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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Act on May 8, 2007
Registration No. 333-           
 
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
 
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
under
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
 
PIPER JAFFRAY COMPANIES
(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
 
     
Delaware
(State or other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  30-0168701
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
     
800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 800
Minneapolis, Minnesota

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
  55402
(Zip Code)
PIPER JAFFRAY COMPANIES AMENDED AND RESTATED
2003 ANNUAL AND LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

(as amended and restated effective May 2, 2006)
(Full title of the plan)
 
James L. Chosy
General Counsel and Secretary
Piper Jaffray Companies
800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 800
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402

(Name and address of agent for service)
(612) 303-6000
(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
 
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
                             
 
  Title of Each     Amount to be     Proposed Maximum     Proposed Maximum     Amount of  
  Class of Securities     Registered     Offering Price     Aggregate     Registration  
  to be Registered     (No. of Shares)     Per Share (1)     Offering Price     Fee  
 
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (and its associated Preferred Share Purchase Rights)
    1,329,766     $64.10     $85,238,001     $2,617  
 
(1)   Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee, pursuant to Rule 457(h), based on the average of the high and low prices of the Registrant’s Common Stock on May 4, 2007, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange.
 
 

 


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EXPLANATORY NOTE
PART II
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
Item 4. Description of Securities.
Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Item 7. Exemption From Registration Claimed.
Item 8. Exhibits.
Item 9. Undertakings.
SIGNATURES
EXHIBIT INDEX
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
Opinion of Faegre & Benseon LLP
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
Power of Attorney


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EXPLANATORY NOTE
     This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is being filed for the purpose of registering an additional 400,000 shares of the Registrant’s Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Piper Jaffray Companies Amended and Restated 2003 Annual and Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective May 2, 2006) (the “Plan”) and 929,766 shares of the Registrant’s Common Stock forfeited by Plan participants or used to satisfy tax obligations of Plan participants and again available for issuance pursuant to the terms of the Plan. Previously, 2,000,000 shares were registered under the Plan pursuant to Registration Statement 333-111665 and an additional 2,100,000 shares were registered under the Plan pursuant to Registration Statement 333-122494. In accordance with Section E. of the General Instructions to Form S-8, Registration Statements No. 333-111665 and No. 333-122494 are incorporated herein by reference.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
     The following documents, which have been filed by Piper Jaffray Companies (hereinafter the “Company” or the “Registrant”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) are incorporated by reference herein and shall be deemed to be a part hereof:
  (a)   The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, filed with the Commission on March 1, 2007;
 
  (b)   All other reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13(a) and 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year referred to in (a) above; and
 
  (c)   The description of the Registrant’s common stock and associated preferred share purchase rights contained in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 10 (File No. 001-31720), as amended (declared effective on December 19, 2003), filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and in any registration statement or report filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or in any report filed under the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.
     All other documents filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement that indicates that all securities offered hereunder have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. In this Registration Statement, the Company refers to these documents, and the documents enumerated above, as the “incorporated documents.”

 


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     Any statement contained in an incorporated document will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed incorporated document modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.
Item 4. Description of Securities.
           Not applicable.
Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
           Not applicable.
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
     The Registrant is incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware. Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware provides in relevant part as follows:
     A corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person 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 or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interest of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or 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 person did not act in good faith and in a manner which the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that the person’s conduct was unlawful.
     A corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person 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 or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the

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best interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
     As permitted by Delaware law, the Registrant has included in its certificate of incorporation a provision to eliminate the personal liability of its directors to the fullest extent permitted by law. In addition, its certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that the Registrant is required to indemnify its officers and directors under certain circumstances, including those circumstances in which indemnification would otherwise be discretionary and the Registrant is required to advance expenses to its officers and directors as incurred in connection with proceedings against them for which they may be indemnified.
     The Registrant maintains directors and officers liability insurance for the benefit of its directors and officers.
Item 7. Exemption From Registration Claimed.
           Not applicable.
Item 8. Exhibits.
             
Exhibit No.   Description   Method of Filing
4.1
  Form of Specimen Certificate for Piper Jaffray Companies Common Stock     (1 )
 
           
4.2
  Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation   Filed Herewith
 
           
4.3
  Amended and Restated Bylaws     (2 )
 
           
4.4
  Rights Agreement dated as of December 31, 2003 between Piper Jaffray Companies and Mellon Investor Services LLC, as Rights Agent     (3 )
 
           
4.5
  Piper Jaffray Companies Amended and Restated 2003 Annual and Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective May 2, 2006)     (4 )
 
           
5.1
  Opinion of Faegre & Benson LLP, independent legal counsel, regarding the due authorization and valid issuance of the shares of common stock, with consent to use   Filed Herewith

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Exhibit No.   Description   Method of Filing
 
           
23.1
  Consent of Ernst & Young LLP   Filed Herewith
 
           
23.2
  Consent of Company Counsel (see Exhibit 5.1)   Filed Herewith
 
           
24.1
  Power of Attorney   Filed Herewith
 
(1)   Filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Form 10, filed with the Commission on June 25, 2003, and incorporated herein by reference.
 
(2)   Filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on May 4, 2007, and incorporated herein by reference.
 
(3)   Filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003, filed with the Commission on March 8, 2004, and incorporated herein by reference.
 
(4)   Filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2006, filed with the Commission on August 4, 2006, and incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9. Undertakings.
     (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
     (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
     (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
     (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

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     (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(l)(i) and (a)(l)(ii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.
     (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
     (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
* * *
(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
* * *
(h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

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SIGNATURES
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, Piper Jaffray Companies certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the County of Hennepin, and the State of Minnesota, on this 8th day of May, 2007.
         
  PIPER JAFFRAY COMPANIES
(Registrant)
 
 
  By:   /s/ Andrew S. Duff    
    Name:   Andrew S. Duff   
    Title:   Chairman and Chief Executive Officer   
 
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on May 8, 2007.
     
Signature   Title
 
/s/ Andrew S. Duff
 
Andrew S. Duff
  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ Thomas P. Schnettler
 
Thomas P. Schnettler
  Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)
/s/ Timothy L. Carter
 
Timothy L. Carter
  Chief Accounting Officer
(Principal Accounting Officer)
*
 
Michael R. Francis
  Director

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Signature   Title
 
*
 
B. Kristine Johnson
  Director
*
 
Samuel L. Kaplan
  Director
*
 
Addison L. Piper
  Director
*
 
Lisa K. Polsky
  Director
*
 
Frank L. Sims
  Director
*
 
Jean M. Taylor
  Director
*   James L. Chosy, by signing his name hereto, does sign this document on behalf of the above noted individuals, pursuant to powers of attorney duly executed by such individuals which have been filed as an exhibit to this Registration Statement.
         
     
  /s/ James L. Chosy    
  By: James L. Chosy   
  Attorney-in-Fact   
 

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EXHIBIT INDEX
             
Exhibit No.   Description   Method of Filing
4.1
  Form of Specimen Certificate for Piper Jaffray Companies Common Stock     (1 )
 
           
4.2
  Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation   Filed Herewith
 
           
4.3
  Amended and Restated Bylaws     (2 )
 
           
4.4
  Rights Agreement dated as of December 31, 2003 between Piper Jaffray Companies and Mellon Investor Services LLC, as Rights Agent     (3 )
 
           
4.5
  Piper Jaffray Companies Amended and Restated 2003 Annual and Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective May 2, 2006)     (4 )
 
           
5.1
  Opinion of Faegre & Benson LLP, independent legal counsel, regarding the due authorization and valid issuance of the shares of common stock, with consent to use   Filed Herewith
 
           
23.1
  Consent of Ernst & Young LLP   Filed Herewith
 
           
23.2
  Consent of Company Counsel (see Exhibit 5.1)   Filed Herewith
 
           
24.1
  Power of Attorney   Filed Herewith
 
(1)   Filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Form 10, filed with the Commission on June 25, 2003, and incorporated herein by reference.
 
(2)   Filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on May 4, 2007, and incorporated herein by reference.
 
(3)   Filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003, filed with the Commission on March 8, 2004, and incorporated herein by reference.
 
(4)   Filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2006, filed with the Commission on August 4, 2006, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

Exhibit 4.2
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
PIPER JAFFRAY COMPANIES
     Piper Jaffray Companies, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify as follows:
     1. The name of the Corporation is “Piper Jaffray Companies.” The Corporation was originally incorporated under the name “Piper Jaffray & Co.”, and the original Certificate of Incorporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on April 28, 2003.
     2. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (“Certificate of Incorporation”) was duly adopted in accordance with Section 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. Pursuant to Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the amendments and restatement herein set forth have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and the stockholders of the Corporation.
     3. Pursuant to Section 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, this Certificate of Incorporation restates and integrates and amends the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation of this Corporation.
     4. Pursuant to Section 103(d) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, this Certificate of Incorporation shall become effective at 5:00 p.m., Wilmington, Delaware time on May 2, 2007.
     5. The text of the Certificate of Incorporation is hereby restated and amended to read in its entirety as follows:
ARTICLE I
NAME
     The name of the corporation (which is hereinafter referred to as the “Corporation”) is:
Piper Jaffray Companies

 


 

ARTICLE II
REGISTERED OFFICE
     The registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware shall be in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, and the name and address of the Registered Agent in charge thereof shall be The Corporation Trust Company, Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19801.
ARTICLE III
PURPOSE
     The purpose of the Corporation shall be to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized and incorporated under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
ARTICLE IV
STOCK
     Section 1. Authorization . The Corporation shall be authorized to issue 105,000,000 shares of capital stock, of which 100,000,000 shares shall be shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), and 5,000,000 shares shall be shares of Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Preferred Stock”).
     Section 2. Preferred Stock Rights . Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) is hereby authorized by resolution or resolutions to fix the voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences and the relative, participation, optional or other rights, if any, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of any unissued series of Preferred Stock; and to fix the number of shares constituting such series, and to increase or decrease the number of shares of any such series (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding).

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SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
     1.  Designation and Amount . The shares of the series of Preferred Stock shall be designated as “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock” (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) and the number of shares constituting the Series A Preferred Stock shall be 1,000,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.
     2.  Dividends and Distributions .
     (A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of Common Stock, of the Corporation, and of any other junior stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a “Quarterly Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non cash dividends or other distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any

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time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
     (B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
     (C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be

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allocated pro rata on a share by share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
     3.  Voting Rights . The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
     (A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
     (B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
     (C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not

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be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
     4.  Certain Restrictions .
     (A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
     (i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;
     (ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
     (iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or
     (iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders

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of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.
     (B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
     5.  Reacquired Shares . Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law.
     6.  Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up . Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have received $100 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts

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to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (1) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
     7.  Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

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     8.  No Redemption . The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
     9.  Rank . The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to all series of any other class of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock.
     10.  Amendment . The Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class.
     Section 3. Common Stock Voting Rights . Except as otherwise provided by law or by the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors designating the rights, power and preferences of any series of Preferred Stock, the Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and for all other purposes. Each share of Common Stock shall have one vote, and the Common Stock shall vote together as a single class.
ARTICLE V
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
     Section 1. Number of Directors . Except as otherwise provided by the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors designating the rights, powers and preferences of any series of Preferred Stock, the number of directors of the Corporation shall be fixed, and may be increased or decreased from time to time, exclusively by resolution of the Board of Directors.
     Section 2. Written Ballot . Unless and except to the extent that the Bylaws of the Corporation shall so require, the election of directors of the Corporation need not be by written ballot.
     Section 3. Vacancies . Except as otherwise provided by the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors designating the rights, powers and preferences of

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any series of Preferred Stock, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies in the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause shall be filled solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, or by the sole remaining director. Any director so chosen shall hold office until his or her successor shall be elected and qualified. No decrease in the number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
ARTICLE VI
AMENDING THE BYLAWS
     In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by law, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized and empowered to adopt, amend and repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors or by written consent, subject to the power of the stockholders of the Corporation to adopt, amend or repeal any Bylaws.
ARTICLE VII
AMENDING THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
     The Corporation reserves the right at any time from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, and any other provisions authorized by the laws of the State of Delaware at the time in force may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by law. All rights, preferences and privileges of whatsoever nature conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons whomsoever by and pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article.
ARTICLE VIII
DIRECTOR LIABILITY; INDEMNIFICATION AND INSURANCE
     Section 1. Elimination of Certain Liability of Directors . The personal liability of the directors of the Corporation shall be eliminated to the fullest extent permitted by law. No amendment, modification or repeal of this Article, adoption of any provision in this Certificate of

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Incorporation, or change in the law or interpretation of the law shall adversely affect any right or protection of a director or officer of the Corporation under this Article VIII with respect to any act or omission that occurred prior to the time of such amendment, modification, repeal, adoption or change.
     Section 2. Indemnification and Insurance .
     (a)  Right to Indemnification . Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, to the fullest extent permitted by law, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, and excise taxes or penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided , however , that, except as provided in paragraph (b) this section, the Corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board. The right to indemnification conferred in this Section shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided , however , that, if the General Corporation Law of the State of

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Delaware requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding, shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified under this Section or otherwise. The Corporation may, by action of the Board, provide indemnification to employees and agents of the Corporation with the same scope and effect as the foregoing indemnification of directors and officers.
     (b)  Right of Claimant to Bring Suit . If a claim under paragraph (a) of this Section is not paid in full by the Corporation within thirty days after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
     (c)  Non-Exclusivity of Rights . The right to indemnification and the payment of expenses incurred in defending a proceeding in advance of its final disposition conferred in this Section shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter

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acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation (as it may be amended from time to time), Bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
     Section 3. Insurance . The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any such expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
ARTICLE IX
STOCKHOLDER MEETINGS
     Any action required or permitted to be taken by stockholders may be effected only at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders and may not be effected by a written consent or consents by stockholders in lieu of such a meeting.
     Except as otherwise required by law or provided by the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors designating the rights, powers and preferences of any series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by (a) the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution approved by a majority of the entire Board of Directors or (b) the Chairman of the Board of Directors, and any power of stockholders to call a special meeting is specifically denied.
ARTICLE X
SUPERMAJORITY AMENDMENT
     Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws (and notwithstanding that a lesser percentage may be specified by law), the provisions of Article IX and this Article X hereof may not be altered, amended or repealed unless such alteration, amendment or repeal is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than eighty percent (80%) of the voting power of all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, considered for purposes of this Article X as a single class.

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Piper Jaffray Companies has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be executed by James L. Chosy, its Secretary, this 2nd day of May, 2007.
         
     
  /s/ James L. Chosy    
  Name:   James L. Chosy   
  Title:   Secretary   
 

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Exhibit 5.1
May 8, 2007
Piper Jaffray Companies
800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 800
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
     
Re:
  Piper Jaffray Companies
 
  1,329,766 Shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
Ladies and Gentlemen:
In connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Registration Statement”), relating to the offering of up to 1,329,766 shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) and associated preferred share purchase rights (the “Rights”) (the Common Stock and Rights to be collectively referred to in this opinion as the “Shares”), of Piper Jaffray Companies, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), pursuant to the Piper Jaffray Companies Amended and Restated 2003 Annual and Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective May 2, 2006) (the “Plan”), we have examined such corporate records and other documents, including the Registration Statement, and have reviewed such matters of law as we have deemed relevant hereto, and, based upon such examination and review, it is our opinion that all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company has been taken to authorize the issuance and sale of the Shares and that, when issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Shares will be legally and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
         
  Very truly yours,


FAEGRE & BENSON LLP
 
 
  By:   /s/ W. Morgan Burns    
    W. Morgan Burns   
       
 

 

 

Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
     We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the registration of 1,329,766 shares of Piper Jaffray Companies common stock and associated preferred share purchase rights for the Piper Jaffray Companies Amended and Restated 2003 Annual and Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective May 2, 2006) of our reports dated February 28, 2007, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Piper Jaffray Companies incorporated by reference in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, and Piper Jaffray Companies management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Piper Jaffray Companies, and the related financial statement schedule included therein, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
May 2, 2007

 

 

Exhibit 24.1
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS:
     That each person whose signature appears below, as a Director and/or Officer of Piper Jaffray Companies (the “Company”), a Delaware corporation with its general offices in the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, does hereby make, constitute and appoint Andrew S. Duff, Thomas P. Schnettler and James L. Chosy, or any one of them acting alone, his or her true and lawful attorneys, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to execute and sign a registration statement or registration statements on Form S-8 covering the registration of securities of the Company to be issued under the Piper Jaffray Companies Amended and Restated 2003 Annual and Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective May 2, 2006) as approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, and any amendments or post-effective amendments to such registration statement or statements and documents in connection therewith, all to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, giving and granting unto said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform such actions as fully as they might have done or could do if personally present and executing any of said documents.
 
Dated and effective as of May 8, 2007.
     
/s/ Andrew S. Duff
 
Andrew S. Duff, Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer
  /s/ Samuel L. Kaplan
 
Samuel L. Kaplan, Director
/s/ Thomas P. Schnettler
 
Thomas P. Schnettler, Vice Chairman and Chief
Financial Officer
  /s/ Addison L. Piper
 
Addison L. Piper, Director
/s/ Timothy L. Carter
 
Timothy L. Carter, Chief Accounting Officer
  /s/ Lisa K. Polsky
 
Lisa K. Polsky, Director
/s/ Michael R. Francis
 
Michael R. Francis, Director
  /s/ Frank L. Sims
 
Frank L. Sims, Director
/s/ B. Kristine Johnson
 
B. Kristine Johnson, Director
  /s/ Jean M. Taylor
 
Jean M. Taylor, Director