UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO
SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): January 16, 2014

 

EP ENERGY CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

Delaware

 

001-36253

 

46-3472728

(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer Identification
No.)

 

1001 Louisiana Street, Houston, TX 77002

 

77002

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (713) 997-1200

 

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

o

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

 

 

o

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

 

 

o

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

 

 

o

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 



 

Item 1.02 Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement

 

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

 

As described in Item 7.01 below, on January 23, 2014, EP Energy Corporation (the “Company”) completed its initial public offering (the “Offering”) of 35,200,000 shares of its Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), at a price to the public of $20.00 per share of Common Stock pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-190979), which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 16, 2014 (the “Registration Statement”).

 

On January 23, 2014, pursuant to the Indenture, dated as of December 21, 2012 (the “Indenture”), between the Company’s subsidiaries, EPE Holdings LLC and EP Energy Bondco Inc. (together, the “Co-Issuers”), and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), the Co-Issuers provided notice to the Trustee that they had elected to redeem all of their outstanding 8.125%/8.875% senior PIK toggle notes due 2017 issued under the Indenture (the “Notes”), at a redemption price of 102%, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, on February 24, 2014 (the “Redemption”). On January 23, 2014, the Co-Issuers irrevocably deposited with the Trustee approximately $394.8 million, which is the amount sufficient to fund the Redemption and to satisfy and discharge (the “Discharge”) the Co-Issuers’ obligations under the Notes and the Indenture. The Company contributed a portion of the net proceeds from the Offering to the Co-Issuers to fund the Redemption and the Discharge.

 

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

 

(e)  Effective January 15, 2014, the day prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted the EP Energy Corporation 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”).  Under the Plan, awards of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance units, incentive awards, and other cash or stock-based awards may be granted to current and future employees, consultants and directors of the Company and its subsidiaries. Subject to adjustment for certain corporate events, 12,433,749 shares is the maximum number of shares of Common Stock authorized and reserved for issuance under the Plan.

 

The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Plan, which is attached as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 5.02 by reference.

 

Item 5.03 Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

 

Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation

 

On January 16, 2014, the Company filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware a Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which became effective as of such date. The description of the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation set forth in the section entitled “Description of Capital Stock” in the Registration Statement is incorporated herein by reference and attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1. The description of the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation contained herein is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1.

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws

 

On January 16, 2014, the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws became effective upon effectiveness of the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. The description of the Amended and Restated Bylaws set forth in the section entitled “Description of Capital Stock” in the Registration Statement is incorporated herein by reference and attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1. The description of the Amended and Restated Bylaws contained herein is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Amended and Restated Bylaws, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.2.

 

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Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.

 

On January 16, 2014, the Company announced that it had priced the Offering. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

On January 23, 2014, the Company announced the completion of the Offering. A copy of the press released is furnished as Exhibit 99.3 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the press releases are deemed to be “furnished” and shall not be deemed “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall such information and Exhibits be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)  Exhibits .

 

Exhibit Number

 

Description

3.1

 

Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of EP Energy Corporation

 

 

 

3.2

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws of EP Energy Corporation

 

 

 

10.1#

 

EP Energy Corporation 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 

 

 

99.1

 

Copy of “Description of Capital Stock” from the Registration Statement

 

 

 

99.2

 

Press release dated January 16, 2014

 

 

 

99.3

 

Press release dated January 23, 2014

 


# Compensatory plan, contract or arrangement

 

3



 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

EP Energy Corporation

 

 

 

 

Date: January 23, 2014

By:

/s/ Marguerite N. Woung-Chapman

 

 

Marguerite N. Woung-Chapman

 

 

Senior Vice President, General Counsel and
Corporate Secretary

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit Number

 

Description

3.1

 

Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of EP Energy Corporation

 

 

 

3.2

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws of EP Energy Corporation

 

 

 

10.1#

 

EP Energy Corporation 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 

 

 

99.1

 

Copy of “Description of Capital Stock” from the Registration Statement

 

 

 

99.2

 

Press release dated January 16, 2014

 

 

 

99.3

 

Press release dated January 23, 2014

 


# Compensatory plan, contract or arrangement

 

5


Exhibit 3.1

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
EP ENERGY CORPORATION

 

EP Energy Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “ Corporation ”), hereby certifies as follows:

 

1.                                       The name of the Corporation is EP Energy Corporation.

 

2.                                       The date of filing of the original Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware was August 8, 2013 (the “ Original Certificate of Incorporation ”).

 

3.                                       The Original Certificate of Incorporation was amended and restated in its entirety by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware was August 30, 2013 (the “ Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation ”).

 

4.                                       This Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended, restated or modified from time to time, this “ Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation ”) amends and restates the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and has been duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “ Board ”) by unanimous written consent in lieu of a meeting in accordance with Sections 14(f), 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (as may be amended and supplemented from time to time, the “ DGCL ”) and by the stockholders of the Corporation by written consent in lieu of a meeting thereof in accordance with Sections 228, 242 and 245 of the DGCL.

 

5.                                       The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended hereby, shall, upon the effectiveness hereof, read in its entirety, as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

NAME

 

The name of the Corporation is:

 

EP Energy Corporation

 

ARTICLE II

 

REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT

 

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19801. The name of the Corporation’s registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

 



 

ARTICLE III

 

PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the Corporation shall be to engage in any lawful act and activity for which corporations may be organized and incorporated under the DGCL.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

CAPITAL STOCK

 

Section 1.                    Authorized Shares . The total number of shares of all classes of stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 600,878,304 shares, of which 550,000,000 shares shall be Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “ Class A Common Stock ” and shares of Class A Common Stock, “ Class A Shares ”), 878,304 shares shall be Class B Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “ Class B Common Stock ” and shares of Class B Common Stock, “ Class B Shares ”), and 50,000,000 shares shall be preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “ Preferred Stock ” and shares of Preferred Stock, “ Preferred Shares ”).

 

Section 2.                    Class A Shares .  Except as otherwise required by applicable law, all Class A Shares shall be identical in all respects and shall entitle the holders thereof to the same rights, subject to the same qualifications, limitations and restrictions.  The terms of the Class A Shares set forth below shall be subject to the express terms of the Class B Shares and any series of Preferred Shares.

 

(a)                                  Voting Rights .  Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the holders of Class A Shares (the “ Class A Stockholders ”) shall be entitled to one vote per Class A Share on all matters to be voted on by the Corporation’s stockholders. No Class A Stockholders shall be entitled to exercise any right of cumulative voting.

 

(b)                                  Dividends .  Subject to the rights of the holders of Preferred Shares and Class B Shares, and subject to any other provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation the Class A Stockholders shall be entitled to receive, as, if and when declared by the Board out of the funds of the Corporation legally available therefor (such funds, “Available Cash”), such dividends (payable in cash, stock or otherwise)  as the Board may from time to time determine, payable to Class A Stockholders of record on such dates, not exceeding 60 days preceding the dividend distribution dates, as shall be fixed for such purpose by the Board in advance of distribution of each particular dividend, taking into account all debts, liabilities, and obligations of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries then due, and working capital and other requirements, which the Board may deem necessary for the Corporation’s and its Subsidiaries’ businesses or to place into reserves for expenditures, claims or contingencies with respect to such businesses (any such cash dividends, “ Available Cash Dividends ”).

 

Section 3.                    Class B Shares .  Except as otherwise required by applicable law, all Class B Shares shall be identical in all respects and shall entitle the holders thereof to the same rights, subject to the same qualifications, limitations and restrictions.

 

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(a)                                  Voting Rights . Except as otherwise required by applicable law and as provided herein, the holders of Class B Shares (the “ Class B Stockholders ”) shall not be entitled to any votes in respect of any matter to be voted on by the Corporation’s stockholders.  No Class B Stockholders shall be entitled to exercise any right of cumulative voting.

 

(b)                                  Dividends Following the occurrence of a Threshold Capital Transaction (or following any other distributions or series of distributions of Capital Proceeds or Available Cash Dividends, where after giving effect to such distributions or series of distributions, MOIC is greater than 1.0), at such times as Available Cash Dividends are paid to the Class A Stockholders, dividends out of Available Cash shall be paid to the Class B Stockholders in respect of their Class B Shares (whether or not vested pursuant to any applicable management incentive plan agreement or otherwise) in the same manner and in such amounts as if they were Capital Proceeds distributed pursuant to Article IV, Section 5 (with the term Capital Proceeds used therein being deemed to include dividends out of Available Cash).  In the event that any such dividends are paid to the Class B Stockholders pursuant to this Article IV, Section 3(b) , the calculation of amounts payable to the Class B Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 5 and the calculation of the number of Class A Shares issuable to the Class B Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 6 shall, in each case, be made on a cumulative basis and taking into account all prior distributions of Capital Proceeds and dividends out of Available Cash made pursuant to Article IV, Section 5 and this Article IV, Section 3(b) , as applicable, all Prior Distributions and all issuances of Class A Shares made pursuant to Article IV, Section 6 to avoid duplication.

 

Section 4.                    Preferred Shares .  The Board is authorized to provide for the issuance from time to time of Preferred Shares in one or more series by filing a certificate of the voting powers (if any), designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights, if any, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, if any (a “ Preferred Stock Certificate of Designation ”), pursuant to the applicable provisions of the DGCL, as are stated and expressed in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance thereof adopted by the Board and dependent on facts ascertainable outside such Preferred Stock Certificate of Designation or resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance thereof adopted by the Board, including, but not limited to, determination of any of the following:

 

(a)                                  the distinctive designation of the series, whether by number, letter or title, and the number of shares which will constitute the series, which number may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares then outstanding and except to the extent otherwise provided in the applicable Preferred Stock Certificate of Designation) from time to time by action of the Board;

 

(b)                                  the dividend rate, if any, and the times of distribution of dividends, if any, on the shares of the series, whether such dividends will be cumulative and, if so, from what date or dates, and the relation which such dividends, if any, shall bear to the dividends payable on any other class or classes of stock;

 

(c)                                   the price or prices at which, and the terms and conditions on which, the shares of the series may be redeemed at the option of the Corporation;

 

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(d)                                  whether or not the shares of the series will be entitled to the benefit of a retirement or sinking fund to be applied to the purchase or redemption of such shares and, if so entitled, the amount of such fund and the terms and provisions relative to the operation thereof;

 

(e)                                   the amounts payable on, and the preferences, if any, of the shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation;

 

(f)                                    whether or not the shares of the series will be convertible into, or exchangeable for, any other shares of stock of the Corporation or other securities and, if so convertible or exchangeable, the conversion price or prices, or the rates of exchange, and any adjustments thereof, at which such conversion or exchange may be made, and any other terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange;

 

(g)                                   whether or not the shares of the series will have priority over or be on a parity with or be junior to the shares of any other series or class of stock in any respect, or will be entitled to the benefit of limitations restricting the issuance of shares of any other series or class of stock, restricting the distribution of dividends on or the making of other distributions in respect of shares of any other series or class of stock ranking junior to the shares of the series as to dividends or assets, or restricting the purchase or redemption of the shares of any such junior series or class, and the terms of any such restriction;

 

(h)                                  whether or not the shares of the series will have voting rights in addition to any voting rights provided by law and, if so, the terms of such voting rights; and

 

(i)                                      any other terms of the shares of the series;

 

provided , that for so long as the Specified Condition is satisfied, any issuance of Preferred Shares or any specification of the rights of any Preferred Shares by the Board pursuant to this Article IV, Section 3 , shall require Special Board Approval and in the event that the Specified Condition is no longer satisfied, any issuance of Preferred Shares or any specification of the rights of any Preferred Shares by the Board pursuant to this Article IV, Section 3 , shall require the approval of a majority of the Board then in office.

 

Section 5.                    Capital Transactions.

 

(a)                                  Upon the occurrence of a Capital Transaction, Capital Proceeds shall be allocated and distributed to the Class A Stockholders and the Class B Stockholders in the following order of priority promptly following the consummation of such Capital Transaction.

 

(i)                                      First , to each Class A Stockholder, its Pro Rata Portion of such Capital Proceeds until the Legacy Class A Stockholders’ Unrecovered Capital balance is reduced to zero;

 

(ii)                                   Second , only to the extent that there is any Previously Paid Class A Preferred Return, an amount of such Capital Proceeds remaining after the Corporation has made the distributions to the Class A Stockholders described in Article IV, Section 5(a)(i) , which amount shall be equal to 3/97ths of the aggregate amount of the Previously

 

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Paid Class A Preferred Return distributed to the Legacy Class A Stockholders prior to the occurrence of such Capital Transaction, to the Class B Stockholders Pro Rata (for the avoidance of doubt, the aggregate amount of distributions made to the Class B Stockholders under this Article IV, Section 5(a)(ii) , together with the Tier I MIPS (as defined below) shall not exceed an amount equal to three percent (3%) of the amount of Profits as of such date of distribution);

 

(iii)                                Third , the amount of such Capital Proceeds remaining after the Corporation has made the distributions to the Class A Stockholders and the Class B Stockholders described in Article IV, Section 5(a)(i)  and Article IV, Section 5(a)(ii)  (the “ Remaining Tier I Profits ”) to the Class A Stockholders and the Class B Stockholders as follows:

 

(A)                                Ninety-seven percent (97%) of the Remaining Tier I Profits to the Class A Stockholders Pro Rata based on the relative Unpaid Class A Preferred Return of each Legacy Class A Stockholder until each Legacy Class A Stockholder’s Unpaid Class A Preferred Return is reduced to, and remains at, zero; and

 

(B)                                Three percent (3%) of the Remaining Tier I Profits (such amount, the “ Tier I MIPS ”) to the Class B Stockholders Pro Rata until the unpaid Tier I MIPS is reduced to zero; and

 

(iv)                               Fourth , the amount of such Capital Proceeds remaining after the Corporation has made the distributions to the Class A Stockholders and the Class B Stockholders described in Article IV, Sections 5(a)(i), 5(a)(ii) and 5(a)(iii)  (the “ Remaining Tier II Profits ”) to the Class A Stockholders and Class B Stockholders as follows:

 

(A)                                An amount equal to (x) the Remaining Tier II Profits, minus (y) the Class B Additional Profits Amount (as defined below) or the Alternative Class B Additional Profits Amount (as defined below), as applicable, to the Class A Stockholders Pro Rata; and

 

(B)                                A portion of the Remaining Tier II Profits to the Class B Stockholders Pro Rata, as follows (such amount, the “ Class B Additional Profits Amount ”):

 

(I)                                    if MOIC is greater than or equal to 1.00, but less than or equal to 1.50, an amount equal to (x) the amount of Profits, multiplied by (y) three and one-half percent (3.5%);

 

(II)                               if MOIC is greater than 1.50, but less than or equal to 2.25, an amount equal to (x) the amount determined pursuant to clause (I) above (calculated assuming MOIC is equal to 1.50), plus (y) an amount equal to (1) six and one-half percent (6.5%), multiplied by (2) an amount equal to the excess of (xx) an amount equal to (A) the aggregate amount of Capital Proceeds theretofore distributed or to be distributed to the Class A

 

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Stockholders in connection with such Capital Transaction pursuant to this Article IV, Section 5 , plus (B) the aggregate amount of Available Cash Dividends theretofore distributed to the Class A Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 2(b)  through the date of such distribution, plus (C) the aggregate amount of Subsequent Sale Proceeds theretofore received by the Legacy Class A Stockholders (after deducting any underwriting discounts, expenses and commissions and any other costs and expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Stockholders in connection with such Subsequent Sales giving rise to such proceeds, but only to the extent that such Stockholders have not previously been reimbursed such amounts by the Corporation pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement or otherwise) through such date, plus (D) the aggregate amount of Prior Distributions received by the Legacy Class A Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable) through such date, over (yy) an amount equal to (A) the aggregate amount of Capital Contributions theretofore made by the Class A Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable), multiplied by (B) 1.50; or

 

(III)                          if MOIC is greater than 2.25, an amount equal to (x) the amount determined pursuant to clause (II) above (calculated assuming MOIC is equal to 2.25), plus (y) an amount equal to (1) six percent (6.0%), multiplied by (2) an amount equal to the excess of (xx) an amount equal to (A) the aggregate amount of Capital Proceeds theretofore distributed or to be distributed to the Class A Stockholders in connection with such Capital Transaction pursuant to this Article IV, Section 5 , plus (B) the aggregate amount of Available Cash Dividends theretofore distributed to the Class A Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 2(b)  through the date of such distribution, plus (C) the aggregate amount of proceeds theretofore received by the Legacy Class A Stockholders in connection with Subsequent Sales (after deducting any underwriting discounts, expenses and commissions and any other costs and expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Stockholders in connection with such Subsequent Sales giving rise to such Subsequent Sale Proceeds, but only to the extent that such Stockholders have not previously been reimbursed such amounts by the Corporation pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement or otherwise) through such date, plus (D) the aggregate amount of Prior Distributions received by the Legacy Class A Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable) through such date, over (yy) an amount equal to (A) the aggregate amount of Capital Contributions theretofore made by the Class A Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable), multiplied by (B) 2.25;

 

provided , however , that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in Article IV, Section 5(a)(iv)(B)  above, in the event that the amount of the Remaining Tier II Profits is insufficient to pay the Class B Additional Profits Amount to the Class B Stockholders, then in lieu of the Class B Additional Profits Amount, the Class B Stockholders shall instead receive, on

 

6



 

a Pro Rata Basis, an aggregate amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of the Remaining Tier II Profits (the “ Alternative Class B Additional Profits Amount ”).

 

(b)                                  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, (i) in no event shall the aggregate amount distributed to the Class B Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 5 and Article IV, Section 3(b)  (together with any tax advances previously received by a Class B Stockholder or its predecessor in interest (as applicable) in respect of interests of the LLC previously held by such Class B Stockholder or its predecessor in interest (as applicable)) exceed eight and one-half percent (8.5%) of the aggregate amount of Profits distributed to the Class A Stockholders and the Class B Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 5 and Article IV, Section 3(b) , and (ii) no distributions (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any exchange pursuant to Article IV, Section 6 , which shall be subject to the terms and provisions set forth therein) shall be made to any Class B Stockholder, until the consummation of a Threshold Capital Transaction.

 

(c)                                   Any amount distributed to the Class B Stockholders in connection with any Class B Exchange shall be treated as an advance distribution of, and shall reduce by like amount, the next amounts otherwise payable to the Class B Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 5 and Article IV, Section 3(b) .  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, if any Class B Shares are exchanged pursuant to a Class B Exchange, then the amount of any Capital Proceeds to be distributed to the Class B Members pursuant to this Article IV, Section 5 in connection with any Capital Transaction following such Class B Exchange ( provided , that such Capital Transaction is a Threshold Capital Transaction or that a Threshold Capital Transaction has been previously consummated) shall be (i) calculated by (A) disregarding the amount of Capital Proceeds received in such Capital Transaction in respect of those Class A Shares that were acquired by any Legacy Class A Stockholder in its capacity as the purchaser in a Specified Sale relating to a Class B Exchange and (B) including in such calculation, in lieu of the amount described in the immediately preceding subclause (A), the amount of proceeds received by the Specified Stockholders in such Specified Sale in respect of such Class A Shares, multiplied by the Adjustment Multiple and (ii) reduced by any amount distributed to the Class B Stockholders in connection with any Class B Exchange (in accordance with the first sentence of this Article IV, Section 3(c)).  In addition, any other distributions to be made to the Class B Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 5 and Article IV, Section 3(b)  following any Class B Exchange shall be calculated in an equitable manner in accordance with the principles described in the immediately preceding sentence.

 

(d)                                  Any distributions in kind pursuant to Article IV, Section 5 and Article IV, Section 3(b)  shall be distributed out based on their Fair Market Values, in the same proportions as if cash (whether Available Cash Dividends or Capital Proceeds) were distributed.  If cash and property are to be distributed in kind simultaneously, the Corporation shall pay such cash and property in kind in the same proportion to each Class A Stockholder and Class B Stockholder entitled to such distribution pursuant to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, unless otherwise agreed by the Class A Stockholders and the Class B Stockholders, in each case, voting as a separate class.  The Fair Market Value of any assets (other than cash) that are distributed pursuant to this Article IV, Section 5 and Article IV, Section 3(b)   shall be determined as of the date that such distribution is made.  For the avoidance of

 

7



 

doubt, all amounts payable to the Class B Stockholders under this Article IV, Section 5 in connection with any Capital Transaction shall be in the same form as the distributions received by the Class A Stockholders in connection with such Capital Transaction.

 

Section 6.                    Class B Exchange .

 

(a)                                  In connection with each Specified Sale, the Corporation shall exchange with the Class B Stockholders a number of newly issued Class A Shares calculated pursuant to Article IV, Section 6(c)  for a number of Class B Shares (such number of Class B Shares, the “ Class B Exchange Amount ”) such that, after giving effect to such exchange, the total number of Class B Shares held by the Class B Stockholders shall be equal to (i) the number of Class B Shares held by the Class B Stockholders immediately prior to the first Sale, multiplied by (ii) a fraction, expressed as a percentage (x) the numerator of which is an amount equal to the aggregate number of Class A Shares collectively held by the Specified Stockholders after giving effect to such Specified Sale, and (y) the denominator of which is an amount equal to the total number of Class A Shares collectively held by the Specified Stockholders immediately prior to the first Sale.

 

(b)                                  The aggregate value of the Class A Shares to be issued by the Corporation in exchange for the Class B Exchange Amount (the “ Class B Consideration ”) shall equal :

 

(i)                                      only to the extent that there is any Specified Previously Paid Class A Preferred Return, an amount of Specified Profits equal to 3/97ths of the aggregate amount of the Specified Previously Paid Class A Preferred Return distributed to the Specified Stockholders prior to the occurrence of such Specified Sale (for the avoidance of doubt, the aggregate amount of the portion of the Class B Consideration calculated pursuant to this Article IV, Section 6(b)(i) , together with the Specified Tier I MIPS (as defined below) shall not exceed an amount equal to three percent (3%) of the amount of Specified Profits as of such date of exchange) (such amount, the “ Specified Class B Catch-Up Amount ”); plus

 

(ii)                                   an amount of Specified Remaining Tier I Profits equal to three percent (3)% of the Specified Remaining Tier I Profits (such amount, the “ Specified Tier I MIPS ”); plus

 

(iii)                                an amount of the Specified Remaining Tier II Profits equal to:

 

(1)                                  if Specified MOIC is greater than or equal to 1.00, but less than or equal to 1.50, an amount equal to (x) the amount of Specified Profits, multiplied by (y) three and one-half percent (3.5%);

 

(2)                                  if Specified MOIC is greater than 1.50, but less than or equal to 2.25, an amount equal to (x) the amount determined pursuant to clause (1) above (assuming Specified MOIC is equal to 1.50), plus (y) an amount equal to (A) six and one-half percent (6.5%), multiplied by (B) an amount equal to the excess of (xx) an amount equal to (I) the aggregate amount of Capital Proceeds theretofore distributed to the Specified Stockholders in connection with a Capital Transaction pursuant to

 

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Article IV, Section 5 , plus (II) the aggregate amount of Available Cash Dividends theretofore distributed to the Specified Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 2(b)  through the date of such Class B Exchange, plus (III) the aggregate amount of Sale Proceeds received by the Specified Stockholders (after deducting any underwriting discounts, expenses and commissions and any other costs and expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Stockholders in connection with such Sales giving rise to such Sale Proceeds, but only to the extent that such Stockholders have not previously been reimbursed such amounts by the Corporation pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement or otherwise) through such date, plus (IV) the aggregate amount of Specified Prior Distributions received by the Specified Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable) through such date, over (yy) an amount equal to (I) the aggregate amount of Capital Contributions theretofore made by the Specified Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable), multiplied by (II) 1.50;

 

(3)                                  if Specified MOIC is greater than 2.25, an amount equal to (x) the amount determined pursuant to clause (2) above (calculated assuming MOIC is equal to 2.25), plus (y) an amount equal to (A) six percent (6.0%), multiplied by (B) an amount equal to the excess of (xx) an amount equal to (I) the aggregate amount of Capital Proceeds theretofore distributed to the Specified Stockholders in connection with a Capital Transaction pursuant to Article IV, Section 5 , plus (II) the aggregate amount of Available Cash Dividends theretofore distributed to the Specified Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 2(b)  through the date of such Class B Exchange, plus (III) the aggregate amount of Sale Proceeds received by the Specified Stockholders (after deducting any underwriting discounts, expenses and commissions and any other costs and expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Stockholders in connection with such Sales giving rise to such Sale Proceeds, but only to the extent that such Stockholders have not previously been reimbursed such amounts by the Corporation pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement or otherwise) through such date, plus (IV) the aggregate amount of Specified Prior Distributions received by the Specified Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable) through such date, over (yy) an amount equal to (I) the aggregate amount of Capital Contributions theretofore made by the Specified Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable), multiplied by (II) 2.25; plus

 

(iv)                               an amount equal to (A) (x) the portion of the Class B Consideration calculated by aggregating the amounts described in the preceding clauses (i) through (iii), multiplied by (y) the Adjustment Multiple, minus (B) the aggregate of the amounts described in the preceding clauses (i) through (iii);

 

provided , that (A) in no event shall the Class B Consideration distributed to the Class B Stockholders pursuant to this Article IV, Section 6 (together with any tax advances previously received by any Class B Stockholder in respect of membership interests of the LLC previously

 

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held by such Class B Stockholder) exceed eight and one-half percent (8.5%) of the aggregate amount of Specified Profits multiplied by the Adjustment Multiple and (B) no Class B Exchange shall be consummated until the consummation of a Specified Sale; provided , further , that the Class B Consideration shall be calculated without duplication of amounts that were previously distributed to the Class B Stockholders in respect of their Class B Shares (including pursuant to Article IV, Section 5 and Article IV, Section 3(b) ) or in connection with any prior Class B Exchange, and any exchanges of Class B Shares pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement shall be treated as an advance distribution of, and shall reduce by like amount, the next amounts otherwise distributable to the applicable Class B Stockholders pursuant to this Article IV, Section 6 .

 

(c)                                   The aggregate number of Class A Shares to be issued to the Class B Stockholders in exchange for the Class B Exchange Amount pursuant to a Class B Exchange shall be equal to (i) the Class B Consideration, divided by an amount equal to (ii) (A) if such Class B Exchange is consummated prior to an IPO, the price per Class A Share sold in such Specified Sale, or (B) if such Class B Exchange is consummated following an IPO, the average closing price per Class A Share for the five (5) consecutive trading days immediately prior to the date on which the Class B Exchange is consummated (the amount in clause (A) or (B) above, as applicable, the “ Per Class A Share Price ”).  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, no fractional Class A Shares shall be issued in connection with any Class B Exchange.  In lieu of any fractional Class A Share, the Corporation shall pay to each affected Class B Stockholder an amount in cash equal to (I) such Class B Stockholder’s respective fractional Class A Share amount, multiplied by (II) the Per Class A Share Price .

 

(d)                                  A Class B Exchange shall be consummated as promptly as practicable following the consummation of the related Specified Sale, but in any event no later than ten (10) Business Days following the consummation of such Specified Sale.  Upon the consummation of a Class B Exchange, the Class B Exchange Amount shall be cancelled by the Corporation.

 

(e)                                   This Article IV, Section 6 shall terminate immediately upon the consummation of a Class B Exchange, if following the related Specified Sale, none of the Specified Stockholders shall hold any Class A Shares.

 

ARTICLE V

 

DIRECTORS

 

Section 1.                    General Powers .  Except as otherwise provided by applicable law or this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, in each case as the same may be amended and supplemented, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.

 

Section 2.                    Number of Directors .  The number of directors that shall constitute the whole Board shall be as determined from time to time by a majority of the Board then in office; provided , that in no event shall the total number of directors constituting the entire Board be less than three (3) nor more than thirteen (13). Election of directors need not be by written ballot.

 

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Section 3.                    Classes of Directors; Term of Office .  The Board shall be and is divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, designated: Class I, Class II and Class III.  In case of any increase or decrease, from time to time, in the number of directors, the number of directors in each class shall be apportioned as nearly equal as possible.  No decrease in the number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

 

Each director shall serve for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting following the annual meeting at which such director was elected; provided , that each director initially appointed to Class I shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s annual meeting of stockholders held in 2015; each director initially appointed to Class II shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s annual meeting of stockholders held in 2016; and each director initially appointed to Class III shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s annual meeting of stockholders held in 2017; provided , further , that the term of each director shall continue until the election and qualification of his successor and be subject to his earlier death, resignation or removal.

 

Section 4.                    Quorum .  Except as otherwise provided by law, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Amended and Restated Bylaws, a majority of the total number of directors then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board, but in no event shall less than one-third of the directors constitute a quorum. A majority of the directors present (though less than such quorum) may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice.

 

Section 5.                    Manner of Acting .  Every act or decision done or made by the majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be regarded as the act of the Board, unless the act of a greater number is required by law, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Amended and Restated Bylaws or the Stockholders Agreement, in each case as the same may be amended and supplemented.

 

Section 6.                    Vacancies .  Any vacancy or newly created directorships in the Board, however occurring, shall be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, except as otherwise provided by law, and shall not be filled by the stockholders of the Corporation; provided , however , that if (i) a vacancy in the Board is created as a result of a Specified Stockholder or a Principal Stockholder losing its right to designate a director pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement and (ii) the Legacy Class A Stockholders beneficially own more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Class A Shares at such time, then such vacancy shall be filled by a vote of the Majority-in-Interest (each such director designated by such Majority-in-Interest, a “ Replacement Director ”) and such Replacement Director (A) must qualify as an Independent Director and (B) any directors’ fees or similar compensation paid to such Replacement Director shall be taken into account in determining whether such person an Independent Director.  A director elected to fill a vacancy shall hold office until the next annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, subject to the election and qualification of a successor and to such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.  If any applicable provision of the DGCL expressly confers power on stockholders to fill such a directorship at a special meeting of stockholders, such a directorship may be filled at such meeting only by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the votes which all the stockholders would be entitled to cast in any annual election of directors or class of directors.

 

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Section 7.                    Removal and Resignation of Directors .  Directors may be removed only for cause, and only by the affirmative vote of the Stockholders that together hold at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2 / 3 %) of the voting power entitled to vote in any annual election of directors or class of directors; provided , however , that for so long as the Legacy Class A Stockholders beneficially own more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Class A Shares, directors may be removed only for cause, and only by the affirmative vote of Stockholders that together hold at least a majority of the voting power entitled to vote in any annual election of directors or class of directors; provided , further , that a director may be removed and replaced at any time and for any reason (or no reason) by the Legacy Class A Stockholder or the Majority-in-Interest that has the right to designate such director or may be removed and replaced by the Majority-in-Interest to the extent the applicable Legacy Class A Stockholder has lost the right to designate such director, in each case, pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement.  A director may resign at any time by filing his or her written resignation with the secretary of the Corporation.

 

Section 8.                    Voting Rights of Preferred Shares .  Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Shares issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more such other series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, removal, filling of vacancies and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Certificate of Designation) applicable thereto, and such directors so elected shall not be divided into classes pursuant to this Article V unless expressly provided by such terms.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

ACCESS TO BOOKS & RECORDS OF THE CORPORATION

 

Except as expressly provided in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Stockholders Agreement or in any Preferred Stock Certificate of Designation, no stockholder shall have any right to inspect any account, book or document of the Corporation other than such rights as may be conferred by applicable law.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any request for access to the accounts, books or documents of the Corporation pursuant to Section 220 of the DGCL shall only be granted during regular business hours, upon reasonable notice to the secretary of the Corporation and in a manner that does not unreasonably interfere with the business of the Corporation and such access shall be subject to such other reasonable restrictions permitted by Section 220 of the DGCL.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT

 

Any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders and, subject to the next sentence, may not be effected by any consent or consents in writing by stockholders of the Corporation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, until such time as the Legacy Class A Stockholders beneficially own fifty percent (50%) or less of the outstanding Class A Shares, any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of

 

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stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the stockholders of the Corporation having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of stock of the Corporation that are entitled to vote on such matter were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in Delaware, its principal place of business, or to an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders of the Corporation are recorded.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

SPECIAL MEETINGS

 

Except as otherwise required by law or provided in the Stockholders Agreement, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called by a majority of the members of the Board then in office pursuant to a resolution approved by the Board, and special meetings may not be called by any other person or persons.  Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice of such meeting .

 

ARTICLE IX

 

LIMITED LIABILITY

 

To the extent permitted by the DGCL, a director of the Corporation will not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director except for liability (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL (or any successor provision thereto), or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived any improper personal benefit. Any repeal or amendment or modification of this Article IX by the stockholders of the Corporation or by changes in applicable law, or the adoption of any provision of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article IX , will, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in applicable law permits the Corporation to provide a broader limitation on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto), and will not adversely affect any limitation on the personal liability of any director of the Corporation at the time of such repeal or amendment or modification or adoption of such inconsistent provision. If any provision of the DGCL is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of our directors will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended.

 

ARTICLE X

 

INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 1.                    Right to Indemnification .  Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding,

 

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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, at any time during which this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is in effect (whether or not such person continues to serve in such capacity at the time any indemnification or payment of expenses pursuant hereto is sought or at the time any Proceeding relating thereto exists or is brought), a director, officer or Board observer of the Corporation or is or was at any such time serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans maintained or sponsored by the Corporation (hereinafter, an “ Indemnitee ”), whether the basis of such Proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent, shall be (and shall be deemed to have a contractual right to be) indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation (and any successor of the Corporation by merger or otherwise) to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended or modified from time to time (but, in the case of any such amendment or modification that may have retroactive effect, only to the extent that such amendment or modification permits the Corporation to provide greater indemnification rights than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment or modification), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) 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, trustee, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided , however , that except as provided in Article X, Section 3 , 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 Article X shall include the right, without the need for any action by the Board, to be paid by the Corporation (and any successor of the Corporation by merger or otherwise) the expenses incurred in defending any such Proceeding in advance of its final disposition, such advances to be paid by the Corporation within twenty (20) days after the receipt by the Corporation of a statement or statements from the claimant requesting such advance or advances from time to time; provided, however, that if the DGCL 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) shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter, the “ Undertaking ”) by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right of appeal (a “ Final Disposition ”) that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Article X or otherwise.  The rights conferred upon Indemnitees in this Article X shall be contract rights between the Corporation and each Indemnitee to whom such rights are extended that vest at the commencement of such person’s service to or at the request of the Corporation and all such rights shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation or ceased to serve at the Corporation’s request as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, as

 

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described herein, and shall inure to the benefit of the Indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators.

 

Section 2.                    Claims    To obtain indemnification under this Article X , a claimant shall submit to the Corporation a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to the claimant and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent the claimant is entitled to indemnification.  Upon written request by a claimant for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of this Article X, Section 2 , a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to the claimant’s entitlement thereto shall be made as follows if there is a dispute between the Corporation and the claimant with respect to the claimant’s rights to indemnification hereunder:  (i) if requested by the claimant, by Independent Counsel, or (ii) if no request is made by the claimant for a determination by Independent Counsel, (A) by the Board by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors (as hereinafter defined), (B) if a quorum of the Board consisting of Disinterested Directors is not obtainable or, even if obtainable, such quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by Independent Counsel (as hereinafter defined) in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to the claimant, or (C) if a quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by a majority of the stockholders of the Corporation by Independent Counsel.  In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board unless there shall have occurred within two years prior to the date of the commencement of the action, suit or Proceeding for which indemnification is claimed a Specified Change of Control in which case the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the claimant unless the claimant shall request that such selection be made by the Board.  If it is so determined that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, payment to the claimant shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination.

 

Section 3.                    Recovery of Claims .   If a claim under Article X, Section 1 is not paid in full by the Corporation within thirty (30) days after a written claim pursuant to Article X, Section 2 has been received by the Corporation (except in the case of a claim for advancement of expenses, for which the applicable period is twenty (20) days), 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 that the claimant has not met the standard of conduct which makes it permissible under the DGCL for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed or that the claimant is not entitled to the requested advancement of expenses, but (except where the required Undertaking, if any, has not been tendered to the Corporation) the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation.  Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board, Independent Counsel or 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 DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board, Independent Counsel or 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.

 

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Section 4.                    Corporate Estoppel .  If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Article X, Section 2 that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, the Corporation shall be bound by such determination in any judicial Proceeding commenced pursuant to Article X, Section 3 .

 

Section 5.                    Preclusion in Judicial Procedure The Corporation shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial Proceeding commenced pursuant to Article X, Section 3 that the procedures and presumptions of this Article X are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in such Proceeding that the Corporation is bound by all the provisions of this Article X .

 

Section 6.                    Nonexclusivity 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 Article X :  (i) shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation , Amended and Restated Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or Disinterested Directors or otherwise and (ii) cannot be terminated by the Corporation, the Board or the stockholders of the Corporation with respect to a person’s service prior to the date of such termination.  Any amendment, modification, alteration or repeal of this Article X that in any way diminishes, limits, restricts, adversely affects or eliminates any right of an Indemnitee or his or her successors to indemnification, advancement of expenses or otherwise shall be prospective only and shall not, without the written consent of the Indemnitee, in any way diminish, limit, restrict, adversely affect or eliminate any such right with respect to any actual or alleged state of facts, occurrence, action or omission then or previously existing, or any action, suit or Proceeding previously or thereafter brought or threatened based in whole or in part upon any such actual or alleged state of facts, occurrence, action or omission.

 

Section 7.                    Maintaining Insurance The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any current or former director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any 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 DGCL.  To the extent that the Corporation maintains any policy or policies providing such insurance, each such current or former director or officer shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage thereunder for any such current or former directors or officers, respectively.

 

Section 8.                    Other Indemnification and Prepayment of Expenses The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board or the Chief Executive Officer, grant rights to indemnification, and rights to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in connection with any Proceeding in advance of its Final Disposition, to any current or former employee or agent of the Corporation to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Article X with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of current or former directors and officers of the Corporation.

 

Section 9.                    Reliance If any provision or provisions of this Article X shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever:  (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Article X (including, without limitation, each

 

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portion of any Section of this Article X containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Article X (including, without limitation, each such portion of any Section of this Article X containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

 

Section 10.             Notice Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given to the Corporation under this Article X shall be in writing and either delivered in person or sent by facsimile, overnight mail or courier service, or certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the Secretary of the Corporation and shall be effective only upon receipt by the Secretary.

 

ARTICLE XI

 

RELATED PERSONS; CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY

 

Neither any contract or other transaction between the Corporation and any other corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, firm, association, or other entity (an “ Entity ”), nor any other acts of the Corporation with relation to any other Entity will, in the absence of fraud, in any way be invalidated by the fact that any one or more of the directors or officers of the Corporation are pecuniarly or otherwise interested in, or are directors, officers, partners, or members of, such other Entity (such directors, officers, and Entities, each a “ Related Person ”). The fact that any Related Person may be a party to, or may be pecuniarly or otherwise interested in, any contract or transaction of the Corporation, shall not affect the validity of such contract or transaction; provided , that the fact that such person is a Related Person is disclosed or is known to the Board or a majority of directors present at any meeting of the Board at which action upon any such contract or transaction is taken; and any director of the Corporation who is also a Related Person may be counted in determining the existence of a quorum at any meeting of the Board during which any such contract or transaction is authorized and may vote thereat to authorize any such contract or transaction, with like force and effect as if such person were not a Related Person. Any director of the Corporation may vote upon any contract or any other transaction between the Corporation and any Subsidiary or affiliated corporation without regard to the fact that such person is also a director or officer of such Subsidiary or affiliated corporation.

 

Any contract, transaction or act of the Corporation or of the directors that is ratified at any annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, or at any special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation called for such purpose, will, insofar as permitted by applicable law, be as valid and as binding as though ratified by every stockholder of the Corporation; provided , however , that any failure of the stockholders to approve or ratify any such contract, transaction or act, when and if submitted, will not be deemed in any way to invalidate the same or deprive the Corporation, its directors, officers or employees, of its or their right to proceed with such contract, transaction or act.

 

The Corporation waives, to the maximum extent permitted by law, the application of the doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any other analogous doctrine, with respect to the

 

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Corporation, to any of the Legacy Class A Stockholders or any directors of the Corporation who are employees, partners, officers or directors of any of the Legacy Class A Stockholders or any of their Affiliates.  None of the Legacy Class A Stockholders nor any of their Affiliates (including, without limitation, any director who is an employee, partner, officer or director of any of the Legacy Class A Stockholders or any of their Affiliates) shall have any obligation to refrain from (i) engaging in or managing the same or similar activities or lines of business as the Corporation or its Subsidiaries or developing or marketing any products or services that compete, directly or indirectly, with those of the Corporation or its Subsidiaries, (ii) investing or owning any interest publicly or privately in, or developing a business relationship with, any Person engaged in the same or similar activities or lines of business as, or otherwise in competition with, the Corporation and its Subsidiaries or (iii) doing business with any client or customer of the Corporation or its Subsidiaries (each of the activities referred to in clauses (i)-(iii), a “ Specified Activity ”) and (iv) the Corporation renounces on behalf of itself and its Subsidiaries any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any Specified Activity that may be presented to or become known to any of the Legacy Class A Stockholders or any of their Affiliates (including, without limitation, any director who is an employee, partner officer or director of any of the Legacy Class A Stockholders or any of their Affiliates).

 

Any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Article XI .

 

ARTICLE XII

 

SECTION 203 OF THE DGCL

 

The Corporation elects not to be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL.

 

ARTICLE XIII

 

AMENDMENT

 

Section 1.                    Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation .

 

(a)                                  The Corporation reserves the right at any time from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Second Amended and Restated 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; and all rights, preferences and privileges of whatsoever nature conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons whomsoever by and pursuant to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article XIII , except as otherwise expressly provided in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or in any Preferred Stock Certificate of Designation.

 

(b)                                  This Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation may be modified, amended or repealed upon (i) the approval of a majority of the Board then in office and (ii) the affirmative vote of the Class A Stockholders that together hold at least ninety percent

 

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(90%) of the voting power of the Class A Shares entitled to vote thereon; provided , however , that for so long as the Specified Condition is satisfied, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation may be modified, amended or repealed upon (A) a Special Board Approval and (B) the affirmative vote of the Class A Stockholders that together hold eighty percent (80%) of the voting power of the Class A Shares entitled to vote thereon.

 

Section 2.                    Amended and Restated Bylaws .

 

(a)                                  In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred upon it by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Board shall have the power to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Amended and Restated Bylaws, subject to the rights reserved in this Article XIII, Section 2 .

 

(b)                                  The Amended and Restated Bylaws may be modified, amended or repealed upon (i) the approval of a majority of the Board then in office and (ii) the affirmative vote of the Class A Stockholders that together hold at least ninety percent (90%)  of the voting power of the Class A Shares entitled to vote thereon; provided , however , that for so long as the Specified Condition is satisfied, the Amended and Restated Bylaws may be modified, amended or repealed upon (A) a Special Board Approval and (B) the affirmative vote of the Class A Stockholders that together hold eighty percent (80%) of the voting power of the Class A Shares entitled to vote thereon.

 

ARTICLE XIV

 

SEVERABILITY

 

If any provision or provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service to or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

ARTICLE XV

 

FORUM SELECTION

 

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (b) any action asserting a

 

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claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (c) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, or (d) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each such case subject to such Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein. Any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any share of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consent to the provisions of this Article XV .

 

ARTICLE XVI

 

DEFINED TERMS

 

Access Stockholder ” means Texas Oil & Gas Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and/or its Permitted Transferees (as the case may be).

 

Adjustment Multiple ” means a fraction, (i) the numerator of which is the number of outstanding Class A Shares held by the Legacy Class A Stockholders as of immediately prior to the first Sale and (ii) the denominator of which is the total number of Class A Shares held by the Specified Stockholders as of immediately prior to the first Sale.

 

Affiliate ” means, with respect to a specified Person, a Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified Person, and with respect to any Legacy Class A Stockholder, an “Affiliate” shall include (i) any Person who is the direct or indirect ultimate holder of Equity Securities of such Specified Person, and (ii) any investment fund, alternative investment vehicle, special purpose vehicle or holding company that is directly or indirectly managed, advised or controlled by such Legacy Class A Stockholder or any Affiliate of such Legacy Class A Stockholder; provided , however , that an Affiliate shall not include any portfolio company of any Person (including any Legacy Class A Stockholder).

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws ” means the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation adopted as of January 16, 2014, as the same may be amended, restated or supplemented from time to time.

 

Apollo Stockholder ” means, collectively, ANRP (EPE AIV), L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, AIF PB VII (LS AIV), L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, AIF VII (AIV), L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, AOP VII (EPE Intermediate), L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, ANRP (EPE Intermediate), L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, ANRP 892/TE (EPE AIV), L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, AP VII 892/TE (EPE AIV I), L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, AP VII 892/TE (EPE AIV II), L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, AP VII 892/TE (EPE AIV III), L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, AP VII 892/TE (EPE AIV IV), L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Apollo Investment Fund (PB) VII, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and/or their Permitted Transferees (as the case may be), all of which Persons are either “Apollo Members” or “Permitted Transferees” thereof (as such terms are defined in the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of the LLC, dated as of May 24, 2012).

 

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Business Day ” means any day excluding Saturday, Sunday or any day which is a legal holiday under the laws of the State of New York or is a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

 

Capital Contribution ” means, (i) with respect to any Legacy Class A Stockholder, as of any date of determination, the amount of any capital invested or contributed (or deemed invested or contributed) by such Legacy Class A Stockholder or its predecessor in interest (as applicable) to the Corporation and/or the LLC through such date (including the amount of any debt financing expenses of the LLC previously funded by any such Legacy Class A Stockholder (or its predecessor in interest, as applicable) and including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such capital invested or contributed (or deemed or invested or contributed) by such Legacy Class A Stockholder or its predecessor in interest (as applicable) to the Corporation or the LLC with respect to Equity Securities of the Corporation or the LLC acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights, and (ii) with respect to the Class A Stockholders that are not Legacy Class A Stockholders, the aggregate amount of proceeds generated in connection with an IPO and Subsequent Public Offerings pursuant to which such Class A Stockholders purchased Class A Shares.

 

Capital Proceeds ” means without duplication, the net cash, securities or other proceeds or property received by the Corporation or the Class A Stockholders in connection with a Capital Transaction.

 

Capital Transaction ” means (i) a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation or any other recapitalization transaction outside of the ordinary course in which cash or other assets are distributed to any of the Class A Stockholders or any extraordinary dividend or other distribution to any of the Class A Stockholders or (ii) a Specified Change of Control.

 

Class A Preferred Return ” means, with respect to any Legacy Class A Stockholder, as of any date of determination, a cumulative return of five percent (5%) per annum on the amount of the Unrecovered Capital balance of such Legacy Class A Stockholder (as it may be adjusted from time to time) during the period from each date that such Legacy Class A Stockholder or its predecessor in interest (as applicable) made a Capital Contribution accrued through such date, compounded annually.

 

Class B Exchange ” means any exchange of Class B Shares for newly issued Class A Shares pursuant to Article IV, Section 6 .

 

control ” (including the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ”), with respect to the relationship between or among two or more Persons, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the affairs or management of such subject Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, as trustee or executor, by contract or otherwise.

 

Disinterested Director ” means a director of the Corporation who is not and was not a party to the matter in respect of which indemnification is sought by the claimant.

 

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Equity Security ” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, and in any event, includes any security having the attendant right to vote for directors or similar representatives and any general or limited partner interest in any Person.

 

ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

 

Fair Market Value ” means, with respect to property (other than cash), the fair market value of such property as determined in good faith by the Board.

 

Fiscal Year ” means the twelve (12)-month (or shorter) period ending on December 31 of each year.

 

GAAP ” means United States generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time.

 

Independent Counsel ” means a law firm, a member of a law firm, or an independent practitioner, that is experienced in matters of corporate law and shall include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would not have a conflict of interest in representing either the Corporation or the claimant in an action to determine the claimant’s rights under Article X .

 

Independent Director ” means a director who, as of the date of such director’s election or appointment to the Board and as of any other date on which the determination is being made, would qualify as an “independent director” of the Corporation, each Legacy Class A Stockholder and Legacy Class B Stockholder and their respective Affiliates under Rule 303A(2) of the NYSE Listed Company Manual (assuming for this purpose that it applies to each such Person).

 

IPO ” means the first firm commitment underwritten public offering of Equity Securities of the Corporation conducted pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act (other than a registration statement on Forms S-4 or S-8 or any similar form).

 

KNOC Stockholder ” means Korea National Oil Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of Korea, and/or its Permitted Transferees (as the case may be).

 

Legacy Class A Stockholders ” means, collectively, the Apollo Stockholder, the Riverstone Stockholder, the Access Stockholder, the KNOC Stockholder, EPE 892 Co-Investors I, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, EPE 892 Co-Investors II, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, EPE 892 Co-Investors III, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, EPE Overseas Co-Investors (FC), L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership, EPE Domestic Co-Investors, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, EPE Management Investors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and/or their Permitted Transferees (as the case may be).

 

Legacy Class B Stockholder ” means, EPE Employee Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, its Permitted Transferees (as the case may be) and EPE Employee Holdings II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

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Lien ” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind, or any other type of preferential arrangement that has the practical effect of creating a security interest, in respect of such asset.

 

LLC ” means EPE Acquisition, LLC, a limited liability company formerly organized under the laws of the State of Delaware prior to its dissolution.

 

Majority-in-Interest ” means the Legacy Class A Stockholders holding a majority of the outstanding Class A Shares held by the Legacy Class A Stockholders.

 

MOIC ” means, as of any date of determination, the multiple of invested capital by the Legacy Class A Stockholders in the Corporation and their respective predecessors in interest in the LLC (as applicable), which shall be equal to the quotient of (i) an amount equal to (A) the aggregate amount of Available Cash Dividends theretofore distributed or to be distributed to the Legacy Class A Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 2(b)  through such date (for the avoidance of doubt including, for all purposes, any Available Cash Dividends distributed to the Legacy Class A Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 2(b)  through such date with respect to any Equity Securities of the Corporation acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights), plus (B) solely with respect to Capital Transactions, the aggregate amount of Capital Proceeds (after deducting any costs and expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Stockholders in connection with the Capital Transaction giving rise to such Capital Proceeds, but only to the extent that such Stockholders have not previously been reimbursed such amounts by the Corporation pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement or otherwise) theretofore distributed or to be distributed to the Legacy Class A Stockholders through such date (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Capital Proceeds distributed to the Legacy Class A Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 5 through such date with respect to any Equity Securities of the Corporation acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights), plus (C) an amount equal to (x) the offering price per share of Registrable Securities that are offered to the public in an IPO or a Subsequent Public Offering (after deducting the per share amount of any underwriting discounts, expenses and commissions and any other costs and expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Stockholders in connection with such IPO or Subsequent Public Offering (as applicable), but only to the extent that such Stockholders have not previously been reimbursed such amounts by the Corporation pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement or otherwise), multiplied by (y) the aggregate number of such shares of Registrable Securities then outstanding that are held, directly or indirectly, by the Legacy Class A Stockholders; provided , that solely for the purposes of calculating the amount of Available Cash Dividends and Capital Proceeds distributable to the Class A Stockholders and the Class B Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 3(b)  and Article IV, Section 5 , the amount set forth in subclause (C) of this definition shall be the aggregate amount of Subsequent Sale Proceeds (after deducting any underwriting discounts, expenses and commissions and any other costs and expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Stockholders in connection with the Subsequent Sales giving rise to such Subsequent Sale Proceeds, but only to the extent that such Stockholders have not previously been reimbursed such amounts by the Corporation pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement or otherwise) theretofore received or to be received by the Legacy Class A Stockholders in connection with such Subsequent Sales (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Subsequent Sale Proceeds theretofore received or to be received by the Legacy Class A Stockholders in connection with such Subsequent Sales with respect to any Registrable Securities acquired pursuant to the

 

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exercise of any preemptive rights), plus (D) the aggregate amount of Prior Distributions, divided by (ii) the aggregate amount of Capital Contributions made by the Legacy Class A Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable) through such date (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Capital Contributions made by the Legacy Class A Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable) to acquire any Equity Securities of the Corporation or the LLC through such date).

 

Permitted Transferee ” means any recipient of Class A Shares pursuant to a Transfer of Class A Shares by a Legacy Class A Stockholder that is permitted under the Stockholders Agreement at any time without prior approval of the Board.

 

Person ” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, estate, joint venture, governmental authority or other entity.

 

Previously Paid Class A Preferred Return ” means, with respect to the Legacy Class A Stockholders, as of any date of determination, the aggregate amount of Profits distributed prior to the occurrence of a Threshold Capital Transaction to the Legacy Class A Stockholders and their predecessors in interest (as applicable) through such date (after the Unrecovered Capital balance of each Legacy Class A Stockholder has been reduced to zero) that reduces the Unpaid Class A Preferred Return of any Legacy Class A Stockholder.

 

Principal Stockholders ” means, collectively, the Riverstone Stockholder, the KNOC Stockholder and the Access Stockholder.

 

Prior Distributions ” means, with respect to any Legacy Class A Stockholder, as of any date of date of determination, the aggregate amount of any distributions of proceeds from capital transactions and available cash and tax distributions received by such Legacy Class A Stockholder or its predecessor in interest (as applicable) in respect of membership interests in the LLC previously held by such Legacy Class A Stockholder or its predecessor in interest (as applicable) (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such amounts distributed to such Legacy Class A Stockholder or its predecessor in interest (as applicable) with respect to membership interests in the LLC acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights).

 

Pro Rata ” and “ Pro Rata Portion ” means (i) with respect to each Class A Stockholder, a fraction expressed as a percentage, the numerator of which is the number of Class A Shares held by such Class A Stockholder and the denominator of which is the number of outstanding Class A Shares, (ii) with respect to each Class B Stockholder, a fraction expressed as a percentage, the numerator of which is the number of Class B Shares held by such Class B Stockholder and the denominator of which is the number of outstanding Class B Shares, and (iii) with respect to each Legacy Class A Stockholder, a fraction expressed as a percentage, the numerator of which is the number of Class A Shares held by such Legacy Class A Stockholder and the denominator of which is the total number of Class A Shares held by all Legacy Class A Stockholders.

 

Profits means, as of any date of determination, an amount equal to (i) the aggregate amount of Capital Proceeds and Available Cash Dividends theretofore distributed or to be distributed to the Legacy Class A Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 2(b)  and Article IV, Section 5 (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such amounts distributed to the

 

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Legacy Class A Stockholders with respect to Equity Securities of the Corporation acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights) and Prior Distributions received by the Legacy Class A Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable), plus (ii) the aggregate amount of Subsequent Sale Proceeds (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such Subsequent Sale Proceeds received by the Legacy Class A Stockholders in respect of Registrable Securities acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights), minus (iii) the aggregate amount of Capital Contributions made by the Class A Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable).

 

Registrable Securities ” means any and all Class A Shares currently held or hereafter acquired by the Legacy Class A Stockholders and any other securities issued or issuable with respect to any such shares by way of share split, or in connection with a combination of shares, share dividend, recapitalization, merger, exchange, conversion, reclassification or similar event or otherwise.  As to any particular Registrable Securities, once issued such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when (i) they are sold pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, (ii) they are sold pursuant to Rule 144 (or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act) or (iii) they shall have ceased to be outstanding.  No Registrable Securities may be registered under more than one registration statement at any one time.

 

Riverstone Stockholder ” means, collectively, Riverstone V Everest Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and Riverstone V FT Corp Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and/or their Permitted Transferees (as the case may be).

 

Sale ” means any Transfer of Class A Shares by the Specified Stockholders that is not a Permitted Transfer, whether pursuant to a Subsequent Public Offering or otherwise.

 

Sale Proceeds ” means the cash proceeds received by the Specified Stockholders in connection with a Sale, including any consideration received by the Specified Stockholders following the consummation of a Sale (whether in the form of contingent consideration or a post-closing adjustment or pursuant to an escrow or hold-back arrangement or otherwise).

 

Securities Act ” means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Special Board Approval ” means the approval of a majority of all of the directors then in office, which majority shall include at least one (1) director designated by the Apollo Stockholder pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, and one (1) director designated by a Principal Stockholder pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement or one (1) Replacement Director designated pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement.

 

Specified Change of Control ” means the following transactions in which proceeds are (a) received by the Corporation and the Board has approved the distribution of all or a portion of such proceeds to the Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 5 or (b) received by the Legacy Class A Stockholders from a third party purchaser: (i) an acquisition by any Person or group of Persons of Equity Securities of the Corporation, whether already outstanding or newly issued, in a transaction or series of transactions, if immediately thereafter such Person or group of Persons (other than the Apollo Stockholder, the Principal Stockholders or their respective Affiliates or a

 

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wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Corporation) has, or would have, directly or indirectly, beneficial ownership of fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined Equity Securities or voting power of the Corporation, excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Class B Shares; (ii) the sale of all or substantially all (i.e., eighty percent (80%) or more) of the assets of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, directly or indirectly, to any Person or group of Persons in a transaction or series of transactions; or (iii) the consummation of a tender offer, merger, recapitalization, consolidation, business combination, reorganization or other transaction, or series of related transactions, involving the Corporation and any other Person or group of Persons; unless, in the case of clause (iii) of this definition, both (1) the Legacy Class A Stockholders, immediately prior to such transaction or the first transaction in such series of transactions, will, solely as a result of their ownership of Class A Shares immediately prior to such transaction or the first transaction in such series of transactions, beneficially own more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined Equity Securities or voting power of the Corporation (or, if the Corporation will not be the surviving entity in such transaction or series of transactions, such surviving entity) immediately after such transaction or series of transactions and (2) individuals who are directors, immediately prior to such transaction or the first transaction in such series of transactions, will be entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes of the Board (or the board of directors or equivalent body of such surviving entity, as the case may be) after the closing of such transaction or series of transactions.  As used in this definition of Specified Change of Control, the term “group” shall have the same meaning used in Rule 13d-5 of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  For the avoidance of doubt, this definition of Specified Change of Control shall not include an IPO.

 

Specified Class A Preferred Return ” means, with respect to the Specified Stockholders, as of any date of determination, a cumulative return of five percent (5%) per annum on the amount of the Specified Unrecovered Capital balance (as it may be adjusted from time to time) during the period from each date that the Specified Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable) made a Capital Contribution accrued through such date, compounded annually.

 

Specified Condition ” means, as of any date of determination, that (i) the Legacy Class A Stockholders beneficially own twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the outstanding Class A Shares and (ii) a Specified Stockholder is entitled to designate at least one (1) director to the Board pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement.

 

Specified MOIC ” means, as of any date of determination, the multiple of invested capital by the Apollo Stockholder and the Riverstone Stockholder in the Corporation and their respective predecessors in interest in the LLC (as applicable), which shall be equal to the quotient of (i) an amount equal to (A) the aggregate amount of Available Cash Dividends theretofore distributed or to be distributed to the Specified Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 2(b)  through such date (for the avoidance of doubt including, for all purposes, any Available Cash Dividends distributed or to be distributed to the Specified Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 2(b)  through such date with respect to any Equity Securities of the Corporation acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights), plus (B) solely with respect to Capital Transactions, the aggregate amount of Capital Proceeds (after deducting any costs and expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Stockholders in connection with the Capital Transactions giving rise to such Capital Proceeds, but only to the extent that such Stockholders have not previously been reimbursed such amounts by the Corporation pursuant to the

 

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Stockholders Agreement or otherwise) theretofore received or to be received by the Specified Stockholders through such date (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Capital Proceeds received by the Specified Stockholders pursuant to Capital Transactions through such date with respect to any Equity Securities of the Corporation acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights), plus (C) an amount equal to (x) the offering price per share of Registrable Securities that are offered to the public in an IPO or a Subsequent Public Offering (after deducting the per share amount of any underwriting discounts, expenses and commissions and any other costs and expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Stockholders in connection with such IPO or Subsequent Public Offering (as applicable), but only to the extent that such Stockholders have not previously been reimbursed such amounts by the Corporation pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement or otherwise), multiplied by (y) the aggregate number of such shares of Registrable Securities then outstanding that are held, directly or indirectly, by the Specified Stockholders; provided , that solely for the purposes of calculating the amount of Class B Consideration pursuant to Article IV, Section 6 , the amount set forth in subclause (C) of this definition shall be the aggregate amount of Sale Proceeds (after deducting any underwriting discounts, expenses and commissions and any other costs and expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Stockholders in connection with such Sales giving rise to such Sale Proceeds, but only to the extent that such Stockholders have not previously been reimbursed such amounts by the Corporation pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement or otherwise) theretofore received or to be received by the Specified Stockholders in connection with such Sales (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Sale Proceeds theretofore received or to be received by the Specified Stockholders in connection with such Sales with respect to any Registrable Securities acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights), plus (D) the aggregate amount of Specified Prior Distributions, divided by (ii) the aggregate amount of Capital Contributions made by the Specified Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable) through such date (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Capital Contributions made by the Specified Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable) to acquire any Equity Securities of the Corporation or the LLC through such date).

 

Specified Previously Paid Class A Preferred Return ” means, with respect to the Specified Stockholders, as of any date of determination, the aggregate amount of Specified Profits distributed prior to the occurrence of a Specified Sale to the Specified Stockholders and their predecessors in interest (as applicable) through such date (after the Specified Unrecovered Capital balance has been reduced to zero) that reduces the  Specified Unpaid Class A Preferred Return.

 

Specified Prior Distributions ” means, with respect to the Specified Stockholders, as of any date of determination, the aggregate amount of any distributions of proceeds from capital transactions and available cash and tax distributions received by the Specified Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable) in respect of membership interests in the LLC previously held by the Specified Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable) (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such amounts distributed to or received by the Specified Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable) with respect to membership interests in the LLC, which membership interests were acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights).

 

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Specified Profits ” means, as of any date of determination, an amount equal to (i) the aggregate amount of Capital Proceeds and Available Cash Dividends theretofore distributed or to be distributed to the Specified Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 5 and Article IV, Section 2(b)  (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such amounts distributed to the Specified Stockholders with respect to Equity Securities of the Corporation acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights) and Prior Distributions received by the Specified Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable), plus (ii) the aggregate amount of Sale Proceeds (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such Sale Proceeds received by the Specified Stockholders in respect of Registrable Securities acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights), minus (iii) the aggregate amount of Capital Contributions made by the Specified Stockholders or their respective predecessors in interest (as applicable).

 

Specified Remaining Tier I Profits ” means the remaining amount of Specified Profits after the Specified Unrecovered Capital balance has been reduced to zero, minus the Specified Class B Catch-Up Amount.

 

Specified Remaining Tier II Profits ” means the remaining amount of Specified Remaining Tier I Profits after the Specified Unpaid Class A Preferred Return has been reduced to, and remains at zero, minus the Specified Tier I MIPS.

 

Specified Sale ” means any Sale by the Specified Stockholders where the Specified MOIC after giving effect to such Sale, is greater than one (1.0).

 

Specified Stockholders ” means, collectively, the Apollo Stockholder and the Riverstone Stockholder.

 

Specified Unpaid Class A Preferred Return ” means, with respect to the Specified Stockholders, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of accrued Specified Class A Preferred Return as of such date, over (ii) an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (x) the aggregate amount of Capital Proceeds and Available Cash Dividends theretofore distributed or to be distributed to the Specified Stockholders pursuant to Article IV, Section 2(b)  and Article IV, Section 5 (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such amounts distributed to the Specified Stockholders with respect to Equity Securities of the Corporation acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights), Sale Proceeds (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such Sale Proceeds received by the Specified Stockholders in respect of Equity Securities of the Corporation acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights) and Specified Prior Distributions, over (y) the aggregate amount of any Capital Contributions made by the Specified Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable); provided , that amounts received by the Specified Stockholders and their predecessors in interest (as applicable) that reduce the positive balance of the Specified Unrecovered Capital shall not also be applied to reduce the Specified Unpaid Class A Preferred Return in a manner that is duplicative.

 

Specified Unrecovered Capital ” means, with respect to the Specified Stockholders, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the aggregate amount of any Capital Contributions made by the Specified Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable), over (ii) the aggregate amount of Capital Proceeds and Available Cash Dividends theretofore distributed or to be distributed to the Specified Stockholders pursuant to Article IV,

 

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Section 2(b)  and Article IV, Section 5 (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such amounts distributed to the Specified Stockholders with respect to Equity Securities of the Corporation acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights), Sale Proceeds (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such Sale Proceeds received by the Specified Stockholders in respect of Equity Securities of the Corporation acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights) and Prior Distributions made to the Specified Stockholders or their predecessors in interest (as applicable).

 

Stockholders ” means, collectively, the Class A Stockholders, the Class B Stockholders and the Preferred Stockholders.

 

Stockholders Agreement ” means the Stockholders Agreement, dated as of August 30, 2013, by and among the Corporation and the other parties thereto, as the same may be amended, restated or supplemented from time to time.

 

Subsequent Public Offering ” means any public offering of Registrable Securities conducted following the consummation of an IPO pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act (other than a registration statement on Forms S-4 or S-8).

 

Subsequent Sale ” means any Transfer of Class A Shares by a Legacy Class A Stockholder that is not a Permitted Transfer, whether pursuant to a Subsequent Public Offering or otherwise.

 

Subsequent Sale Proceeds ” means the cash proceeds received by a Legacy Class A Stockholder in connection with a Subsequent Sale.

 

Subsidiary means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture or other business entity of which more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of shares of capital stock or other ownership interests entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of the Person or Persons (whether directors, managers, trustees or other Persons performing similar functions) having the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof.

 

Threshold Capital Transaction means a Capital Transaction where the MOIC after giving effect to such Capital Transaction is at least one (1.0).

 

Transfer ” means any sale, assignment, transfer, exchange, gift, bequest, pledge, hypothecation or other disposition or encumbrance, direct or indirect, in whole or in part, by operation of law or otherwise.  The terms “ Transferred ,” “ Transferring ,” “ Transferor ” and “ Transferee ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

Unpaid Class A Preferred Return ” means, with respect to any Legacy Class A Stockholder, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of such Legacy Class A Stockholder’s accrued Class A Preferred Return as of such date, over (ii) an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (x) the aggregate amount of Capital Proceeds and Available Cash Dividends theretofore distributed or to be distributed to such Legacy Class A Stockholder

 

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pursuant to Article IV, Section 2(b)  and Article IV, Section 5 (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such amounts distributed to such Legacy Class A Stockholder and its predecessor in interest with respect to Equity Securities of the Corporation or the LLC acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights), Subsequent Sale Proceeds (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such Subsequent Sale Proceeds received by such Legacy Class A Stockholder in respect of Equity Securities of the Corporation acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights) and Prior Distributions made to such Legacy Class A Stockholder or its predecessor in interest (as applicable), over (y) the aggregate amount of any Capital Contributions made by such Legacy Class A Stockholder or its predecessor in interest (as applicable); provided , that amounts received by such Legacy Class A Stockholder and its predecessor in interest (as applicable) that reduce the positive balance of the Unrecovered Capital of such Legacy Class A Stockholder shall not also be applied to reduce the Unpaid Class A Preferred Return of such Legacy Class A Stockholder in a manner that is duplicative.

 

Unrecovered Capital ” means, with respect to any Legacy Class A Stockholder, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the aggregate amount of any Capital Contributions made by such Legacy Class A Stockholder (or its predecessor in interest, as applicable), over (ii) the aggregate amount of Capital Proceeds and Available Cash Dividends theretofore distributed or to be distributed to such Legacy Class A Stockholder pursuant to Article IV, Section 2(b)  and Article IV, Section 5 (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such amounts distributed to such Legacy Class A Stockholder and its predecessor in interest with respect to Equity Securities of the Corporation or the LLC acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights), Subsequent Sale Proceeds (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such Subsequent Sale Proceeds received by such Legacy Class A Stockholder in respect of Equity Securities of the Corporation acquired pursuant to the exercise of any preemptive rights) and Prior Distributions made to such Legacy Class A Stockholder or its predecessor in interest (as applicable).

 

[REMAINDER OF THE PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be duly executed this 16th day of January, 2014.

 

 

EP ENERGY CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Jace D. Locke

 

Name:

Jace D. Locke

 

Title:

Assistant Secretary

 

[Signature Page — Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation]

 


Exhibit 3.2

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED
BYLAWS
OF
EP ENERGY CORPORATION

 

ARTICLE I
OFFICES AND RECORDS

 

SECTION 1.1.                                           Delaware Office .  The registered office of EP Energy Corporation (the “ Corporation ”) in the State of Delaware shall be located in Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801 and the name and address of its registered agent is Corporation Trust Company.

 

SECTION 1.2.                                           Other Offices .  The Corporation may have such other offices, either within or without the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “ Board of Directors ”) may designate or as the business of the Corporation may from time to time require.

 

SECTION 1.3.                                           Books and Records .  The books and records of the Corporation may be kept outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may from time to time be designated by the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE II
STOCKHOLDERS

 

SECTION 2.1.                                           Annual Meeting .  The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be held on such date and at such place and time as may be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 2.2.                                           Special Meeting .  Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of stock having a preference over the Class A Common Stock and/or Class B Common Stock of the Corporation as to dividends or upon liquidation (“ Preferred Stock ”), special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by a majority of the number of directors then in office pursuant to a resolution approved by the Board of Directors.  Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice.

 

SECTION 2.3.                                           Place of Meeting .  The Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board, as the case may be, may designate the place of meeting for any annual meeting or for any special meeting of the stockholders called by the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board.  If no designation is so made, the place of meeting shall be the principal office of the Corporation.

 

SECTION 2.4.                                           Notice of Meeting .  Written or printed notice, stating the place, date and time of the meeting and the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be delivered by the Corporation not less than ten (10) days nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting, either personally, by electronic transmission in the manner provided in Section 232 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (as may be amended and supplemented from time to time, the “ DGCL ”) (except to the extent prohibited by Section 232(e) 

 



 

of the DGCL) or by mail, to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting.  If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail with postage thereon prepaid, addressed to the stockholder at his or her address as it appears on the stock transfer books of the Corporation.  If notice is given by electronic transmission, such notice shall be deemed to be given at the times provided in the DGCL.  Such further notice shall be given as may be required by law.  Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting or otherwise by or at the direction of the Board of Directors.  Meetings may be held without notice if all stockholders entitled to vote are present, or if notice is waived by those not present in accordance with Section 6.4 of these Amended and Restated Bylaws adopted by the Corporation on January 16, 2014, as may be amended, restated or modified from time to time (these “ Amended and Restated Bylaws ”).  Any previously scheduled meeting of the stockholders may be postponed, and (unless otherwise provided in the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on January 16, 2014, as may be amended, restated or modified from time to time (the “ Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation ”)) any special meeting of the stockholders may be cancelled, by resolution of the Board of Directors upon public notice given prior to the date previously scheduled for such meeting of stockholders.

 

SECTION 2.5.                                           Quorum and Adjournment .  Except as otherwise provided by law or by the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “ Voting Stock ”), represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of stockholders, except that when specified business is to be voted on by a class or series of stock voting as a class, the holders of a majority of the shares of such class or series shall constitute a quorum of such class or series for the transaction of such business.  The Chairman of the meeting, the Chief Executive Officer or a President may adjourn the meeting from time to time, whether or not there is such a quorum.  No notice of the time and place of adjourned meetings need be given except as required by law.  At any such adjourned meeting at which the requisite amount of stock entitled to vote shall be represented, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed; but only those stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting as originally noticed shall be entitled to vote at any adjournment or adjournments thereof.  The stockholders present at a duly called meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.

 

SECTION 2.6.                                           Proxies .  At all meetings of stockholders, a stockholder may vote by proxy executed in writing (or in such manner prescribed by the DGCL) by the stockholder, or by his or her duly authorized attorney in fact.

 

SECTION 2.7.                                           Notice of Stockholder Business and Nominations .

 

(A)                                Annual Meetings of Stockholders .

 

(1)                                  At any annual meeting of the stockholders, only such nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors and only other business shall be considered or conducted, as shall have been properly brought before the meeting.  For

 

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nominations to be properly made at an annual meeting, and proposals of other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting, nominations and proposals of other business must be: (a) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting, (b) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (c) by any stockholder of the Corporation who (i) was a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Bylaw and at the time of the annual meeting, (ii) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (iii) complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Bylaw as to such business or nomination; clause (c) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or submit other business (other than matters properly brought under Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (as amended, the “ Exchange Act ”) and included in the Corporation’s notice of meeting) before an annual meeting of stockholders.

 

(2)                                  Without qualification or limitation, for any nominations or any other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to paragraph (A)(1)(c) of this Bylaw, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary and such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for stockholder action.  To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120 th ) day and not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90 th ) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided , however , that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120 th ) day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90 th ) day prior to the date of such annual meeting or, if the first public announcement of the date of such annual meeting is less than one hundred (100) days prior to the date of such annual meeting, the tenth (10 th ) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation.  In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.  In addition, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall further be updated and supplemented, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for the meeting in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date, and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting, any adjournment or postponement thereof in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.  To be in proper form, a stockholder’s notice (whether given pursuant to this paragraph (A)(2) or paragraph (B)) to the Secretary must: (a) set forth, as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, of such beneficial owner, if any, and of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, (ii) (A) the class or series and number of shares of the Corporation which are, directly or indirectly, owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder, such beneficial owner, and of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, (B) any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or

 

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similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, any derivative or synthetic arrangement having the characteristics of a long position in any class or series of shares of the Corporation, or any contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions designed to produce economic benefits and risks that correspond substantially to the ownership of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, including due to the fact that the value of such contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions is determined by reference to the price, value or volatility of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument, contract or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of capital stock of the Corporation or otherwise, through the delivery of cash or other property, or otherwise, and without regard of whether the stockholder of record, the beneficial owner, if any, or any affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, may have entered into transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such instrument, contract or right (any of the foregoing, a “ Derivative Instrument ”) directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such stockholder, the beneficial owner, if any, or any affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith and any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation, (C) any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding, or relationship pursuant to which such stockholder has a right to vote any shares of any security of the Corporation, (D) any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, including any repurchase or similar so-called “stock borrowing” agreement or arrangement, engaged in, directly or indirectly, by such stockholder, the purpose or effect of which is to mitigate loss to, reduce the economic risk (of ownership or otherwise) of any class or series of the shares of the Corporation by, manage the risk of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder with respect to any class or series of the shares of the Corporation, or which provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the price or value of any security of the Corporation (any of the foregoing, a “ Short Interest ”), (E) any rights to dividends on the shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such stockholder that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (F) any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which such stockholder is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner of such general or limited partnership, (G) any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that such stockholder is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, if any, as of the date of such notice, including without limitation any such interests held by members of such stockholder’s immediate family sharing the same household, (H) any significant equity interests or any Derivative Instruments or Short Interests in any principal competitor of the Corporation held by such stockholder, and (I) any direct or indirect interest of such stockholder in any contract with the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation or any principal competitor of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), and (iii) any other information relating to such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement and form of proxy or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated

 

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thereunder; (b) if the notice relates to any business other than a nomination of a director or directors that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, set forth (i) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest of such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, in such business, (ii) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration) and (iii) a description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings between such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder; (c) set forth, as to each person, if any, whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection to the Board of Directors (i) all information relating to such person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected) and (ii) a description of all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, and their respective affiliates and associates, or others acting in concert therewith, on the one hand, and each proposed nominee, and his or her respective affiliates and associates, or others acting in concert therewith, on the other hand, including, without limitation all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 404 promulgated under Regulation S-K if the stockholder making the nomination and any beneficial owner on whose behalf the nomination is made, if any, or any affiliate or associate thereof or person acting in concert therewith, were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the nominee were a director or executive officer of such registrant; and (d) with respect to each nominee for election or reelection to the Board of Directors, include a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement required by Section 2.8 of these Amended and Restated Bylaws.  The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director of the Corporation or that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee.

 

(3)                                  Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of paragraph (A)(2) of this Bylaw to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased and there is no public announcement by the Corporation naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first (1 st ) anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Bylaw shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10 th ) day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

 

(B)                                Special Meetings of Stockholders .  Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (a) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (b) provided that the Board of Directors has determined

 

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that directors shall be elected at such meeting, by any stockholder of the Corporation who (i) is a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Bylaw and at the time of the special meeting, (ii) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (iii) complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Bylaw as to such nomination.  The immediately preceding sentence shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations  (other than matters properly brought under Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and included in the Corporation’s notice of meeting) before a special meeting of stockholders.  In the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board of Directors, any such stockholder may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be) for election to such position(s) as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting, if the stockholder’s notice required by paragraph (A)(2) of this Bylaw with respect to any nomination (including the completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement required by Section 2.8 of this Bylaw) shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120 th ) day prior to the date of such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90 th ) day prior to the date of such special meeting or, if the first public announcement of the date of such special meeting is less than one hundred (100) days prior to the date of such special meeting, the tenth (10 th ) day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of a special meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

(C)                                General .

 

(1)                                  Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Amended and Restated Bylaws shall be eligible to serve as directors and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Amended and Restated Bylaws.  Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or these Amended and Restated Bylaws, the Chairman of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Amended and Restated Bylaws and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these Amended and Restated Bylaws, to declare that such defective proposal or nomination shall be disregarded.  Unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to make a nomination or present a proposal of other business, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation.  For purposes of these Amended and Restated Bylaws, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders.

 

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(2)                                  For purposes of these Amended and Restated Bylaws, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(3)                                  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of these Amended and Restated Bylaws, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in these Amended and Restated Bylaws; provided , however , that any references in these Amended and Restated Bylaws to the Exchange Act or the rules promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit the requirements applicable to nominations or proposals as to any other business to be considered pursuant to paragraph (A)(1)(c) or paragraph (B) of this Bylaw. Nothing in these Amended and Restated Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights (i) of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or (ii) of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock if and to the extent provided for under law, the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or these Amended and Restated Bylaws. Subject to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act, nothing in these Amended and Restated Bylaws shall be construed to permit any stockholder, or give any stockholder the right, to include or have disseminated or described in the Corporation’s proxy statement any nomination of director or directors or any other business proposal.

 

SECTION 2.8.                                           Submission of Questionnaire, Representation and Agreement .  To be eligible to be a nominee for election or reelection as a director of the Corporation, a person must deliver (in accordance with the time periods prescribed for delivery of notice under Section 2.7 of these Amended and Restated Bylaws) to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation a written questionnaire with respect to the background and qualification of such person and the background of any other person or entity on whose behalf the nomination is being made (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Secretary upon written request) and a written representation and agreement (in the form provided by the Secretary upon written request) that such person (A) is not and will not become a party to (1) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such person, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “ Voting Commitment ”) that has not been disclosed to the Corporation or (2) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such person’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such person’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (B) is not and will not become a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with service or action as a director that has not been disclosed therein and (C) in such person’s individual capacity and on behalf of any person or entity on whose behalf the nomination is being made, would be in compliance, if elected as a director of the Corporation, and will comply with all applicable publicly disclosed corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality and stock ownership and trading policies and guidelines of the Corporation.

 

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SECTION 2.9.                                           Procedure for Election of Directors; Required Vote .  Election of directors at all meetings of the stockholders at which directors are to be elected shall be by ballot, and, subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors under specified circumstances, a plurality of the votes cast at any meeting for the election of directors at which a quorum is present shall elect directors.  Except as otherwise provided by law, the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, or these Amended and Restated Bylaws, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at a meeting at which a quorum is present and entitled to vote on the matter shall be the act of the stockholders.

 

SECTION 2.10.                                    Inspectors of Elections; Opening and Closing the Polls .  The Board of Directors by resolution shall appoint one or more inspectors, which inspector or inspectors may include individuals who serve the Corporation in other capacities, including, without limitation, as officers, employees, agents or representatives, to act at the meetings of stockholders and make a written report thereof.  One or more persons may be designated as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act.  If no inspector or alternate has been appointed to act or is able to act at a meeting of stockholders, the Chairman of the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting.  Each inspector, before discharging his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability.  The inspectors shall have the duties prescribed by law.

 

The Chairman of the meeting shall fix and announce at the meeting the date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting.

 

SECTION 2.11.                                    Action Without Meeting .  For so long as the Legacy Class A Stockholders beneficially own more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock of the Corporation, $0.01 par value per share (the “ Class A Shares ”), holders of Class A Shares (the “ Class A Stockholders ”) may take action by the written consent of Class A Stockholders, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by or on behalf of the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the state of incorporation, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded.  Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.  An electronic transmission consenting to an action to be taken and transmitted by a stockholder or proxyholder, or by a person or persons authorized to act for a stockholder or proxyholder, shall be deemed to be written, signed, and dated for the purposes of these Amended and Restated Bylaws, provided that any such electronic transmission sets forth or is delivered with information from which the Corporation can determine (A) that the electronic transmission was transmitted by the stockholder or proxyholder or by a person or persons authorized to act for the stockholder or proxyholder and (B) the date on which such stockholder or proxyholder or authorized person or persons transmitted such electronic transmission.  Any consent by means of electronic transmission shall be deemed to have been signed on the date on which such electronic

 

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transmission was transmitted. No consent given by electronic transmission shall be deemed to have been delivered until such consent is reproduced in paper form and until such paper form shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book or books in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded.  Delivery of a consent given by electronic transmission made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be made by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.  Notwithstanding the foregoing limitations on delivery, consents given by electronic transmission may be otherwise delivered to the principal place of business of the Corporation or to an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book or books in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded if, to the extent, and in the manner provided by resolution of the Board of Directors of the Corporation.  Any copy, facsimile, or other reliable reproduction of a consent in writing (or reproduction in paper form of a consent by electronic transmission) may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing (or original reproduction in paper form of a consent by electronic transmission) for any and all purposes for which the original consent could be used, provided that such copy, facsimile, or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing (or original reproduction in paper form of a consent by electronic transmission).  Prompt notice of the taking of corporate action without a meeting by less than a unanimous written consent shall be given by the Secretary to those stockholders who have not consented in writing and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of the holders to take the action were delivered to the Corporation.

 

SECTION 2.12.                                    Effectiveness of Written Consent .  Every written consent shall bear the date of signature of each stockholder who signs the consent and no written consent shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless, within sixty (60) days of the earliest dated written consent received in accordance with Section 2.11 , a written consent or consents signed by a sufficient number of holders to take such action are delivered to the Corporation in the manner prescribed in Section 2.11 .

 

SECTION 2.13.                                    Remote Meetings .  If authorized by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion, and subject to such guidelines and procedures as the Board of Directors may adopt, stockholders and proxyholders not physically present at a meeting of stockholders may, by means of remote communication:

 

(A)                                participate in a meeting of stockholders; and

 

(B)                                be deemed present in person and vote at a meeting of stockholders whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication; provided , that (i) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to verify that each person deemed present and permitted to vote at the meeting by means of remote communication is a stockholder or proxyholder, (ii) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to provide such stockholders and proxyholders a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the stockholders, including an opportunity to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting substantially concurrently with such proceedings, and (iii) if any stockholder or proxyholder votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of

 

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remote communication, a record of such vote or other action shall be maintained by the Corporation.

 

In the case of any annual meeting of stockholders or any special meeting of stockholders called upon order of the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that the meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communications as authorized by this Section 2.13 .

 

ARTICLE III
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

SECTION 3.1.                                           General Powers .  The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed under the direction of the Board of Directors.  In addition to the powers and authorities by these Amended and Restated Bylaws expressly conferred upon them, the Board of Directors may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or by these Amended and Restated Bylaws required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.

 

SECTION 3.2.                                           Number, Tenure and Qualifications .  Subject to (x) the Stockholders Agreement and (y) the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors under specified circumstances and for so long as the Specified Condition is satisfied, the number of directors, classes of directors, tenure and qualifications of directors and other matters relating to the composition of the Board of Directors shall be determined from time to time exclusively pursuant to a Special Board Approval set forth in a resolution adopted by such directors constituting a Special Board Approval and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors under specified circumstances and in the event the Specified Condition is no longer satisfied, the number of directors, classes of directors, tenure and qualifications of directors and other matters relating to the composition of the Board of Directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board of Directors then in office.  Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, commencing with the date of these Amended and Restated Bylaws, the directors shall be divided, with respect to the time for which they severally hold office, into three classes, as nearly equal in number as is reasonably possible, with the term of office of the first class to expire at the 2015 annual meeting of stockholders, the term of office of the second class to expire at the 2016 annual meeting of stockholders and the term of office of the third class to expire at the 2017 annual meeting of stockholders, with each director to hold office until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. At each annual meeting of stockholders, commencing with the 2015 annual meeting, (i) directors elected to succeed those directors whose terms then expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding annual meeting of stockholders after their election, with each director to hold office until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, and (ii) if authorized by a resolution of the Board of Directors, directors may be elected to fill any vacancy on the Board of Directors, regardless of how such vacancy shall have been created.

 

SECTION 3.3.                                           Regular Meetings .  The Board of Directors shall, by resolution, provide for regular meetings of the Board of Directors at such times and at such places as it deems desirable. Notice of regular meetings need not be given.

 

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SECTION 3.4.                                           Special Meetings .  Subject to the notice requirements in Section 3.6 , special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be called at the request of a majority of the Board of Directors then in office or the Chairman of the Board.  The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board of Directors may fix the place and time of the meetings

 

SECTION 3.5.                                           Company Attorney-Client Privilege .  The Chief Executive Officer may be excluded from all or any portion of any meeting of the Board of Directors to the extent that a majority of the other directors then in office determines in good faith and upon the advice of counsel to the Corporation that such exclusion is required to preserve the attorney-client privilege between the Corporation and its counsel, or to the extent the respective interests of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries and those of the Chief Executive Officer as to the matter(s) to be discussed or actions to be taken during such portion of such meeting, conflict or could be perceived to conflict (in the good faith judgment of the other directors).

 

SECTION 3.6.                                           Notice .  Notice of any special meeting of directors shall be given to each director at his or her business or residence in writing by hand delivery, first-class or overnight mail or courier service, facsimile or electronic transmission, or orally by telephone, which notice shall include a brief description of the action or actions to be considered by the Board of Directors.  If mailed by first-class mail, such notice shall be deemed adequately delivered when deposited in the United States mails so addressed, with postage thereon prepaid, at least five (5) days before such meeting.  If by overnight mail or courier service, such notice shall be deemed adequately delivered when the notice is delivered to the overnight mail or courier service company at least twenty-four (24) hours before such meeting.  If by facsimile or electronic transmission, such notice shall be deemed adequately delivered when the notice is transmitted at least twelve (12) hours before such meeting.  If by telephone or by hand delivery, the notice shall be given at least twelve (12) hours prior to the time set for the meeting.  Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular meeting of the Board of Directors need be specified in the notice of such meeting, except for amendments to these Amended and Restated Bylaws, as provided under Section 8.1 .  A meeting may be held at any time without notice if all the directors are present or if those not present waive notice of the meeting in accordance with Section 6.4 of these Amended and Restated Bylaws.

 

SECTION 3.7.                                           Action by Written Consent of Board of Directors .  Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee.  Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

 

SECTION 3.8.                                           Conference Telephone Meetings .  Members of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or such committee by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

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SECTION 3.9.                                           Quorum .  A majority of the members of the Board of Directors then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.  If at any meeting of the Board of Directors there shall be less than a quorum present, a majority of those present may adjourn the meeting without further notice.  The vote of the majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors (x) unless the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, these Amended and Restated Bylaws or applicable law shall require the vote of a greater number and (y) except as provided in the Stockholders Agreement.  The directors present at a duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough directors to leave less than a quorum.

 

SECTION 3.10.                                    Vacancies .  Subject to applicable law, the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to such series of Preferred Stock and unless the Board of Directors otherwise determines, vacancies resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, shall be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, except as otherwise provided by law, and shall not be filled by the stockholders of the Corporation; provided , however , that if (i) a vacancy in the Board of Directors is created as a result of the Apollo Stockholder or a Principal Stockholder losing its right to designate a director pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement and (ii) the Legacy Class A Stockholders beneficially own more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Class A Shares at such time, then such vacancy shall be filled by a vote of the Legacy Class A Stockholders holding a majority of the outstanding Class A Shares held by the Legacy Class A Stockholders (a “ Majority-in-Interest ”) (each such director designated by such Majority-in-Interest, a “ Replacement Director ”); provided , that each Replacement Director (A) shall qualify as an Independent Director and (B) any directors’ fees or similar compensation paid to such Replacement Director shall be taken into account in determining whether such person is an Independent Director.  A director elected to fill a vacancy shall hold office until the next annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, subject to the election and qualification of a successor and to such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.  If any applicable provision of the DGCL expressly confers power on stockholders to fill such a directorship at a special meeting of stockholders, such a directorship may be filled at such meeting only by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the votes which all the stockholders would be entitled to cast in any annual election of directors or class of directors.  No decrease in the number of authorized directors constituting the total number of directors then in office shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

 

SECTION 3.11.                                    Committees of the Board of Directors .  The Board of Directors may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the Board of Directors then in office, designate from among members of the Board of Directors one or more committees (including an audit committee and a compensation committee), and delegate to such committee such power, authority and responsibility as the Board of Directors determines is appropriate subject to the limitations set forth in the DGCL or in the establishment of the committee; provided , however , that in no event shall the Board of Directors designate an executive committee or similar committee to exercise all or substantially all of the power of the Board of Directors when not in session.  Each such committee shall consist of two or more directors of the Corporation and, to

 

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the extent permitted by applicable law, rules and regulations (including securities laws and regulations and listing rules and requirements), the composition of each such committee shall be consistent with the right of the applicable Legacy Class A Stockholder(s) to designate directors to the Board of Directors under, and the committee composition provisions of, the Stockholders Agreement.  The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee.  Any such committee, may to the extent permitted by law exercise such powers and shall have such responsibilities as shall be specified in the designating resolution.  In the absence or disqualification of any member of such committee or committees, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not constituting a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member.  Each committee shall keep written minutes of its proceedings and shall report such proceedings to the Board of Directors when required.

 

A majority of any committee may determine its action and fix the time and place of its meetings, unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise provide.  Notice of such meetings shall be given to each member of the committee in the manner provided for in Section 3.6 of these Amended and Restated Bylaws.  The Board shall have power at any time to fill vacancies in, to change the membership of, or to dissolve any such committee.  Nothing herein shall be deemed to prevent the Board from appointing one or more committees consisting in whole or in part of persons who are not directors of the Corporation; provided , however , that no such committee shall have or may exercise any authority of the Board of Directors.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, for so long as any Legacy Class A Stockholder or a Majority-in-Interest has the right to designate a director pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, the nominating committee of the Board of Directors shall only nominate the applicable director designee designated by such Legacy Class A Stockholder or Majority-in-Interest entitled to designate such seat on the Board of Directors; provided , that such designee satisfies the applicable qualification requirements.

 

SECTION 3.12.                                    Records .  The Board of Directors shall cause to be kept a record containing the minutes of the proceedings of the meetings of the Board of Directors and of the stockholders, appropriate stock books and registers and such books of records and accounts as may be necessary for the proper conduct of the business of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS

 

SECTION 4.1.                                           Officers .  The elected officers of the Corporation shall consist of a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Chief Financial Officer, a Chief Operating Officer, a General Counsel, a Chief Accounting Officer, a Treasurer, a Secretary and any other officers of the Corporation that report directly to the Chief Executive Officer, all of whom shall be elected by the Board of Directors and shall hold office until their successors are duly elected and qualified.  The Chairman of the Board shall be chosen from among the directors.  All officers elected by the Board of Directors shall each have such powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the specific provisions of this Article IV .  Such officers shall also have such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred by the Board of

 

13



 

Directors or by any committee thereof. In addition, the Board of Directors or any committee thereof may from time to time elect, or the Chief Executive Officer may appoint, such other officers (including one or more Senior Vice Presidents, Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers, Assistant Controllers and Tax Officers) and such agents, as may be necessary or desirable for the conduct of the business of the Corporation. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. Such other officers and agents shall have such duties and shall hold their offices for such terms as shall be provided in these Amended and Restated Bylaws or as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or such committee or by the Chief Executive Officer, as the case may be.

 

SECTION 4.2.                                           Election and Term of Office .  The elected officers of the Corporation shall be elected by the Board of Directors and shall hold office until such officer’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified or until such officer’s death, resignation or removal.

 

SECTION 4.3.                                           Chairman of the Board .  The Chairman of the Board shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and shall have and perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 4.4.                                           Chief Executive Officer .  The Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the Corporation.  The Chief Executive Officer shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and, in the absence of the Chairman of the Board, at all meetings of the Board of Directors.  Unless there shall have been elected one or more Presidents of the Corporation, the Chief Executive Officer shall be the President of the Corporation.

 

SECTION 4.5.                                           President .  The President shall have such general powers and duties of supervision and management as shall be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 4.6.                                           Vice-Presidents .   Each Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President and Vice President, if any, shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors or by the Chief Executive Officer, as the case may be.

 

SECTION 4.7.                                           Chief Financial Officer .  The Chief Financial Officer shall have the custody of the corporate funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate account of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation.  He or she shall deposit all moneys and other valuables in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositaries as may be designated by the Board of Directors.  He or she shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, or a President, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements. He or she shall render to the Chairman of the Board, the President and the Board of Directors at the regular meetings of the Board of Directors, or whenever they may request it, an account of all his or her transactions as Chief Financial Officer and of the financial condition of the Corporation.  The Chief Executive Officer may direct the Treasurer to assume and perform the duties of the Chief Financial Officer in the absence or disability of the Chief Financial Officer, and the Treasurer shall perform other duties commonly incident to his or her office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers

 

14



 

as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer shall designate from time to time; provided, however, that if the offices of the Chief Financial Officer and the Treasurer are held by the same person, then the Chief Executive Officer may direct the Chief Accounting Officer to assume and perform the duties of the Chief Financial Officer.

 

SECTION 4.8.                                           Chief Operating Officer . The Chief Operating Officer shall have direct management responsibility for the general business operations of the Corporation, and he or she shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be incident to the office of chief operating officer of a corporation, those duties assigned to him or her by other provisions of these Amended and Restated Bylaws, and such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her either directly or indirectly by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.

 

SECTION 4.9.                                           Chief Accounting Officer . The Chief Accounting Officer shall have such general powers and duties of supervision and management as shall be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors.  The Chief Accounting Officer shall perform such other duties commonly incident to his or her office and shall have such other powers as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time. In addition, the Board of Directors may direct the Chief Accounting Officer to assume and perform the duties of the Chief Financial Officer in the absence or disability of the Chief Financial Officer.

 

SECTION 4.10.                                    General Counsel . The General Counsel shall be the chief legal advisor of the corporation and shall have responsibility for the management of the legal affairs and litigation of the corporation and, in general, he or she shall perform the duties incident to the office of general counsel of a corporation and such other duties as may be assigned to him or her either directly or indirectly by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer, or as may be provided by law.

 

SECTION 4.11.                                    Treasurer .  The Treasurer shall have the custody of the corporate funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors, at its regular meetings, or when the Board of Directors so requires, an account of all transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation. In case of the Treasurer’s death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in the Treasurer’s possession or under the Treasurer’s control belonging to the Corporation shall be restored to the Corporation.

 

SECTION 4.12.                                    Secretary .  The Secretary shall keep or cause to be kept in one or more books provided for that purpose, the minutes of all meetings of the Board, the committees of the Board and the stockholders; he or she shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Amended and Restated Bylaws and as required by law; he or she shall be custodian of the records and the seal of the Corporation and affix and attest the seal to all stock certificates of the Corporation (unless the seal of the Corporation on such certificates shall be a

 

15



 

facsimile, as hereinafter provided) and affix and attest the seal to all other documents to be executed on behalf of the Corporation under its seal; and he or she shall see that the books, reports, statements, certificates and other documents and records required by law to be kept and filed are properly kept and filed; and in general, he or she shall perform all the duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the Board, the Chairman of the Board or a President.

 

SECTION 4.13.                                    Removal .  Any officer elected, or agent appointed, by the Board of Directors may be removed by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors then in office whenever, in their judgment, the best interests of the Corporation would be served thereby. Any officer or agent appointed by the Chief Executive Officer may be removed by him or her whenever, in his or her judgment, the best interests of the Corporation would be served thereby. No elected officer shall have any contractual rights against the Corporation for compensation by virtue of such election beyond the date of the election of his or her successor or his or her death, resignation or removal, whichever event shall first occur, except as otherwise provided in any incentive plan, including but not limited to, any employment contract or under an employee deferred compensation plan.

 

SECTION 4.14.                                    Vacancies .  A newly created elected office and a vacancy in any elected office because of death, resignation, or removal may be filled by the Board of Directors. Any vacancy in an office appointed by the Chief Executive Officer because of death, resignation, or removal may be filled by the Chief Executive Officer.

 

ARTICLE V
STOCK CERTIFICATES AND TRANSFERS

 

SECTION 5.1.                                           Certificated and Uncertificated Stock; Transfers .  The interests of stockholders of the Corporation shall be uncertificated; provided , that the Board of Directors may expressly elect to evidence such interests by certificate and if the Board of Directors so elects, such interests shall be evidenced by certificates for shares of stock in such form as the appropriate officers of the Corporation may from time to time prescribe or be uncertificated.

 

The shares of the stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation, in the case of certificated shares of stock, by the holder thereof in person or by his attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender for cancellation of certificates for at least the same number of shares, with an assignment and power of transfer endorsed thereon or attached thereto, duly executed, with such proof of the authenticity of the signature as the Corporation or its agents may reasonably require; and, in the case of uncertificated shares of stock, upon receipt of proper transfer instructions from the registered holder of the shares or by such person’s attorney duly authorized in writing, and upon compliance with appropriate procedures for transferring shares in uncertificated form.  No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing from and to whom transferred.

 

Certificates of stock, if any, shall be signed, countersigned and registered in such manner as the Board of Directors may by resolution prescribe, which resolution may permit all or any of the signatures on such certificates to be in facsimile.  In case any officer, transfer agent

 

16



 

or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he or she were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Amended and Restated Bylaws, at all times that the Corporation’s stock is listed on a stock exchange, the shares of the stock of the Corporation shall comply with all direct registration system eligibility requirements established by such exchange, including any requirement that shares of the Corporation’s stock be eligible for issue in book-entry form.  All issuances and transfers of shares of the Corporation’s stock shall be entered on the books of the Corporation with all information necessary to comply with such direct registration system eligibility requirements, including the name and address of the person to whom the shares of stock are issued, the number of shares of stock issued and the date of issue.  The Board of Directors shall have the power and authority to make such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or proper concerning the issue, transfer and registration of shares of stock of the Corporation in both the certificated and uncertificated form.

 

SECTION 5.2.                                           Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates .  In the event that the Board of Directors expressly elects to evidence shares of stock in the Corporation by certificate pursuant to Section 5.1 , no certificate for shares of stock in the Corporation shall be issued in place of any such certificate alleged to have been lost, destroyed or stolen, except on production of such evidence of such loss, destruction or theft and on delivery to the Corporation of a bond of indemnity in such amount, upon such terms and secured by such surety, as the Board of Directors or any financial officer may in its or his or her discretion require.

 

SECTION 5.3.                                           Record Owners .  The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and to hold liable for calls and assessments a person registered on its books as the owner of shares, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise required by law.

 

SECTION 5.4.                                           Transfer and Registry Agents .  The Corporation may from time to time maintain one or more transfer offices or agencies and registry offices or agencies at such place or places as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE VI
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

SECTION 6.1.                                           Fiscal Year .  The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 6.2.                                           Dividends .  The Board of Directors may from time to time declare, and the Corporation may pay, dividends on its outstanding shares in the manner and upon the terms and conditions provided by law and the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

 

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SECTION 6.3.                                           Seal .  The corporate seal shall be in such form as shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.  Said seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise imprinted upon the subject document or paper.

 

SECTION 6.4.                                           Waiver of Notice .  Whenever any notice is required to be given to any stockholder or director of the Corporation under the provisions of the DGCL or these Amended and Restated Bylaws, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice.  Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any annual or special meeting of the stockholders or the Board of Directors or committee thereof need be specified in any waiver of notice of such meeting.

 

SECTION 6.5.                                           Audits .  The accounts, books and records of the Corporation shall be audited upon the conclusion of each fiscal year by an independent certified public accountant selected by the Board of Directors, and it shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to cause such audit to be done annually.

 

SECTION 6.6.                                           Resignations .  Any director or any officer, whether elected or appointed, may resign at any time by giving written notice of such resignation to the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary, and such resignation shall be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the date said notice is received by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary, or at such later time as is specified therein.  No formal action shall be required of the Board of Directors or the stockholders to make any such resignation effective.

 

SECTION 6.7.                                           Defined Terms .  Capitalized terms that are used by not defined herein, but that are defined in the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, shall have the respective meanings assigned to them in the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

 

ARTICLE VII
CONTRACTS, PROXIES, ETC.

 

SECTION 7.1.                                           Contracts .  Except as otherwise required by law, the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or these Amended and Restated Bylaws, any contracts or other instruments may be executed and delivered in the name and on the behalf of the Corporation by such officer or officers of the Corporation as the Board of Directors may from time to time direct.  Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances as the Board may determine.  The Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer or any Vice President may execute bonds, contracts, deeds, leases and other instruments to be made or executed for or on behalf of the Corporation.  Subject to any restrictions imposed by the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer or any Vice President of the Corporation may delegate contractual powers to others under his or her jurisdiction, it being understood, however, that any such delegation of power shall not relieve such officer of responsibility with respect to the exercise of such delegated power.

 

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SECTION 7.2.                                           Proxies .  Unless otherwise provided by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer or any Vice President may from time to time appoint an attorney or attorneys or agent or agents of the Corporation, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, to cast the votes which the Corporation may be entitled to cast as the holder of stock or other securities in any other corporation, any of whose stock or other securities may be held by the Corporation, at meetings of the holders of the stock or other securities of such other corporation, or to consent in writing, in the name of the Corporation as such holder, to any action by such other corporation, and may instruct the person or persons so appointed as to the manner of casting such votes or giving such consent, and may execute or cause to be executed in the name and on behalf of the Corporation and under its corporate seal or otherwise, all such written proxies or other instruments as he or she may deem necessary or proper in the premises.

 

ARTICLE VIII
AMENDMENTS

 

SECTION 8.1.                                           Amendments .  These Amended and Restated Bylaws may be modified, amended or repealed upon (A) the approval of a majority of the Board of Directors then in office and (B) the affirmative vote of the Class A Stockholders that together beneficially own at least ninety percent (90%) of the voting power of the Class A Shares entitled to vote thereon; provided , however , that for so long as the Specified Condition is satisfied, these Amended and Restated Bylaws may be modified, amended or repealed upon (1) a Special Board Approval and (2) the affirmative vote of the Class A Stockholders that together beneficially own eighty percent (80%) of the voting power of the Class A Shares entitled to vote thereon.

 

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Exhibit 10.1

 

EP Energy Corporation

2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 



 

Table of Contents

 

SECTION 1                                ESTABLISHMENT AND OBJECTIVES

1

 

 

SECTION 2                                DEFINITIONS

1

2.1

Award

1

2.2

Award Agreement

1

2.3

Beneficiary

1

2.4

Board of Directors

2

2.5

Cash Awards

2

2.6

Cause

2

2.7

Change in Capitalization

2

2.8

Change in Control

2

2.9

Code

4

2.10

Common Stock

4

2.11

Consultant

4

2.12

Covered Employee

4

2.13

Director

4

2.14

Effective Date

4

2.15

Employee

4

2.16

Employer

4

2.17

Exchange Act

5

2.18

Fair Market Value

5

2.19

Good Reason

5

2.20

Incentive Award

6

2.21

Incentive Stock Option

6

2.23

Maximum Annual Employee Grant

6

2.24

Nonqualified Option

6

2.25

Option

6

2.26

Option Price

6

2.27

Other Stock-Based Award

6

2.28

Participant

6

2.29

Performance Goals

7

2.30

Performance Period

9

2.31

Performance Shares

9

2.32

Performance Units

9

2.33

Plan Administrator

9

2.34

Restricted Stock

10

2.35

Restricted Stock Units

10

2.36

Restriction Period

10

2.37

Rule 16b-3

10

2.38

Section 16 Insider

10

 

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2.39

Section 162(m)

10

2.40

Stock Appreciation Right

10

2.41

Subsidiary

10

 

 

SECTION 3                                ADMINISTRATION

11

3.1

Plan Administrator

11

3.2

Authority of Plan Administrator

11

3.3

Indemnification of Plan Administrator

12

 

 

SECTION 4                                ELIGIBILITY

12

4.1

Eligibility

12

4.2

Actual Participation

12

 

 

 

SECTION 5                                SHARES AVAILABLE FOR THE PLAN

13

5.1

Aggregate Shares

13

5.2

Limitations

13

5.3

Adjustments in Authorized Shares

14

5.4

Effect of Certain Transactions

14

 

 

 

SECTION 6                                STOCK OPTIONS

15

6.1

Grant of Options

15

6.2

Special Provisions Applicable to Incentive Stock Options

15

6.3

Terms of Options

16

 

 

SECTION 7                                STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

19

7.1

Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights

19

7.2

Exercise of Stock Appreciation Rights

19

7.3

Special Provisions Applicable to Stock Appreciation Rights

20

 

 

 

SECTION 8                                PERFORMANCE SHARES AND PERFORMANCE UNITS

21

8.1

Grant of Performance Shares and Performance Units

21

8.2

Value of Performance Shares and Performance Units

21

8.3

Payment of Performance Shares and Performance Units

21

8.4

Form and Timing of Payment

22

8.5

Nontransferability of Performance Shares and Performance Units

22

 

 

 

SECTION 9                                RESTRICTED STOCK

22

9.1

Grant of Restricted Stock

22

9.2

Restriction Period

22

9.3

Other Restrictions

23

9.4

Voting Rights; Dividends and Other Distributions

23

9.5

Removal of Restrictions

23

 

 

 

SECTION 10                         RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

23

10.1

Grant of Restricted Stock Units

23

 

ii



 

10.2

Restriction Period

23

10.3

Other Restrictions

24

10.4

Dividend Equivalents

24

10.5

Issuance of Shares; Settlement of Awards

24

 

 

SECTION 11                         INCENTIVE AWARDS

24

11.1

Incentive Awards

24

11.2

Performance Goal Certification

25

11.3

Discretion to Reduce Awards; Participant’s Performance

25

11.4

Required Payment of Incentive Awards

25

11.5

Nontransferability of Incentive Awards

25

 

 

SECTION 12                         CASH AWARDS AND OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS

26

12.1

Grant of Cash Awards

26

12.2

Other Stock-Based Awards

26

12.3

Value of Cash Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards

26

12.4

Payment of Cash Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards

26

12.5

Transferability of Cash Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards

26

 

 

SECTION 13                         TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT, SERVICE OR DIRECTORSHIP

27

 

 

SECTION 14                         EFFECT OF A CHANGE IN CONTROL

27

 

 

SECTION 15                         REGULATORY APPROVALS AND LISTING

28

 

 

SECTION 16                         TERM OF PLAN

29

 

 

SECTION 17                         GENERAL PROVISIONS

29

17.1

Forfeiture Events

29

17.2

Continued Service

29

17.3

Other Compensation

29

17.4

Nontransferability

30

17.5

Unfunded Obligations

30

17.6

Beneficiaries

30

17.7

Governing Law

30

17.8

Satisfaction of Tax Obligations

30

17.9

Participants in Foreign Jurisdictions

31

17.10

Company Policies

31

 

 

SECTION 18                         COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 16b-3, SECTION 162(m)

32

18.1

Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act and Section 162(m) of the Code

32

18.2

Section 409A of the Code

32

 

 

SECTION 19                         AMENDMENT, TERMINATION OR DISCONTINUANCE

33

19.1

Amendment of Plan

33

 

iii



 

19.2

Termination or Suspension of Plan

33

 

iv



 

EP Energy Corporation

2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 

SECTION 1                             ESTABLISHMENT AND OBJECTIVES

 

EP Energy Corporation (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”) hereby establishes an incentive compensation plan to be known as the “EP Energy Corporation 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan” (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”).  The Plan shall become effective on January 15, 2014 (the “Effective Date”) and shall remain in effect as provided in Section 16 hereof.

 

The objectives of the Plan are to promote the interests of the Company and its stockholders by strengthening its ability to attract and retain the employment and or services of Participants (as hereinafter defined) by furnishing suitable recognition of their ability and experience, to align their interests and efforts to the long-term interests of the Company’s stockholders, and to provide them with a direct incentive to achieve the Company’s strategic and financial goals.

 

SECTION 2                             DEFINITIONS

 

Unless otherwise required by the context, the following terms when used in the Plan shall have the meanings set forth in this Section 2:

 

2.1                                Award

 

An “Award” granted under the Plan means any Incentive Stock Option, Nonqualified Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Share, Performance Unit, Incentive Award, Cash Award or Other Stock-Based Award, in each case payable in cash or in shares of Common Stock as may be designated by the Plan Administrator.

 

2.2                                Award Agreement

 

The “Award Agreement” is the written agreement setting forth the terms and conditions applicable to an Award granted under the Plan (which, in the discretion of the Plan Administrator, need not be countersigned by a Participant).  The Plan Administrator may, in its discretion, provide for the use of electronic, internet or other non-paper Award Agreements.

 

2.3                                Beneficiary

 

The person or persons designated by the Participant pursuant to Section 6.3(f) or Section 17.6 of this Plan to whom payments are to be paid pursuant to the terms of the Plan in the event of the Participant’s death.

 

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2.4                                Board of Directors

 

The Board of Directors of the Company.

 

2.5                                Cash Awards

 

As defined in Section 12.1.

 

2.6                                Cause

 

“Cause” shall mean (i) the Participant’s failure to substantially perform his or her duties to the Company’s satisfaction (other than a failure resulting from the Participant’s incapacity due to physical or mental illness) which has not been cured to the Company’s satisfaction; (ii) the willful engaging by the Participant in conduct which is injurious to the Company or any of its affiliates, monetarily or otherwise; (iii) the Participant’s conviction of, or pleading guilty or nolo contendere to, any felony, or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; or (iv) the willful engaging by the Participant in conduct in violation of the Company’s policies or Code of Conduct.

 

2.7                                Change in Capitalization

 

A “Change in Capitalization” means any increase or reduction in the number of shares of Common Stock, any change (including, without limitation, in the case of a spin-off, dividend or other distribution in respect of shares, a change in value) in the shares of Common Stock or any exchange of shares of Common Stock for a different number or kind of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company or another corporation, by reason of a reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, reorganization, spin-off, split-up, issuance of warrants, rights or debentures, stock dividend, stock split or reverse stock split, cash dividend, property dividend, combination or exchange of shares, repurchase of shares, change in corporate structure or otherwise.

 

2.8                                Change in Control

 

A “Change in Control” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following after the Effective Date:

 

(a)                                  an acquisition immediately after which any “Person” (as the term “person” is used for purposes of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act), other than the “Apollo Stockholder” (as such term is defined in the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation), possesses direct or indirect “Beneficial Ownership” (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 50% or more (on a fully diluted basis) of either (A) the then outstanding shares of Common Stock (the “ Outstanding Company Common Stock ”); or (B) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote in the election of directors (the “ Outstanding Company Voting Securities ”); but excluding any acquisition by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, by any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any acquisition pursuant to a transaction that

 

2



 

complies with paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) of subsection (d) of this Section 2.8;

 

(b)                                  a change in the composition of the Board such that members of the Board during any consecutive 12-month period (the “ Incumbent Directors ”) cease to constitute a majority of the Board of Directors.  Any person becoming a director through election or nomination for election approved by a valid vote of at least two-thirds of the Incumbent Directors shall be deemed an Incumbent Director; provided , however , that no individual becoming a director as a result of an actual or threatened election contest, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-12 of Regulation 14A promulgated under the Exchange Act, or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any person other than the Board shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Director; or

 

(c)                                   the approval by the shareholders of the Company of a plan of complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company; or

 

(d)                                  consummation of a reorganization, merger, share exchange, consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (“Corporate Transaction”); excluding, however, such a Corporate Transaction pursuant to which:

 

(i)                                all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who have Beneficial Ownership, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction will have Beneficial Ownership, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of, respectively, the outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation resulting from such Corporate Transaction (including, without limitation, the Company or a corporation that as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) (the “Resulting Corporation”) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be;

 

(ii)                             no Person (other than (1) the Company, (2) an employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or Resulting Corporation, or (3) any entity controlled by the Company or Resulting Corporation) will have Beneficial Ownership, directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of, respectively, the outstanding shares of common stock of the Resulting Corporation or the combined voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the Resulting Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Corporate Transaction; and

 

3



 

(iii)         individuals who were members of the Incumbent Board will continue to constitute at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Resulting Corporation.

 

2.9                                Code

 

The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time, and the temporary or final regulations of the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury adopted pursuant to the Code.

 

2.10                         Common Stock

 

Class A common stock of the Company, $0.01 par value per share, or such other class of shares or other securities as may be applicable pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.

 

2.11                         Consultant

 

“Consultant” means a natural person who is neither an Employee nor a Director and who performs services for the Company or a Subsidiary pursuant to a contract, provided that those services are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities.

 

2.12                         Covered Employee

 

A “Covered Employee” means, with respect to any grant of an Award, a Participant who the Plan Administrator deems is or may be or become a “covered employee” as defined in Section 162(m)(3) of the Code for any year and who may receive remuneration over $1 million in such year which would not be deductible under Section 162(m).

 

2.13                         Director

 

“Director” means any individual who is a member of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that any member of the Board of Directors who is employed by the Company shall be considered an Employee for purposes of this Plan.

 

2.14                         Effective Date

 

“Effective Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1 hereof.

 

2.15                         Employee

 

“Employee” means any employee of the Company or a Subsidiary.

 

2.16                         Employer

 

“Employer” shall mean, as to any Participant who is an Employee, the Company or

 

4



 

Subsidiary that employs the Participant on such date.

 

2.17                         Exchange Act

 

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

2.18                         Fair Market Value

 

The “Fair Market Value” of the Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the closing sales price for a share of Common Stock as reported on the consolidated transaction reporting system for the national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed on that date (or if no Common Stock was traded on such date, on the last previous day on which Common Stock was so traded); provided that with respect to an Award made at the time of an initial public offering, Fair Market Value means the price per share of Common Stock paid by the public as shown on the final prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  If the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock cannot be determined pursuant to the preceding provisions, the “Fair Market Value” of the Common Stock shall be determined by the Plan Administrator in good faith.

 

2.19                         Good Reason

 

“Good Reason” shall, as to any Participant who is an officer of the Company, have the meaning set forth in the Participant’s employment agreement with the Company, if any, or in the absence of an employment agreement definition, shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events or conditions following a Change in Control:

 

(a)                                  a change in the Participant’s position or responsibilities (including reporting responsibilities) which represents a substantial reduction of his or her position or responsibilities as in effect immediately prior thereto; the assignment to the Participant of any duties or responsibilities which are inconsistent with such position or responsibilities; or any removal of the Participant from or failure to reappoint or reelect him or her to any of such positions, except in connection with the termination of his or her employment for Cause, Permanent Disability, as a result of his or her death, or by the Participant other than for Good Reason;

 

(b)                                  a reduction in the Participant’s annual base salary;

 

(c)                                   the requirement by the Participant’s Employer (without the consent of the Participant) that he or she have a principal place of employment which is outside a fifty (50) mile radius of his or her principal place of employment immediately prior to a Change in Control;

 

(d)                                  the failure by the Company or any of its affiliates to provide the Participant with compensation and benefits substantially comparable in the aggregate to those provided for under the compensation and employee benefit plans of the Company and its affiliates as in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control; or

 

5



 

(e)                                   any material breach by the Company of any provision of this Plan.

 

Notwithstanding the above and for purposes of clarity, the term “Good Reason” as used in this Plan shall not apply to a Participant who is not an officer of the Company as of immediately prior to the Change in Control.

 

2.20                         Incentive Award

 

A percentage of base salary, fixed dollar amount or other measure of compensation which Participants are eligible to receive, in cash and/or other Awards under the Plan, at the end of a Performance Period if certain performance measures are achieved.

 

2.21                         Incentive Stock Option

 

An Option intended to meet the requirements of an Incentive Stock Option as defined in Section 422 of the Code, as in effect at the time of grant of such option, or any statutory provision that may hereafter replace such Section.

 

2.23                         Maximum Annual Employee Grant

 

The Maximum Annual Employee Grant set forth in Section 5.2.

 

2.24                         Nonqualified Option

 

An Option which is not intended to meet the requirements of an Incentive Stock Option as defined in Section 422 of the Code.

 

2.25                         Option

 

Option means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Option granted under the Plan, as described in Section 6 herein.

 

2.26                         Option Price

 

The price per share of Common Stock at which an Option is exercisable.

 

2.27                         Other Stock-Based Award

 

As defined in Section 12.2.

 

2.28                         Participant

 

An eligible Employee, Director or Consultant to whom Awards are granted under the Plan, to the extent such an individual is designated as a Participant as set forth in Section 4.

 

6



 

2.29                         Performance Goals

 

The Plan Administrator may grant Awards subject to Performance Goals to any Participant, including, without limitation, to any Covered Employee.  As to any such Awards, the Plan Administrator shall establish one or more of the following Performance Goals for each Performance Period in writing.  Each Performance Goal selected for a particular Performance Period shall include any one or more of the following, either individually, alternatively or in any combination, applied to either the Company as a whole or to a Subsidiary or business unit, either individually, alternatively or in any combination, and measured either annually or cumulatively over a period of years, on an absolute basis or relative to the pre-established target, to previous years’ results or to a designated comparison group, in each case as specified by the Plan Administrator:

 

·                                           earnings;

earnings before interest and taxes;

·                                           earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization;

·                                           earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and exploration expense;

·                                           earnings per share;

·                                           net income;

·                                           operating income;

·                                           revenues;

·                                           operating cash flow;

·                                           free cash flow (defined as operating cash flow less capital expenditures less     dividends);

·                                           debt level;

·                                           debt ratios or other measures of credit quality or liquidity;

·                                           equity ratios;

·                                           expenses;

·                                           cost reduction targets;

·                                           capital expended;

·                                           working capital;

·                                           weighted average cost of capital;

·                                           operating or profit margins;

·                                           interest-sensitivity gap levels;

·                                           return on assets;

return on net assets;

·                                           return on equity or capital employed;

·                                           return on total capital;

·                                           amount of the oil and gas reserves;

·                                           oil and gas reserve additions;

·                                           oil and gas reserve replacement ratios;

·                                           costs of finding oil and gas reserves;

·                                           oil and gas reserve replacement costs;

·                                           daily natural gas and/or oil production;

·                                           production and production growth;

·                                           absolute or per unit operating and maintenance costs;

 

7



 

·                                           absolute or per unit general and administrative costs;

·                                           absolute or per unit lease operating expenses;

·                                           operating and maintenance cost management;

·                                           performance of investment in oil and/or gas properties;

·                                           capital efficiency targets (capital/new volumes);

·                                           redeployable capital savings targets;

·                                           absolute or per unit cash costs;

·                                           present value ratio;

·                                           drilling inventory growth (% or absolute);

·                                           production or reserves per debt adjusted shares;

·                                           total shareholder return;

·                                           charge-offs;

·                                           asset sale targets;

·                                           asset quality levels;

·                                           value of assets;

·                                           Fair Market Value of the Common Stock;

·                                           employee retention/attrition rates;

·                                           investments;

·                                           regulatory compliance;

·                                           satisfactory internal or external audits;

·                                           improvement of financial ratings;

·                                           safety targets;

·                                           environmental targets;

·                                           ethics and internal controls;

·                                           economic value added;

·                                           achievement of balance sheet or income statement objectives;

·                                           project completion measures; and/or

·                                           other measures such as those relating to acquisitions, dispositions, or customer satisfaction.

 

The Plan Administrator shall adjust the Performance Goals to include or exclude extraordinary charges, gain or loss on the disposition of business units, losses from discontinued operations, restatements and accounting changes and other unplanned special charges such as restructuring expenses, acquisitions, acquisition expenses, including expenses related to goodwill and other intangible assets, stock offerings, stock repurchases and loan loss provisions.  The Plan Administrator may also provide for the manner in which performance will be measured against the Performance Goals (or may adjust the Performance Goals) to reflect the impact of specified corporate transactions (such as a stock split, stock dividend or other Change in Capitalization), special charges, and tax law changes.  In addition, the Plan Administrator may make such adjustments to the Performance Goals applicable to Participants who are not Covered Employees as it determines are appropriate.  Such adjustments may occur at the time of the granting of an Award, or at any time thereafter, but, in the case of Covered Employees, only to the extent permitted by Section 162(m).  Performance Goals may include a threshold level of performance below which no Award shall be earned, target levels of performance at which

 

8



 

specific Awards will be earned, and a maximum level of performance at which the maximum level of Awards will be earned.

 

In establishing Performance Goals with respect to Covered Employees, the Plan Administrator shall ensure such Performance Goals (i) are established no later than the end of the first 90 days of the Performance Period (or such other time permitted by the Internal Revenue Service), and (ii) satisfy all other applicable requirements imposed by Section 162(m), including the requirement that such Performance Goals be stated in terms of an objective formula or standard, and the Plan Administrator may not in any event increase the amount of compensation payable to a Covered Employee upon the satisfaction of any Performance Goal.  Prior to the payment of any “performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m), the Plan Administrator shall certify in writing the extent to which the applicable Performance Goals were, in fact, achieved and the amounts to be paid, vested or delivered as a result thereof; provided , that the Plan Administrator may reduce, but not increase, such amount.

 

2.30                         Performance Period

 

That period of time during which Performance Goals are evaluated to determine the vesting or granting of Awards under the Plan, as the Plan Administrator may determine.

 

2.31                         Performance Shares

 

An award granted under the Plan representing the right to receive a number of shares of Common Stock for each performance share granted, as the Plan Administrator may determine.

 

2.32                         Performance Units

 

An award granted under the Plan representing the right to receive a payment equal to the value of a performance unit, as the Plan Administrator may determine.

 

2.33                         Plan Administrator

 

The entity, as specified in Section 3, authorized to administer the Plan.  With reference to the duties of the Plan Administrator under the Plan which have been delegated to one or more persons pursuant to Section 3.1(b), or as to which the Board of Directors has assumed, the term “Plan Administrator” shall refer to such person(s) unless the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors or the Board of Directors has revoked such delegation.

 

9



 

2.34                         Restricted Stock

 

Common Stock granted under the Plan that is subject to the requirements of Section 9 and such other restrictions as the Plan Administrator deems appropriate.

 

2.35                         Restricted Stock Units

 

An award granted under the Plan representing a right to receive a payment equal to the value of a share of Common Stock.

 

2.36                         Restriction Period

 

The period Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units are subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture and are not transferable, as determined by the Plan Administrator pursuant to Section 3.2(b) and as provided in Section 9 and 10 herein.

 

2.37                         Rule 16b-3

 

Rule 16b-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.

 

2.38                         Section 16 Insider

 

Any person who is selected by the Plan Administrator to receive an Award pursuant to the Plan and who is or may be or become subject to the requirements of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

2.39                         Section 162(m)

 

Section 162(m) of the Code, and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

2.40                         Stock Appreciation Right

 

Stock Appreciation Right means an Award granted to a Participant, either alone or in connection with a related Option, as described in Section 7 herein.

 

2.41                         Subsidiary

 

Subsidiary means any corporation in which the Company owns, directly or indirectly, at least fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock, or any other entity (including, but not limited to, partnerships and joint ventures) in which the Company owns, directly or indirectly, at least fifty percent (50%) of the combined equity thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining whether any individual may be a Participant for purposes of any grant of Incentive Stock Options, “Subsidiary” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 424(f) of the Code.

 

10



 

SECTION 3                             ADMINISTRATION

 

3.1                                Plan Administrator

 

(a)                                  The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors or such other committee or subcommittee of the Board of Directors assuming the functions of the committee under the Plan (such committee, the “Plan Administrator”); provided, however, that the Board of Directors shall serve as the Plan Administrator in respect to any Awards made to any Directors.

 

(b)                                  Except to the extent prohibited by applicable law or the applicable rules of a stock exchange, the Plan Administrator may delegate, on such terms and conditions as it determines in its sole and absolute discretion, to one or more senior executives of the Company or any committee comprised thereof (i) the authority to make grants of Awards to officers (other than officers who are designated as Section 16 Insiders or officers to whom authority to grant or amend Awards has been delegated hereunder) and employees of the Company and any Subsidiary or other individuals who provide services to the Company or any Subsidiary (other than Directors) and (ii) other administrative responsibilities.  Any such allocation or delegation may be revoked by the Plan Administrator at any time.

 

(c)                                   Notwithstanding Sections 3.1(a) and 3.1(b), the Board of Directors may designate itself as the Plan Administrator as to any Participant or groups of Participants.

 

3.2                                Authority of Plan Administrator

 

Subject to the express terms and conditions set forth herein, the Plan Administrator shall have full power and discretion to:

 

(a)                                  determine those individuals to whom Awards shall be granted under the Plan and the number of shares or amount of cash subject to such Awards and prescribe the terms and conditions (which need not be identical) of each such Awards, including, in the case of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, the Option Price, vesting schedule and duration;

 

(b)                                  set the terms and conditions of any Award consistent with the terms of the Plan, including the designation of any applicable Restriction Period;

 

(c)                                   establish Performance Goals for any Performance Period and determine whether such goals were satisfied;

 

(d)                                  approve forms of Award Agreement for use under the Plan;

 

(e)                                   make any amendments, modifications or adjustments to the terms of any outstanding Awards, as permitted by the Plan;

 

(f)                                    construe and interpret the Plan and the Awards granted hereunder and decide all questions of fact arising in its application;

 

11



 

(g)                                   establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan;

 

(h)                                  exercise its discretion with respect to the powers and rights granted to it as set forth in the Plan; and

 

(i)                                      generally, exercise such powers and perform such acts as are deemed necessary or advisable to promote the best interests of the Company with respect to the Plan.

 

All decisions and determinations by the Plan Administrator in the exercise of the above powers shall be final, binding and conclusive upon the Company, its Subsidiaries, the Participants and all other persons having or claiming any interest therein.

 

3.3                                Indemnification of Plan Administrator

 

Each member of any committee acting as Plan Administrator, while serving as such, shall be entitled, in good faith, to rely or act upon any advice of the Company’s independent auditors, counsel or consultants hired by the committee, or other agents assisting in the administration of the Plan.  The Plan Administrator and any officers or employees of the Company acting at the direction or on behalf of the Company shall not be personally liable for any action, determination, or interpretation taken or made, or not taken or made, in good faith with respect to the Plan, and shall, to the extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company with respect to any such action, determination or interpretation.

 

SECTION 4                             ELIGIBILITY

 

4.1                                Eligibility

 

Persons eligible to participate in the Plan include all Employees, Directors and Consultants, as determined by the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion.

 

4.2                                Actual Participation

 

Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Plan Administrator may, from time to time, select from all eligible Employees, Directors and Consultants, those to whom Awards shall be granted and shall determine the nature and amount of each Award. The Plan Administrator may establish additional terms, conditions, rules or procedures to accommodate the rules or laws of applicable foreign jurisdictions and to afford Participants favorable treatment under such laws; provided, however, that no Award shall be granted under any such additional terms, conditions, rules or procedures with terms or conditions which are inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan.

 

12



 

SECTION 5                             SHARES AVAILABLE FOR THE PLAN

 

5.1                                Aggregate Shares

 

Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 5.3, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be delivered pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan is 12,433,749.

 

Any shares of Common Stock that are potentially deliverable under an Award granted under this Plan that is cancelled, forfeited, settled in cash, expires or is otherwise terminated without delivery of such shares shall not be counted as having been delivered under the Plan.  Likewise, shares of Common Stock that have been issued in connection with an Award of Restricted Stock that is canceled or forfeited prior to vesting or settled in cash, causing the shares to be returned to the Company, shall not be counted as having been delivered under the Plan.  In addition, shares of Common Stock that are held back or tendered (either actually or constructively by attestation) to cover the exercise price or tax withholding obligations with respect to an Award shall not be counted as having been delivered under the Plan.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Section 5.1, the grant of any Award that cannot by its terms be settled in shares of Common Stock shall not result in the reduction of the number of shares of Common Stock available for Awards under the Plan.

 

Shares of Common Stock delivered pursuant to the Plan may be authorized but unissued shares of the Company, treasury shares, or previously issued shares of Common Stock reacquired by the Company, including shares purchased on the open market, as determined by the Plan Administrator.

 

5.2                                Limitations

 

Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 5.3, the following limitations shall apply:

 

The maximum number of shares and maximum amount with respect to which Awards under this Plan may be granted to any Participant in any one calendar year shall not exceed: (i) 2,000,000 shares, in the case of Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Options or Stock Appreciation Rights; (ii) 1,000,000 shares in the case of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units or Other Stock-Based Awards; and (iii) $10,000,000 worth of other Awards under the Plan, including Incentive Awards.  Collectively, the foregoing maximums referred to in this Section 5.2 shall be referred to as the “Maximum Annual Employee Grants.” Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, the aggregate grant date fair value (computed as of the date of grant in accordance with applicable financial accounting rules) of all Awards granted to any Director during any single calendar year (excluding Awards made at the election of the Director in lieu of all or a portion of annual and committee cash retainers) shall not exceed $600,000.

 

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5.3                                Adjustments in Authorized Shares

 

(a)                                  In the event of a Change in Capitalization, such adjustment shall be made to (i) the maximum number and class of shares of Common Stock or other stock or securities with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan, (ii) the maximum number and class of shares of Common Stock or other stock or securities that may be issued upon exercise of Nonqualified Options and Incentive Stock Options, (iii) the Maximum Annual Employee Grants, (iv) the number and class of shares of Common Stock or other stock or securities which are subject to outstanding Awards granted under the Plan and the Option Price or grant price therefor, if applicable, (v) the Performance Goals (vi) and other terms and conditions of outstanding Awards, as may be determined to be appropriate and equitable by the Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion, to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights. Any such adjustment shall be final, binding and conclusive on all persons claiming any right or interest under the Plan.

 

(b)                                  Any such adjustment in the shares of Common Stock or other stock or securities (i) subject to outstanding Incentive Stock Options (including any adjustments in the exercise price) shall be made in such manner as not to constitute a modification as defined by Section 424(h)(3) of the Code and only to the extent otherwise permitted by Sections 422 and 424 of the Code or (ii) subject to outstanding Awards that are intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) shall be made in such a manner as not to adversely affect the treatment of the Awards as performance-based compensation.

 

(c)                                   If, by reason of a Change in Capitalization, a Participant shall be entitled to, or shall be entitled to exercise an Option or Stock Appreciation Right with respect to, new, additional or different shares of stock or securities of the Company or any other corporation, such new, additional or different shares shall thereupon be subject to all of the conditions, restrictions and performance criteria which were applicable to the shares of Common Stock subject to the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as the case may be, prior to such Change in Capitalization.

 

5.4                                Effect of Certain Transactions

 

Following (a) the liquidation or dissolution of the Company or (b) a merger or consolidation of the Company (a “Transaction”), (i) each outstanding Award shall be treated as provided for in the agreement entered into in connection with the Transaction (which treatment may be different as among different types of Awards and different holders thereof) or (ii) if not so provided in such agreement, each Participant shall be entitled to receive in respect of each share of Common Stock subject to any outstanding Awards, upon exercise of any Option or Stock Appreciation Right or payment or transfer in respect of any other Award, the same number and kind of stock, securities, cash, property or other consideration that each holder of a share of Common Stock was entitled to receive in the Transaction in respect of a share of Common Stock; provided , however , that such stock, securities, cash, property, or other consideration shall remain subject to all of the conditions, restrictions and performance criteria which were applicable to Awards prior to

 

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such Transaction, but giving effect to any applicable provision of this Plan or any Award Agreement if the Transaction is a Change in Control.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the treatment of outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights pursuant to clause (i) of this Section 5.4 in connection with a Transaction in which the consideration paid or distributed to the Company’s stockholders is not entirely shares of common stock of the acquiring or resulting corporation may include the cancellation of outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights upon consummation of the Transaction provided either (x) the holders of affected Options and Stock Appreciation Rights have been given a period of at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date of the consummation of the Transaction to exercise the Options and Stock Appreciation Rights or (y) the holders of the affected Options and Stock Appreciation Rights are paid (in cash or cash equivalents) in respect of each share of Common Stock covered by the Options or Stock Appreciation Rights being cancelled an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the per share price paid or distributed to stockholders in the Transaction (the value of any non-cash consideration to be determined by the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion) over the exercise price thereof.  For avoidance of doubt, (1) the cancellation of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights pursuant to clause (y) of the preceding sentence may be effected notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Plan or any Award Agreement and (2) if the amount determined pursuant to clause (y) of the preceding sentence is zero or less, the affected Options and Stock Appreciation Rights may be cancelled without any payment therefor.  The treatment of any Award as provided in this Section 5.4 shall be conclusively presumed to be appropriate for purposes of Section 5.3.

 

SECTION 6                             STOCK OPTIONS

 

6.1                                Grant of Options

 

(a)                                  Options may be granted to Participants in such number, upon such terms, and at such times during the term of the Plan as the Plan Administrator shall determine.

 

(b)                                  An Option granted under the Plan may be either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Option; provided, however, that Incentive Stock Options may be awarded only to Employees.

 

6.2                                Special Provisions Applicable to Incentive Stock Options

 

Each provision of the Plan and each Incentive Stock Option granted thereunder shall be construed so that each such option shall qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, and any provision thereof that cannot be so construed shall be disregarded, unless the Participant agrees otherwise.  The total number of shares which may be purchased upon the exercise of Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan shall not exceed the total specified in Section 5.1, as adjusted pursuant to Section 5.3. Incentive Stock Options, in addition to complying with the other provisions of the Plan relating to Options generally, shall be subject to the following conditions:

 

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(a)                                  Ten Percent (10%) Stockholders

 

A Participant must not, immediately before an Incentive Stock Option is granted to him or her, own stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or of a Subsidiary.  This requirement is waived if (i) the Option Price of the Incentive Stock Option to be granted is at least one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of the stock subject to the option, determined at the time the option is granted, and (ii) the option is not exercisable more than five (5) years from the date the option is granted.

 

(b)                                  Annual Limitation

 

To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time of the grant of the option) of the stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by the Participant during any calendar year exceeds One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000), such options shall be treated as Nonqualified Options.  In applying the limitation in the preceding sentence in the case of multiple option grants, unless otherwise required by applicable law, options which were intended to be Incentive Stock Options shall be treated as Nonqualified Options according to the order in which they were granted such that the most recently granted options are first treated as Nonqualified Options.

 

(c)                                   Additional Terms

 

Any other terms and conditions which the Plan Administrator determines, upon advice of counsel, must be imposed for the option to be an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(d)                                  Notice of Disqualifying Disposition

 

If a Participant shall make any disposition of shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to an Inventive Stock Option under the circumstances described in Section 421(b) of the Code (relating to disqualifying distributions), the Participant shall notify the Company of such disposition within twenty days thereof.

 

6.3                                Terms of Options

 

Except as otherwise provided in Section 6.2, all Incentive Stock Options and Nonqualified Options under the Plan shall be granted subject to the following terms and conditions:

 

(a)                                  Option Price

 

The Option Price shall be determined by the Plan Administrator in any reasonable manner, but shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date the Option is granted;

 

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provided, however, that this restriction shall not apply to Awards that are adjusted pursuant to Section 5.3 herein.

 

(b)                                  Duration of Options

 

Options shall be exercisable at such time and under such conditions as set forth in the Award Agreement, but in no event shall any Option (whether a Nonqualified Option or an Incentive Stock Option) be exercisable later than the tenth (10 th ) anniversary of the date of its grant.

 

(c)                                   Exercise of Options

 

Options granted under this Section 6 shall be exercisable at such times and be subject to such restrictions and conditions as set forth in the Award Agreement and as the Plan Administrator shall in each instance approve, which need not be the same for each grant or for each Participant.

 

(d)                                  Payment

 

The purchase price of shares purchased under Options shall be payable to the Company in full: (a) in cash or its equivalent, (b) by tendering shares of Common Stock (either directly or through attestation) or directing the Company to withhold shares of Common Stock from the Option having an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the Option Price, (c) by broker-assisted cashless exercise, (d) in any other manner then permitted by the Plan Administrator, or (e) by a combination of any of the permitted methods of payment. The Plan Administrator may limit any method of payment, other than that specified under (a), for administrative convenience, to comply with applicable law, or for any other reason. A Participant shall have none of the rights of a stockholder until the shares of Common Stock are issued to the Participant.

 

(e)                                   Restrictions

 

The Plan Administrator shall determine and reflect in the Award Agreement, with respect to each option, the nature and extent of the restrictions, if any, to be imposed on the shares of Common Stock which may be purchased thereunder, including, without limitation, restrictions on the transferability of such shares acquired through the exercise of such options for such periods as the Plan Administrator may determine.  In addition, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, the Plan Administrator may require that a Participant who wants to effectuate a “cashless” exercise of options be required to sell the shares of Common Stock acquired in the associated exercise to the Company, or in the open market through the use of a broker selected by the Company, at such price and on such terms as the Plan Administrator may determine at the time of grant, or otherwise.

 

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(f)                                    Nontransferability of Options

 

Options granted under the Plan and the rights and privileges conferred thereby shall not be subject to execution, attachment or similar process and may not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated in any manner (whether by operation of law or otherwise) other than by will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution.  Notwithstanding the foregoing and only as provided by the Plan Administrator or the Company, as applicable, Nonqualified Options may be transferred without consideration to a Participant’s immediate family members, directly or indirectly or by means of a trust, corporate entity or partnership (a person who thus acquires this option by such transfer, a “Permitted Transferee”).  A transfer of an option may only be effected by the Company at the request of the Participant and shall become effective upon the Permitted Transferee agreeing to such terms as the Plan Administrator may require and only when recorded in the Company’s record of outstanding options.  In the event an option is transferred as contemplated hereby, the option may not be subsequently transferred by the Permitted Transferee except a transfer back to the Participant or by will or the laws of descent and distribution.  A transferred option may be exercised by a Permitted Transferee to the same extent as, and subject to the same terms and conditions as, the Participant (except as otherwise provided herein), as if no transfer had taken place.  As used herein, “immediate family” shall mean, with respect to any person, such person’s child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and shall include adoptive relationships.  In the event of exercise of a transferred option by a Permitted Transferee, any amounts due to (or to be withheld by) the Company upon exercise of the option shall be delivered by (or withheld from amounts due to) the Participant, the Participant’s estate or the Permitted Transferee, in the reasonable discretion of the Company.

 

In addition, to the extent permitted by applicable law and Rule 16b-3, the Plan Administrator may, in its sole discretion, permit a recipient of a Nonqualified Option to designate in writing during the Participant’s lifetime a Beneficiary to receive and exercise the Participant’s Nonqualified Options in the event of such Participant’s death.  Except as otherwise provided for herein, if any Participant attempts to transfer, assign, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of any option under the Plan or of any right or privilege conferred thereby, contrary to the provisions of the Plan or such option, or suffers the sale or levy or any attachment or similar process upon the rights and privileges conferred hereby, all affected options held by such Participant shall be immediately forfeited.

 

(g)                                   No Repricing or Cashout

 

The Plan Administrator shall have no authority to make any adjustment (other than in connection with a Change in Capitalization or Change in Control in which an adjustment is permitted or required under the terms of the Plan) or amendment, and no such adjustment or amendment shall be made, that reduces or would have the effect of reducing the exercise price of an Option previously granted under the Plan, whether through amendment, cancellation or replacement

 

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grants, or other means, unless the Company’s shareholders shall have approved such adjustment or amendment.  In addition, the Plan Administrator is not permitted to purchase for cash previously granted options with an exercise price that is greater than the Company’s trading price on the proposed date of purchase without shareholder approval.

 

SECTION 7                             STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

 

7.1                                Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights

 

Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted to Participants in such number, and at such times during the term of the Plan as the Plan Administrator shall determine, the Plan Administrator taking into account the duties of the respective employees, their present and potential contributions to the success of the Company or its Subsidiaries, and such other factors as the Plan Administrator shall deem relevant in accomplishing the purposes of the Plan.  The Plan Administrator may grant a Stock Appreciation Right or provide for the grant of a Stock Appreciation Right, either from time to time in the discretion of the Plan Administrator or automatically upon the occurrence of specified events, including, without limitation, the achievement of Performance Goals or other performance measures, the satisfaction of an event or condition within the control of the recipient of the Stock Appreciation Right or within the control of others.  The granting of a Stock Appreciation Right shall take place when the Plan Administrator by resolution, written consent or other appropriate action determines to grant such a Stock Appreciation Right to a particular Participant at a particular price.  A Stock Appreciation Right may be granted freestanding or in tandem or in combination with any other Award under the Plan.  The grant price of a freestanding Stock Appreciation Right shall at least equal the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant of the Stock Appreciation Right, and the grant price of a tandem Stock Appreciation Right shall equal the Option Price of the related option; provided, however, that this restriction shall not apply to Awards that are adjusted pursuant to Section 5.3 herein.

 

7.2                                Exercise of Stock Appreciation Rights

 

A Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised upon such terms and conditions and for a term such as the Plan Administrator shall determine; provided , however , no Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable later than the tenth (10 th ) anniversary of the date of its grant.  Upon exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, a Participant shall be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount determined by multiplying (i) the difference between the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right over the price fixed at the date of grant (which price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant) times (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised.  At the discretion of the Plan Administrator, the payment upon Stock Appreciation Right exercise may be in cash, in shares of Common Stock of equivalent value, or in some combination thereof.

 

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7.3                                Special Provisions Applicable to Stock Appreciation Rights

 

Stock Appreciation Rights are subject to the following restrictions:

 

(a)                                  A Stock Appreciation Right granted in tandem with any other Award under the Plan shall be exercisable at such time or times as the Award to which it relates shall be exercisable, or at such other times as the Plan Administrator may determine.

 

(b)                                  The right of a Participant to exercise a Stock Appreciation Right granted in tandem with any other Award under the Plan shall be canceled if and to the extent the related Award is exercised or canceled.  To the extent that a Stock Appreciation Right is exercised, the related Award shall be deemed to have been surrendered unexercised and canceled.

 

(c)                                   A holder of Stock Appreciation Rights shall have none of the rights of a stockholder until shares of Common Stock, if any, are issued to such holder pursuant to such holder’s exercise of such rights.

 

(d)                                  The acquisition of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right shall be subject to the same restrictions as would apply to the acquisition of Common Stock acquired upon exercise of an option, as set forth in Section 6.3.

 

(e)                                   Except as may otherwise be permitted by the Plan Administrator, Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan and the rights and privileges conferred thereby shall not be subject to execution, attachment or similar process and may not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated in any manner (whether by operation of law or otherwise) other than by will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution.

 

(f)                                    The Plan Administrator shall have no authority to make any adjustment (other than in connection with a Change in Capitalization or Change in Control in which an adjustment is permitted or required under the terms of the Plan) or amendment, and no such adjustment or amendment shall be made, that reduces or would have the effect of reducing the grant price of a Stock Appreciation Right previously granted under the Plan, whether through amendment, cancellation or replacement grants, or other means, unless the Company’s shareholders shall have approved such adjustment or amendment.  In addition, the Plan Administrator is not permitted to purchase for cash previously granted Stock Appreciation Rights with a grant price that is greater than the Company’s trading price on the proposed date of purchase without shareholder approval.

 

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SECTION 8   PERFORMANCE SHARES AND PERFORMANCE UNITS

 

8.1                                Grant of Performance Shares and Performance Units

 

Subject to the limitations in Section 5.2, Performance Shares or Performance Units may be granted to Participants at any time and from time to time as the Plan Administrator shall determine.  The Plan Administrator shall have complete discretion in determining the number of Performance Shares or Performance Units granted to each Participant and the terms and conditions thereof, taking into account the duties of the respective Participants, their present and potential contributions to the success of the Company or its Subsidiaries, and such other factors as the Plan Administrator shall deem appropriate.  Performance Shares and Performance Units may be granted alone or in combination with any other Award under the Plan. Notwithstanding the above, no dividends or dividend equivalents shall be payable on unvested Performance Shares or unvested Performance Units (provided that dividends or dividend equivalents may accrue on such unvested awards and be paid to the extent the shares vest).

 

8.2                                Value of Performance Shares and Performance Units

 

The Plan Administrator shall set Performance Goals over Performance Periods.  Prior to each grant of Performance Shares or Performance Units, the Plan Administrator shall establish an initial number of shares of Common Stock for each Performance Share and an initial value for each Performance Unit granted to each Participant for that Performance Period.  Prior to each grant of Performance Shares or Performance Units, the Plan Administrator also shall set the Performance Goals that will be used to determine the extent to which the Participant receives the number of shares of Common Stock for the Performance Shares or payment of the value of the Performance Units awarded for such Performance Period.  With respect to each such Performance Goal utilized during a Performance Period, the Plan Administrator may assign percentages or other relative values to various levels of performance which shall be applied to determine the extent to which the Participant shall receive a payout of the number of Performance Shares or value of Performance Units awarded.

 

8.3                                Payment of Performance Shares and Performance Units

 

After a Performance Period has ended, the holder of a Performance Share or Performance Unit shall be entitled to receive the value thereof as determined by the Plan Administrator.  The Plan Administrator shall make this determination by first determining the extent to which the Performance Goals set pursuant to Section 8.2 have been met.  The Plan Administrator shall then determine the applicable percentage or other relative value to be applied to, and will apply such percentage or other relative value to, the number of Performance Shares or value of Performance Units to determine the payout to be received by the Participant.  In addition, with respect to Performance Shares and Performance Units granted to each Participant, no payout shall be made hereunder except upon written certification by the Plan Administrator that the applicable Performance Goals have been satisfied to a particular extent.

 

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8.4                                Form and Timing of Payment

 

The payment described in Section 8.3 shall be made in shares of Common Stock, or in cash, or partly in shares of Common Stock and partly in cash, at the discretion of the Plan Administrator and set forth in the Award Agreement.  The value of any fractional shares shall be paid in cash.  Payment shall be made in a lump sum or installments as prescribed by the Plan Administrator and set forth in the Award Agreement; provided that each Award Agreement shall comply with the timing of payment requirements set forth in Section 409A of the Code.  If a number of shares of Common Stock is to be converted into an amount of cash on any date, or if an amount of cash is to be converted into a number of shares of Common Stock on any date, such conversion shall be done at the then-current Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on such date.

 

8.5                                Nontransferability of Performance Shares and Performance Units

 

Except as otherwise provided by the Plan Administrator, Performance Shares and Performance Units granted under the Plan and the rights and privileges conferred thereby shall not be subject to execution, attachment or similar process and may not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated in any manner (whether by operation or law or otherwise) other than by will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution.

 

SECTION 9   RESTRICTED STOCK

 

9.1                                Grant of Restricted Stock

 

Subject to the limitations in Section 5.2, Restricted Stock may be granted to Participants in such number and at such times during the term of the Plan as the Plan Administrator shall determine, the Plan Administrator taking into account the duties of the respective Participants, their present and potential contributions to the success of the Company or its Subsidiaries, and such other factors as the Plan Administrator shall deem relevant in accomplishing the purposes of the Plan.  The Plan Administrator may grant Restricted Stock or provide for the grant of Restricted Stock, either from time to time in the discretion of the Plan Administrator or automatically upon the occurrence of specified events.

 

9.2                                Restriction Period

 

During the Restriction Period, the Restricted Stock may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered or disposed of by the recipient.  In the event of any attempt by the Participant to sell, exchange, transfer, pledge or otherwise dispose of Restricted Stock in violation of the terms of the Plan without the Company’s prior written consent, such Restricted Stock shall be forfeited to the Company.  During the Restriction Period, the Plan Administrator shall evidence the restrictions on the shares of Restricted Stock in such a manner as it determines is appropriate (including, without limitation, by means of appropriate stop-transfer orders on shares of Restricted Stock credited to book-entry accounts).

 

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9.3                                Other Restrictions

 

The Plan Administrator shall impose such other restrictions on Restricted Stock granted pursuant to the Plan as it may deem advisable, including Performance Goals or other performance measures.

 

9.4                                Voting Rights; Dividends and Other Distributions

 

Unless otherwise determined by the Plan Administrator and set forth in a Participant’s Award Agreement, each Participant who receives a grant of Restricted Stock shall have all the rights of a stockholder with respect to such shares (except as provided in the restrictions on transferability), including the right to vote the shares and receive dividends and other distributions paid with respect to the underlying shares of Restricted Stock; provided , however , that no Participant awarded Restricted Stock shall have any right as a stockholder with respect to any shares subject to the Participant’s Restricted Stock grant prior to the establishment of a book-entry account for such shares.

 

9.5                                Removal of Restrictions

 

Subject to applicable laws, Restricted Stock shall become freely transferable by the Participant after the last day of the Restriction Period applicable thereto, subject to any required share withholding to satisfy tax withholding obligations pursuant to Section 17.8.  Any fractional shares subject to such Restricted Stock shall be paid to the Participant in cash.

 

SECTION 10   RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

 

10.1                         Grant of Restricted Stock Units

 

Subject to the limitations in Section 5.2, Restricted Stock Units may be granted to eligible employees in such number and at such times during the term of the Plan as the Plan Administrator shall determine, the Plan Administrator taking into account the duties of the respective Participants, their present and potential contributions to the success of the Company or its Subsidiaries, and such other factors as the Plan Administrator shall deem relevant in accomplishing the purposes of the Plan.  The Plan Administrator may grant Restricted Stock Units or provide for the grant of Restricted Stock Units, either from time to time in the discretion of the Plan Administrator or automatically upon the occurrence of specified events.

 

10.2                         Restriction Period

 

During the Restriction Period, Restricted Stock Units may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered or disposed of by the recipient.  In the event of any attempt by the Participant to sell, exchange, transfer, pledge or otherwise dispose of Restricted Stock Units in violation of the terms of the Plan without the Company’s prior written consent, such Restricted Stock Units shall be forfeited to the Company.

 

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10.3                         Other Restrictions

 

The Plan Administrator shall impose such other restrictions on Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to the Plan as it may deem advisable.  A Participant receiving a grant of Restricted Stock Units shall not be recorded as a stockholder of the Company and shall not acquire any rights of a stockholder unless or until the Participant is issued shares of Common Stock in settlement of such Restricted Stock Units.

 

10.4                         Dividend Equivalents

 

The Plan Administrator may provide that Restricted Stock Units awarded under the Plan shall be entitled to an amount per Restricted Stock Unit equal in value to the cash dividend, if any, paid per share of Common Stock on issued and outstanding shares, on the dividend payment dates occurring during the period between the date on which the Restricted Stock Units are granted to the Participant and the date on which such Restricted Stock Units are settled, cancelled, forfeited, waived, surrendered or terminated under the Plan.  Such paid amounts called “dividend equivalents” shall be (i) paid in cash or Common Stock or (ii) credited to the Participant as additional Restricted Stock Units, or any combination thereof, as the Plan Administrator shall determine.  Unless otherwise determined by the Plan Administrator, dividend equivalents shall vest at such time as the Restricted Stock Unit to which it relates vests.

 

10.5                         Issuance of Shares; Settlement of Awards

 

When the restrictions imposed by Section 10.2 expire or otherwise lapse with respect to one or more Restricted Stock Units, Restricted Stock Units shall be settled (i) in cash or (ii) by the delivery to the Participant of the number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of the Participant’s Restricted Stock Units that are vested, or any combination thereof, as the Plan Administrator shall determine.  The payment hereunder shall comply with the timing of payment requirements set forth in Section 409A of the Code, including, but not limited to the timing of payments to “specified employees” as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code.  The delivery of shares pursuant to this Section 10.5 shall be subject to any required share withholding to satisfy tax withholding obligations pursuant to Section 17.8.  Any fractional shares subject to such Restricted Stock Units shall be paid to the Participant in cash.

 

SECTION 11   INCENTIVE AWARDS

 

11.1                         Incentive Awards

 

Prior to the beginning of each Performance Period, or not later than 90 days following the commencement of the relevant fiscal year, the Plan Administrator shall establish Performance Goals or other performance measures which must be achieved for any Participant to receive an Incentive Award for that Performance Period.  The Performance Goals or other performance measures may be based on any combination of corporate and business unit Performance Goals or other performance measures.  The Plan Administrator may also establish one or more Company-wide Performance Goals or other

 

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performance measures which must be achieved for any Participant to receive an Incentive Award for that Performance Period.  Such Performance Goals or other performance measures may include a threshold level of performance below which no Incentive Award shall be earned, target levels of performance at which specific Incentive Awards will be earned, and a maximum level of performance at which the maximum level of Incentive Awards will be earned.  Each Incentive Award shall specify the amount of cash and the amount of any other Awards subject to such Incentive Award.

 

11.2                         Performance Goal Certification

 

An Incentive Award shall become payable to the extent provided herein in the event that the Plan Administrator certifies in writing prior to payment of the Incentive Award that the Performance Goals or other performance measures selected for a particular Performance Period have been attained.

 

11.3                         Discretion to Reduce Awards; Participant’s Performance

 

The Plan Administrator, in its sole and absolute discretion, prior to a Change in Control, may reduce the amount of any Incentive Award otherwise payable to a Participant upon attainment of any Performance Goal or other performance measure for the applicable Performance Period.  A Participant’s individual performance must be satisfactory, regardless of the Company’s performance and the attainment of Performance Goals or other performance measures, before he or she may be paid an Incentive Award.  In evaluating a Participant’s performance, the Plan Administrator shall consider the Performance Goals or other performance measures, the Participant’s responsibilities and accomplishments, and such other factors as it deems appropriate.

 

11.4                         Required Payment of Incentive Awards

 

The Plan Administrator shall make a determination within thirty (30) days after the information that is necessary to make such a determination is available for a particular Performance Period whether the Performance Goals or other performance measures for the Performance Period have been achieved and the amount of the Incentive Award for each Participant.  The Plan Administrator shall certify the foregoing determinations in writing.  In the absence of an election by the Participant pursuant to Section 11.5, the Incentive Award shall be paid not later than December 31 of the calendar year in which the foregoing determinations have been made; provided, however, that in the event a Participant’s employment agreement provides for the payment of the Incentive Award prior to such date, then such Incentive Award shall be paid not later than the date specified under such employment agreement.  Participants shall receive their Incentive Awards in any combination of cash and/or other Awards under the Plan as determined by the Plan Administrator.  The payment hereunder shall comply with the timing of payment requirements set forth in Section 409A of the Code.

 

11.5                         Nontransferability of Incentive Awards

 

Except as otherwise determined by the Plan Administrator, Incentive Awards may

 

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not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.

 

SECTION 12   CASH AWARDS AND OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS

 

12.1                         Grant of Cash Awards

 

Subject to the terms and provisions of this Plan, the Plan Administrator, at any time and from time to time, may grant cash awards to Participants in such amounts and upon such terms, including the achievement of specific performance criteria, as the Plan Administrator may determine (each, a “Cash Award”).

 

12.2                         Other Stock-Based Awards

 

The Plan Administrator may grant other types of equity-based or equity-related Awards not otherwise described by the terms of this Plan (including the grant or offer for sale of unrestricted shares of Common Stock, including shares subject to mandatory deferral requirements) in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions, as the Plan Administrator shall determine (each, an “Other Stock-Based Award”).  Such Other Stock-Based Awards may involve the transfer of actual shares of Common Stock to Participants, or payment in cash or otherwise of amounts based on the value of shares of Common Stock.

 

12.3                         Value of Cash Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards

 

Each Cash Award granted pursuant to this Section 12 shall specify a payment amount or payment range as determined by the Plan Administrator.  Each Other Stock-Based Award shall be expressed in terms of shares of Common Stock or units based on shares of Common Stock, as determined by the Plan Administrator.  The Plan Administrator may establish performance criteria applicable to such awards in its discretion.  If the Plan Administrator exercises its discretion to establish performance criteria, the number and/or value of such cash awards or Other Stock-Based Awards that will be paid out to the Participant will depend on the extent to which the performance goals are met.

 

12.4                         Payment of Cash Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards

 

Payment, if any, with respect to a Cash Award or an Other Stock-Based Award shall be made in accordance with the terms of the Award, in cash or shares of Common Stock as the Plan Administrator determines.  The value of any fractional shares shall be paid in cash.  The payment hereunder shall comply with the timing of payment requirements set forth in Section 409A of the Code.

 

12.5                         Transferability of Cash Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards

 

Except as otherwise determined by the Plan Administrator, neither Cash Awards

 

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nor Other Stock-Based Awards may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.

 

SECTION 13   TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT, SERVICE OR DIRECTORSHIP

 

The Award Agreement applicable to each Award shall set forth the effect of a termination of the Participant’s employment, service or directorship upon such Award; provided , however , that, unless explicitly set forth otherwise in an Award Agreement or as determined by the Plan Administrator, all of a Participant’s unvested and/or unexercisable Awards shall automatically be forfeited upon termination of the Participant’s employment, service or directorship for any reason, and, as to Awards consisting of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, the Participant shall be permitted to exercise the vested portion of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right for three months following termination of his or her employment, service or directorship.  Provisions relating to the effect of a termination of employment, service or directorship upon an Award shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Plan Administrator and need not be uniform among all Awards or among all Participants.  Unless the Plan Administrator determines otherwise, the transfer of employment of a Participant as between the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not constitute a termination of employment.

 

SECTION 14   EFFECT OF A CHANGE IN CONTROL

 

Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, in the event of a Participant’s termination of employment (i) by his or her Employer without Cause or (ii) if Section 2.19 is applicable to the Participant, by the Participant for Good Reason, in each case within two years following a Change in Control:

 

(a)                                  all options and Stock Appreciation Rights then held by the Participant shall become fully vested and exercisable;

 

(b)                                  the Restriction Periods applicable to all shares of Restricted Stock and all Restricted Stock Units then held by the Participant shall immediately lapse;

 

(c)                                   the performance periods applicable to any Performance Shares, Performance Units and Incentive Awards that have not ended shall end and such Awards shall become vested and payable in an amount equal to the target amount thereof (assuming achievement of target levels by both Participants and the Company) within thirty days following such termination; and

 

(d)                                  any restrictions applicable to Cash Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards shall immediately lapse and, to the extent permissible under Section 409A of the Code, if applicable, become payable within ten days following such termination.

 

For avoidance of doubt, the default provisions specified above shall apply to Participants

 

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who are Employees.  The treatment of outstanding Awards following a Change in Control held by Participants who are Consultants or Directors shall be determined by the Plan Administrator, in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

To the extent that the successor entity does not assume, continue or substitute for outstanding Awards, all Options and Stock Appreciation Rights that are not exercisable immediately prior to the effective time of the Change in Control shall become fully vested and exercisable as of the effective time of the Change in Control, all other Awards with time-based vesting, conditions or restrictions shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable as of the effective time of the Change in Control, and all Awards with conditions and restrictions relating to the attainment of performance goals may become vested and nonforfeitable in connection with a Change in Control in the Plan Administrator’s discretion.

 

SECTION 15   REGULATORY APPROVALS AND LISTING

 

The Company shall not be required to issue any shares of Common Stock under the Plan prior to:

 

(a)                                  obtaining any approval or ruling from the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Internal Revenue Service or any other governmental agency which the Company, in its sole discretion, shall determine to be necessary or advisable;

 

(b)                                  listing of such shares on any stock exchange on which the Common Stock may then be listed; and

 

(c)                                   completing any registration or other qualification of such shares under any federal or state laws, rulings or regulations of any governmental body which the Company, in its sole discretion, shall determine to be necessary or advisable.

 

All certificates, or book-entry accounts, for shares of Common Stock delivered under the Plan shall also be subject to such stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Plan Administrator may deem advisable under the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any stock exchange upon which Common Stock is then listed and any applicable federal or state securities laws, and the Plan Administrator may cause a legend or legends to be placed on any such certificates, or notations on such book-entry accounts, to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.  The foregoing provisions of this paragraph shall not be effective if and to the extent that the shares of Common Stock delivered under the Plan are covered by an effective and current registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or if and so long as the Plan Administrator determines that application of such provisions are no longer required or desirable.  In making such determination, the Plan Administrator may rely upon an opinion of counsel for the Company.

 

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SECTION 16   TERM OF PLAN

 

The Plan shall remain in effect, subject to the right of the Board of Directors to terminate the Plan at any time pursuant to Section 19, until all shares of Common Stock subject to it shall have been purchased or acquired according to the provisions herein.  However, in no event may an Award be granted under the Plan on or after the tenth (10 th ) anniversary of the Effective Date.  After this Plan is terminated, no future Awards may be granted pursuant to the Plan, but Awards previously granted shall remain outstanding in accordance with their applicable terms and conditions and this Plan’s terms and conditions.

 

SECTION 17   GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

17.1                         Forfeiture Events

 

The Plan Administrator may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participant’s rights, payments, and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture, or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Award.  Such events may include, without limitation, termination of employment for Cause, violation of material policies that may apply to the Participant, breach of noncompetition, confidentiality, or other restrictive covenants that may apply to the Participant, or other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company or any of its affiliates or Subsidiaries.

 

17.2                         Continued Service

 

Nothing in the Plan shall:

 

(a)                            interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or a Subsidiary to terminate any Participant’s employment or service at any time,

 

(b)                            confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or a Subsidiary, nor

 

(c)                             confer on any Director any right to continue to serve on the Board of Directors of the Company or a Subsidiary.

 

No Employee, Director or Consultant shall have the right to be selected to receive an Award under the Plan, or, having been so selected, to be selected to receive future Awards.

 

17.3                         Other Compensation

 

Unless determined otherwise by the Plan Administrator or required by contractual obligations, the grant, vesting or payment of Awards under the Plan shall not be considered as part of a Participant’s salary or used for the calculation of any other pay, allowance, pension or other benefit unless otherwise permitted by other benefit plans provided by the

 

29



 

Company or its Subsidiaries, or required by law or by contractual obligations of the Company or its Subsidiaries.

 

17.4                         Nontransferability

 

Unless otherwise provided in the Plan, the right of a Participant to the payment of any Award under the Plan may not be assigned, transferred, pledged or encumbered, nor shall such right or other interests be subject to attachment, garnishment, execution or other legal process.

 

17.5                         Unfunded Obligations

 

Any amounts (deferred or otherwise) to be paid to Participants pursuant to the Plan are unfunded obligations.  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is required to segregate any monies from its general funds, to create any trusts or to make any special deposits with respect to this obligation.  Beneficial ownership of any investments, including trust investments which the Company may make to fulfill this obligation, shall at all times remain in the Company.  Any investments and the creation or maintenance of any trust or any Participant account shall not create or constitute a trust or a fiduciary relationship between the Plan Administrator, the Company or any Subsidiary and a Participant, or otherwise create any vested or beneficial interest in any Participant or the Participant’s Beneficiary or the Participant’s creditors in any assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries whatsoever.

 

17.6                         Beneficiaries

 

The designation of a Beneficiary shall be on a form provided by the Company, executed by the Participant (with the consent of the Participant’s spouse, if required by the Company for reasons of community property or otherwise), and delivered to a designated representative the Company.  A Participant may change his or her Beneficiary designation at any time.  If no Beneficiary is designated, if the designation is ineffective, or if the Beneficiary dies before the balance of a Participant’s benefit is paid, the balance shall be paid to the Participant’s estate.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, a Participant’s Beneficiary shall be determined under applicable state law if such state law does not recognize Beneficiary designations under plans of this sort and is not preempted by laws which recognize the provisions of this Section 17.6.

 

17.7                         Governing Law

 

The Plan shall be construed and governed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas.

 

17.8                         Satisfaction of Tax Obligations

 

The Company shall have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local, domestic or foreign taxes required by law or regulation to be withheld with respect to any

 

30



 

taxable event arising as a result of the Plan.

 

With respect to withholding required upon the exercise of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, upon the vesting or settlement of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares or Performance Units, or upon any other taxable event arising as a result of Awards granted hereunder, the Plan Administrator may require or may permit Participants to elect that the withholding requirement be satisfied, in whole or in part, by having the Company withhold, or by tendering to the Company, shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum statutory withholding (based on minimum statutory withholding rates for federal and state tax purposes, including payroll taxes) that could be imposed on the transaction and, in any case in which it would not result in additional accounting expense to the Company, taxes in excess of the minimum statutory withholding amounts.

 

A Participant is solely responsible for obtaining, or failing to obtain, tax advice with respect to participation in the Plan prior to the Participant’s (i) entering into any transaction under or with respect to the Plan, (ii) designating or choosing the times of distributions under the Plan, or (iii) disposing of any shares of Common Stock issued under the Plan.

 

17.9                         Section 83(b) Elections

 

No Participant may make an election under Section 83(b) of the Code with respect to any Award under the Plan without the consent of the Company, which the Company may grant or withhold in its sole discretion. If, with the consent of the Company, a Participant makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Code, the Participant shall be required to deliver a copy of such election to the Company promptly after filing such election with the Internal Revenue Service.

 

17.10                  Participants in Foreign Jurisdictions

 

The Plan Administrator shall have the authority to adopt such modifications, procedures and subplans as may be necessary or desirable to comply with provisions of the laws of any countries in which the Company may operate to ensure the viability of the benefits from Awards granted to Participants employed in such countries, to meet the requirements of local laws that permit the Plan to operate in a qualified or tax-efficient manner, to comply with applicable foreign laws and to meet the objectives of the Plan.

 

17.11                  Company Policies

 

All Awards granted under the Plan shall be subject to any applicable clawback or recoupment policies, share trading policies and other policies that may be implemented by the Company from time to time, including such policies that may be implemented after the date an Award is granted.

 

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SECTION 18   COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 16b-3, SECTION 162(m)

AND SECTION 409A

 

18.1                         Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act and Section 162(m) of the Code

 

The Company’s intention is that, so long as any of the Company’s equity securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, the Plan shall comply in all respects with the rules of any exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are traded and with Rule 16b-3.  In addition, it is the Company’s intention that, as to Covered Employees, unless otherwise indicated in an Award Agreement, stock options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Performance Shares, Performance Units and Incentive Awards shall qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m).  If any Plan provision is determined not to be in compliance with the foregoing intentions, that provision shall be deemed modified as necessary to meet the requirements of any such exchange, Rule 16b-3 and Section 162(m).

 

18.2                         Section 409A of the Code

 

The Plan is intended to be administered, operated and construed in compliance with Section 409A of the Code and any guidance issued thereunder.

 

a)                                      The Plan Administrator may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, including, but not limited to Section 409A of the Code, permit Participants to defer Awards under the Plan.  Any such deferrals shall be subject to such terms, conditions and procedures that the Plan Administrator may establish from time to time in its sole discretion.

 

(b)                                  The terms and conditions governing any Awards that the Plan Administrator determines will be subject to Section 409A of the Code, including any rules for elective or mandatory deferral of the delivery of cash or shares of Common Stock pursuant thereto, shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement or, if applicable, under the terms of any separate plan document, and shall comply in all respects with Section 409A of the Code.

 

(c)                                   Notwithstanding this or any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, the Board of Directors and the Plan Administrator may amend the Plan in any manner, or take any other action, that either of them determines, in its sole discretion, is necessary, appropriate or advisable to cause the Plan to comply with Section 409A of the Code and any guidance issued thereunder, which amendment may be retroactive to the extent permitted by Section 409A of the Code.  Any such action, once taken, shall be deemed to be effective from the earliest date necessary to avoid a violation of Section 409A of the Code and shall be final, binding and conclusive on all Participants and other individuals having or claiming any right or interest under the Plan.

 

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SECTION 19   AMENDMENT, TERMINATION OR DISCONTINUANCE

OF THE PLAN

 

19.1                         Amendment of Plan

 

The Plan Administrator may from time to time make such amendments to the Plan as it may deem proper and in the best interest of the Company, including, without limitation, any amendment necessary to ensure that the Company may obtain any regulatory approval referred to in Section 15; provided , however , that (i) to the extent required by applicable law, regulation or stock exchange rule, stockholder approval shall be required, and (ii) no change in any Award previously granted under the Plan may be made without the consent of the Participant if such change would materially impair the right of the Participant under the Award to acquire or retain Common Stock or cash that the Participant may have acquired as a result of the Plan.

 

19.2                         Termination or Suspension of Plan

 

The Board of Directors may at any time suspend the operation of or terminate the Plan with respect to any shares of Common Stock or rights which are not at that time subject to any Award outstanding under the Plan.

 

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Exhibit 99.1

 

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

 

The discussion below describes the material terms of our capital stock, the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Amended and Restated Bylaws and the discussion below and in “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” on page 157 describes the material terms of the Stockholders Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement as they will be in effect from the completion of this offering. The following summaries are qualified in their entirety by reference to the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Amended and Restated Bylaws, the Stockholders Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, copies of which have been filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which the prospectus forms a part.

 

Upon completion of the offering, our authorized capital stock will consist of 550,000,000 shares of common stock, 878,304 shares of Class B common stock and 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, the rights and preferences of which may be designated by our Board. Upon completion of the offering, there will be 243,874,975 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, 878,304 shares of Class B common stock issued and outstanding and no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding. As of January 2, 2014, there were 21 holders of record of our common stock and two holders of record of our Class B common stock.

 

Common Stock

 

Voting Rights.   The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share of common stock on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders on which the holders of shares of common stock are entitled to vote. Subject to the director nomination rights described in “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Stockholders Agreement” on page 157 and the rights of holders of any series of preferred stock to elect directors under specified circumstances, at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders, holders of common stock will have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and on all other matters properly submitted to a vote of the stockholders.

 

Dividend Rights.   All shares of our common stock will be entitled to share equally in any dividends our Board may declare from legally available sources, subject to the terms of any outstanding preferred stock and Class B common stock described below. See “—Class B Common Stock” on page 170 and “—Preferred Stock” on page 171. Provisions of our debt agreements and other contracts, including requirements under the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Stockholders Agreement described elsewhere in this prospectus, may impose restrictions on our ability to declare dividends with respect to our common stock.

 

Liquidation Rights.   Upon a liquidation or dissolution of EP Energy Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary and subject to the rights of the holders of Class B common stock and any preferred stock, all shares of our common stock will be entitled to share equally in the assets available for distribution to holders of common stock after payment of all of our prior obligations, including any then-outstanding preferred stock, in the manner described in “—Distributions Upon a Liquidation” on page 171.

 

Registration Rights.   Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, we have granted the Legacy Class A Stockholders demand registration rights and/or incidental registration rights, in each case, with respect to certain shares of common stock owned by them. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Registration Rights Agreement” on page 163.

 

Other Matters.   Except as provided by the Stockholders Agreement with respect to the Legacy Class A Stockholders, the holders of our common stock will have no preemptive rights, and our common stock will not be subject to further calls or assessments by us. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock.

 

Class B Common Stock

 

Voting Rights.   Except as required by law, the holders of our Class B common stock are not entitled to vote.

 

Dividend Rights.   After the consummation of a capital transaction, or following any other distribution or series of distributions of capital proceeds or available cash, where the net return on Invested Capital (as defined below) after taking into account costs and expenses incurred in connection with generating such return and after giving effect to such capital transactions or other distribution or series of distributions of capital proceeds or available cash, in EP Energy Corporation and EPE Acquisition to the Legacy Class A Stockholders (“MOIC”) is at least 1.0, all shares of our Class B common stock (whether or not vested) will be entitled to share in dividends our Board may declare from legally available sources, subject to the terms of any outstanding preferred stock and common stock, as if such dividends were proceeds from a liquidation or

 



 

dissolution of the Company or certain change of control transactions with respect to us and our subsidiaries (taken as a whole) and distributed in the manner described in “—Distributions Upon a Liquidation” on page 171. Provisions of our debt agreements and other contracts, including requirements under the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Stockholders Agreement described elsewhere in this prospectus, may impose restrictions on our ability to declare dividends with respect to our Class B common stock. See “—Distributions Upon a Liquidation” on page 171, “—Preferred Stock” on page 171 and “—Common Stock” on page 169.

 

Liquidation Rights.   Upon a liquidation or dissolution of EP Energy Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary and subject to the rights of the holders of common stock and preferred stock, all shares of our Class B common stock will be entitled to share equally in the assets available for distribution to holders of Class B common stock after payment of all of our prior obligations, including any then outstanding Preferred Stock, in the manner described in “—Distributions Upon a Liquidation” on page 171.

 

Registration Rights.   The owners of Class B common stock do not have any registration rights under the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement. Pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, we intend to file shelf registration statement(s) to register shares of common stock issued in connection with one or more Class B Exchanges. See “—Class B Exchange—Shelf Registration Statements” on page 174.

 

Other Matters.   The holders of our Class B common stock will have no preemptive rights, and our Class B common stock will not be subject to further calls or assessments by us other than upon certain termination of employment as described above under “Management—Executive Compensation—Treatment of Equity Awards” on page 144. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our Class B common stock. During the first five business days of June of each year, commencing in 2017, but prior to any capital transaction where the MOIC is at least 1.0, any employee who owns Class B common stock (other than our chief executive officer or chief financial officer) and who exhibits sufficient financial need (as determined by the chief executive officer in good faith) may request that a portion of his Class B common stock be repurchased by us at the then fair market value, provided that such repurchases shall not (i) during any fiscal year, exceed $15 million in the aggregate or represent more than 12.5% of such employee’s Class B common stock, (ii) cause more than 25% of such employee’s Class B common stock to have been so repurchased, or (iii) be consummated if the chief executive officer determines in good faith that such repurchases would not be in our best interests.

 

Business Purpose.   The purpose of the provisions in our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation relating to the dividend and liquidation rights of our Class B common stock and the Class B Exchange is to ensure that our Class B common stock is economically equivalent, to the extent possible, to the Class B units of EPE Acquisition that existed as of immediately prior to the Corporate Reorganization, as required by the terms of the LLC Agreement. The Class B units of EPE Acquisition were originally issued to align management’s incentives with the performance of the Company and returns to our investors.

 

Preferred Stock

 

For so long as the Negative Control Condition is satisfied, our Board may, by a Special Board Approval, and in the event the Negative Control Condition is no longer satisfied, our Board may by a majority vote, issue, from time to time, up to an aggregate of 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series and to fix or alter the designations, preferences, rights and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions of the shares of each such series thereof, including the dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption (including sinking fund provisions), redemption prices, liquidation preferences and the number of shares constituting any series or designations of such series. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Stockholders Agreement” on page 157 and “—Certain Anti-Takeover, Limited Liability and Indemnification Provisions” on page 175. Our Board may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible future financings and acquisitions and other corporate purposes could, under certain circumstances, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of us and might affect the market price of our common stock. See “—Certain Anti-Takeover, Limited Liability and Indemnification Provisions” on page 175.

 

Distributions Upon a Liquidation

 

Upon a liquidation or dissolution of our company, whether voluntary or involuntary, or upon the consummation of certain change of control transactions with respect to us and our subsidiaries (taken as a whole), the proceeds from such liquidation, dissolution or change of control transaction will be distributed to the holders of common stock and the holders of Class B common stock as follows:

 



 

·                   First , to each holder of common stock, its pro rata portion of such proceeds until each Legacy Class A Stockholder has recouped the amount of capital invested by such Legacy Class A Stockholder or its predecessor in interest in EP Energy Corporation and EPE Acquisition (“Invested Capital”);

 

·                   Second , to the holders of Class B common stock, a portion of such proceeds equal to 3/97ths of the amount of any Preferred Return (as defined below) paid to the Legacy Class A Stockholders prior to the occurrence of such liquidation, dissolution or change of control transaction;

 

·                   Third , (i) 97% of the remaining proceeds to the holders of common stock until each Legacy Class A Stockholder has received a 5% preferred return on its Invested Capital (“Preferred Return”), and (ii) 3% of such remaining proceeds to the holders of Class B common stock pro rata ;

 

·                   Fourth , the remaining proceeds after the foregoing distributions have been made shall be distributed among the holders of common stock and the holders of Class B common stock as follows:

 

(a)                                  the holders of common stock pro rata , the amount of such remaining proceeds not otherwise distributed to the holders of Class B common stock pursuant to (b) below; and

 

(b)                                  to the holders of Class B common stock pro rata , a cumulative portion of the aggregate amount of the net return on investment received by the Legacy Class A Stockholders after taking into account costs and expenses incurred in connection with generating such return in excess of the total Invested Capital (“Profits”) as set forth in the table below, based on the MOIC following such liquidation, dissolution or change of control transaction and expressed as a percentage of Profits; provided, that if such remaining proceeds described in this fourth bullet are insufficient to pay to the holders of Class B common stock such amount, then the holders of Class B common stock will instead be entitled to receive 50% of such remaining proceeds.

 

MOIC

 

Portion of Profits

1.00 < MOIC < 1.50

 

3.5% of Profits

1.50 < MOIC < 2.25

 

6.5% of Profits* + 3.5% of Profits

MOIC > 2.25

 

6.0% of Profits** + 6.5% of Profits* + 3.5% of Profits

 


*                                          The calculation of Profits, solely for this purpose, is based on the amount of proceeds received by the Legacy Class A Stockholders in excess of the total Invested Capital multiplied by 1.50.

 

**                                   The calculation of Profits, solely for this purpose, is based on the amount of proceeds received by the Legacy Class A Stockholders in excess of the total Invested Capital multiplied by 2.25.

 

Distributions of such proceeds to holders of Class B common stock will not exceed 8.5% of the aggregate Profits distributed to the Class A Stockholders and the Class B Stockholders and no distributions of such proceeds will be made to the holders of Class B common stock unless MOIC is at least 1.0. In the event any management or transaction fees are paid to the Sponsors, then at the time that a distribution is to be made upon such liquidation, dissolution or change of control transaction (the “Initial Distribution”), an additional distribution shall be made to the holders of Class B common stock equal to the excess of:

 

·                   96% of the amount that would have been distributed (or deemed distributed) to the holders of Class B common stock if such management or transaction fees were taken into account as distributions to the Legacy Class A Stockholders in calculating the amount of the Initial Distribution, over

 

·                   the amount of the Initial Distribution, plus any amounts previously distributed to the holders of Class B common stock in respect of any management or transaction fees previously paid to the Sponsors.

 

Class B Exchange

 

Upon any sale of shares of common stock by the Specified Stockholders where the net return on Invested Capital to the Specified Stockholders after taking into account costs and expenses incurred in connection with generating such return (but only to the extent not reimbursed by us pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement) (“Specified MOIC”) is at least 1.0 (a “Specified Sale”), we will exchange with each holder of Class B common stock a number of shares of Class B common stock

 



 

for a number of newly issued shares of common stock in such amount and in the manner described below (a “Class B Exchange”).

 

Number of Shares of Class B Common Stock Exchanged

 

In connection with each Class B Exchange, we will exchange with the holders of Class B common stock the consideration described below for a specified number of shares of Class B common stock such that following the exchange, the number of shares of Class B common stock will equal the Specified Percentage (as defined below) of the number of shares of Class B common stock owned prior to the first sale of common stock by the Specified Stockholders (the “First Sale”). The “Specified Percentage” is a percentage equal to the number of shares of common stock held by the Specified Stockholders after the First Sale divided by the number of shares of common stock held by the Specified Stockholders prior to the First Sale. For example, if the Specified Stockholders sold 20 out of 100 shares of common stock in a Specified Sale and had 80 shares of common stock remaining, the Specified Percentage would equal 80% and the total number of shares of Class B common stock held by the holders of Class B common stock following the Class B Exchange must be equal to 80% of the total number of shares of Class B common stock held by the holders of Class B common stock prior to the First Sale.

 

Class B Consideration

 

The aggregate value of the shares of common stock issuable in connection with a Class B Exchange (the “Class B Consideration”) will equal:

 

·                   3/97ths of any of the 5% preferred return on Invested Capital with respect to the Specified Stockholders to the extent received by the Specified Stockholders prior to the consummation of the related Specified Sale; plus

 

·                   3% of the net return on investment received by the Specified Stockholders after taking into account costs and expenses incurred in connection with generating such return (but only to the extent not reimbursed by us pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement) in excess of the total Invested Capital with respect to the Specified Stockholders (“Specified Profits”) after the Specified Stockholders have recouped their Invested Capital, less the amount described in the first bullet above; plus

 

·                   an amount of Specified Profits equal to a cumulative portion of the Specified Profits as set forth in the table below, based on the Specified MOIC following such Specified Sale and expressed as a percentage of Specified Profits; plus

 

·                   an amount equal to (i) the aggregate of the amounts described in the preceding three bullets, (i)  multiplied by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of common stock held by the Legacy Class A Stockholders immediately prior to the First Sale and the denominator of which is the total number of shares of common stock held by the Specified Stockholders as of immediately prior to the First Sale (the “Adjustment Multiple”), minus (iii) the aggregate of the amounts described in the preceding three bullets.

 

Specified MOIC

 

Portion of Specified Profits

1.00 < Specified MOIC < 1.50

 

3.5% of Specified Profits

1.50 < Specified MOIC < 2.25

 

6.5% of Specified Profits *  + 3.5% of Specified Profits

Specified MOIC > 2.25

 

6.0% of Specified Profits **  + 6.5% of Specified Profits *  + 3.5% of Specified Profits

 


*                                          The calculation of Specified Profits, solely for this purpose, is based on the amount of proceeds received by the Specified Stockholders in excess of the Invested Capital with respect to the Specified Stockholders multiplied by 1.50.

 

**                                   The calculation of Specified Profits, solely for this purpose, is based on the amount of proceeds received by the Specified Stockholders in excess of the Invested Capital with respect to the Specified Stockholders multiplied by 2.25.

 

In the event any management or transaction fees are paid to the Sponsors, then at the time that Class B Consideration is to be distributed to the holders of Class B common stock (the “Initial Class B Consideration”), an additional distribution shall be made to the holders of Class B common stock equal to the excess of:

 



 

·                   96% of the Class B Consideration that would have been distributed (or deemed distributed) to the holders of Class B common stock if such management or transaction fees were taken into account as distributions to the Legacy Class A Stockholders in calculating the amount of the Initial Class B Consideration, over

 

·                   the amount of the Initial Class B Consideration, plus any amounts previously distributed to the holders of Class B common stock in respect of any management or transaction fees previously paid to the Sponsors.

 

Number of shares of common stock issuable in a Class B Exchange

 

The total number of shares of common stock to be issued to the holders of Class B common stock in connection with a Class B Exchange shall be equal to the Class B Consideration, divided by the average per share closing price of the common stock for the five consecutive trading days immediately prior to the Class B Exchange. No fractional shares of common stock will be issued in connection with a Class B Exchange and each holder of Class B common stock will receive a cash payment in lieu of such fractional share of common stock based on the foregoing per share price. Upon the consummation of a Class B Exchange, we shall cancel the shares of Class B common stock received in such Class B Exchange.

 

Limitations on Class B Exchange

 

In no event shall the Class B Consideration exceed 8.5% of the Specified Profits multiplied by the Adjustment Multiple and no Class B Exchange shall be consummated until the consummation of a Specified Sale. The amount of the Class B Consideration will be offset by amounts previously received by such stockholders in respect of their shares of Class B common stock.

 

Illustration of Class B Exchange

 

Below is an example that illustrates the number of shares of common stock that would be issued in a Class B Exchange assuming a sale by the Specified Stockholders of 100% of their common stock holdings on December 31st of each specified year for net proceeds equal to the hypothetical per share prices noted below. In addition, the example illustrates the percentage of common stock outstanding that the common stock issued in the Class B Exchange would represent.

 

# of Class A Shares Issued in Class B Exchange

 

% of Current Class A Shares Outstanding

 

 

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

(MM shares)

 

 

 

2014

 

2015

 

2016

 

2017

 

2018

 

 

 

 

 

2014

 

2015

 

2016

 

2017

 

2018

 

 

 

$

20.00

 

4.9

 

4.9

 

4.9

 

4.9

 

4.9

 

 

 

$

20.00

 

2.0

%

2.0

%

2.0

%

2.0

%

2.0

%

EPE

 

$

22.50

 

6.4

 

6.4

 

6.4

 

6.4

 

6.4

 

EPE

 

$

22.50

 

2.6

%

2.6

%

2.6

%

2.6

%

2.6

%

Share

 

$

25.00

 

7.6

 

7.6

 

7.6

 

7.6

 

7.6

 

Share

 

$

25.00

 

3.1

%

3.1

%

3.1

%

3.1

%

3.1

%

Price

 

$

27.50

 

8.7

 

8.7

 

8.7

 

8.7

 

8.7

 

Price

 

$

27.50

 

3.6

%

3.6

%

3.6

%

3.6

%

3.6

%

 

 

$

30.00

 

9.5

 

9.5

 

9.5

 

9.5

 

9.5

 

 

 

$

30.00

 

3.9

%

3.9

%

3.9

%

3.9

%

3.9

%

 

Shelf Registration Statements

 

Pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, the shares of common stock issued in a Class B Exchange must be freely transferable under federal securities laws by the holders. In connection with such Class B Exchanges, we intend to file one or more shelf registration statements under the Securities Act covering newly issued shares of common stock pursuant to such Class B Exchanges. Accordingly, shares of our common stock registered under such shelf registration statement(s) may become available for sale in the open market upon the completion of such exchanges, subject to Rule 144 limitations applicable to our affiliates.

 

Certain Anti-Takeover, Limited Liability and Indemnification Provisions

 

Certain provisions in our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Amended and Restated Bylaws and the Stockholders Agreement summarized below may be deemed to have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, deter or prevent a tender offer or takeover attempt that a stockholder might consider to be in its best interests, including attempts that might result in a premium being paid over the market price for the shares held by stockholders.

 

“Blank Check” Preferred Stock.   Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that, for so long as the Negative Control Condition is satisfied, our Board may by a Special Board Approval, and in the event the Negative Control Condition is no longer satisfied, our Board may by a majority vote, issue shares of Preferred Stock. See

 



 

“Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Stockholders Agreement” on page 157 and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Stockholders Agreement—Consent Rights” on page 161. Preferred Stock could be issued by our Board to increase the number of outstanding shares making a takeover more difficult and expensive. See “—Preferred Stock” on page 171.

 

No Cumulative Voting.   Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that stockholders do not have the right to cumulative votes in the election of directors.

 

Removal of Directors; Vacancies.   Each of the Sponsors, for so long as it beneficially owns certain percentages of their current ownership of common stock as of the Effective Time, will have the right to designate a certain number of directors, and each Legacy Class A Stockholder has agreed to vote its shares of common stock in favor of such designee. Each of the Sponsors shall have the sole right to remove any director designated by it, with or without cause, and to fill any vacancy caused by the removal of any such director. If any Sponsor has lost its right to designate the applicable director nominee and the Legacy Class A Stockholders hold more than 50% of our outstanding common stock, the Legacy Class A Stockholders will have the right to designate a Replacement Director by a vote of the Legacy Class A Stockholders holding a majority-in-interest of our outstanding common stock then held by the Legacy Class A Stockholders. For so long as the Sponsors or a majority-in-interest of the Legacy Class A Stockholders, as applicable, have the right to designate directors, the governance and nominating committee of the Board shall only nominate a director after consulting with the Sponsor or majority-in-interest of the Legacy Class A Stockholders, as applicable, that is entitled to designate such director. Subject to the exceptions described above, directors may be removed only for cause, and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of Class A Stock that together hold at least two-thirds of the voting power entitled to vote in any annual election of directors or class of directors; provided , however , that for so long as the Legacy Class A Stockholders beneficially own more than 50% of the outstanding common stock, directors may be removed only for cause, and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of Class A Stock that together hold at least a majority of the voting power entitled to vote in any annual election of directors or class of directors. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Stockholders Agreement” on page 157.

 

Stockholder Action by Written Consent.   Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that for so long as the Legacy Class A Stockholders beneficially own more than 50% of the outstanding shares of our common stock, any action required to be or that may be taken at any meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if and only if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the stockholders having not less than the minimum number of votes necessary to take such action.

 

Classified Board.   Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Amended and Restated Bylaws and Stockholders Agreement provide that our Board has three classes of directors:

 

·                   Class I consists of two directors designated by Apollo, one director designated by Riverstone and one independent director designated by Apollo, each of whom shall serve an initial one-year term;

 

·                   Class II consists of one director designated by Apollo, one director designated by KNOC, one director designated by Access and one independent director designated by Riverstone, each of whom shall serve an initial two -year term; and

 

·                   Class III consists of two directors designated by Apollo, one director designated by Riverstone, one independent director designated by Apollo and our Chief Executive Officer, each of whom shall serve an initial three-year term.

 

For so long as the Negative Control Condition is satisfied, the number of directors on our Board may be fixed only by Special Board Approval. If the Negative Control Condition is no longer satisfied, the number of directors on our Board may be fixed by a majority of the Board.

 

Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations.   Our Amended and Restated Bylaws provide that stockholders seeking to bring business before an annual meeting of stockholders, or to nominate candidates for election as directors at an annual meeting of stockholders, must provide timely notice thereof in writing. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice generally must be delivered to and received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, that, in the event that the date of such meeting is advanced more than 30 days prior to, or delayed by more than 60 days after, the anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting of our stockholders, a stockholder’s notice to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such meeting or, if the first public announcement of the date of such annual meeting is

 



 

less than 100 days prior to the date of such annual meeting, the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. Our Amended and Restated Bylaws also specify certain requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. These provisions may preclude stockholders from bringing matters before an annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at an annual meeting of stockholders. In lieu of our 2014 annual meeting, our stockholders executed a unanimous written consent to elect the Company’s directors.

 

Special Meetings of Stockholders.   Subject to the rights of the Preferred Stock, special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by a majority of the Board pursuant to a resolution approved by the Board and business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice of such special meeting.

 

Special Board Approval.   For so long as the Negative Control Condition is satisfied, certain of our significant business decisions require Special Board Approval, including the issuance of Preferred Stock. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Stockholders Agreement” beginning on page 157.

 

Limitation of Officer and Director Liability and Indemnification Arrangements.   Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation limits the liability of our directors to the maximum extent permitted by Delaware law. However, if Delaware law is amended to authorize corporate action further limiting or eliminating the personal liability of directors, then the liability of our directors will be limited or eliminated to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, as so amended.

 

Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that we will, from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify our directors, officers and Board observers against all liabilities and expenses in any suit or proceeding, arising out of their status as an officer or director or their activities in these capacities. We also will indemnify any person who, at our request, is or was serving as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans maintained or sponsored by us.

 

The right to be indemnified will include the right of an officer or a director to be paid expenses, including attorneys’ fees, in advance of the final disposition of any proceeding, provided that, if required by law, we receive an undertaking to repay such amount if it will be determined that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified.

 

Our Board may take certain action it deems necessary to carry out these indemnification provisions, including purchasing insurance policies. Neither the amendment nor the repeal of these indemnification provisions, nor the adoption of any provision of our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with these indemnification provisions, will eliminate or reduce any rights to indemnification relating to such person’s status or any activities prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption.

 

We intend to enter into separate indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers, which may be broader than the specific indemnification provisions contained in Delaware law. These indemnification agreements may require us, among other things, to indemnify our directors and officers against liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers, other than liabilities arising from willful misconduct. These indemnification agreements may also require us to advance any expenses incurred by the directors or officers as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified and to obtain directors’ and officers’ insurance, if available on reasonable terms.

 

Currently, to our knowledge, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers, employees or agents in which indemnification by us is sought, nor are we aware of any threatened litigation or proceeding that may result in a claim for indemnification.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted for our directors, officers and controlling persons under the foregoing provisions or otherwise, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.

 

We believe these provisions will assist in attracting and retaining qualified individuals to serve as directors and officers.

 



 

Forum Selection

 

Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each such case subject to such Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein. However, it is possible that a court could find our forum selection provision to be inapplicable or unenforceable.

 

Delaware Anti-Takeover Law

 

We have elected to be exempt from the restrictions imposed under Section 203 of the DGCL. Section 203 of the DGCL provides that, subject to exception specified therein, an “interested stockholder” of a Delaware corporation shall not engage in any “business combination,” including general mergers or consolidations or acquisitions of additional shares of the corporation, with the corporation for a three-year period following the time that such stockholder becomes an interested stockholder unless:

 

·                   prior to such time, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

 

·                   upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an “interested stockholder,” the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced (excluding specified shares); or

 

·                   on or subsequent to such time, the business combination is approved by the board of directors of the corporation and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock not owned by the interested stockholder.

 

Under Section 203, the restrictions described above also do not apply to specified business combinations proposed by an interested stockholder following the announcement or notification of one of specified transactions involving the corporation and a person who had not been an interested stockholder during the previous three years or who became an interested stockholder with the approval of a majority of the corporation’s directors, if such transaction is approved or not opposed by a majority of the directors who were directors prior to any person becoming an interested stockholder during the previous three years or were recommended for election or elected to succeed such directors by a majority of such directors.

 

Except as otherwise specified in Section 203, an “interested stockholder” is defined to include:

 

·                   any person that is the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation, or is an affiliate or associate of the corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation at any time within three years immediately prior to the date of determination; and

 

·                   the affiliates and associates of any such person.

 

Under some circumstances, Section 203 makes it more difficult for a person who is an interested stockholder to effect various business combinations with us for a three-year period.

 

Amendment of Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation

 

For so long as the Negative Control Condition is satisfied, the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation may be amended with a Special Board Approval and the affirmative vote of holders of at least 80% of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote thereon. If the Negative Control Condition is no longer satisfied, the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation may be amended by the affirmative vote of at least 90% of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote thereon and by the vote of the holders of a majority of our Board.

 

The Stockholders Agreement further provides that each of the Legacy Stockholders will not vote to amend or modify any provision of our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation in a manner that would disproportionally and materially adversely affect the interests of any Legacy Stockholder (in relation to any other Legacy Stockholder after taking into account the rights of such Legacy Stockholder) without the written approval of such Legacy

 



 

Stockholder. Further, the Stockholders Agreement provides that the Legacy Stockholders will vote and take all other necessary actions to ensure that the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation does not conflict with the Stockholders Agreement and to give effect to the provisions of the Stockholders Agreement.

 

Amendment of Our Amended and Restated Bylaws

 

For so long as the Negative Control Condition is satisfied, the Amended and Restated Bylaws may be amended with a Special Board Approval and the affirmative vote of holders of at least 80% of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote thereon. If the Negative Control Condition is no longer satisfied, the Amended and Restated Certificate of Bylaws may be amended by the affirmative vote of at least 90% of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote thereon and by the vote of the holders of a majority of our Board.

 

The Stockholders Agreement further provides that each of the Legacy Stockholders will not vote to amend or modify any provision of our Amended and Restated Bylaws in a manner that would disproportionally and materially adversely affect the interests of any Legacy Stockholder (in relation to any other Legacy Stockholder after taking into account the rights of such Legacy Stockholder) without the written approval of such Legacy Stockholder. Further, the Stockholders Agreement provides that the Legacy Stockholders will vote and take all other necessary actions to ensure that the Amended and Restated Bylaws do not conflict with the Stockholders Agreement and to give effect to the provisions of the Stockholders Agreement.

 

Corporate Opportunity

 

Under our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, to the extent permitted by law:

 

·                   any Covered Person has the right to, and has no duty to abstain from, exercising such right to, conduct business with any business that is competitive or in the same line of business as the us, do business with any of our clients or customers, or invest or own any interest publicly or privately in, or develop a business relationship with, any business that is competitive or in the same line of business as us;

 

·                   if a Covered Person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction that could be a corporate opportunity, he has no duty to offer such corporate opportunity to us; and

 

·                   we have renounced any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, such corporate opportunities.

 

Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

Computershare Trust Company, N.A. is the transfer agent and registrar for our common stock.

 

Listing

 

We have been approved to list our common stock on the NYSE under the symbol “EPE.”

 


Exhibit 99.2

 

 

News

 

For Immediate Release

 

 

EP Energy Prices Initial Public Offering of Common Stock

 

HOUSTON, TEXAS, January 16, 2014 — EP Energy Corporation (“EP Energy”) today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 35,200,000 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $20.00 per share.  The underwriters have a 30-day option to purchase from EP Energy up to an additional 5,280,000 shares of common stock at the public offering price (less the underwriting discounts and commissions).  The common stock will commence trading on the New York Stock Exchange on January 17, 2014 under the ticker symbol “EPE.”

 

Net proceeds to EP Energy from the sale of the shares of its common stock, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering and other expenses, are approximately $664million (or $765 million if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares is exercised in full).  EP Energy intends to use the net proceeds from this offering (i) to redeem all of the outstanding 8.125%/8.875% Senior PIK Toggle Notes due 2017 issued by its subsidiaries, EPE Holdings LLC and EP Energy Bondco Inc., and pay the redemption premium and the accrued and unpaid interest on those notes, (ii) to repay outstanding borrowings under the reserve-based revolving credit facility, (iii) to pay a fee under the management fee agreement with certain affiliates of EP Energy’s sponsors and (iv) for general corporate purposes.  The offering is expected to close on or about January 23, 2014, subject to the satisfaction of closing conditions.

 

Credit Suisse and J.P. Morgan are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering.  Citigroup, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank Securities, UBS Investment Bank, BMO Capital Markets, RBC Capital Markets and Wells Fargo

 



 

Securities are also acting as book-running managers. Evercore, Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co., Barclays, Jefferies, BofA Merrill Lynch, BBVA, Nomura, Scotiabank / Howard Weil, SOCIETE GENERALE and TD Securities are acting as senior co-managers, and Capital One Securities, CIBC, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, ING, Mizuho Securities, SMBC Nikko, Stephens Inc., Lebenthal Capital Markets and Topeka Capital Markets are acting as co-managers.

 

The offering of these securities is being made only by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, copies of which, when available, may be obtained from:

 

Credit Suisse

Attn: Prospectus Department

One Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10010

Telephone: (800) 221-1037

Email: newyork.prospectus@credit-suisse.com

 

J.P. Morgan

Via Broadridge Financial Solutions

1155 Long Island Avenue

Edgewood, NY 11717

Telephone: (866) 803-9204

 

You may also obtain the prospectus for free when it is available from the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) at www.sec.gov.

 

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with, and declared effective by, the SEC.  This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described above nor shall there be any sale of the securities described above in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws.  These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties, including, among others, risks impacting the ability of EP Energy to complete any public offering of its securities because of general market conditions or

 



 

other factors.  EP Energy undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement.

 

EP Energy Corporation

Investor and Media Relations

Bill Baerg

1001 Louisiana Street

Houston, Texas 77002

713-997-2906

bill.baerg@epenergy.com

 


Exhibit 99.3

 

News

 

GRAPHIC

For Immediate Release

 

 

 

EP Energy Completes Initial Public Offering of Common Stock

 

HOUSTON, TEXAS, January 23, 2014 — EP Energy Corporation (NYSE: EPE) (“EP Energy”) today announced the completion of its initial public offering of 35,200,000 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $20.00 per share. EP Energy’s common stock commenced trading on the New York Stock Exchange on January 17, 2014 under the ticker symbol “EPE.” The underwriters have a 30-day option to purchase from EP Energy up to an additional 5,280,000 shares of common stock at the public offering price (less the underwriting discounts and commissions).

 

Net proceeds to EP Energy from the sale of the shares of its common stock, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering and other expenses, are approximately $664 million (or $765 million if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares is exercised in full). On the closing date, EP Energy used the net proceeds to (i) satisfy and discharge all of the outstanding 8.125%/8.875% Senior PIK Toggle Notes due 2017 issued by its subsidiaries, EPE Holdings LLC and EP Energy Bondco Inc., including the redemption premium and the accrued and unpaid interest on those notes, (ii) repay certain outstanding borrowings under the reserve-based revolving credit facility and (iii) pay a fee under a management fee agreement with certain affiliates of EP Energy’s sponsors.

 

Credit Suisse and J.P. Morgan acted as joint book-running managers for the offering.  Citigroup, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank Securities, UBS Investment Bank, BMO Capital Markets, RBC Capital Markets and Wells Fargo Securities also acted as book-running managers. Evercore, Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co., Barclays, Jefferies, BofA Merrill Lynch, BBVA, Nomura, Scotiabank / Howard Weil,

 



 

SOCIETE GENERALE and TD Securities acted as senior co-managers, and Capital One Securities, CIBC, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, ING, Mizuho Securities, SMBC Nikko, Stephens Inc., Lebenthal Capital Markets and Topeka Capital Markets acted as co-managers.

 

The offering of these securities was made only by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, copies of which may be obtained from:

 

Credit Suisse

Attn: Prospectus Department

One Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10010

Telephone: (800) 221-1037

Email: newyork.prospectus@credit-suisse.com

 

J.P. Morgan

Via Broadridge Financial Solutions

1155 Long Island Avenue

Edgewood, NY 11717

Telephone: (866) 803-9204

 

You may also obtain the prospectus for free from the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) at www.sec.gov.

 

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with, and declared effective by, the SEC. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described above nor shall there be any sale of the securities described above in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws.  These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties.  EP Energy undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement.

 

EP Energy Corporation

Investor and Media Relations

Bill Baerg

1001 Louisiana Street

Houston, Texas 77002

 



 

713-997-2906

bill.baerg@epenergy.com