directors by the holders of any other class or series of Preferred Stock the Corporation may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable and with which the Series A Preferred Stock is entitled to vote as a voting group with respect to the election of those two directors) and the holders of Series A Preferred Stock (voting separately as a voting group with all other classes or series of Preferred Stock the Corporation may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable and which are entitled to vote as a voting group with the Series A Preferred Stock in the election of those two directors) will be entitled to vote for the election of those two additional directors at a special meeting called by the Corporation at the request of the holders of record of at least 25% of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock or by the holders of any other class or series of Preferred Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable and which are entitled to vote as a voting group with the Series A Preferred Stock in the election of those two directors (unless the request is received less than 90 days before the date fixed for the next annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation, in which case, such vote will be held at the earlier of the next annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation), and at each subsequent annual meeting until all dividends accumulated on the Series A Preferred Stock for all past dividend periods and the then current dividend period shall have been fully paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside for payment. In that case, the right of holders of the Series A Preferred Stock to elect any directors will cease and, unless there are other classes or series of Preferred Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable, any directors elected by holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall immediately resign and the number of directors constituting the Board shall be reduced accordingly. For the avoidance of doubt, in no event shall the total number of
directors elected by holders of the Series A Preferred Stock (voting separately as a voting group with all other classes or series of Preferred Stock the Corporation may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable and which are entitled to vote as a voting group with the Series A Preferred Stock in the election of such directors) pursuant to the voting rights under this Section 10 exceed two.
(c) If a special meeting at a place within the United States designated by the Corporation is not called by the Corporation within 30 days after request from the holders of Series A Preferred Stock as described in Section 10(b), then the holders of record of at least 25% of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock may designate a holder to call the meeting at the expense of the Corporation and such meeting may be called by the holder so designated upon notice similar to that required for annual meetings of shareholders and shall be held at the place within the United States designated by the holder calling such meeting. The Corporation shall pay all costs and expenses of calling and holding any meeting and of electing directors pursuant to Section 10(b), including, without limitation, the cost of preparing, reproducing and mailing the notice of such meeting, the cost of renting a room for such meeting to be held, and the cost of collecting and tabulating votes.
(d) If, at any time when the voting rights conferred upon the Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 10(b) are exercisable, any vacancy in the office of a director elected pursuant to Section 10(b) shall occur, then such vacancy may be filled only by the remaining such director or by vote of the holders of record of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock and any other classes or series of Preferred Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable and which are entitled to vote as a voting group with the Series A Preferred Stock in the election of directors pursuant to Section 10(b). Any director elected or appointed pursuant to Section 10(b) may be removed only by the affirmative vote of holders of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock and any other classes or series of Preferred Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable and which classes or series of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote as a voting group with the Series A Preferred Stock in the election of directors pursuant to Section 10(b), such removal to be effected by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock and any such other classes or series of Preferred Stock, and may not be removed by the holders of the Common Stock.
(e) So long as any shares of Series A Preferred Stock remain outstanding, the Corporation will not, without the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the shares of the Series A Preferred Stock outstanding at the time, given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting (voting together as a voting group with all series of parity Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable), (i) authorize or create, or increase the authorized or issued amount of, any class or series of capital stock ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up or reclassify any of the authorized capital stock of the Corporation into such shares, or create, authorize or issue any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase any such shares; or (ii) amend, alter or repeal the provisions of the Articles of
Incorporation, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, so as to materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series A Preferred Stock (each, an “Event”); provided, however, with respect to the occurrence of any Event set forth in clause (ii), so long as the Series A Preferred Stock remains outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged, taking into account that, upon an occurrence of an Event, the Corporation may not be the surviving entity, the occurrence of any such Event shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting power of holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and, provided further, that any increase in the amount of the authorized Common Stock or Preferred Stock, including the Series A Preferred Stock, or the creation or issuance of any additional shares of Common Stock or Series A Preferred Stock or other series of Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue, or any increase in the amount of authorized shares of such series, in each case ranking on a parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers.
(f) Notwithstanding Section 10(e)(ii) above, if any amendment, alteration or repeal of the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, would materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series A Preferred Stock but not all series of parity Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable, the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the shares of the Series A Preferred Stock and all such other similarly affected series, at the time outstanding (voting together as a single voting group), given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting called for the purpose, shall be required in lieu of the vote or consent that would otherwise be required by Section 10(e)(ii).
(g) The voting rights provided for in this Section 10 will not apply if, at or prior to the time when the act with respect to which voting by holders of the Series A Preferred Stock would otherwise be required pursuant to this Section 10 shall be effected, all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have been redeemed or called for redemption upon proper notice and sufficient funds shall have been deposited in trust to effect such redemption pursuant to Section 7.
(h) Except as expressly stated in this Section 10 or as may be required by applicable law, the Series A Preferred Stock will not have any relative, participating, optional or other special voting rights or powers and the consent of the holders thereof shall not be required for the taking of any corporate action.
(i) Subject to applicable law, at any time when the voting rights conferred upon the Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 10 are exercisable, the presence in person or by proxy of one-third of the shares of the Series A Preferred Stock outstanding and entitled to vote on such matter shall constitute a quorum of the Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 11. Information Rights. During any period in which the Corporation is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and any shares of Series A Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Corporation will use its best efforts to (i) transmit by mail (or other permissible means under the Exchange Act) to all holders of Series A Preferred Stock, as their names and addresses appear on the record books of the Corporation and without cost to such holders, copies of the annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, respectively, that the Corporation would have been required to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act if it were subject thereto (other than any exhibits that would have been required); and (ii) promptly, upon request, supply copies of such reports to any holders or prospective holder of Series A Preferred Stock. The Corporation will use its best efforts to mail (or otherwise provide) the information to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock within 15 days after the respective dates by which a periodic report on Form 10-K or Form 10-Q, as the case may be, in respect of such information would have been required to be filed with the SEC, if the Corporation were subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, in each case, based on the dates on which the Corporation would be required to file such periodic reports if it were a “non-accelerated filer” within the meaning of the Exchange Act.
Section 12. Record Holders. The Corporation and the transfer agent for the Series A Preferred Stock may deem and treat the record holder of any share of Series A Preferred Stock as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes.
Section 13. No Preemptive Rights. No holders of the Series A Preferred Stock will, as holders of Series A Preferred Stock, have any preemptive rights to purchase or subscribe for Common Stock or any other security of the Corporation.
Section 14. Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer. For the avoidance of doubt, in order to protect the Corporation’s status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, and protect the tax status of one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest or avoid the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation, the Series A Preferred Stock shall be subject to the provisions of Article VI and Article VII, respectively, of the Articles of Incorporation.
Section 15. Office or Agency. For so long as any shares of Series A Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Corporation shall at all times maintain an office or agency in one of the 48 contiguous States of the United States of America where shares of Series A Preferred Stock may be surrendered for payment (including upon redemption), registration of transfer or exchange.
IIIB. SERIES B PREFERRED
Section 1. Designation and Number of Shares. This series of Preferred Stock shall be designated as 7.625% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock”) and seven million (7,000,000) shall be the maximum number of shares constituting this series.
Section 2. Definitions. For purposes of the Series B Preferred Stock, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
“Board of Directors” or “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any committee duly authorized by such Board of Directors to perform any of its responsibilities with respect to the Series B Preferred Stock.
“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which state or federally chartered banking institutions in New York, New York are not required to be open.
“Common Stock” shall mean the common stock, $.01 par value per share, of the Corporation or such shares of the Corporation’s capital stock into which such Common Stock shall be reclassified.
“Person” shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, corporation or other entity and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
“Set apart for payment” shall be deemed to include, without any action other than the following, the recording by the Corporation in its accounting ledgers of any accounting or bookkeeping entry which indicates, pursuant to a declaration of dividends or other distribution by the Board of Directors, the allocation of funds to be paid on any series or class of capital stock of the Corporation; provided, however, that if any funds for any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation raking junior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends or distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation are placed in a separate account of the Corporation or delivered to a disbursing, paying or other similar agent, then “set apart for payment” with respect to the Series B Preferred Stock shall mean placing such funds in a separate account or delivering such funds to a disbursing, paying or other similar agent.
Section 3. Maturity. The Series B Preferred Stock has no stated maturity and will not be subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption, and will remain outstanding unless (i) the Corporation decides to redeem or otherwise repurchase the Series B Preferred Stock or (ii) the Series B Preferred Stock becomes convertible and is actually converted pursuant to Section 8 hereof. The Corporation is not required to set aside funds to redeem the Series B Preferred Stock.
Section 4. Ranking. The Series B Preferred Stock will rank, with respect to rights to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, (i) senior to all classes or series of the Corporation’s Common Stock and to all other equity securities issued by the Corporation other than equity securities referred to in clauses (ii) and (iii) of this Section 4, (ii) on a parity with the Corporation’s 8.50% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) and all equity securities issued by the Corporation with terms specifically providing that those equity securities rank on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock with respect to rights to the payment of
dividends and the distribution of assets upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, and (iii) junior to all equity securities issued by the Corporation with terms specifically providing that those equity securities rank senior to the Series B Preferred Stock with respect to rights to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
Section 5. Dividends.
(a) The holders of Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for that purpose, cumulative dividends payable in cash at the rate of 7.625% of the $25.00 per share liquidation preference per annum (equivalent to $1.90625 per annum per share). Dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock issued in connection with the Corporation’s initial public offering of Series B Preferred Stock on April 19, 2013 (including any shares of Series B Preferred Stock which may be issued in connection with the over-allotment option related to such initial public offering) shall accrue daily and shall be cumulative from, and including, April 19, 2013 (the “Original Issue Date”) and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year (each, a “Dividend Payment Date”); provided, that if any Dividend Payment Date is not a Business Day, then the dividend which would otherwise have been payable on that Dividend Payment Date may be paid on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if paid on such Dividend Payment Date and no interest, additional dividends or other sums will accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Dividend Payment Date to such next succeeding Business Day. Any dividend payable on the Series B Preferred Stock, including dividends payable for any partial dividend period, will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months (it being understood that the dividend payable on July 15, 2013 will be for less than the full quarterly dividend period). Dividends will be payable to holders of record as they appear in the stock records of the Corporation for the Series B Preferred Stock at the close of business on the applicable record date, which shall be the first day of the calendar month, whether or not a Business Day, in which the applicable Dividend Payment Date falls (each, a “Dividend Record Date”). The dividends payable on any Dividend Payment Date shall include dividends accumulated to, but not including, such Dividend Payment Date.
(b) No dividends on shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be authorized by the Board or paid or set apart for payment by the Corporation at any time when the terms and provisions of any agreement of the Corporation, including any agreement relating to any indebtedness of the Corporation, prohibit the authorization, payment or setting apart for payment thereof or provide that the authorization, payment or setting apart for payment thereof would constitute a breach of the agreement or a default under the agreement, or if the authorization, payment or setting apart for payment shall be restricted or prohibited by law.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock will accrue whether or not the Corporation has earnings, whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of those dividends and whether or not those dividends are declared. No interest, or sum in lieu of interest, will be payable in respect of any
dividend payment or payments on the Series B Preferred Stock which may be in arrears, and holders of the Series B Preferred Stock will not be entitled to any dividends in excess of full cumulative dividends described in Section 5(a). Any dividend payment made on the Series B Preferred Stock shall first be credited against the earliest accumulated but unpaid dividend due with respect to the Series B Preferred Stock.
(d) Except as provided in Section 5(e), unless full cumulative dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for payment for all past dividend periods, (i) no dividends (other than in shares of Common Stock or in shares of any series of preferred stock (“Preferred Stock”) that the Corporation may issue ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation) shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment upon shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock (including, while outstanding, the Series A Preferred Stock) as to dividends or upon liquidation, (ii) no other distribution shall be declared or made upon shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock (including, while outstanding, the Series A Preferred Stock) as to dividends or upon liquidation, and (iii) any shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock (including, while outstanding, the Series A Preferred Stock) as to dividends or upon liquidation shall not be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such shares) by the Corporation (except (x) by conversion into or exchange for other capital stock of the Corporation that it may issue ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation, (y) for surrenders of shares of Common Stock to the Corporation to satisfy tax withholding or similar obligations in connection with restricted stock granted under an equity compensation or incentive plan, or (z) for redemptions made pursuant to the provisions of Article VI or Article VII of the Articles of Incorporation).
(e) When dividends are not paid in full (or a sum sufficient for such full payment is not so set apart) upon the Series B Preferred Stock, the Series A Preferred Stock (while outstanding) and the shares of any other series of Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue ranking on a parity as to dividends with the Series B Preferred Stock, all dividends declared upon the Series B Preferred Stock and any other series of Preferred Stock ranking on a parity that the Corporation may issue as to dividends with the Series B Preferred Stock shall be declared pro rata so that the amount of dividends declared per share of Series B Preferred Stock and such other series of Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accrued dividends per share on the Series B Preferred Stock and such other series of Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue (which shall not include any accrual in respect of unpaid dividends for prior dividend periods if such Preferred Stock does not have a cumulative dividend) bear to each other. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on the Series B Preferred Stock which may be in arrears.
Section 6. Liquidation Preference.
(a) In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock will be entitled to be paid out of the assets the Corporation has legally available for distribution to its shareholders, subject to the preferential rights of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation it may issue ranking senior to the Series B Preferred Stock with respect to the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, a liquidation preference per share of $25.00, plus an amount equal to any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the date of payment, before any distribution of assets is made to holders of Common Stock or any other class or series of stock of the Corporation it may issue that ranks junior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to liquidation rights.
(b) In the event that, upon any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the available assets of the Corporation are insufficient to pay the amount of the liquidating distributions on all outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock, the Series A Preferred Stock (while outstanding) and the corresponding amounts payable on all shares of other classes or series of capital stock of the Corporation that it may issue ranking on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock in the distribution of assets, then the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock, the Series A Preferred Stock (while outstanding) and all other such classes or series of capital stock shall share ratably in any such distribution of assets in proportion to the full liquidating distributions to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled.
(c) Holders of Series B Preferred Stock will be entitled to written notice of any such liquidation no fewer than 30 days and no more than 60 days prior to the payment date. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distributions to which they are entitled, the holders of Series B Preferred Stock will have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Corporation. The consolidation or merger of the Corporation with or into any other corporation, trust or entity or of any other entity with or into the Corporation, or the sale, lease, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of the property or business the Corporation, shall not be deemed to constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
Section 7. Redemption.
(a) The Series B Preferred Stock is not redeemable prior to April 30, 2018 except as described in this Section 7 and except that, as provided in Article VI and Article VII, respectively, (i) the Corporation may purchase or redeem shares of the Series B Preferred Stock prior to that date in order to preserve the Corporation’s qualification as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for federal income tax purposes, and (ii) the Corporation may purchase or redeem shares of the Series B Preferred Stock prior to that date in order to protect the tax status of one or more real estate mortgage conduits (“REMICs”) in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest or avoid the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation.
(b) Optional Redemption Right. On and after April 30, 2018, the Corporation may, at its option, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ written notice, redeem the Series B Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption price per share of $25.00, plus any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the date fixed for redemption. If the Corporation elects to redeem any shares of Series B Preferred Stock as described in this Section 7(b), it may use any available cash to pay the redemption price, and it will not be required to pay the redemption price only out of the proceeds from the issuance of other equity securities or any other specific source.
(c) Special Optional Redemption Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 7(a), upon the occurrence of a Change of Control (as defined below), the Corporation may, at its option, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ written notice, redeem the Series B Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, within 120 days after the first date on which such Change of Control occurred, for cash at a redemption price per share of $25.00, plus any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the date fixed for redemption. If, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date (as hereinafter defined), the Corporation has provided notice of its election to redeem some or all of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 7, the holders of Series B Preferred Stock will not have the Change of Control Conversion Right (as hereinafter defined) with respect to the shares called for redemption. If the Corporation elects to redeem any shares of Series B Preferred Stock as described in this Section 7(c), it may use any available cash to pay the redemption price, and it will not be required to pay the redemption price only out of the proceeds from the issuance of other equity securities or any other specific source.
(d) A “Change of Control” is deemed to occur when, after the Original Issue Date, the following have occurred and are continuing: (i) the acquisition by any person, including any syndicate or group deemed to be a “person” under Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions of stock of the Corporation entitling that person to exercise more than 50% of the total voting power of all stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the Corporation (except that such person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition); and (ii) following the closing of any transaction referred to in clause (i), neither the Corporation nor the acquiring or surviving entity has a class of common securities (or American Depositary Receipts representing such securities) listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), the NYSE Amex Equities (the “NYSE Amex”) or the Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”), or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE Amex or Nasdaq.
(e) In the event the Corporation elects to redeem Series B Preferred Stock, the notice of redemption will be mailed by the Corporation, postage prepaid, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, to each holder of record of Series B Preferred Stock called for redemption at such holder’s address as it appears on the stock transfer records of
the Corporation and shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where certificates (if any) for the Series B Preferred Stock are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; (v) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accumulate on the redemption date; (vi) whether such redemption is being made pursuant to Section 7(a), Section 7(b) or Section 7(c); (vii) if applicable, that such redemption is being made in connection with a Change of Control and, in that case, a brief description of the transaction or transactions constituting such Change of Control; and (viii) if such redemption is being made in connection with a Change of Control, that the holders of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock being so called for redemption will not be able to tender such shares of Series B Preferred Stock for conversion in connection with the Change of Control and that each share of Series B Preferred Stock tendered for conversion that is called, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date (as defined below), for redemption will be redeemed on the related date of redemption instead of converted on the Change of Control Conversion Date. If less than all of the Series B Preferred Stock held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder shall also specify the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock held by such holder to be redeemed. No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any shares of Series B Preferred Stock except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given.
(f) Holders of Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall surrender the Series B Preferred Stock at the place designated in the notice of redemption and shall be entitled to the redemption price and any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon payable upon the redemption following the surrender.
(g) If notice of redemption of any shares of Series B Preferred Stock has been given and if the Corporation irrevocably sets aside the funds necessary for redemption in trust for the benefit of the holders of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock so called for redemption, then from and after the redemption date (unless the Corporation shall default in providing for the payment of the redemption price plus accumulated and unpaid dividends, if any), dividends will cease to accrue on those shares of Series B Preferred Stock, those shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights of the holders of those shares will terminate, except the right to receive the redemption price plus accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon, if any, payable upon redemption.
(h) If any redemption date is not a Business Day, then the redemption price and accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon, if any, payable upon redemption may be paid on the next Business Day and no interest, additional dividends or other sums will accrue on the amount payable for the period from and after that redemption date to that next Business Day.
(i) If less than all of the outstanding Series B Preferred Stock is to be redeemed, the Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall be selected pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional shares).
(j) Immediately prior to any redemption of Series B Preferred Stock, the Corporation shall pay, in cash, any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon through and including the redemption date, unless a redemption date falls after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, in which case each holder of Series B Preferred Stock at the close of business on such Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares before such Dividend Payment Date. Except as provided in this Section 7(j), the Corporation will make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on shares of the Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed.
(k) Unless full cumulative dividends on all shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof has been or contemporaneously is set apart for payment for all past dividend periods, no shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be redeemed unless all outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock are simultaneously redeemed and the Corporation shall not purchase or otherwise acquire directly or indirectly any shares of Series B Preferred Stock (except by exchanging it for its capital stock ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation); provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase, redemption or acquisition by the Corporation of shares of Series B Preferred Stock (i) to preserve the Corporation’s status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, as provided by Article VI, (ii) to protect the tax status of one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest or avoid the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation, as provided by Article VII or (iii) pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock.
Section 8. Conversion Rights. Shares of Series B Preferred Stock are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Corporation, except as provided in this Section 8.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, each holder of Series B Preferred Stock will have the right (unless, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, the Corporation has provided notice of its election to redeem some or all of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock held by such holder pursuant to Section 7, in which case such holder will have the right only with respect to shares of Series B Preferred Stock that are not called for redemption) to convert some or all of the Series B Preferred Stock held by such holder (the “Change of Control Conversion Right”) on the Change of Control Conversion Date into a number of shares of Common Stock per share of Series B Preferred Stock (the “Common Stock Conversion Consideration”) equal to the lesser of: (i) the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the sum of the $25.00 liquidation preference per share of the Series B Preferred Stock plus the amount of any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the Change of Control Conversion Date (unless the Change of Control Conversion Date is after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date for the Series B Preferred Stock, in which case no additional amount for such accrued and unpaid dividends will be included in this sum) by (y) the Common Stock Price (as defined below) (such quotient, the
“Conversion Rate”); and (ii) 4.7574 (the “Share Cap”), subject to adjustments provided in Section 8(b) below.
(b) The Share Cap is subject to pro rata adjustments for any share splits (including those effected pursuant to a distribution of Common Stock to existing holders of Common Stock), subdivisions or combinations (in each case, a “Share Split”) with respect to Common Stock as follows: the adjusted Share Cap as the result of a Share Split will be the number of shares of Common Stock that is equivalent to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the Share Cap in effect immediately prior to such Share Split by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such Share Split and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such Share Split. For the avoidance of doubt, subject to the immediately succeeding sentence, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock (or equivalent Alternative Conversion Consideration (as defined below), as applicable) issuable or deliverable, as applicable, in connection with the exercise of the Change of Control Conversion Right will not exceed 33,301,800 shares of Common Stock (or equivalent Alternative Consideration, as applicable) (the “Exchange Cap”). The Exchange Cap is subject to pro rata adjustments for any Share Splits on the same basis as the corresponding adjustment to the Share Cap.
(c) The “Change of Control Conversion Date” is the date the Series B Preferred Stock is to be converted, which will be a Business Day selected by the Corporation that is no fewer than 20 days nor more than 35 days after the date on which it provides the notice described in Section 8(h) to the holders of Series B Preferred Stock.
(d) The “Common Stock Price” is (i) if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of Common Stock is solely cash, the amount of cash consideration per share of Common Stock or (ii) if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by holders of Common Stock is other than solely cash (x) the average of the closing sale prices per share of Common Stock (or, if no closing sale price is reported, the average of the closing bid and ask prices per share or, if more than one in either case, the average of the average closing bid and the average closing ask prices per share) for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the date on which such Change of Control occurred as reported on the principal U.S. securities exchange on which Common Stock is then traded, or (y) the average of the last quoted bid prices for Common Stock in the over-the-counter market as reported by Pink OTC Markets Inc. or similar organization for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the date on which such Change of Control occurred, if Common Stock is not then listed for trading on a U.S. securities exchange.
(e) In the case of a Change of Control pursuant to which Common Stock is or will be converted into cash, securities or other property or assets (including any combination thereof) (the “Alternative Form Consideration”), a holder of Series B Preferred Stock will receive upon conversion of such Series B Preferred Stock the kind and amount of Alternative Form Consideration which such holder would have owned or been entitled to receive upon the
Change of Control had such holder held a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Common Stock Conversion Consideration immediately prior to the effective time of the Change of Control (the “Alternative Conversion Consideration”; the Common Stock Conversion Consideration or the Alternative Conversion Consideration, whichever shall be applicable to a Change of Control, is referred to as the “Conversion Consideration”).
(f) If the holders of Common Stock have the opportunity to elect the form of consideration to be received in the Change of Control, the Conversion Consideration in respect of such Change of Control will be deemed to be the kind and amount of consideration actually received by holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock that made or voted for such an election (if electing between two types of consideration) or holders of a plurality of the outstanding shares of Common Stock that made or voted for such an election (if electing between more than two types of consideration), as the case may be, and will be subject to any limitations to which all holders of Common Stock are subject, including, without limitation, pro rata reductions applicable to any portion of the consideration payable in such Change of Control.
(g) No fractional shares of Common Stock upon the conversion of the Series B Preferred Stock in connection with a Change of Control will be issued. Instead, the Corporation will make a cash payment equal to the value of such fractional shares based upon the Common Stock Price used in determining the Common Stock Conversion Consideration for such Change of Control.
(h) Within 15 days following the occurrence of a Change of Control, provided that the Corporation has not then exercised its right to redeem all shares of Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 7, the Corporation will provide to holders of Series B Preferred Stock a notice of occurrence of the Change of Control that describes the resulting Change of Control Conversion Right, which notice shall be delivered to the holders of record of the shares of the Series B Preferred Stock in their addresses as they appear on the stock transfer records of the Corporation and shall state: (i) the events constituting the Change of Control; (ii) the date of the Change of Control; (iii) the last date on which the holders of Series B Preferred Stock may exercise their Change of Control Conversion Right; (iv) the method and period for calculating the Common Stock Price; (v) the Change of Control Conversion Date; (vi) that if, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, the Corporation has provided notice of its election to redeem all or any shares of Series B Preferred Stock, holders will not be able to convert the shares of Series B Preferred Stock called for redemption and such shares will be redeemed on the related redemption date, even if such shares have already been tendered for conversion pursuant to the Change of Control Conversion Right; (vii) if applicable, the type and amount of Alternative Conversion Consideration entitled to be received per share of Series B Preferred Stock; (viii) the name and address of the paying agent, transfer agent and conversion agent for the Series B Preferred Stock; (ix) the procedures that the holders of Series B Preferred Stock must follow to exercise the Change of Control Conversion Right (including procedures for surrendering shares for conversion through the facilities of a Depositary (as defined below)), including the form of conversion notice to be delivered by such holders as described below; and (x) the last date on which holders of Series B Preferred Stock may withdraw shares surrendered for conversion and the procedures that such holders must follow to effect such a withdrawal.
(i) The Corporation shall also issue a press release containing such notice provided for in Section 8(h) for publication on Dow Jones & Company, Inc., Business Wire, PR Newswire or Bloomberg Business News (or, if these organizations are not in existence at the time of issuance of the press release, such other news or press organization as is reasonably calculated to broadly disseminate the relevant information to the public), and post a notice on its website, in any event prior to the opening of business on the first Business Day following any date on which it provides the notice provided for in Section 8(h) to the holders of Series B Preferred Stock.
(j) To exercise the Change of Control Conversion Right, the holders of Series B Preferred Stock will be required to deliver, on or before the close of business on the Change of Control Conversion Date, the certificates (if any) representing the shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be converted, duly endorsed for transfer (or, in the case of any shares of Series B Preferred Stock held in book-entry form through a Depositary (as defined below), to deliver, on or before the close of business on the Change of Control Conversion Date, the shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be converted through the facilities of such Depositary), together with a written conversion notice in the form provided by the Corporation, duly completed, to its transfer agent. The conversion notice must state: (i) the relevant Change of Control Conversion Date; (ii) the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be converted; and (iii) that the Series B Preferred Stock is to be converted pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Series B Preferred Stock.
(k) Holders of Series B Preferred Stock may withdraw any notice of exercise of a Change of Control Conversion Right (in whole or in part) by a written notice of withdrawal delivered to the transfer agent of the Corporation prior to the close of business on the Business Day prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date. The notice of withdrawal delivered by any holder must state: (i) the number of withdrawn shares of Series B Preferred Stock; (ii) if certificated Series B Preferred Stock has been surrendered for conversion, the certificate numbers of the withdrawn shares of Series B Preferred Stock; and (iii) the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock, if any, which remain subject to the holder’s conversion notice.
(l) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Sections 8(j) and 8(k), if any shares of Series B Preferred Stock are held in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or a similar depositary (each, a “Depositary”), the conversion notice and/or the notice of withdrawal, as applicable, must comply with applicable procedures, if any, of the applicable Depositary.
(m) Series B Preferred Stock as to which the Change of Control Conversion Right has been properly exercised and for which the conversion notice has not been properly withdrawn will be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration in accordance with the Change of Control Conversion Right on the Change of Control Conversion Date, unless prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date the Corporation has provided notice of its election to redeem some or all of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 7, in which case only the shares of Series B Preferred Stock properly surrendered for conversion and not properly withdrawn that are not called for redemption will be converted as aforesaid. If the Corporation
elects to redeem shares of Series B Preferred Stock that would otherwise be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration on a Change of Control Conversion Date, such shares of Series B Preferred Stock will not be so converted and the holders of such shares will be entitled to receive on the applicable redemption date the redemption price as provided in Section 7.
(n) The Corporation shall deliver all securities, cash and any other property owing upon conversion no later than the third Business Day following the Change of Control Conversion Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the persons entitled to receive any shares of Common Stock or other securities delivered on conversion will be deemed to have become the holders of record thereof as of the Change of Control Conversion Date.
(o) In connection with the exercise of any Change of Control Conversion Right, the Corporation shall comply with all federal and state securities laws and stock exchange rules in connection with any conversion of Series B Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock or other property. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Series B Preferred Stock, no holder of Series B Preferred Stock will be entitled to convert such Series B Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock to the extent that (i) receipt of such Common Stock would cause such holder (or any other person) to exceed the share ownership Limit contained in Article VI of the Articles of Incorporation, unless the Board of Directors provides an exemption, or (ii) receipt of such Common Stock would endanger the tax status of one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest or would cause the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation as provided in Article VII of the Articles of Incorporation.
(p) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein and except as otherwise required by law, the persons who are the holders of record of shares of Series B Preferred Stock at the close of business on a Dividend Record Date will be entitled to receive the dividend payable on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the conversion of those shares after such Dividend Record Date and on or prior to such Dividend Payment Date and, in such case, the full amount of such dividend shall be paid on such Dividend Payment Date to the persons who were the holders of record at the close of business on such Dividend Record Date. Except as provided in this Section 8(p), the Corporation will make no allowance for unpaid dividends that are not in arrears on the shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be converted.
Section 9. Series B Preferred Stock Reacquired. All shares of Series B Preferred Stock which shall have been issued and reacquired in any manner by the Corporation shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock, without designation as to class or series, and may thereafter be reissued as any class or series of Preferred Stock. The Corporation may also retire any unissued shares of Series B Preferred Stock, and such shares shall then be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock, without designation as to class or series, and may thereafter be reissued as any class or series of Preferred Stock.
Section 10. Voting Rights.
(a) Holders of the Series B Preferred Stock will not have any voting rights, except as set forth in this Section 10 or as otherwise required by law. On each matter on which holders of Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to vote, each share of Series B Preferred Stock will be entitled to one vote, except that when shares of any other class or series of the Preferred Stock have the right to vote with the Series B Preferred Stock as a single voting group on any matter, the Series B Preferred Stock and the shares of each such other class or series will have one vote for each $25.00 of liquidation preference (excluding accumulated dividends).
(b) Whenever dividends on any shares of Series B Preferred Stock are in arrears for six or more quarterly dividend periods, whether or not consecutive, the number of directors constituting the Board will be automatically increased by two (if not already increased by two by reason of the election of directors by the holders of any other class or series of Preferred Stock the Corporation may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable and with which the Series B Preferred Stock is entitled to vote as a voting group with respect to the election of those two directors) and the holders of Series B Preferred Stock (voting separately as a voting group with all other classes or series of Preferred Stock the Corporation may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable (including holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, if applicable) and which are entitled to vote as a voting group with the Series B Preferred Stock in the election of those two directors) will be entitled to vote for the election of those two additional directors at a special meeting called by the Corporation at the request of the holders of record of at least 25% of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock or by the holders of any other class or series of Preferred Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable and which are entitled to vote as a voting group with the Series B Preferred Stock in the election of those two directors (unless the request is received less than 90 days before the date fixed for the next annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation, in which case, such vote will be held at the earlier of the next annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation), and at each subsequent annual meeting until all dividends accumulated on the Series B Preferred Stock for all past dividend periods and the then current dividend period shall have been fully paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside for payment. In that case, the right of holders of the Series B Preferred Stock to elect any directors will cease and, unless there are other classes or series of Preferred Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable, any directors elected by holders of the Series B Preferred Stock shall immediately resign and the number of directors constituting the Board shall be reduced accordingly. For the avoidance of doubt, in no event shall the total number of directors elected by holders of the Series B Preferred Stock (voting separately as a voting group with all other classes or series of Preferred Stock the Corporation may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable and which are entitled to vote as a voting group with the Series B Preferred Stock in the election of such directors) pursuant to the voting rights under this Section 10 exceed two.
(c) If a special meeting at a place within the United States designated by the Corporation is not called by the Corporation within 30 days after request from the holders of Series B Preferred Stock as described in Section 10(b), then the holders of record of at least 25% of the outstanding Series B Preferred Stock may designate a holder to call the meeting at the expense of the Corporation and such meeting may be called by the holder so designated upon
notice similar to that required for annual meetings of shareholders and shall be held at the place within the United States designated by the holder calling such meeting. The Corporation shall pay all costs and expenses of calling and holding any meeting and of electing directors pursuant to Section 10(b), including, without limitation, the cost of preparing, reproducing and mailing the notice of such meeting, the cost of renting a room for such meeting to be held, and the cost of collecting and tabulating votes.
(d) If, at any time when the voting rights conferred upon the Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 10(b) are exercisable, any vacancy in the office of a director elected pursuant to Section 10(b) shall occur, then such vacancy may be filled only by the remaining such director or by vote of the holders of record of the outstanding Series B Preferred Stock and any other classes or series of Preferred Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable (including holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, if applicable) and which are entitled to vote as a voting group with the Series B Preferred Stock in the election of directors pursuant to Section 10(b). Any director elected or appointed pursuant to Section 10(b) may be removed only by the affirmative vote of holders of the outstanding Series B Preferred Stock and any other classes or series of Preferred Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable (including the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, if applicable) and which classes or series of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote as a voting group with the Series B Preferred Stock in the election of directors pursuant to Section 10(b), such removal to be effected by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders of the outstanding Series B Preferred Stock and any such other classes or series of Preferred Stock, and may not be removed by the holders of the Common Stock.
(e) So long as any shares of Series B Preferred Stock remain outstanding, the Corporation will not, without the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the shares of the Series B Preferred Stock outstanding at the time, given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting (voting together as a voting group with the Series A Preferred Stock (while outstanding) and all series of parity Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable), (i) authorize or create, or increase the authorized or issued amount of, any class or series of capital stock ranking senior to the Series B Preferred Stock with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up or reclassify any of the authorized capital stock of the Corporation into such shares, or create, authorize or issue any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase any such shares; or (ii) amend, alter or repeal the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, so as to materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series B Preferred Stock (each, an “Event”); provided, however, with respect to the occurrence of any Event set forth in clause (ii), so long as the Series B Preferred Stock remains outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged, taking into account that, upon an occurrence of an Event, the Corporation may not be the surviving entity, the occurrence of any such Event shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting power of holders of the Series B Preferred Stock and, provided further, that any increase in the amount of the authorized Common Stock or Preferred Stock, including the Series B Preferred Stock, or the creation or issuance of any additional shares of Common Stock or Series B Preferred Stock or
other series of Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue, or any increase in the amount of authorized shares of such series, in each case ranking on a parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers.
(f) Notwithstanding Section 10(e)(ii) above, if any amendment, alteration or repeal of the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, would materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series B Preferred Stock but not all series of parity Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable (excluding the Series A Preferred Stock), the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the shares of the Series B Preferred Stock and all such other similarly affected series (excluding the Series A Preferred Stock), at the time outstanding (voting together as a single voting group), given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting called for the purpose, shall be required in lieu of the vote or consent that would otherwise be required by Section 10(e)(ii).
(g) The voting rights provided for in this Section 10 will not apply if, at or prior to the time when the act with respect to which voting by holders of the Series B Preferred Stock would otherwise be required pursuant to this Section 10 shall be effected, all outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall have been redeemed or called for redemption upon proper notice and sufficient funds shall have been deposited in trust to effect such redemption pursuant to Section 7.
(h) Except as expressly stated in this Section 10 or as may be required by applicable law, the Series B Preferred Stock will not have any relative, participating, optional or other special voting rights or powers and the consent of the holders thereof shall not be required for the taking of any corporate action.
(i) Subject to applicable law, at any time when the voting rights conferred upon the Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 10 are exercisable, the presence in person or by proxy of one-third of the shares of the Series B Preferred Stock outstanding and entitled to vote on such matter shall constitute a quorum of the Series B Preferred Stock.
Section 11. Information Rights. During any period in which the Corporation is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and any shares of Series B Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Corporation will use its best efforts to (i) transmit by mail (or other permissible means under the Exchange Act) to all holders of Series B Preferred Stock, as their names and addresses appear on the record books of the Corporation and without cost to such holders, copies of the annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, respectively, that the Corporation would have been required to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act if it were subject thereto (other than any exhibits that would have been required); and (ii) promptly, upon request, supply copies of such reports to any holders or prospective holder of Series B Preferred Stock. The Corporation will use its best efforts to mail (or otherwise provide) the
information to the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock within 15 days after the respective dates by which a periodic report on Form 10-K or Form 10-Q, as the case may be, in respect of such information would have been required to be filed with the SEC, if the Corporation were subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, in each case, based on the dates on which the Corporation would be required to file such periodic reports if it were a “non-accelerated filer” within the meaning of the Exchange Act.
Section 12. Record Holders. The Corporation and the transfer agent for the Series B Preferred Stock may deem and treat the record holder of any share of Series B Preferred Stock as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes.
Section 13. No Preemptive Rights. No holders of the Series B Preferred Stock will, as holders of Series B Preferred Stock, have any preemptive rights to purchase or subscribe for Common Stock or any other security of the Corporation.
Section 14. Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer. For the avoidance of doubt, in order to protect the Corporation’s status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, and protect the tax status of one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest or avoid the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation, the Series B Preferred Stock shall be subject to the provisions of Article VI and Article VII, respectively, of the Articles of Incorporation.
Section 15. Office or Agency. For so long as any shares of Series B Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Corporation shall at all times maintain an office or agency in one of the 48 contiguous States of the United States of America where shares of Series B Preferred Stock may be surrendered for payment (including upon redemption), registration of transfer or exchange.
IIIC. SERIES C PREFERRED
Section 1. Designation and Number of Shares. This series of Preferred Stock shall be designated as 6.900% Series C Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the “Series C Preferred Stock”) and six million six hundred thousand (6,600,000) shall be the maximum number of shares constituting this series.
Section 2. Definitions. For purposes of the Series C Preferred Stock, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
“Board of Directors” or “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any committee duly authorized by such Board of Directors to perform any of its responsibilities with respect to the Series C Preferred Stock.
“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which state or federally chartered banking institutions in New York, New York are not required to be open.
“Common Stock” shall mean the common stock, $.01 par value per share, of the Corporation or such shares of the Corporation’s capital stock into which such Common Stock shall be reclassified.
“Calculation Agent” shall mean a third party independent financial institution of national standing with experience providing such services, which has been selected by us.
“Dividend Determination Date” means the London Business Day immediately preceding the first date of the applicable Dividend Period.
“Dividend Period” means the period from, and including, a Dividend Payment Date (as defined below) to, but excluding, the next succeeding Dividend Payment Date, except for the initial Dividend Period, which will be the period from, and including, the Original Issue Date (as defined below)of the Series C Preferred Stock to, but excluding, April 15, 2020 (short Dividend Period).
“Fixed Rate Period” shall mean the period from and including the Original Issue Date to, but not including, April 15, 2025.
“Floating Rate Period” shall mean the period on and after April 15, 2025.
“London Business Day” means any day on which dealings in deposits in U.S. dollars are transacted in the London interbank market.
“Person” shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, corporation or other entity and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
“Reuters Page LIBOR01” means the display so designated on the Reuters 3000 Xtra (or such other page as may replace the LIBOR01 page on that service, or such other service as may be nominated by the ICE Benchmark Administration Limited, or ICE, or its successor, or such other entity assuming the responsibility of ICE or its successor in the event ICE or its successor no longer does so, as the successor service, for the purpose of displaying London interbank offered rates for U.S. dollar deposits).
“Set apart for payment” shall be deemed to include, without any action other than the following, the recording by the Corporation in its accounting ledgers of any accounting or bookkeeping entry which indicates, pursuant to a declaration of dividends or other distribution by the Board of Directors, the allocation of funds to be paid on any series or class of capital stock of the Corporation; provided, however, that if any funds for any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation raking junior to the Series C Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends or distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation are placed in a separate account of the Corporation or delivered to a disbursing, paying or other similar agent, then “set apart for payment” with respect to the Series C Preferred Stock shall mean placing such funds in a separate account or delivering such funds to a disbursing, paying or other similar agent.
Section 3. Maturity. The Series C Preferred Stock has no stated maturity and will not be subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption, and will remain outstanding unless (i) the Corporation decides to redeem or otherwise repurchase the Series C Preferred Stock or (ii) the Series C Preferred Stock becomes convertible and is actually converted pursuant to Section 8 hereof. The Corporation is not required to set aside funds to redeem the Series C Preferred Stock.
Section 4. Ranking. The Series C Preferred Stock will rank, with respect to rights to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, (i) senior to all classes or series of the Corporation’s Common Stock and to all other equity securities issued by the Corporation other than equity securities referred to in clauses (ii) and (iii) of this Section 4, (ii) on a parity with the Corporation’s 7.625% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock”) and all equity securities issued by the Corporation with terms specifically providing that those equity securities rank on a parity with the Series C Preferred Stock with respect to rights to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation (assuming all of the Corporation’s 8.50% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock is redeemed), (iii) junior to all equity securities issued by the Corporation with terms specifically providing that those equity securities rank senior to the Series C Preferred Stock with respect to rights to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, and (iv) junior to all of our existing and future indebtedness (including indebtedness convertible to our common stock or preferred stock), including under our repurchase agreements, and effectively junior to the indebtedness of our existing subsidiaries and any future subsidiaries.
Section 5. Dividends.
(a) The holders of Series C Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors, out of funds legally available for that purpose, cumulative dividends payable in cash. The initial dividend rate for the Series C Preferred Stock during the Fixed Rate Period will be at the rate of 6.900%% of the $25.00 per share of Series C Preferred Stock per annum (equivalent to $1.725 per year per share). During the Floating Rate Period, dividends on the Series C Preferred Stock will accumulate at a percentage of the $25.00 liquidation preference per share of Series C Preferred Stock equal to an annual floating rate of the Three-Month LIBOR Rate (as defined below) plus a spread of 5.461%. Dividends on the Series C Preferred Stock shall accrue daily and shall be cumulative from, and including, February 21, 2020 (the “Original Issue Date”) and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year (each, a “Dividend Payment Date”); provided, that if any Dividend Payment Date is not a Business Day, then the dividend which would otherwise have been payable on that Dividend Payment Date may be paid on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if paid on such Dividend Payment Date and no interest, additional dividends or other sums will accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Dividend Payment Date to such next succeeding Business Day. Any dividend payable on the Series C Preferred Stock, including dividends payable for any partial dividend period, will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months (it being understood that the dividend payable on April 15, 2020 will be for less than
the full quarterly dividend period). Dividends will be payable to holders of record as they appear in the stock records of the Corporation for the Series C Preferred Stock at the close of business on the applicable record date, which shall be the first day of the calendar month, whether or not a Business Day, in which the applicable Dividend Payment Date falls (each, a “Dividend Record Date”). The dividends payable on any Dividend Payment Date shall include dividends accumulated to, but not including, such Dividend Payment Date.
For each Dividend Period during the Floating Rate Period, LIBOR (the London interbank offered rate) (“Three-Month LIBOR Rate”) will be determined by us or a Calculation Agent, as of the applicable Dividend Determination Date, in accordance with the following provisions:
•LIBOR will be the rate (expressed as a percentage per year) for deposits in U.S. dollars having an index maturity of three months, in amounts of at least $1,000,000, as such rate appears on “Reuters Page LIBOR01” at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the relevant Dividend Determination Date; or
•if no such rate appears on “Reuters Page LIBOR01” or if the “Reuters Page LIBOR01” is not available at approximately 11:00 a.m.(London time) on the relevant Dividend Determination Date, then we will select four nationally-recognized banks in the London interbank market and request that the principal London offices of those four selected banks provide us with their offered quotation for three-month deposits in U.S. dollars, commencing on the first day of the applicable Dividend Period, to prime banks in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on that Dividend Determination Date for the applicable Dividend Period. Offered quotations must be based on a principal amount equal to an amount that, in our discretion, is representative of a single transaction in U.S. dollars in the London interbank market at that time. If at least two quotations are provided, the Three-Month LIBOR Rate for such Dividend Period will be the arithmetic mean (rounded upward if necessary, to the nearest 0.00001 of 1%) of those quotations. If fewer than two quotations are provided, the Three-Month LIBOR Rate for such Dividend Period will be the arithmetic mean (rounded upward if necessary, to the nearest 0.00001 of 1%) of the rates quoted at approximately 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on that Dividend Determination Date for such Dividend Period by three nationally-recognized banks in New York, New York selected by us, for loans in U.S. dollars to nationally-recognized European banks (as selected by us), for a period of three months commencing on the first day of such Dividend Period. The rates quoted must be based on an amount that, in our discretion, is representative of a single transaction in U.S. dollars in that market at that time. If no quotation is provided as described above, then if a Calculation Agent has not been appointed at such time, we will appoint a Calculation Agent who shall, after consulting such sources as it deems comparable to any of the foregoing quotations or display page, or any such source as it deems reasonable from which to estimate LIBOR or any of the foregoing lending rates or display page, shall determine LIBOR for the second London Business Day immediately preceding the first day of such distribution period in its sole discretion. If the Calculation Agent is unable or unwilling to determine LIBOR as provided in the immediately preceding sentence,
then LIBOR will be equal to Three-Month LIBOR for the then current Dividend Period, or, in the case of the first Dividend Period in the Floating Rate Period, the most recent dividend rate that would have been determined based on the last available Reuters Page LIBOR01 had the Floating Rate Period been applicable prior to the first Dividend Period in the Floating Rate Period.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we determine on the relevant Dividend Determination Date that LIBOR has been discontinued, then we will appoint a Calculation Agent and the Calculation Agent will consult with an investment bank of national standing to determine whether there is an industry accepted substitute or successor base rate to Three-Month LIBOR Rate. If, after such consultation, the Calculation Agent determines that there is an industry accepted substitute or successor base rate, the Calculation Agent shall use such substitute or successor base rate. In such case, the Calculation Agent in its sole discretion may (without implying a corresponding obligation to do so) also implement changes to the business day convention, the definition of business day, the Dividend Determination Date and any method for obtaining the substitute or successor base rate or spread thereon if such rate is unavailable on the relevant Business Day, in a manner that is consistent with industry accepted practices for such substitute or successor base rate. Unless the Calculation Agent determines that there is an industry accepted substitute or successor base rate as so provided above, the Calculation Agent will, in consultation with us, follow the steps specified in the second bullet point in the immediately preceding paragraph in order to determine Three-Month LIBOR Rate for the applicable Dividend Period.
(b) No dividends on shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be authorized by the Board or paid or set apart for payment by the Corporation at any time when the terms and provisions of any agreement of the Corporation, including any agreement relating to any indebtedness of the Corporation, prohibit the authorization, payment or setting apart for payment thereof or provide that the authorization, payment or setting apart for payment thereof would constitute a breach of the agreement or a default under the agreement, or if the authorization, payment or setting apart for payment shall be restricted or prohibited by law.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, dividends on the Series C Preferred Stock will accrue whether or not the Corporation has earnings, whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of those dividends and whether or not those dividends are declared. No interest, or sum in lieu of interest, will be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on the Series C Preferred Stock which may be in arrears, and holders of the Series C Preferred Stock will not be entitled to any dividends in excess of full cumulative dividends described in Section 5(a). Any dividend payment made on the Series C Preferred Stock shall first be credited against the earliest accumulated but unpaid dividend due with respect to the Series C Preferred Stock.
(d) Except as provided in Section 5(e), unless full cumulative dividends on the Series C Preferred Stock have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for payment for all past dividend periods, (i) no dividends (other than in shares of Common Stock or in shares of any series of preferred stock
(“Preferred Stock”) that the Corporation may issue ranking junior to the Series C Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation) shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment upon shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series C Preferred Stock (including, while outstanding, the Series B Preferred Stock) as to dividends or upon liquidation, (ii) no other distribution shall be declared or made upon shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series C Preferred Stock (including, while outstanding, the Series B Preferred Stock) as to dividends or upon liquidation, and (iii) any shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series C Preferred Stock (including, while outstanding, the Series B Preferred Stock) as to dividends or upon liquidation shall not be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such shares) by the Corporation (except (x) by conversion into or exchange for other capital stock of the Corporation that it may issue ranking junior to the Series C Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation, (y) for surrenders of shares of Common Stock to the Corporation to satisfy tax withholding or similar obligations in connection with restricted stock granted under an equity compensation or incentive plan, or (z) for redemptions made pursuant to the provisions of Article VI or Article VII of the Articles of Incorporation).
(e) When dividends are not paid in full (or a sum sufficient for such full payment is not so set apart) upon the Series C Preferred Stock, the Series B Preferred Stock (while outstanding) and the shares of any other series of Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue ranking on a parity as to dividends with the Series C Preferred Stock, all dividends declared upon the Series C Preferred Stock and any other series of Preferred Stock ranking on a parity that the Corporation may issue as to dividends with the Series C Preferred Stock shall be declared pro rata so that the amount of dividends declared per share of Series C Preferred Stock and such other series of Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accrued dividends per share on the Series C Preferred Stock and such other series of Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue (which shall not include any accrual in respect of unpaid dividends for prior dividend periods if such Preferred Stock does not have a cumulative dividend) bear to each other. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on the Series C Preferred Stock which may be in arrears.
Section 6. Liquidation Preference.
(a) In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock will be entitled to be paid out of the assets the Corporation has legally available for distribution to its shareholders, subject to the preferential rights of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation it may issue ranking senior to the Series C Preferred Stock with respect to the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, a liquidation preference per share of $25.00, plus an amount equal to any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the date of payment, before any distribution of assets is made to holders of Common Stock or any other
class or series of stock of the Corporation it may issue that ranks junior to the Series C Preferred Stock as to liquidation rights.
(b) In the event that, upon any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the available assets of the Corporation are insufficient to pay the amount of the liquidating distributions on all outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock, the Series B Preferred Stock (while outstanding) and the corresponding amounts payable on all shares of other classes or series of capital stock of the Corporation that it may issue ranking on a parity with the Series C Preferred Stock in the distribution of assets, then the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock, the Series B Preferred Stock (while outstanding) and all other such classes or series of capital stock shall share ratably in any such distribution of assets in proportion to the full liquidating distributions to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled.
(c) Holders of Series C Preferred Stock will be entitled to written notice of any such liquidation no fewer than 30 days and no more than 60 days prior to the payment date. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distributions to which they are entitled, the holders of Series C Preferred Stock will have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Corporation. The consolidation or merger of the Corporation with or into any other corporation, trust or entity or of any other entity with or into the Corporation, or the sale, lease, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of the property or business the Corporation, shall not be deemed to constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
Section 7. Redemption.
(a) The Series C Preferred Stock is not redeemable prior to April 15, 2025 except as described in this Section 7 and except that, as provided in Article VI and Article VII, respectively, (i) the Corporation may purchase or redeem shares of the Series C Preferred Stock prior to that date in order to preserve the Corporation’s qualification as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for federal income tax purposes, and (ii) the Corporation may purchase or redeem shares of the Series C Preferred Stock prior to that date in order to protect the tax status of one or more real estate mortgage conduits (“REMICs”) in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest or avoid the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation.
(b) Optional Redemption Right. On and after April 15, 2025, the Corporation may, at its option, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ written notice, redeem the Series C Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption price per share of $25.00, plus any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the date fixed for redemption. If the Corporation elects to redeem any shares of Series C Preferred Stock as described in this Section 7(b), it may use any available cash to pay the redemption price, and it will not be required to pay the redemption price only out of the proceeds from the issuance of other equity securities or any other specific source.
(c) Special Optional Redemption Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 7(a), upon the occurrence of a Change of Control (as defined below), the Corporation may, at its option, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ written notice,
redeem the Series C Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, within 120 days after the first date on which such Change of Control occurred, for cash at a redemption price per share of $25.00, plus any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the date fixed for redemption. If, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date (as hereinafter defined), the Corporation has provided notice of its election to redeem some or all of the shares of Series C Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 7, the holders of Series C Preferred Stock will not have the Change of Control Conversion Right (as hereinafter defined) with respect to the shares called for redemption. If the Corporation elects to redeem any shares of Series C Preferred Stock as described in this Section 7(c), it may use any available cash to pay the redemption price, and it will not be required to pay the redemption price only out of the proceeds from the issuance of other equity securities or any other specific source.
(d) A “Change of Control” is deemed to occur when, after the Original Issue Date, the following have occurred and are continuing: (i) the acquisition by any person, including any syndicate or group deemed to be a “person” under Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions of stock of the Corporation entitling that person to exercise more than 50% of the total voting power of all stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the Corporation (except that such person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition); and (ii) following the closing of any transaction referred to in clause (i), neither the Corporation nor the acquiring or surviving entity has a class of common securities (or American Depositary Receipts representing such securities) listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), the NYSE American Equities (the “NYSE American”) or the Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”), or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE American or Nasdaq.
(e) In the event the Corporation elects to redeem Series C Preferred Stock, the notice of redemption will be mailed by the Corporation, postage prepaid, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, to each holder of record of Series C Preferred Stock called for redemption at such holder’s address as it appears on the stock transfer records of the Corporation and shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock to be redeemed; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where certificates (if any) for the Series C Preferred Stock are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; (v) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accumulate on the redemption date; (vi) whether such redemption is being made pursuant to Section 7(a), Section 7(b) or Section 7(c); (vii) if applicable, that such redemption is being made in connection with a Change of Control and, in that case, a brief description of the transaction or transactions constituting such Change of Control; and (viii) if such redemption is being made in connection with a Change of Control, that the holders of the shares of Series C Preferred Stock being so called for redemption will not be able to tender such shares of Series C Preferred Stock for conversion in connection with the Change of Control and that each share of Series C Preferred Stock tendered for conversion that is called, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date (as
defined below), for redemption will be redeemed on the related date of redemption instead of converted on the Change of Control Conversion Date. If less than all of the Series C Preferred Stock held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder shall also specify the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock held by such holder to be redeemed. No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any shares of Series C Preferred Stock except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given.
(f) Holders of Series C Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall surrender the Series C Preferred Stock at the place designated in the notice of redemption and shall be entitled to the redemption price and any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon payable upon the redemption following the surrender.
(g) If notice of redemption of any shares of Series C Preferred Stock has been given and if the Corporation irrevocably sets aside the funds necessary for redemption in trust for the benefit of the holders of the shares of Series C Preferred Stock so called for redemption, then from and after the redemption date (unless the Corporation shall default in providing for the payment of the redemption price plus accumulated and unpaid dividends, if any), dividends will cease to accrue on those shares of Series C Preferred Stock, those shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights of the holders of those shares will terminate, except the right to receive the redemption price plus accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon, if any, payable upon redemption.
(h) If any redemption date is not a Business Day, then the redemption price and accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon, if any, payable upon redemption may be paid on the next Business Day and no interest, additional dividends or other sums will accrue on the amount payable for the period from and after that redemption date to that next Business Day.
(i) If less than all of the outstanding Series C Preferred Stock is to be redeemed, the Series C Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall be selected pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional shares).
(j) Immediately prior to any redemption of Series C Preferred Stock, the Corporation shall pay, in cash, any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon through and including the redemption date, unless a redemption date falls after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, in which case each holder of Series C Preferred Stock at the close of business on such Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares before such Dividend Payment Date. Except as provided in this Section 7(j), the Corporation will make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on shares of the Series C Preferred Stock to be redeemed.
(k) Unless full cumulative dividends on all shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof has been or contemporaneously is set apart for payment for all past dividend periods, no shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be redeemed unless all outstanding shares of
Series C Preferred Stock are simultaneously redeemed and the Corporation shall not purchase or otherwise acquire directly or indirectly any shares of Series C Preferred Stock (except by exchanging it for its capital stock ranking junior to the Series C Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation); provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase, redemption or acquisition by the Corporation of shares of Series C Preferred Stock (i) to preserve the Corporation’s status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, as provided by Article VI, (ii) to protect the tax status of one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest or avoid the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation, as provided by Article VII or (iii) pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock.
Section 8. Conversion Rights. Shares of Series C Preferred Stock are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Corporation, except as provided in this Section 8.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, each holder of Series C Preferred Stock will have the right (unless, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, the Corporation has provided notice of its election to redeem some or all of the shares of Series C Preferred Stock held by such holder pursuant to Section 7, in which case such holder will have the right only with respect to shares of Series C Preferred Stock that are not called for redemption) to convert some or all of the Series C Preferred Stock held by such holder (the “Change of Control Conversion Right”) on the Change of Control Conversion Date into a number of shares of Common Stock per share of Series C Preferred Stock (the “Common Stock Conversion Consideration”) equal to the lesser of: (i) the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the sum of the $25.00 liquidation preference per share of the Series C Preferred Stock plus the amount of any accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the Change of Control Conversion Date (unless the Change of Control Conversion Date is after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date for the Series C Preferred Stock, in which case no additional amount for such accrued and unpaid dividends will be included in this sum) by (y) the Common Stock Price (as defined below) (such quotient, the “Conversion Rate”); and (ii) 2.63852 (the “Share Cap”), subject to adjustments provided in Section 8(b) below.
(b) The Share Cap is subject to pro rata adjustments for any share splits (including those effected pursuant to a distribution of Common Stock to existing holders of Common Stock), subdivisions or combinations (in each case, a “Share Split”) with respect to Common Stock as follows: the adjusted Share Cap as the result of a Share Split will be the number of shares of Common Stock that is equivalent to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the Share Cap in effect immediately prior to such Share Split by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such Share Split and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such Share Split. For the avoidance of doubt, subject to the immediately succeeding sentence, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock (or equivalent Alternative Conversion Consideration (as defined below), as applicable) issuable or deliverable, as applicable, in connection with the exercise of the Change of Control Conversion Right will
not exceed 17,414,232 shares of Common Stock (or equivalent Alternative Consideration, as applicable) (the “Exchange Cap”). The Exchange Cap is subject to pro rata adjustments for any Share Splits on the same basis as the corresponding adjustment to the Share Cap.
(c) The “Change of Control Conversion Date” is the date the Series C Preferred Stock is to be converted, which will be a Business Day selected by the Corporation that is no fewer than 20 days nor more than 35 days after the date on which it provides the notice described in Section 8(h) to the holders of Series C Preferred Stock.
(d) The “Common Stock Price” is (i) if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of Common Stock is solely cash, the amount of cash consideration per share of Common Stock or (ii) if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by holders of Common Stock is other than solely cash (x) the average of the closing sale prices per share of Common Stock (or, if no closing sale price is reported, the average of the closing bid and ask prices per share or, if more than one in either case, the average of the average closing bid and the average closing ask prices per share) for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the date on which such Change of Control occurred as reported on the principal U.S. securities exchange on which Common Stock is then traded, or (y) the average of the last quoted bid prices for Common Stock in the over-the-counter market as reported by Pink OTC Markets Inc. or similar organization for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the date on which such Change of Control occurred, if Common Stock is not then listed for trading on a U.S. securities exchange.
(e) In the case of a Change of Control pursuant to which Common Stock is or will be converted into cash, securities or other property or assets (including any combination thereof) (the “Alternative Form Consideration”), a holder of Series C Preferred Stock will receive upon conversion of such Series C Preferred Stock the kind and amount of Alternative Form Consideration which such holder would have owned or been entitled to receive upon the Change of Control had such holder held a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Common Stock Conversion Consideration immediately prior to the effective time of the Change of Control (the “Alternative Conversion Consideration”; the Common Stock Conversion Consideration or the Alternative Conversion Consideration, whichever shall be applicable to a Change of Control, is referred to as the “Conversion Consideration”).
(f) If the holders of Common Stock have the opportunity to elect the form of consideration to be received in the Change of Control, the Conversion Consideration in respect of such Change of Control will be deemed to be the kind and amount of consideration actually received by holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock that made or voted for such an election (if electing between two types of consideration) or holders of a plurality of the outstanding shares of Common Stock that made or voted for such an election (if electing between more than two types of consideration), as the case may be, and will be subject to any limitations to which all holders of Common Stock are subject, including, without limitation, pro rata reductions applicable to any portion of the consideration payable in such Change of Control.
(g) No fractional shares of Common Stock upon the conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock in connection with a Change of Control will be issued. Instead, the Corporation
will make a cash payment equal to the value of such fractional shares based upon the Common Stock Price used in determining the Common Stock Conversion Consideration for such Change of Control.
(h) Within 15 days following the occurrence of a Change of Control, provided that the Corporation has not then exercised its right to redeem all shares of Series C Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 7, the Corporation will provide to holders of Series C Preferred Stock a notice of occurrence of the Change of Control that describes the resulting Change of Control Conversion Right, which notice shall be delivered to the holders of record of the shares of the Series C Preferred Stock in their addresses as they appear on the stock transfer records of the Corporation and shall state: (i) the events constituting the Change of Control; (ii) the date of the Change of Control; (iii) the last date on which the holders of Series C Preferred Stock may exercise their Change of Control Conversion Right; (iv) the method and period for calculating the Common Stock Price; (v) the Change of Control Conversion Date; (vi) that if, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, the Corporation has provided notice of its election to redeem all or any shares of Series C Preferred Stock, holders will not be able to convert the shares of Series C Preferred Stock called for redemption and such shares will be redeemed on the related redemption date, even if such shares have already been tendered for conversion pursuant to the Change of Control Conversion Right; (vii) if applicable, the type and amount of Alternative Conversion Consideration entitled to be received per share of Series C Preferred Stock; (viii) the name and address of the paying agent, transfer agent and conversion agent for the Series C Preferred Stock; (ix) the procedures that the holders of Series C Preferred Stock must follow to exercise the Change of Control Conversion Right (including procedures for surrendering shares for conversion through the facilities of a Depositary (as defined below)), including the form of conversion notice to be delivered by such holders as described below; and (x) the last date on which holders of Series C Preferred Stock may withdraw shares surrendered for conversion and the procedures that such holders must follow to effect such a withdrawal.
(i) The Corporation shall also issue a press release containing such notice provided for in Section 8(h) for publication on Dow Jones & Company, Inc., Wall Street Journal, Business Wire, PR Newswire or Bloomberg Business News (or, if these organizations are not in existence at the time of issuance of the press release, such other news or press organization as is reasonably calculated to broadly disseminate the relevant information to the public), and post a notice on its website, in any event prior to the opening of business on the first Business Day following any date on which it provides the notice provided for in Section 8(h) to the holders of Series C Preferred Stock.
(j) To exercise the Change of Control Conversion Right, the holders of Series C Preferred Stock will be required to deliver, on or before the close of business on the Change of Control Conversion Date, the certificates (if any) representing the shares of Series C Preferred Stock to be converted, duly endorsed for transfer (or, in the case of any shares of Series C Preferred Stock held in book-entry form through a Depositary (as defined below), to deliver, on or before the close of business on the Change of Control Conversion Date, the shares of Series C Preferred Stock to be converted through the facilities of such Depositary), together with a written conversion notice in the form provided by the Corporation, duly completed, to its transfer agent.
The conversion notice must state: (i) the relevant Change of Control Conversion Date; (ii) the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock to be converted; and (iii) that the Series C Preferred Stock is to be converted pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Series C Preferred Stock.
(k) Holders of Series C Preferred Stock may withdraw any notice of exercise of a Change of Control Conversion Right (in whole or in part) by a written notice of withdrawal delivered to the transfer agent of the Corporation prior to the close of business on the Business Day prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date. The notice of withdrawal delivered by any holder must state: (i) the number of withdrawn shares of Series C Preferred Stock; (ii) if certificated Series C Preferred Stock has been surrendered for conversion, the certificate numbers of the withdrawn shares of Series C Preferred Stock; and (iii) the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock, if any, which remain subject to the holder’s conversion notice.
(l) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Sections 8(j) and 8(k), if any shares of Series C Preferred Stock are held in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or a similar depositary (each, a “Depositary”), the conversion notice and/or the notice of withdrawal, as applicable, must comply with applicable procedures, if any, of the applicable Depositary.
(m) Series C Preferred Stock as to which the Change of Control Conversion Right has been properly exercised and for which the conversion notice has not been properly withdrawn will be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration in accordance with the Change of Control Conversion Right on the Change of Control Conversion Date, unless prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date the Corporation has provided notice of its election to redeem some or all of the shares of Series C Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 7, in which case only the shares of Series C Preferred Stock properly surrendered for conversion and not properly withdrawn that are not called for redemption will be converted as aforesaid. If the Corporation elects to redeem shares of Series C Preferred Stock that would otherwise be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration on a Change of Control Conversion Date, such shares of Series C Preferred Stock will not be so converted and the holders of such shares will be entitled to receive on the applicable redemption date the redemption price as provided in Section 7.
(n) The Corporation shall deliver all securities, cash and any other property owing upon conversion no later than the third Business Day following the Change of Control Conversion Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the persons entitled to receive any shares of Common Stock or other securities delivered on conversion will be deemed to have become the holders of record thereof as of the Change of Control Conversion Date.
(o) In connection with the exercise of any Change of Control Conversion Right, the Corporation shall comply with all federal and state securities laws and stock exchange rules in connection with any conversion of Series C Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock or other property. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Series C Preferred Stock, no holder of Series C Preferred Stock will be entitled to convert such Series C Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock to the extent that (i) receipt of such Common Stock would cause such holder (or any other person) to exceed the share ownership Limit contained in Article VI of the Articles of Incorporation, unless the Board of Directors provides an exemption, or (ii) receipt of such
Common Stock would endanger the tax status of one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest or would cause the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation as provided in Article VII of the Articles of Incorporation.
(p) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein and except as otherwise required by law, the persons who are the holders of record of shares of Series C Preferred Stock at the close of business on a Dividend Record Date will be entitled to receive the dividend payable on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the conversion of those shares after such Dividend Record Date and on or prior to such Dividend Payment Date and, in such case, the full amount of such dividend shall be paid on such Dividend Payment Date to the persons who were the holders of record at the close of business on such Dividend Record Date. Except as provided in this Section 8(p), the Corporation will make no allowance for unpaid dividends that are not in arrears on the shares of Series C Preferred Stock to be converted.
Section 9. Series C Preferred Stock Reacquired. All shares of Series C Preferred Stock which shall have been issued and reacquired in any manner by the Corporation shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock, without designation as to class or series, and may thereafter be reissued as any class or series of Preferred Stock. The Corporation may also retire any unissued shares of Series C Preferred Stock, and such shares shall then be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock, without designation as to class or series, and may thereafter be reissued as any class or series of Preferred Stock.
Section 10. Voting Rights.
(a) Holders of the Series C Preferred Stock will not have any voting rights, except as set forth in this Section 10 or as otherwise required by law. On each matter on which holders of Series C Preferred Stock are entitled to vote, each share of Series C Preferred Stock will be entitled to one vote, except that when shares of any other class or series of the Preferred Stock have the right to vote with the Series C Preferred Stock as a single voting group on any matter, the Series C Preferred Stock and the shares of each such other class or series will have one vote for each $25.00 of liquidation preference (excluding accumulated dividends).
(b) Whenever dividends on any shares of Series C Preferred Stock are in arrears for six or more quarterly dividend periods, whether or not consecutive, the number of directors constituting the Board will be automatically increased by two (if not already increased by two by reason of the election of directors by the holders of any other class or series of Preferred Stock the Corporation may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable and with which the Series C Preferred Stock is entitled to vote as a voting group with respect to the election of those two directors) and the holders of Series C Preferred Stock (voting separately as a voting group with all other classes or series of Preferred Stock the Corporation may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable (including holders of the Series B Preferred Stock, if applicable) and which are entitled to vote as a voting group with the Series C Preferred Stock in the election of those two directors) will be entitled to vote for the election of those two additional directors at a special meeting called by the Corporation at the request of the holders of record of at least 25% of the outstanding shares of Series C Preferred
Stock or by the holders of any other class or series of Preferred Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable and which are entitled to vote as a voting group with the Series C Preferred Stock in the election of those two directors (unless the request is received less than 90 days before the date fixed for the next annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation, in which case, such vote will be held at the earlier of the next annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation), and at each subsequent annual meeting until all dividends accumulated on the Series C Preferred Stock for all past dividend periods and the then current dividend period shall have been fully paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside for payment. In that case, the right of holders of the Series C Preferred Stock to elect any directors will cease and, unless there are other classes or series of Preferred Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable, any directors elected by holders of the Series C Preferred Stock shall immediately resign and the number of directors constituting the Board shall be reduced accordingly. For the avoidance of doubt, in no event shall the total number of directors elected by holders of the Series C Preferred Stock (voting separately as a voting group with all other classes or series of Preferred Stock the Corporation may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable and which are entitled to vote as a voting group with the Series C Preferred Stock in the election of such directors) pursuant to the voting rights under this Section 10 exceed two.
(c) If a special meeting at a place within the United States designated by the Corporation is not called by the Corporation within 30 days after request from the holders of Series C Preferred Stock as described in Section 10(b), then the holders of record of at least 25% of the outstanding Series C Preferred Stock may designate a holder to call the meeting at the expense of the Corporation and such meeting may be called by the holder so designated upon notice similar to that required for annual meetings of shareholders and shall be held at the place within the United States designated by the holder calling such meeting. The Corporation shall pay all costs and expenses of calling and holding any meeting and of electing directors pursuant to Section 10(b), including, without limitation, the cost of preparing, reproducing and mailing the notice of such meeting, the cost of renting a room for such meeting to be held, and the cost of collecting and tabulating votes.
(d) If, at any time when the voting rights conferred upon the Series C Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 10(b) are exercisable, any vacancy in the office of a director elected pursuant to Section 10(b) shall occur, then such vacancy may be filled only by the remaining such director or by vote of the holders of record of the outstanding Series C Preferred Stock and any other classes or series of Preferred Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable (including holders of the Series B Preferred Stock, if applicable) and which are entitled to vote as a voting group with the Series C Preferred Stock in the election of directors pursuant to Section 10(b). Any director elected or appointed pursuant to Section 10(b) may be removed only by the affirmative vote of holders of the outstanding Series C Preferred Stock and any other classes or series of Preferred Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable (including the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock, if applicable) and which classes or series of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote as a voting group with the Series C Preferred Stock in the election of directors pursuant to Section 10(b), such removal to be effected by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders of the
outstanding Series C Preferred Stock and any such other classes or series of Preferred Stock, and may not be removed by the holders of the Common Stock.
(e) So long as any shares of Series C Preferred Stock remain outstanding, the Corporation will not, without the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the shares of the Series C Preferred Stock outstanding at the time, given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting (voting together as a voting group with the Series B Preferred Stock (while outstanding) and all series of parity Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable), (i) authorize or create, or increase the authorized or issued amount of, any class or series of capital stock ranking senior to the Series C Preferred Stock with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up or reclassify any of the authorized capital stock of the Corporation into such shares, or create, authorize or issue any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase any such shares; or (ii) amend, alter or repeal the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, so as to materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series C Preferred Stock (each, an “Event”); provided, however, with respect to the occurrence of any Event set forth in clause (ii), so long as the Series C Preferred Stock remains outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged, taking into account that, upon an occurrence of an Event, the Corporation may not be the surviving entity, the occurrence of any such Event shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting power of holders of the Series C Preferred Stock and, provided further, that any increase in the amount of the authorized Common Stock or Preferred Stock, including the Series C Preferred Stock, or the creation or issuance of any additional shares of Common Stock or Series C Preferred Stock or other series of Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue, or any increase in the amount of authorized shares of such series, in each case ranking on a parity with or junior to the Series C Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers.
(f) Notwithstanding Section 10(e)(ii) above, if any amendment, alteration or repeal of the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, would materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series C Preferred Stock but not all series of parity Preferred Stock that the Corporation may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable (excluding the Series B Preferred Stock), the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the shares of the Series C Preferred Stock and all such other similarly affected series (excluding the Series B Preferred Stock), at the time outstanding (voting together as a single voting group), given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting called for the purpose, shall be required in lieu of the vote or consent that would otherwise be required by Section 10(e)(ii).
(g) The voting rights provided for in this Section 10 will not apply if, at or prior to the time when the act with respect to which voting by holders of the Series C Preferred Stock would otherwise be required pursuant to this Section 10 shall be effected, all outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall have been redeemed or called for redemption upon proper notice
and sufficient funds shall have been deposited in trust to effect such redemption pursuant to Section 7.
(h) Except as expressly stated in this Section 10 or as may be required by applicable law, the Series C Preferred Stock will not have any relative, participating, optional or other special voting rights or powers and the consent of the holders thereof shall not be required for the taking of any corporate action.
(i) Subject to applicable law, at any time when the voting rights conferred upon the Series C Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 10 are exercisable, the presence in person or by proxy of one-third of the shares of the Series C Preferred Stock outstanding and entitled to vote on such matter shall constitute a quorum of the Series C Preferred Stock.
Section 11. Information Rights. During any period in which the Corporation is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and any shares of Series C Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Corporation will use its best efforts to (i) transmit by mail (or other permissible means under the Exchange Act) to all holders of Series C Preferred Stock, as their names and addresses appear on the record books of the Corporation and without cost to such holders, copies of the annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, respectively, that the Corporation would have been required to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act if it were subject thereto (other than any exhibits that would have been required); and (ii) promptly, upon request, supply copies of such reports to any holders or prospective holder of Series C Preferred Stock. The Corporation will use its best efforts to mail (or otherwise provide) the information to the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock within 15 days after the respective dates by which a periodic report on Form 10-K or Form 10-Q, as the case may be, in respect of such information would have been required to be filed with the SEC, if the Corporation were subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, in each case, based on the dates on which the Corporation would be required to file such periodic reports if it were a “non-accelerated filer” within the meaning of the Exchange Act.
Section 12. Record Holders. The Corporation and the transfer agent for the Series C Preferred Stock may deem and treat the record holder of any share of Series C Preferred Stock as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes.
Section 13. No Preemptive Rights. No holders of the Series C Preferred Stock will, as holders of Series C Preferred Stock, have any preemptive rights to purchase or subscribe for Common Stock or any other security of the Corporation.
Section 14. Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer. For the avoidance of doubt, in order to protect the Corporation’s status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, and protect the tax status of one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest or avoid the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation, the Series C Preferred Stock shall be subject to the provisions of Article VI and Article VII, respectively, of the Articles of Incorporation.
Section 15. Office or Agency. For so long as any shares of Series C Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Corporation shall at all times maintain an office or agency in one of the 48 contiguous States of the United States of America where shares of Series C Preferred Stock may be surrendered for payment (including upon redemption), registration of transfer or exchange.
IV. [Intentionally omitted.]
V. INDEMNIFICATION
(1) In this Article:
“applicant” means the person seeking indemnification pursuant to this Article.
“expenses” includes counsel fees and disbursements.
“liability” means the obligation to pay a judgment, settlement, penalty, fine, including any excise tax assessed with respect an employee benefit plan, or reasonable expenses incurred with respect to a proceeding.
“party” includes an individual who was, is, or is threatened to be made a named defendant or respondent in a proceeding.
“proceeding” means any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative and whether formal or informal.
(2) In any proceeding brought by a shareholder of the Corporation in the right of the Corporation or brought by or on behalf of shareholders of the Corporation, no director or officer of the Corporation shall be liable to the Corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages in excess of $0.00 with respect to any transaction, occurrence or course of conduct, whether prior or subsequent to the effective date of this Article, except for liability resulting from such person’s having engaged in willful misconduct or a knowing violation of the criminal lay or any federal or state securities law.
(3) The Corporation shall indemnify (i) any person who was or is a party to any proceeding, including a proceeding brought by a shareholder in the right of the Corporation or brought by or on behalf of shareholders of the Corporation, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, or officer of the Corporation, or (ii) any director or officer who is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, trustee, partner or officer of another corporation partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against any liability incurred by him in connection with such proceeding unless he engaged in willful misconduct or a knowing violation of the criminal law. A person is considered to be serving an employee benefit
plan at the Corporation’s request if his duties to the Corporation also impose duties on, or otherwise involve services by, him to the plan or to participants in or beneficiaries of the plan. The Board of Directors is hereby empowered, by a majority vote of a quorum of disinterested Directors, to enter into a contract to indemnify any Director or officer in respect of any proceedings arising from any act or omission, whether occurring before or after the execution of such contract.
(4) The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to all proceedings commenced after the adoption hereof by the shareholders of the Corporation, arising from any act or omission, whether occurring before or after such adoption. No amendment or repeal of this Article shall have any effect on the rights provided under this Article with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment or repeal. The Corporation shall promptly take all such actions, and make all such determinations, as shall be necessary or appropriate to comply with its obligation to make any indemnity under this Article and shall promptly pay or reimburse all reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by any such director or officer in connection with such actions and determinations or proceedings of any kind arising therefrom.
(5) The termination of any proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not of itself create a presumption that the applicant did not meet the standard of conduct described in Section (2) or (3) of this Article.
(6) Any indemnification under section (3) of this Article (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the applicant is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in section (3).
The determination shall be made:
(a) By the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Directors not at the time parties to the proceeding;
(b) If a quorum cannot be obtained under subsection (a) of this section, by majority vote of a committee duly designated by the Board of Directors (in which designation Directors who are parties may participate), consisting solely of two or more Directors not at the time parties to the proceeding;
(c) By special legal counsel:
(i) Selected by the Board of Directors or its committee in the manner prescribed in subsection (a) or (b) of this section; or
(ii) If a quorum of the Board of Directors cannot be obtained under subsection (a) of this section and a committee cannot be designated under subsection (b) of this section, selected by majority vote of the full Board of Directors in which selection Directors who are parties may participate; or
(d) By the shareholders, but shares owned by or voted under the control of Directors who are at the time parties to the proceeding may not be voted on the determination.
Any evaluation as to reasonableness of expenses shall be made in the same manner as the determination that indemnification is appropriate, except that if the determination is made by special legal counsel, such evaluation as to reasonableness of expenses shall be made by those entitled under subsection (c) of this section (6) to select counsel.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event there has been a change in the composition of a majority of the Board of Directors after the date of the alleged act or omission with respect to which indemnification is claimed, any determination as to indemnification and advancement of expenses with respect to any claim for indemnification made pursuant to this Article shall be made by special legal counsel agreed upon by the Board of Directors and the applicant. If the Board of Directors and the applicant are unable to agree upon such special legal counsel the Board of Directors and the applicant each shall select a nominee, and the nominees shall select such special legal counsel.
(7) (a) The Corporation shall pay for or reimburse the reasonable expenses incurred by any applicant who is a party to a proceeding in advance of final disposition of the proceeding or the making of any determination under section (3) if the applicant furnishes the Corporation:
(i) a written statement of his good faith belief that he has met the standard of conduct described in section (3); and
(ii) a written undertaking, executed personally or on his behalf, to repay the advance if it is ultimately determined that he did not meet such standard of conduct.
(b) The undertaking required by paragraph (ii) of subsection (a) of this section shall be an unlimited general obligation of the applicant but need not be secured and may be accepted without reference to financial ability to make repayment.
(c) Authorizations of payments under this section shall be made by the persons specified In Section (6).
(8) The Board of Directors is hereby empowered, by majority vote of a quorum consisting of disinterested Directors, to cause the Corporation to indemnify or contract to indemnify any person not specified in section (2) or (3) of this Article who was, is or may become a party to any proceeding, by reason of the fact that he is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partner ship, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, to the same extent as if such person were specified as one to whom indemnification is granted in section (3). The provisions of sections (4) through (7) of this Article shall be applicable to any indemnification provided hereafter pursuant to this section (8).
(9) The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance to indemnify it against the whole or any portion of the liability assumed by it in accordance with this Article and may also procure insurance, in such amounts as the Board of Directors may determine, on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against or incurred by him in any such capacity or arising front his status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have power to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of this Article.
(10) Every reference herein to directors, officers, employees or agents shall include former directors, officers, employees and agents and their respective heirs, executors and administrators. The indemnification hereby provided and provided hereafter pursuant to the power hereby conferred by this Article on the Board of Directors shall not be exclusive of any other rights to which any person may be entitled, including any right under policies of insurance that may be purchased and maintained by the Corporation or others, with respect to claims, issues or matters in relation to which the Corporation would not have the power to indemnify such person under the provisions of this Article. Such rights shall not prevent or restrict the power of the Corporation to make or provide for any further indemnity, or provisions for determining entitlement to indemnity, pursuant to one or more indemnification agreements, bylaws, or other arrangements (including, without limitation, creation of trust funds or security interests funded by letters of credit or other means) approved by the Board of Directors (whether or not any of the directors of the Corporation shall be a party to or beneficiary of any such agreements, bylaws or arrangements); provided, however, that any provision of such agreements, bylaws or other arrangements shall not be effective if and to the extent that it is determined to be contrary to this Article or applicable laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
(11) Each provision of this Article shall be severable, and an adverse determination as to any such provision shall in no way affect the validity of any other provision.
VI. EXCESS SHARES
(1) Affidavits of Transferees. Whenever it is deemed by the Board of Directors to be prudent in protecting the tax status of the Corporation, the Board of Directors may require to be filed with the Corporation a statement or affidavit from each proposed transferee of shares of capital stock of the Corporation setting forth the number of such shares already owned by the transferee and any related person(s) specified in the form prescribed by the Board of Directors for that purpose. Any contract for the sale or other transfer of shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be subject to this provision.
(2) Affidavits of Shareholders. Prior to any transfer or transaction which would cause a shareholder to own, directly or indirectly, shares in excess of the “Limit” as defined in Section (4) of this Article, and in any event upon demand of the Board of Directors, such shareholder shall file with the Corporation an affidavit setting forth the number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation (a) owned directly and (b) owned indirectly (for purposes of this Section (2),
shares of capital stock not owned directly shall be deemed to be owned indirectly by a person if that person would be the beneficial owner of such shares for purposes of Rule 13d3, or any successor rule thereto, promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended or any successor statute thereto (the “Exchange Act”), and/or would be considered to own such shares by reason of the attribution rules in Section 544 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time (the “Code”) or the regulation issued thereunder), by the person filing the affidavit. The affidavit to be filed with the Corporation shall set forth all information required to be reported in returns filed by shareholders under Treasury Regulation § 1.857-9 issued under the Code or similar provisions of any successor regulation, and in reports to be filed under Section 13(d), or any successor rule thereto, of the Exchange Act. The affidavit, or an amendment thereto, shall be filed with the Corporation within ten (10) days after demand therefor and at least fifteen (15) days prior to any transfer or transaction which, if consummated, would cause the filing person to hold a number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation in excess of the a “Limit” as defined in Section (4) of this Article. The Board of Directors shall have the right, but shall not be required, to refuse to transfer any shares of capital stock of the Corporation purportedly transferred other than in compliance with the provisions of this Section (2).
(3) Void Transfers. Any acquisition of shares of capital stock of the corporation that could or would result in the disqualification of the Corporation as a real estate investment trust under the Code shall be void ab initio to the fullest extent permitted under applicable Law and the intended transferee of those shares shall be deemed never to have had an interest therein. If the foregoing provision is determined to be void or invalid by virtue of any legal decision, statute, rule or regulation, then the transferee of those shares shall be deemed, at the option of the Corporation, to have acted as agent on behalf of the Corporation in acquiring those shares and to hold those shares on behalf of the Corporation.
(4) Excess Shares. Notwithstanding any other provision hereof to the contrary and subject to the provisions of Section (5) of this Article, no person or persons acting as a group shall at any time directly or indirectly own in the aggregate more than 9.8% of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation (the “Limit”). Shares which but for this Article would be owned by a person or persons acting as a group and would, at any time, be in excess of the Limit shall be deemed “Excess Shares.” For the purpose of determining ownership of Excess Shares, “ownership” of shares shall be deemed to include shares constructively owned by a person under the provisions of Section 544 of the Code and also shall include shares beneficially owned under the provisions of Rule 13d-3 or any successor rule, under the Exchange Act. For purposes of determining persons acting as a group, “group” shall have the same meaning as such term has for purposes of Section 13(d)(3), or any successor rule, of the Exchange Act. All shares of capital stock of the Corporation which any person or persons acting as a group have the right to acquire upon exercise of outstanding rights, options and warrants, and upon conversion of any securities convertible into those shares, if any, shall be considered outstanding for purposes of determining the applicable Limit if such inclusion will cause such person or persons acting as a group to own more than the Limit. The Board of Directors shall have the right, but shall not be required, to refuse to transfer shares of capital stock on the books of the Corporation if, as a
result of the proposed transfer, for any person or persons acting as a group would hold or be deemed to hold Excess Shares.
(5) Exemptions. The Limit set forth in Section (4) of this Article shall not apply to the acquisition of shares of capital stock of the Corporation by an underwriter in a public offering of those shares or in any transaction involving the issuance of shares of capital stock by the Corporation in which the Board of Directors determines that the underwriter or other person or party initially acquiring those shares will timely distribute those shares to or among others so that, following such distribution, none of those shares will be deemed to be Excess Shares. The Board of Directors in its discretion may exempt from the Limit and from the filing requirements of Section (2) of this Article ownership or transfers of certain designated shares of capital stock of the Corporation while owned by or transferred to a person who has provided the Board of Directors with evidence and assurances acceptable to the Board of Directors that the qualification of the Corporation as a real estate investment trust under the Code and the regulations issued under the Code would not be jeopardized thereby.
(6) Redemption of Excess Shares. At the discretion of the Board of Directors, all Excess Shares may be redeemed by the Corporation. Written notice of redemption shall be provided to the holder of the Excess Share not less than one week prior to the redemption date (the “Redemption Date”) determined by the Board of Directors and included in the notice of redemption. The redemption price to be paid for Excess Shares will be equal to (a) the closing price of those shares on the principal national securities exchange on which the shares are listed or admitted to trading on the last business day prior to the Redemption Date, or (b) if the shares are not so listed or admitted to trading, the closing bid price on the last business day prior to the Redemption Date as reported on the NASD System, if quoted thereon, or (c) if the redemption price is not determinable in accordance with either clause (a) or (b) of this sentence, the net asset value of the shares determined in good faith by the Board of Directors and in accordance with the Virginia Stock Corporation Act (the “Net Asset Value”). The redemption price for any shares of capital stock of the Corporation so redeemed shall be paid on the Redemption Date. From and after the Redemption Date, the holder of any shares of capital stock of the Corporation called for redemption shall cease to be entitled to any distributions and other benefits with respect to those shares, except the right to payment of the redemption price fixed as aforesaid.
(7) Application of Article. Nothing contained in this Article or in an other provision hereof shall limit the authority of the Board Directors to take any and all other action as it in its sole discretion deems necessary or advisable to protect this Corporation and the interests of it shareholders by maintaining the Corporation’s eligibility to be, and preserving the Corporation’s status as a qualified real estate investment trust under the Code, provided, however, that nothing in this Article VI or elsewhere in these Articles shall preclude settlement of any transaction entered into or through the facilities of New York Stock Exchange or any other exchange on which the Corporation’s common shares may be listed from time to time.
(8) Definition of “Person”. For purposes of this Article only, the term “person” shall include individuals, corporations, limited partnerships, general partnerships, joint stock companies or associations, joint ventures, associations, consortia, companies, trusts, banks, trust
companies, land trusts, common law trusts, business trusts, or other entities and governments and agencies and political subdivisions thereof.
(9) Severability. If any provision of this Article or any application of any such provision is determined to be invalid by any federal or state court having jurisdiction over the issue, the validity of the remaining provisions shall not be affected and other applications of such provision shall be affected only to the extent necessary to comply with the determination of that court.
VII. ACQUISITION OF SHARES BY CERTAIN TAX-EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS
(1) Affidavits of Shareholders and Transferees. Whenever it is deemed by the Board of Directors to be prudent in avoiding (a) the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation (including the imposition of an entity-level tax on one or more real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”) in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest) or (b) the endangerment of the tax status of one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest, the Board of Directors may require to be filed with the Corporation a statement or affidavit from any holder or proposed transferee of capital stock of the Corporation stating whether the holder or proposed transferee is (i) the United States, any state or political subdivision thereof, any possession of the United States, any agency or instrumentality of the foregoing, or any other organization that is exempt from federal income taxation (including taxation under the unrelated business taxable income provisions of the Code) (a “Tax-Exempt Organization”) or (ii) a partnership, trust, real estate investment trust, regulated investment company, or other pass-through entity in which a Tax-Exempt Organization holds or is permitted to hold a direct or indirect beneficial interest (a “Pass-Through Entity”). Any contract for the sale or other transfer of shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be subject to this provision. Furthermore, the Board of Directors shall have the right, but shall not be required, to refuse to transfer any shares of capital stock of the Corporation purportedly transferred, if either (a) a statement or affidavit requested pursuant to this Section (1) has not been received, or (b) the proposed transferee is a Tax-Exempt Organization or Pass-Through Entity.
(2) Void Transfers. Any acquisition of shares of capital stock of the Corporation that could or would (a) result in the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation (including the imposition of an entity-level tax on one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest) or (b) endanger the tax status of one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest shall be void ab initio to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law and the intended transferee of the subject shares shall be deemed never to have had an interest therein. If the foregoing provision is determined to be void or invalid by virtue of any legal decision, statute, rule or regulation, then the transferee of those shares shall be deemed, at the option of the Corporation, to have acted as agent on behalf of the Corporation in acquiring those shares and to hold those shares on behalf of the Corporation.
(3) Redemption of Shares. Whenever it is deemed by the Board of Directors to be prudent in avoiding (a) the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation (including the imposition of an entity-level tax on one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest) or (b) the endangerment of the tax status of one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest, the Corporation may redeem shares of its capital stock. Any such redemption shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section (6) of Article VI.
(4) Application of Article. Nothing contained in this Article or in any other provision hereof shall limit the authority of the Board of Directors to take any and all other action as it in its sole discretion deems necessary or advisable to protect the Corporation or the interests of its shareholders by avoiding (a) the direct or indirect imposition of a penalty tax on the Corporation (including the imposition of an entity-level tax on one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest) or (b) the endangerment of the tax status of one or more REMICs in which the Corporation has acquired or plans to acquire an interest.
(5) Severability. If any provision of this Article or any application of any such provision is determined to be invalid by any federal or state court having jurisdiction over the issue, the validity of the remaining provisions shall not be affected and other applications of such provision shall be affected only to the extent necessary to comply with the determination of that court.
VIII. AMENDMENTS
Except as otherwise required by the Virginia Stock Corporation Act, by these Articles of Incorporation, or by the board of directors acting pursuant to Subsection C of Section 13.1-707 of the Virginia Stock Corporation Act, or any successor provision, the vote required to approve an amendment or restatement of these Articles of Incorporation, other than an amendment or restatement that amends or affects (1) the shareholder vote required by the Virginia Stock Corporation Act to approve a merger, share exchange, sale of all or substantially all of the corporations assets or the dissolution of the corporation or (ii) Article VI of these Articles of Incorporation, shall be a majority of all votes entitled to be cast by each voting group entitled to vote on the amendment.