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):

September 29, 2017

 

Black Knight, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

333-218707

 

81-5265638

(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

 

601 Riverside Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida 32204

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

 

(904) 854-5100

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

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))

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter). Emerging growth company   o

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.      o

 

 

 



 

Explanatory Note

 

This Current Report on Form 8-K is duplicative of the Current Report on Form 8-K12B filed under Black Knight, Inc. (CIK 0001704177) on September 29, 2017. This Current Report on Form 8-K serves as notice that Black Knight, Inc. is the successor issuer to Black Knight Financial Services, Inc. under the Exchange Act. As a result, effective as of September 29, 2017, all future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission will be filed by Black Knight, Inc. under CIK No. 0001627014, which is the CIK number for Black Knight Financial Services, Inc. All filings made by Black Knight, Inc. on or prior to September 29, 2017 can be found under CIK No. 0001704177, the prior CIK number for Black Knight, Inc., which will no longer by used by Black Knight, Inc.

 

Item 2.01. Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

 

On September 29, 2017, the transactions contemplated by (i) the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 8, 2017, by and among Black Knight Financial Services, Inc. (“Black Knight”), Black Knight, Inc. (formerly known as Black Knight Holdco Corp.) (“New Black Knight”), Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (“FNF”), New BKH Corp. (“New BKH”), New BKH Merger Sub, Inc. and BKFS Merger Sub, Inc. (the “Merger Agreement”), and (ii) the Reorganization Agreement, dated as of June 8, 2017, by and among FNF, Black Knight Holdings, Inc. and New BKH (the “Reorganization Agreement,” and together with the Merger Agreement, the “Transactions”) were consummated. The Transactions consisted of (i) the contribution by FNF of (x) all of the shares of Class B common stock of Black Knight that Black Knight Holdings, Inc. (“BKHI”) currently owns and (y) all of the class A units of Black Knight Financial Services, LLC that BKHI currently owns, to New BKH, a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of BKHI, (ii) the distribution of the shares of New BKH common stock to the holders of FNF Group common stock, followed by (iii) the mergers of Black Knight and New BKH into wholly-owned subsidiaries of New Black Knight. In the Transactions, the outstanding shares of Black Knight Class A common stock and New BKH common stock were converted into shares of New Black Knight common stock on a one for one basis as set forth in the merger agreement. As a result of the closing of the Transactions, New Black Knight became the new public parent of Black Knight. Shares of New Black Knight common stock will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “BKI”, and are expected to begin trading at the market opening on October 2, 2017. Shares of New Black Knight common stock will have a new CUSIP number of 09215C105. Under the organizational documents of New Black Knight, the rights of the holders of shares of New Black Knight common stock are substantially the same as the rights of former holders of Black Knight Class A common stock.

 

Immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of New Black Knight common stock to the former holders of shares of Black Knight Class A common stock and to the former holders of shares of New BKH common stock in the Transactions, approximately 153,473,895 shares of New Black Knight common stock were outstanding. Upon closing, Black Knight’s former shareholders (other than FNF and its affiliates) collectively own approximately 45.72% of the shares of New Black Knight common stock and former holders of shares of New BKH common stock (the holders of FNF Group common stock) collectively own approximately 54.28% of the shares of New Black Knight common stock.

 

The foregoing is only a brief description of the Transactions, does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Merger Agreement and Reorganization Agreement, copies of which are filed as Exhibit 2.1 and Exhibit 2.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated by reference herein, and to the description of the Transactions included under the heading “The Transactions” in New Black Knight’s definitive proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on August 25, 2017 (the “Proxy Statement/Prospectus”).

 

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

 

Appointment of New Directors

 

Effective upon consummation of the Transactions on September 29, 2017, the following individuals were appointed to the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of New Black Knight: William P. Foley, II, Thomas M. Hagerty, David K. Hunt, Ganesh B. Rao, Richard N. Massey and John D. Rood.

 

Messrs. Rood, Hunt and Massey have been appointed to the Audit Committee of New Black Knight, Messrs. Hagerty and Massey have been appointed to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, Messrs. Rood, Hunt and Rao have been appointed to the Risk Committee and Messrs. Massey and Hagerty have been appointed to the Compensation Committee.

 

There are no arrangements or understandings between any director and any other person pursuant to which the director was selected as a director, other than the provisions of the Merger Agreement.

 

The information required by Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K with respect to such directors has been previously reported in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Under the Merger Agreement, New Black Knight assumed Black Knight’s Amended and Restated 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), and each outstanding share of restricted stock under that plan became a share of restricted stock of New Black Knight having the same terms and conditions. A copy of the Plan is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein.

 

Appointment of Officers

 

Effective upon consummation of the Transactions on September 29, 2017, William P. Foley, II was appointed Executive Chairman of the Board, Anthony Orefice was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and Joseph M. Nackashi was appointed President, each of New Black Knight. The following individuals will continue to serve in their current positions: Thomas J. Sanzone as Chief Executive Officer; Kirk T. Larsen as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Michael L. Gravelle as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, each of New Black Knight.

 

The information required by Items 401(b), (d) and (e) and Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K with respect to such officers has been previously reported in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Resignation of Directors

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, effective upon consummation of the Transactions on September 29, 2017, Michael L. Gravelle, resigned from his position on the Board.

 

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

 

New Black Knight’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated By-laws became effective immediately prior to the Merger Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement). A description of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated By-laws is included in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus and is incorporated herein by reference. The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated By-laws are attached hereto as Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

The information included under Item 2.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is also incorporated into this Item 5.03 by reference.

 

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Item 8.01. Other Events

 

Successor Issuer

 

In connection with the Transactions and by operation of Rule 12g-3(a) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), New Black Knight is the successor issuer to Black Knight and has succeeded to the attributes of Black Knight as the registrant, including Black Knight’s SEC file number. Shares of New Black Knight common stock are deemed to be registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and New Black Knight is subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and will hereafter file reports and other information with the SEC using Black Knight’s SEC file number (001-37394). New Black Knight hereby reports this succession in accordance with Rule 12g-3(f) under the Exchange Act.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

(a) Financial Statements.

 

The audited consolidated balance sheets of Black Knight, the predecessor of New Black Knight as the business acquired, as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 and the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive earnings (loss), equity and cash flows of Black Knight for each of the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, and the notes related thereto, each contained in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, are incorporated herein by reference.

 

The unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets of Black Knight as of June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of earnings and comprehensive earnings for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, the unaudited condensed consolidated statement of equity for the six months ended June 30, 2017, the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, and the notes related thereto, each contained in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, are incorporated herein by reference.

 

(b) Pro forma financial information.

 

The pro forma financial information for the Transactions is incorporated by reference to the disclosures under the headings “Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Information” in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit
Number

 

Description

2.1

 

Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 8, 2017, by and among New BKH Corp.,
Black Knight Financial Services, Inc., Black Knight, Inc. (f/k/a Black Knight Holdco Corp.), New BKH Merger Sub, Inc., BKFS Merger Sub, Inc. and Fidelity National Financial, Inc.
(attached as Annex A to the proxy statement/prospectus referred to above).

2.2

 

Reorganization Agreement, dated as of June 8, 2017, by and between Fidelity National
Financial, Inc., Black Knight Holdings, Inc. and New BKH Corp. (attached as Annex B to the proxy statement/prospectus referred to above).

3.1

 

Black Knight, Inc. (f/k/a Black Knight Holdco Corp.) Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, dated as of September 29, 2017.

 

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3.2

 

Black Knight, Inc. (f/k/a Black Knight Holdco Corp.) Amended and Restated Bylaws, dated as of September 29, 2017.

99.1

 

Black Knight, Inc. Amended and Restated 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number

 

Description

2.1

 

Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 8, 2017, by and among New BKH Corp.,
Black Knight Financial Services, Inc., Black Knight, Inc. (f/k/a Black Knight Holdco Corp.), New BKH Merger Sub, Inc., BKFS Merger Sub, Inc. and Fidelity National Financial, Inc.
(attached as Annex A to the proxy statement/prospectus referred to above).

2.2

 

Reorganization Agreement, dated as of June 8, 2017, by and between Fidelity National
Financial, Inc., Black Knight Holdings, Inc. and New BKH Corp. (attached as Annex B to the proxy statement/prospectus referred to above).

3.1

 

Black Knight, Inc. (f/k/a Black Knight Holdco Corp.) Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, dated as of September 29, 2017.

3.2

 

Black Knight, Inc. (f/k/a Black Knight Holdco Corp.) Amended and Restated Bylaws, dated as of September 29, 2017.

99.1

 

Black Knight, Inc. Amended and Restated 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 

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SIGNATURE

 

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.

 

 

Black Knight, Inc.

 

 

 

Date: October 2, 2017

By:

/s/ Michael L. Gravelle

 

Name:

Michael L. Gravelle

 

Title:

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

 

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Exhibit 3.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF

BLACK KNIGHT, INC.

 

Black Knight, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify as follows:

 

First: The Corporation was originally incorporated under the name “Black Knight Holdco Corp.” The Corporation’s original Certificate of Incorporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on February 3, 2017.

 

Second: This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

Fourth: This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation amends, restates and integrates the provisions of the Corporation’s original Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Fifth: The text of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

NAME

 

The name of the Corporation is “Black Knight, Inc.”

 

ARTICLE II

REGISTERED AGENT

 

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

 



 

ARTICLE III

PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may now or hereafter be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (as the same may be amended from time to time, the “ DGCL ”).

 

ARTICLE IV

CAPITAL STOCK

 

SECTION 4.1. The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 575,000,000, consisting of 550,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), and 25,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Preferred Stock”).

 

SECTION 4.2. Shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation may be issued from time to time in one or more classes or series, each of which class or series shall have such distinctive designation and title as shall be fixed by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) prior to the issuance of any shares thereof. The Board of Directors is hereby authorized to fix the designation and title for each such class or series of Preferred Stock, to fix the voting powers, whether full or limited, or no voting powers, and such powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights and such qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, and to fix the number of shares constituting such class or series (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding), in each case as shall be stated in such resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of such class or series of Preferred Stock as may be adopted from time to time by the Board of Directors prior to the issuance of any shares thereof pursuant to the authority hereby expressly vested in it.

 

SECTION 4.3. (a) Except as otherwise expressly required by law or provided in this Certificate of Incorporation, and subject to any voting rights provided to holders of Preferred Stock at any time outstanding, the holders of any outstanding shares of Common Stock shall vote together as a single class on all matters with respect to which stockholders are entitled to vote under applicable law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation, or upon which a vote of stockholders is otherwise duly called for by the Corporation.  At each annual or special meeting of stockholders, each holder of record of shares of Common Stock on the relevant record date shall be entitled to cast one vote in person or by proxy for each share of the Common Stock outstanding in such holder’s name on the stock transfer records of the Corporation.

 

(b) Subject to applicable law and the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock or any class or series of stock having a preference over or the right to participate with the Common Stock with respect to the payment of dividends, dividends may be declared and paid on the Common Stock out of the assets of the Corporation that are by law

 

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available therefor at such times and in such amounts as the Board of Directors in its discretion shall determine.

 

(c) In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation and of the preferential and other amounts, if any, to which the holders of Preferred Stock shall be entitled, the holders of all outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution ratably in proportion to the number of shares held by each such stockholder.

 

ARTICLE V

DIRECTORS

 

SECTION 5.1. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, consisting of not less than one nor more that fourteen members with the exact number of directors to be determined from time to time exclusively by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors. The directors, other than those who may be elected by the holders of any class or series of Preferred Stock as set forth in this Certificate of Incorporation, shall be divided into three classes, designated Class I, Class II and Class III. Each class shall consist, as nearly as may be possible, of one-third of the total number of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors. At each annual meeting of stockholders, successors to the class of directors whose term expires at that annual meeting shall be elected for a three-year term.

 

SECTION 5.2. If the number of directors is changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned among the classes so as to maintain the number of directors in each class as nearly equal as possible, and any additional director of any class elected to fill a vacancy resulting from an increase in such class shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of that class, but in no case will a decrease in the number of directors shorten the term of any incumbent director. A director shall hold office until the annual meeting for the year in which his term expires and until his successor shall be elected and shall qualify for office, subject, however, to prior death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office. Any vacancy on the Board of Directors, however resulting, may be filled only by an affirmative vote of the majority of the directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by an affirmative vote of the sole remaining director. Any director elected to fill a vacancy shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the term of the class to which such director shall have been elected.

 

SECTION 5.3. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions, whenever the holders of any one or more classes or series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately by class or series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of

 

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stockholders, the election, term of office, filling of vacancies and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Certificate of Incorporation, or the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 4.2 of this Certificate of Incorporation 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

CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES

 

SECTION 6.1. In anticipation of the possibility (a) that the officers and/or directors of the Corporation may also serve as officers and/or directors of Fidelity (as defined below) or THL (as defined below) and (b) that the Corporation on one hand, and Fidelity or THL on the other hand, may engage in the same or similar activities or lines of business and have an interest in the same corporate opportunities, and in recognition of the benefits to be derived by the Corporation through its continued contractual, corporate and business relations with Fidelity and THL, the provisions of this Article VI are set forth to regulate, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the conduct of certain affairs of the Corporation as they relate to Fidelity and THL and their respective officers and directors, and the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of the Corporation and its officers, directors and stockholders in connection therewith.

 

SECTION 6.2. (a) Except as may be otherwise provided in a written agreement between the Corporation on one hand, and Fidelity or THL on the other hand, Fidelity and THL shall have no duty to refrain from engaging in the same or similar activities or lines of business as the Corporation, and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, neither Fidelity nor THL nor any officer or director thereof (except in the event of any violation of Section 6.3 hereof, to the extent such violation would create liability under applicable law) shall be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for breach of any fiduciary duty by reason of any such activities of Fidelity or THL.

 

(b) The Corporation may from time to time be or become a party to and perform, and may cause or permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to be or become a party to and perform, one or more agreements (or modifications or supplements to pre-existing agreements) with Fidelity and/or THL.  Subject to Section 6.3 hereof, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no such agreement, nor the performance thereof in accordance with its terms by the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries, Fidelity or THL, shall be considered contrary to any fiduciary duty to the Corporation or to its stockholders of any director or officer of the Corporation who is also a director, officer or employee of Fidelity or THL.  Subject to Section 6.3 hereof, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no director or officer of the Corporation who is also a director, officer or employee of Fidelity or THL shall have or be under any fiduciary duty to the Corporation or its stockholders to refrain from acting on behalf of the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries,

 

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Fidelity or THL in respect of any such agreement or performing any such agreement in accordance with its terms.

 

SECTION 6.3. In the event that a director or officer of the Corporation who is also a director or officer of Fidelity or THL acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity of both the Corporation on one hand, and Fidelity or THL on the other hand, such director or officer of the Corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have fully satisfied and fulfilled the fiduciary duty of such director or officer to the Corporation and its stockholders with respect to such corporate opportunity, if such director or officer acts in a manner consistent with the following policy:

 

(a) a corporate opportunity offered to any person who is an officer of the Corporation, and who is also a director but not an officer of Fidelity or THL, shall belong to the Corporation, unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person in a capacity other than such person’s capacity as an officer of the Corporation, in which case it shall not belong to the Corporation;

 

(b) a corporate opportunity offered to any person who is a director but not an officer of the Corporation, and who is also a director or officer of Fidelity or THL, shall belong to the Corporation only if such opportunity is expressly offered to such person in such person’s capacity as a director of the Corporation; and

 

(c) a corporate opportunity offered to any person who is an officer of both the Corporation on one hand, and Fidelity or THL on the other hand, shall belong to the Corporation only if such opportunity is expressly offered to such person in such person’s capacity as an officer of the Corporation.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation shall not be prohibited from pursuing any corporate opportunity of which the Corporation becomes aware.

 

SECTION 6.4. Any person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of the capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Article VI.

 

SECTION 6.5. (a) For purposes of this Article VI, a director of any company who is the chairman of the board of directors of that company shall not be deemed to be an officer of the company solely by reason of holding such position.

 

(b) The term “Corporation” shall mean, for purposes of this Article VI, the Corporation and all corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, associations and other entities in which the Corporation beneficially owns (directly or indirectly) fifty percent or more of the outstanding

 

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voting stock, voting power, partnership interests or similar voting interests.  The term “Fidelity” shall mean, for purposes of this Article VI, Fidelity National Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any successor thereof, and all corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, associations and other entities in which it beneficially owns (directly or indirectly) fifty percent or more of the outstanding voting stock, voting power, partnership interests or similar voting interests other than the Corporation.  The term “THL” shall mean, for purposes of this Article VI, Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and any successor thereof, and all corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, associations and other entities in which it or one or more of its affiliates beneficially owns (directly or indirectly) fifty percent or more of the outstanding voting stock, voting power, partnership interests or similar voting interests other than the Corporation and its subsidiaries.

 

SECTION 6.6. Anything in this Certificate of Incorporation to the contrary notwithstanding, the foregoing provisions of this Article VI shall not apply at any time that no person who is a director or officer of the Corporation is also a director or officer of Fidelity or THL. Neither the alteration, amendment, termination, expiration or repeal of this Article VI nor the adoption of any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article VI shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article VI in respect of any matter occurring, or any cause of action, suit or claim that, but for this Article VI, would accrue or arise, prior to such alteration, amendment, termination, expiration, repeal or adoption.

 

ARTICLE VII

REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS

 

Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of shares of Preferred Stock then outstanding, any or all of the directors of the Corporation may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding capital stock of the Corporation then entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, considered for purposes of this Article VII as one class. For purposes of this Article VII, “cause” shall mean, with respect to any director, (x) the willful failure by such director to perform, or the gross negligence of such director in performing, the duties of a director, (y) the engaging by such director in willful or serious misconduct that is injurious to the Corporation or (z) the conviction of such director of, or the entering by such director of a plea of nolo contendere to, a crime that constitutes a felony.

 

ARTICLE VIII

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

 

Elections of directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders shall be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of the Corporation shall otherwise provide.

 

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ARTICLE IX

WRITTEN CONSENT OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

SECTION 9.1. Actions required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be effected without a meeting by the written consent of the holders of common stock of the Corporation (a “Consent”), but only if such action is taken in accordance with the provisions of this Article IX or by the holders of any class or series of Preferred Stock issued pursuant to Article IV hereof, if the terms of such class or series of Preferred Stock expressly provide for such action by Consent.

 

SECTION 9.2. The record date for determining stockholders entitled to authorize or take corporate action by Consent shall be as fixed by the Board of Directors or as otherwise established under this Article IX. Any stockholder seeking to have the stockholders authorize or take corporate action by Consent shall, by written notice addressed to the Secretary of the Corporation and delivered to the principal executive offices of the Corporation and signed by holders of record owning not less than 15% of all issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Corporation, as determined in accordance with any applicable requirements of the Bylaws of the Corporation, who shall continue to own not less than 15% of all issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Corporation through the date of delivery of Consents signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to authorize or take such action and who shall not revoke such request, request that a record date be fixed for such purpose (each such notice, a “Request”). The Request must contain the information set forth in Section 9.3 hereof. By the later of (i) twenty days after delivery of a valid Request and (ii) five days after delivery of any information requested by the Corporation pursuant to Section 9.3 hereof, the Board of Directors shall determine the validity of the Request and whether the Request relates to an action that may be authorized or taken by Consent pursuant to this Article IX and, if appropriate, adopt a resolution fixing the record date for such purpose. The record date for such purpose shall be no more than ten days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors and shall not precede the date such resolution is adopted. If the Request has been determined to be valid and to relate to an action that may be authorized or taken by Consent pursuant to this Article IX or if such no determination shall have been made by the date required by this Article IX, and in either event no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date shall be the day on which the first signed Consent is delivered to the Corporation in the manner described in Section 9.7 hereof; except that, if prior action by the Board of Directors is required under the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the record date shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

 

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SECTION 9.3. Any Request (a) must be delivered by the holders of record owning not less than 15% of all issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Corporation, as determined in accordance with any applicable requirements of the Bylaws of the Corporation (with evidence of such ownership attached), who shall continue to own not less than 15% of all issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Corporation through the date of delivery of Consents and who shall not revoke such request, signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to authorize or take such action; (b) must describe the action proposed to be authorized or taken by Consent; and (c) must contain (i) such other information and representations, to the extent applicable, then required by the Corporation’s Bylaws as though each stockholder submitting such Request was submitting a notice of a nomination for election to the Board of Directors at an annual meeting of stockholders or of other business to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders, (ii) the text of the proposal (including the text of any resolutions to be adopted by Consent and the language of any proposed amendment to the Bylaws of the Corporation), and (iii) any agreement of the requesting stockholders required by the Bylaws of the Corporation. The Board of Directors may require the stockholders submitting a Request to furnish such other information as it may require to determine the validity of the Request. Stockholders seeking to authorize or take action by Consent shall update the information provided in the Request as required by the Corporation’s Bylaws with respect to information provided concerning nominations for elections to the Board or other business at annual stockholders meetings.

 

SECTION 9.4. Stockholders are not entitled to authorize or take action by Consent if (a) the action relates to an item of business that is not a proper subject for stockholder action under applicable law, (b) an identical or substantially similar item of business, as determined by the Board of Directors in its reasonable determination, which determination shall be conclusive and binding on the Corporation and its stockholders (a “Similar Item”), is included in the Corporation’s notice of meeting as an item of business to be brought before an annual or special stockholders meeting that has been called but not yet held or that is called to be held on a date within 90 days after the receipt by the Corporation of the Request for such action, provided that the removal of directors without electing replacements shall not be a Similar Item to the election of directors, or (c) such Request was made in a manner that involved a violation of Regulation 14A promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or other applicable law.

 

SECTION 9.5. Stockholders may authorize or take action by Consent only if such Consents are solicited from all holders of common stock of the Corporation.

 

SECTION 9.6. Every Consent purporting to take or authorize the taking of corporate action must bear the date of signature of each stockholder who signs the Consent, and no Consent shall be effective to take or authorize the taking of the action referred to therein unless, within 60 days

 

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of the earliest dated Consent delivered in the manner required by Section 9.7 hereof, Consents signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to authorize or take such action are so delivered to the Corporation.

 

SECTION 9.7. Every Consent purporting to take or authorize the taking of corporate action must be dated and delivered to the Corporation or its registered office in the State of Delaware no earlier than 60 days after the delivery of a valid Request. Consents must be delivered to the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware or its principal place of business. Delivery must be made by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. The Secretary of the Corporation, or such other officer of the Corporation as the Board of Directors may designate (“Other Officer”), shall provide for the safe-keeping of such Consents and any related revocations and shall promptly conduct such ministerial review of the sufficiency of all Consents and any related revocations and of the validity of the action to be authorized or taken by Consent as the Secretary of the Corporation or Other Officer, as the case may be, deems necessary or appropriate, including, without limitation, whether the holders of a number of shares having the requisite voting power to authorize or take the action specified in the Consents have given consent; provided, however, that if the action to which the Consents relate is the removal or replacement of one or more members of the Board of Directors, the Secretary of the Corporation or Other Officer, as the case may be, shall promptly designate two persons, who shall not be members of the Board of Directors, to serve as inspectors (“Inspectors”) with respect to such Consents and such Inspectors shall discharge the functions of the Secretary of the Corporation or Other Officer, as the case may be, under this Article IX. If after such investigation the Secretary of the Corporation, Other Officer, or the Inspectors, as the case may be, shall determine that the action has been duly authorized or taken by the Consents, that fact shall be certified on the records of the Corporation and the Consents shall be filed in such records. In conducting the investigation required by this Section, the Secretary of the Corporation, Other Officer, or the Inspectors, as the case may be, may retain special legal counsel and any other necessary or appropriate professional advisors as such person or persons may deem necessary or appropriate, at the expense of the Corporation, and shall be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the opinion of such counsel or advisors.

 

SECTION 9.8. No action may be authorized or taken by the stockholders by Consent except in accordance with this Article IX. If the Board of Directors shall determine that any Request was not properly made in accordance with, or relates to an action that may not be effected by Consent pursuant to, this Article IX, or any stockholder seeking to authorize or take such action does not otherwise comply with this Article IX, then the Board of Directors shall not be required to fix a record date and any such purported action by Consent shall be null and void to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. No Consent shall be effective until such date as the Secretary of the Corporation, Other Officer, or the Inspectors, as the case may be, certify to

 

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the Corporation that the Consents delivered to the Corporation in accordance with Section 9.7 hereof represent at least the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take the corporate action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, in accordance with Delaware law and this Certificate of Incorporation.

 

SECTION 9.9. Nothing contained in this Article IX shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Board of Directors or any stockholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any Consent or related revocations, whether before or after such certification by the Secretary of the Corporation, Other Officer, or the Inspectors, as the case may be, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution, or defense of any litigation with respect thereto, and the seeking of injunctive relief in such litigation).

 

SECTION 9.10. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth above, (a) none of the foregoing provisions of this Article IX shall apply to any solicitation of stockholder action by written consent by or at the direction of the Board of Directors and (b) the Board of Directors shall be entitled to solicit stockholder action by Consent in accordance with applicable law.

 

ARTICLE X

SPECIAL MEETINGS

 

Special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation for any purposes may be called at any time by a majority vote of the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board or Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. Except as required by law or provided by resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors designating the rights, powers and preferences of any Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may not be called by any other person or persons.

 

ARTICLE XI

OFFICERS

 

The officers of the Corporation shall be chosen in such manner, shall hold their offices for such terms and shall carry out such duties as are determined solely by the Board of Directors, subject to the right of the Board of Directors to remove any officer or officers at any time with or without cause.

 

ARTICLE XII

INDEMNITY

 

The Corporation shall indemnify to the full extent authorized or permitted by law any person made, or threatened to be made, a party to any action or proceeding (whether civil or

 

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criminal or otherwise) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or by reason of the fact that such director or officer, at the request of the Corporation, is or was serving any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, in any capacity. Nothing contained herein shall affect any rights to indemnification to which employees other than directors and officers may be entitled by law. No director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty by such a director as a director. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, a director shall be liable to the extent provided by applicable law (a) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (b) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (c) pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL or (d) for any transaction from which such director derived an improper personal benefit. No amendment to or repeal of this Article XII shall apply to or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability of any director of the Corporation for or with respect to any acts or omissions of such director occurring prior to such amendment.

 

ARTICLE XIII

AMENDMENT

 

The Corporation reserves the right at any time from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, and any other provisions authorized by the laws of the State of Delaware at any time may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by law. All rights, preferences and privileges of whatsoever nature conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons whomsoever by and pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article XIII. In addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock required by law, by this Certificate of Incorporation or by the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors designating the rights, powers and preferences of such Preferred Stock, the provisions (a) of the Bylaws of the Corporation may be adopted, amended or repealed if approved by a majority of the Board of Directors then in office or approved by holders of the Common Stock in accordance with applicable law and this Certificate of Incorporation and (b) of this Certificate of Incorporation may be adopted, amended or repealed as provided by applicable law.

 

ARTICLE XIV

SEVERABILITY

 

If any provision (or any part thereof) of this Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i)

 

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the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this 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 Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each such portion of any section 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 or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned officer of the Corporation has executed this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation on behalf of the Corporation this 29th day of September, 2017.

 

Black Knight, Inc.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Michael L. Gravelle

 

Name:

Michael L. Gravelle

 

Title:

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

 

 

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Exhibit 3.2

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS OF

BLACK KNIGHT, INC.

AS ADOPTED ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

 

ARTICLE I

OFFICES

 

Section 1.1  Registered Office . The registered office of Black Knight, Inc.. (the “Corporation”) shall be 1209 Orange Street, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware, 19801 and the name of its registered agent is “The Corporation Trust Company”.

 

Section 1.2  Other Offices . The Corporation may also have offices at such other places both within and without the State of Delaware as the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) may from time to time determine.

 

ARTICLE II

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

Section 2.1  Place of Meetings . Meetings of the stockholders for the election of directors or for any other purpose shall be held at such time and place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting or in a duly executed waiver of notice thereof.

 

Section 2.2  Annual Meetings . (a) The annual meeting of stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) shall be held on such date and at such time as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting, at which meetings the stockholders, subject to the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), shall elect by a plurality vote a Board of Directors, and transact such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting. Written notice of the Annual Meeting stating the place, date and hour of the meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting not less than ten days nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting.

 

(b) No business may be transacted at an Annual Meeting, other than business that is either (i) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors (or any duly authorized committee thereof), (ii) otherwise properly brought before the Annual Meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors (or any duly authorized committee thereof) or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the Annual Meeting by any stockholder of the Corporation (A) who is a stockholder of record on the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 2.2 and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at such Annual Meeting and (B) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.2.

 

(c) In addition to any other applicable requirements, for business to be properly brought before an Annual Meeting by a stockholder, such stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive

 

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offices of the Corporation not less than one-hundred and twenty days prior to the anniversary date of the date of the proxy statement for the immediately preceding Annual Meeting (which date shall, for purposes of the Corporation’s first Annual Meeting of stockholders after its shares of common stock are first publicly traded, be deemed to have occurred on June 14, 2017); provided, however, that in the event that the Annual Meeting is called for a date that is not within thirty days before or after the anniversary date of the immediately preceding Annual Meeting, notice by the stockholder in order to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business on the tenth day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of the Annual Meeting was first made. To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must set forth as to each matter such stockholder proposes to bring before the Annual Meeting (i) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the Annual Meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at the Annual Meeting, (ii) the name and record address of such stockholder, (iii) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are owned beneficially or of record by such stockholder, (iv) a description of all arrangements or understandings between such stockholder and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder and any material interest of such stockholder in such business and (v) a representation that such stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting to bring such business before the meeting.

 

(d) No business shall be conducted at the Annual Meeting except business brought before the Annual Meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.2, provided, however, that, once business has been properly brought before the Annual Meeting in accordance with such procedures, nothing in this Section 2.2 shall be deemed to preclude discussion by any stockholder of any such business. If the Chairman of an Annual Meeting determines that business was not properly brought before the Annual Meeting in accordance with the foregoing procedures, the Chairman shall declare to the meeting that the business was not properly brought before the meeting and such business shall not be discussed or transacted.

 

Section 2.3  Special Meetings . Unless otherwise prescribed by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, Special Meetings of Stockholders (“Special Meetings”), for any purpose or purposes, may be called by the majority vote of the Board of Directors or by the Chief Executive Officer. Special Meetings may not be called by any other person or persons, except as required by law or provided by resolutions by the Board of Directors designating the rights, powers and preferences of any shares of one or more series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”). Written notice of a Special Meeting stating the place, date and hour of the meeting and the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called shall be given not less than ten days nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting.

 

Section 2.4  Quorum . Except as otherwise required by law, these Amended and Restated Bylaws (these “Bylaws”) or by the Certificate of Incorporation, holders of a majority of the capital stock issued and entitled to vote thereat present in person or represented by proxy shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders for the transaction of business. Where a separate vote by one or more classes or series of the capital stock is required, the presence in person or by proxy of the holders of record of a majority in voting power of the shares entitled to

 

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vote shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter. If, however, such quorum shall not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the stockholders entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed. If the adjournment is for more than thirty days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting.

 

Section 2.5  Voting . Unless otherwise required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any question brought before any meeting of stockholders shall be decided by the vote of the holders of a majority of the stock represented and entitled to vote thereat. Such votes may be cast in person or by proxy but no proxy shall be voted on or after three years from its date, unless such proxy provides for a longer period. The Board of Directors, in its discretion, or the officer of the Corporation presiding at a meeting of stockholders, in his discretion, may require that any votes cast at such meeting shall be cast by written ballot.

 

Section 2.6  Consent of Stockholders in Lieu of Meeting . Actions required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting upon the written consent of the stockholders, but only if such action is taken in accordance with the provisions of Article IX of the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Section 2.7  List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote . The officer of the Corporation who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare and make, at least ten days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten days prior to the meeting, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or, if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held. The list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder of the Corporation who is present.

 

Section 2.8  Stock Ledger . The stock ledger of the Corporation shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the stock ledger, the list required by Section 2.7 hereof or the books of the Corporation, or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

 

ARTICLE III

DIRECTORS

 

Section 3.1  Number and Election of Directors . (a) Subject to the rights, if any, of holders of Preferred Stock to elect directors of the Corporation, the Board of Directors shall consist of not less than one nor more than fourteen members with the exact number of directors to be determined from time to time exclusively by resolution duly adopted by the Board of Directors.

 

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Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting, and, unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, each director so elected shall hold office until the Annual Meeting for the year in which his term expires and until his successor is duly elected and qualified, or until his earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal. Any director may resign at any time effective upon giving written notice to the Corporation, unless the notice specifies a later time for the effectiveness of such resignation. Directors need not be stockholders.

 

(b) Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the following procedures shall be eligible for election as directors of the Corporation, except as may be otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation with respect to the right of holders of Preferred Stock to nominate and elect a specified number of directors in certain circumstances. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at any Annual Meeting or at any Special Meeting called by a majority vote of the Board of Directors or by the Chief Executive Officer for the purpose of electing directors (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors (or any duly authorized committee thereof) or (ii) by any stockholder of the Corporation (A) who is a stockholder of record on the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 3.1 and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at such Annual or Special Meeting and (B) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 3.1.

 

(c) In addition to any other applicable requirements, for a nomination to be made by a stockholder pursuant to this Section 3.1, such stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, such stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (A) in the case of an Annual Meeting, not less than one-hundred and twenty days prior to the anniversary date of the date of the proxy statement for the immediately preceding Annual Meeting (which date shall, for purposes of the Corporation’s first Annual Meeting of stockholders after its shares of common stock are first publicly traded, be deemed to have occurred on June 14, 2017); provided, however, that in the event that the Annual Meeting is called for a date that is not within thirty days before or after the anniversary date of the immediately preceding Annual Meeting, notice by the stockholder in order to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business on the tenth day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of the Annual Meeting was first made; and (B) in the case of a Special Meeting called for the purpose of electing directors, not later than the close of business on the tenth day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of the Special Meeting was first made.

 

(d) To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice of nomination submitted to the Secretary of the Corporation must set forth (i) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a director (A) the name, age, business address and residence address of the person, (B) the principal occupation or employment of the person, (C) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are owned beneficially or of record by the person and (D) any other information relating to the person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated

 

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thereunder; and (ii) as to the stockholder giving the notice (A) the name and record address of such stockholder, (B) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are owned beneficially or of record by such stockholder, (C) a description of all arrangements or understandings between such stockholder and each proposed nominee and any other person or persons (including their names) pursuant to which the nomination(s) are to be made by such stockholder, (D) a representation that such stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting to nominate the persons named in its notice and (E) any other information relating to such stockholder 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 pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Such notice must be accompanied by a written consent of each proposed nominee to being named as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected.

 

(e) No person shall be eligible for election as a director of the Corporation unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 3.1. If the Chairman of the meeting determines that a nomination was not made in accordance with the foregoing procedures, the Chairman shall declare to the meeting that the nomination was defective and such defective nomination shall be disregarded.

 

Section 3.2 Chairman of the Board of Directors . The Board of Directors may appoint from its members a Chairman of the Board of Directors, who need not be an employee or officer of the Corporation. The Chairman of the Board of Directors, if there is one, shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors and may adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of such meetings. Except where by law the signature of the Chief Executive Officer or the President is required, the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall possess the same power as the Chief Executive Officer or the President to sign all contracts, certificates and other instruments of the Corporation which may be authorized by the Board of Directors. During the absence or disability of the Chief Executive Officer or the President, the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall exercise all the powers and discharge all the duties of the Chief Executive Officer or the President. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall also perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as from time to time may be assigned to him by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 3.3  Vacancies . Subject to the terms of any one or more series or classes of Preferred Stock, any vacancy on the Board of Directors, however created, may be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Any director elected to fill a newly created directorship resulting from an increase in any class of directors shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of the other directors of that class. Any director elected to fill a vacancy not resulting from an increase in the number of directors shall have the same term as the remaining term of his predecessor.

 

Section 3.4  Duties and Powers . The business of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors which may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by the Certificate of

 

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Incorporation or by these Bylaws directed or required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.

 

Section 3.5  Meetings . The Board of Directors may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or without the State of Delaware. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such time and at such place as may from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chief Executive Officer, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, if there is one, the President, or any directors. Notice thereof stating the place, date and hour of the meeting shall be given to each director either by mail not less than forty-eight hours before the date of the meeting, by telephone or facsimile on twenty-four hours’ notice, or on such shorter notice as the person or persons calling such meeting may deem necessary or appropriate in the circumstances.

 

Section 3.6  Quorum . Except as may be otherwise specifically provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, at all meetings of the Board of Directors, a majority of the entire Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board of Directors. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of Directors, the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.

 

Section 3.7  Actions of Board . Unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, 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 the members of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or committee.

 

Section 3.8  Meetings by Means of Conference Telephone . Unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, or any committee designated by the Board of Directors, may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or such committee by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this Section 3.7 shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

Section 3.9  Committees . The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the entire Board of Directors, designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. 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 any such committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, and in the absence of a designation by the Board of Directors of an alternate member to replace the absent or disqualified member, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any absent or disqualified member. In the event any person shall cease to

 

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be a director of the Corporation, such person shall simultaneously therewith cease to be a member of any committee appointed by the Board of Directors. Any committee, to the extent allowed by law and provided in the resolution establishing such committee, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, subject to the limitations set forth in applicable Delaware law. Each committee shall keep regular minutes and report to the Board of Directors when required.

 

Section 3.10  Audit Committee . The Board of Directors, by resolution adopted by a majority of the whole Board of Directors, may designate three or more directors to constitute an Audit Committee, to serve as such until the next Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors or until their respective successors are designated. The audit committee will carry out its responsibilities as set forth in an audit committee charter to be adopted by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 3.11  Compensation . At the discretion of the Board of Directors, the directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a stated salary as director. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. At the discretion of the Board of Directors, members of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation for attending committee meetings.

 

Section 3.12  Interested Directors . No contract or transaction between the Corporation and one or more of its directors or officers, or between the Corporation and any other corporation, partnership, association, or other organization in which one or more of its directors or officers are directors or officers, or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because the director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the Board of Directors or committee thereof which authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because his or their votes are counted for such purpose if: (a) the material facts as to his or their relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the Board of Directors or the committee, and the Board of Directors or committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum; or (b) the material facts as to his or their relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the stockholders; or (c) the contract or transaction is fair as to the Corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified by the Board of Directors, a committee thereof or the stockholders. Common or interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors or of a committee which authorizes the contract or transaction.

 

Section 3.13  Entire Board of Directors . As used in these Bylaws generally, the term “entire Board of Directors” means the total number of directors which the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies.

 

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ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS

 

Section 4.1  General . The officers of the Corporation shall be chosen by the Board of Directors and shall include a Chief Executive Officer, a President and a Secretary. The Board of Directors, in its discretion, may also appoint a Chief Financial Officer, Assistant Chief Financial Officers, Chief Accounting Officer, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurers and one or more Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries, and other officers, who shall have such authority and perform such duties as may be prescribed in such appointment. Any number of offices may be held by the same person, unless otherwise prohibited by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws. The officers of the Corporation need not be stockholders of the Corporation nor need such officers be directors of the Corporation.

 

Section 4.2  Election . The Board of Directors at its first meeting held after each Annual Meeting of Stockholders shall elect the officers of the Corporation who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors; and all officers of the Corporation shall hold office until their successors are chosen and qualified, or until their earlier resignation or removal. Any officer elected by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board of Directors. The salaries of all officers of the Corporation shall be fixed by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.3  Voting Securities Owned by the Corporation . Powers of attorney, proxies, waivers of notice of meeting, consents and other instruments relating to securities owned by the Corporation may be executed in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation by the Chief Executive Officer, the President or any Vice President and any such officer may, in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, take all such action as any such officer may deem advisable to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of security holders of any corporation in which the Corporation may own securities and at any such meeting shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and power incident to the ownership of such securities and which, as the owner thereof, the Corporation might have exercised and possessed if present. The Board of Directors may, by resolution, from time to time confer like powers upon any other person or persons.

 

Section 4.4  Duties of Officers . The duties of the officers of the Corporation shall be as follows:

 

(a)  Chief Executive Officer . The Chief Executive Officer shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have general executive charge, management and control of the properties, business and operations of the Corporation with all such powers as may be reasonably incident to such responsibilities; and the Chief Executive Officer may agree upon and execute all leases, contracts, evidences of indebtedness and other obligations in the name of the Corporation and may sign all certificates for shares of capital stock of the Corporation. In the absence or disability of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or if there is none, the Chief Executive Officer shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors. The Chief Executive

 

8



 

Officer shall also perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as from time to time may be assigned to him by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors.

 

(b)  President . The President shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, and, if there is one, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, have general supervision of the business of the Corporation and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect. He shall execute all bonds, mortgages, contracts and other instruments of the Corporation requiring a seal, under the seal of the Corporation, except where required or permitted by law to be otherwise signed and executed and except that the other officers of the Corporation may sign and execute documents when so authorized by these Bylaws, the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the President. In the absence or disability of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or if there is none, the President shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors. The President shall also perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as from time to time may be assigned to him by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors.

 

(c)  Secretary . The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and all meetings of stockholders and record all the proceedings thereat in a book or books to be kept for that purpose; the Secretary shall also perform like duties for the standing committees when required. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, under whose supervision he shall be. If the Secretary shall be unable or shall refuse to cause to be given notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and if there is no Assistant Secretary, then either the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President may choose another officer to cause such notice to be given. The Secretary shall have custody of the seal of the Corporation and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, if there is one, shall have authority to affix the same to any instrument requiring it and when so affixed, it may be attested by the signature of the Secretary or by the signature of any such Assistant Secretary. The Board of Directors may give general authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest the affixing by his signature. The Secretary shall see that all books, reports, statements, certificates and other documents and records required by law to be kept or filed are properly kept or filed, as the case may be.

 

(d)  Assistant Secretaries . Except as may be otherwise provided in these Bylaws, Assistant Secretaries, if there are any, shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, if there is one, or the Secretary, and in the absence of the Secretary or in the event of his disability or refusal to act, shall perform the duties of the Secretary, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Secretary.

 

(e)  Chief Financial Officer . The Chief Financial Officer 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

 

9



 

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 Chief Financial Officer 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, the Chairman of the Board, the President and the Board of Directors, at its regular meetings or when the Board of Directors so requires, an account of all transactions as Chief Financial Officer and of the financial condition of the Corporation. The Chief Financial Officer shall perform such other duties as may from time to time be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chairman of the Board or the President.

 

(f)  Assistant Chief Financial Officer . The Assistant Chief Financial Officer, or if there is more than one, the Assistant Chief Financial Officers, in the order determined by the Board of Directors (or if there is no such determination, then in the order of their election), shall, in the absence of the Chief Financial Officer or in the event of the Chief Financial Officer’s inability or refusal to act, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Chief Financial Officer and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as may from time to time be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chairman of the Board, the President or the Chief Financial Officer.

 

(g)  Chief Accounting Officer . The Board of Directors may elect a Chief Accounting Officer who shall be responsible for all accounting and auditing functions of the Corporation and who shall perform such other duties as may from time to time be required of him by the Board of Directors.

 

(h)  Treasurer . The Treasurer, if there is one, 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, the President and the Board of Directors, at its regular meetings, or when the Board of Directors so requires, an account of all his transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation. If required by the Board of Directors, the Treasurer shall give the Corporation a bond in such sum and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of the duties of his office and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of his death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in his possession or under his control belonging to the Corporation.

 

(i)  Assistant Treasurers . Assistant Treasurers, if there are any, shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, or the Treasurer, if there is one, and in the absence of the Treasurer or in the event of his disability or refusal to act, shall perform the duties of the Treasurer, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Treasurer. If required by the Board of Directors, an Assistant Treasurer shall give the Corporation a bond in such sum and with such surety or sureties as shall be

 

10



 

satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of the duties of his office and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of his death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in his possession or under his control belonging to the Corporation.

 

(j)  Vice Presidents . At the request of the President or in his absence or in the event of his inability or refusal to act (and if there is no Chief Executive Officer or Chairman of the Board of Directors), the Vice President or the Vice Presidents if there is more than one (in the order designated by the Board of Directors) shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President. Each Vice President shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors from time to time may prescribe. If there is no Chief Executive Officer, no Chairman of the Board of Directors and no Vice President, the Board of Directors shall designate the officer of the Corporation who, in the absence of the President or in the event of the inability or refusal of the President to act, shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President.

 

(k)  Other Officers . Such other officers as the Board of Directors may choose shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may delegate to any other officer of the Corporation the power to choose such other officers and to prescribe their respective duties and powers.

 

ARTICLE V

CAPITAL STOCK

 

Section 5.1  Form of Certificates . Every holder of stock in the Corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate or certificates duly numbered, certifying the number and class of shares in the Corporation owned by him, in such form as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors. Each such certificate shall be signed in the name of the Corporation by the Chief Executive Officer, the Chairman of the Board, the President or a Vice President, and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer.

 

Section 5.2  Signatures . Where a certificate is countersigned by (a) a transfer agent other than the Corporation or its employee, or (b) a registrar other than the Corporation or its employee, any other signature on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have 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 were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

 

Section 5.3  Lost Certificates . The Board of Directors may direct a new certificate to be issued in place of any certificate theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or his legal

 

11



 

representative, to advertise the same in such manner as the Board of Directors shall require and/or to give the Corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.

 

Section 5.4  Transfers . Stock of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law and in these Bylaws. Transfers of stock shall be made on the books of the Corporation only by the person named in the certificate or by his attorney lawfully constituted in writing and upon the surrender of the certificate therefor, which shall be canceled before a new certificate shall be issued.

 

Section 5.5  Record Date . In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be more than sixty days nor less than ten days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty days prior to any other action. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

 

Section 5.6  Beneficial 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 provided by law.

 

ARTICLE VI

NOTICES

 

Section 6.1  Notices . Whenever written notice is required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws to be given to any director, member of a committee or stockholder, such notice may be given by mail, addressed to such director, member of a committee or stockholder, at his address as it appears on the records of the Corporation, with postage thereon prepaid, and such notice shall be deemed to be given at the time when the same shall be deposited in the United States mail. Written notice may also be given personally or transmitted via facsimile.

 

Section 6.2  Waivers of Notice . Whenever any notice is required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws to be given to any director, member of a committee or stockholder, 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 thereto. The attendance of any person at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting,

 

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except when such person attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

 

ARTICLE VII

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Section 7.1  Dividends . Dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting, and may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board of Directors from time to time, in its absolute discretion, deems proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or for any proper purpose, and the Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve.

 

Section 7.2  Disbursements . All checks or demands for money and notes of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers or such other person or persons as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.

 

Section 7.3  Fiscal Year . The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 7.4  Corporate Seal . The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its organization and the words “Corporate Seal, Delaware.” The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.

 

ARTICLE VIII

INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 8.1  Power to Indemnify in Actions, Suits or Proceedings Other Than Those by or in the Right of the Corporation . Subject to Section 8.3 hereof, the Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably

 

13



 

believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.

 

Section 8.2  Power to Indemnify in Actions, Suits or Proceedings by or in the Right of the Corporation . Subject to Section 8.3 hereof, the Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation; except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

 

Section 8.3  Authorization of Indemnification . Any indemnification under this Article VIII (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the director or officer is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 8.1 or Section 8.2 hereof, as the case may be. Such determination shall be made (a) by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (b) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (c) by the stockholders. To the extent, however, that a director or officer of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding described above or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith, without the necessity of authorization in the specific case.

 

Section 8.4  Good Faith Defined . For purposes of any determination under Section 8.1 or 8.2 hereof, a person shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, or, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, to have had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful, if his action is based on the records or books of account of the Corporation or another enterprise, or on information supplied to him by the officers of the Corporation or another enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Corporation or another enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Corporation or another enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Corporation or another enterprise. The term “another enterprise” as used in this Section 8.4 shall mean any other corporation or any partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which such person is or was serving at

 

14



 

the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent. The provisions of this Section 8.4 shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the circumstances in which a person may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 8.1 or 8.2 hereof, as the case may be.

 

Section 8.5  Indemnification by a Court . Notwithstanding any contrary determination made in any specific case under Section 8.3 hereof, and notwithstanding the absence of any determination made thereunder, any director or officer may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction in the State of Delaware for indemnification to the extent otherwise permissible under Sections 8.l and 8.2 hereof. The basis of such indemnification by a court shall be a determination by such court that indemnification of the director or officer is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standards of conduct set forth in Section 8.1 or 8.2 hereof. Neither a contrary determination in the specific case under Section 8.3 hereof nor the absence of any determination thereunder shall be a defense to such application or create a presumption that the director or officer seeking indemnification has not met any applicable standard of conduct. Notice of any application for indemnification pursuant to this Section 8.5 shall be given to the Corporation promptly upon the filing of such application. If successful, in whole or in part, the director or officer seeking indemnification shall also be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such application.

 

Section 8.6  Expenses Payable in Advance . Expenses incurred by a director or officer in defending or investigating a threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Article VIII.

 

Section 8.7  Nonexclusivity of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses . The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by or granted pursuant to this Article VIII shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which any person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any Bylaw, agreement, contract, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or pursuant to the direction (howsoever embodied) of any court of competent jurisdiction or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, it being the policy of the Corporation that indemnification of the persons specified in Sections 8.1 and 8.2 hereof shall be made to the fullest extent permitted by law. The provisions of this Article VIII shall not be deemed to preclude the indemnification of any person who is not specified in Section 8.1 or 8.2 but whom the Corporation has the power or obligation to indemnify under the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) or otherwise.

 

Section 8.8  Insurance . The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was a director or officer of the Corporation serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the

 

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power or the obligation to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of this Article VIII.

 

Section 8.9 Certain Definitions . For purposes of this Article VIII, references to “the Corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors or officers, so that any person who is or was a director or officer of such constituent corporation, or is or was a director or officer of such constituent corporation serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article VIII with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued. For purposes of this Article VIII, references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director or officer with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation” as referred to in this Article VIII.

 

Section 8.10 Survival of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses . The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article VIII shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

 

Section 8.11  Limitation on Indemnification . Notwithstanding anything contained in this Article VIII to the contrary, except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification (which shall be governed by Section 8.5 hereof), the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify any director or officer in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized or consented to by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

 

Section 8.12 Indemnification of Employees and Agents . The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, provide rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to employees and agents of the Corporation similar to those conferred in this Article VIII to directors and officers of the Corporation.

 

Section 8.13 Secondary Indemnifications . The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, the other provisions of this Article 8 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those persons provided indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is

 

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acknowledged that certain persons may have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance provided by the stockholders of the Corporation or one or more of the affiliates of such stockholders of the Corporation other than the Corporation and its subsidiaries (any of such entities, together with their affiliates (other than the Corporation and its subsidiaries), the “Stockholder Sponsors”) as an employee of any of such entities (or their respective payroll companies) or pursuant to separate written agreements, which the Company and the Stockholder Sponsors intend to be secondary to the primary obligation of the Corporation to provide indemnification as provided herein. If any Stockholder Sponsor pays or causes to be paid, for any reason, any amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder or under any other indemnification agreement or arrangement (whether pursuant to contract, by-laws or charter) to a person indemnifiable hereunder, then (i) the applicable Stockholder Sponsor entity shall be fully subrogated to all of such person’s rights with respect to such payment and (ii) the Company shall indemnify, reimburse and hold harmless the applicable Stockholder Sponsor entity for the payments actually made. The Stockholder Sponsors shall be third-party beneficiaries of this Article 8, having the rights to enforce this Article 8.

 

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS

 

These Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed, in whole or in part, or new Bylaws may be adopted by the stockholders or by the Board of Directors, provided, however, that notice of such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption of new Bylaws be contained in the notice of such meeting of stockholders or Board of Directors as the case may be. All such amendments must be approved by either the holders of outstanding capital stock or by a majority of the Board of Directors then in office, in each case, in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law.

 

ARTICLE X

CONFLICTS

 

If there is a conflict between the provisions of these Bylaws and the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or the mandatory provisions of the DGCL, such provision or provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and the DGCL, as the case may be, will be controlling.

 

17


Exhibit 99.1

 

BLACK KNIGHT, INC.

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

2015 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

 

(as of September 29, 2017)

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 1.

 

ESTABLISHMENT, OBJECTIVES, AND DURATION

1

 

 

 

 

1.1.

 

Establishment of the Plan

1

1.2.

 

Objectives of the Plan

1

1.3.

 

Duration of the Plan

1

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 2.

 

DEFINITIONS

1

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 3.

 

ADMINISTRATION

4

 

 

 

 

3.1.

 

The Committee

4

3.2.

 

Authority of the Committee

4

3.3.

 

Decisions Binding

4

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 4.

 

SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN; INDIVIDUAL LIMITS; AND ANTI-DILUTION ADJUSTMENTS

5

 

 

 

 

4.1.

 

Number of Shares Available for Grants

5

4.2.

 

Individual Limits

5

4.3.

 

Adjustments in Authorized Shares and Awards

6

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 5.

 

ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

6

 

 

 

 

5.1.

 

Eligibility

6

5.2.

 

Actual Participation

6

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 6.

 

OPTIONS

6

 

 

 

 

6.1.

 

Grant of Options

6

6.2.

 

Award Agreement

6

6.3.

 

Exercise Price

6

6.4.

 

Duration of Options

6

6.5.

 

Exercise of Options

7

6.6.

 

Payment

7

6.7.

 

Restrictions on Share Transferability

7

6.8.

 

Dividend Equivalents

7

6.9.

 

Termination of Employment or Service

7

6.10.

 

Nontransferability of Options

7

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 7.

 

STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

7

 

 

 

 

7.1.

 

Grant of SARs

7

7.2.

 

Exercise of Tandem SARs

8

7.3.

 

Exercise of Freestanding SARs

8

7.4.

 

Award Agreement

8

7.5.

 

Term of SARs

8

7.6.

 

Payment of SAR Amount

8

7.7.

 

Dividend Equivalents

8

7.8.

 

Termination of Employment or Service

8

7.9.

 

Nontransferability of SARs

8

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 8.

 

RESTRICTED STOCK

9

 

 

 

 

8.1.

 

Grant of Restricted Stock

9

8.2.

 

Award Agreement

9

 

i



 

8.3.

 

Other Restrictions

9

8.4.

 

Removal of Restrictions

9

8.5.

 

Voting Rights

9

8.6.

 

Dividends and Other Distributions

9

8.7.

 

Termination of Employment or Service

9

8.8.

 

Nontransferability of Restricted Stock

9

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 9.

 

RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS AND PERFORMANCE SHARES

9

 

 

 

 

9.1.

 

Grant of Restricted Stock Units/Performance Shares

9

9.2.

 

Award Agreement

10

9.3.

 

Form and Timing of Payment

10

9.4.

 

Voting Rights

10

9.5.

 

Dividend Equivalents

10

9.6.

 

Termination of Employment or Service

10

9.7.

 

Nontransferability

10

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 10.

 

PERFORMANCE UNITS

10

 

 

 

 

10.1.

 

Grant of Performance Units

10

10.2.

 

Award Agreement

10

10.3.

 

Value of Performance Units

10

10.4.

 

Form and Timing of Payment

11

10.5.

 

Dividend Equivalents

11

10.6.

 

Termination of Employment or Service

11

10.7.

 

Nontransferability

11

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 11.

 

OTHER AWARDS

11

 

 

 

 

11.1.

 

Grant of Other Awards

11

11.2.

 

Payment of Other Awards

11

11.3.

 

Termination of Employment or Service

11

11.4.

 

Nontransferability

11

11.5.

 

LLC Conversion Awards

11

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 12.

 

REPLACEMENT AWARDS

12

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 13.

 

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

12

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 14.

 

BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION

12

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 15.

 

DEFERRALS

13

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 16.

 

RIGHTS OF PARTICIPANTS

13

 

 

 

 

16.1.

 

Continued Service

13

16.2.

 

Participation

13

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 17.

 

CHANGE IN CONTROL

13

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 18.

 

ADDITIONAL FORFEITURE PROVISIONS

13

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 19.

 

AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, TERMINATION, AND STOCKHOLDER APPROVAL

14

 

 

 

 

19.1.

 

Amendment, Modification, and Termination

14

19.2.

 

Adjustment of Awards Upon the Occurrence of Certain Unusual or Nonrecurring Events

14

19.3.

 

Awards Previously Granted

14

 

ii



 

19.4.

 

Compliance with the Performance-Based Exception

14

19.5.

 

No Repricings

14

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 20.

 

WITHHOLDING

14

 

 

 

 

20.1.

 

Tax Withholding

14

20.2.

 

Use of Shares to Satisfy Withholding Obligation

14

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 21.

 

INDEMNIFICATION

15

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 22.

 

SUCCESSORS

15

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 23.

 

LIMITATION ON DIVIDENDS AND DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS

15

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 24.

 

MINIMUM VESTING PERIOD

15

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 25.

 

HOLDING PERIOD

15

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 26.

 

CLAWBACK OF BENEFITS

16

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 27.

 

LEGAL CONSTRUCTION

16

 

 

 

 

27.1.

 

Gender, Number and References

16

27.2.

 

Severability

16

27.3.

 

Requirements of Law

16

27.4.

 

Governing Law

16

27.5.

 

Non-Exclusive Plan

16

27.6.

 

Code Section 409A Compliance

16

 

iii



 

Black Knight, Inc.

Amended and Restated
2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan
(as of September 29, 2017)

 

ARTICLE 1.  Establishment, Objectives, and Duration

 

1.1.                             Establishment of the Plan.  The board of directors of Black Knight Financial Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation (hereinafter referred to as “BKFS”), originally adopted the “Black Knight Financial Services, Inc. Amended and Restated 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan” on April 30, 2015, at which time there were 10,994,215 Shares authorized for issuance as Awards, and it was amended and restated on June 14, 2017 to increase by 7,500,000 the number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to Awards under the Plan.  This amendment and restatement of the “Black Knight Financial Services, Inc. Amended and Restated 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan”, now titled the “Black Knight, Inc. Amended and Restated 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan” (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”) was adopted by the board of directors of BKFS as of September 29, 2017, and was assumed by Black Knight, Inc. on September 29, 2017.  The Plan shall remain in effect as provided in Section 1.3 hereof.

 

The Plan permits the granting of Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units, Replacement Awards and Other Awards.

 

1.2.                             Objectives of the Plan.  The objectives of the Plan are to optimize the profitability and growth of Black Knight, Inc. through incentives that are consistent with the Company’s goals and that link the personal interests of Participants to those of the Company’s stockholders.

 

The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company in its ability to motivate, attract and retain the services of Participants who make or are expected to make significant contributions to the Company’s success and to allow Participants to share in the success of the Company.

 

1.3.                             Duration of the Plan.  No Award may be granted under the Plan after June 14, 2027, which is the tenth anniversary of the date the shareholders of the Company approved the amendment and restatement of the Plan, or such earlier date as the Board shall determine.  The Plan will remain in effect with respect to outstanding Awards until no Awards remain outstanding.

 

ARTICLE 2.  Definitions

 

The following terms, when capitalized, shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

2.1.                             Award ” means, individually or collectively, Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units, and Other Awards granted under the Plan.

 

2.2.                             Award Agreement ” means an agreement entered into by the Company and a Participant setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to an Award.

 

2.3.                             Beneficial Ownership ” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.

 

2.4.                             Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 



 

2.5.                             Change in Control ” means that the conditions set forth in any one of the following subsections shall have been satisfied:

 

(a)                                  an acquisition immediately after which any Person possesses direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership of 50% or more of either the then outstanding shares of Company common stock (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided that the following acquisitions shall be excluded:  (i) any acquisition directly from the Company, other than an acquisition by virtue of the exercise of a conversion privilege unless the security being so converted was itself acquired directly from the Company, (ii) any acquisition by the Company, (iii) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or a Subsidiary, or (iv) any acquisition pursuant to a transaction that complies with paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) of subsection (c) of this Section 2.5; or

 

(b)                                  during any period of two consecutive years, the individuals who, as of the beginning of such period, constitute the Board (such Board shall be hereinafter referred to as the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided that for purposes of this Section 2.5, any individual who becomes a member of the Board subsequent to the beginning of such period and whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of those individuals who are members of the Board and who were also members of the Incumbent Board (or deemed to be such pursuant to this proviso) shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board; provided, further, that any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of either an actual or threatened election contest or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board shall not be so considered as a member of the Incumbent Board; or

 

(c)                                   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

 

(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; or

 

(d)                                  the approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

2



 

For the avoidance of doubt, the transactions pursuant to which the Company became the parent entity of BKFS and Shares previously held by Fidelity National Financial, Inc. were distributed to its stockholders shall not constitute a Change in Control.

 

2.6.                             Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

2.7.                             Committee ” means the entity, as specified in Section 3.1, authorized to administer the Plan.

 

2.8.                             Company ” means Black Knight, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any successor thereto.

 

2.9.                             Consultant ” means any consultant or advisor to the Company or a Subsidiary.

 

2.10.                      Director ” means any individual who is a member of the Board of Directors of the Company or a Subsidiary.

 

2.11.                      Dividend Equivalent ” means, with respect to Shares subject to an Award, a right to be paid an amount equal to the dividends declared and paid on an equal number of outstanding Shares of the same class.

 

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

 

2.13.                      Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

 

2.14.                      Exercise Price ” means the price at which a Share may be purchased by a Participant pursuant to an Option.

 

2.15.                      Fair Market Value ” means the fair market value of a Share as determined in good faith by the Committee or pursuant to a procedure specified in good faith by the Committee; provided, however, that if the Committee has not specified otherwise, Fair Market Value shall mean the closing price of a Share as reported in a consolidated transaction reporting system on the date of valuation, or, if there was no such sale on the relevant date, then on the last previous day on which a sale was reported.

 

2.16.                      Freestanding SAR ” means an SAR that is granted independently of any Options, as described in Article 7 herein.

 

2.17.                      Incentive Stock Option ” or “ISO” means an Option that is intended to meet the requirements of Code Section 422.

 

2.18.                      Nonqualified Stock Option ” or “NQSO” means an Option that is not intended to meet the requirements of Code Section 422.

 

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

 

2.20.                      Other Award ” means a cash, Share-based or Share-related Award (other than an Award described in Article 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 of the Plan) that is granted pursuant to Article 11 herein.

 

2.21.                      Participant ” means a current or former Employee, Director or Consultant who has rights relating to an outstanding Award.

 

2.22.                      Performance-Based Exception ” means the performance-based exception from the tax deductibility limitations of Code Section 162(m).

 

2.23.                      Performance Period ” means the period during which a performance measure must be met.

 

3



 

2.24.                      Performance Share ” means an Award granted to a Participant, as described in Article 9 herein.

 

2.25.                      Performance Unit ” means an Award granted to a Participant, as described in Article 10 herein.

 

2.26.                      Period of Restriction ” means the period Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units are subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture and are not transferable, as provided in Articles 8 and 9 herein.

 

2.27.                      Person ” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof.

 

2.28.                      Replacement Awards ” means Awards issued in assumption of or substitution for awards granted under equity-based incentive plans sponsored or maintained by an entity with which the Company engages in a merger, acquisition or other business transaction, pursuant to which awards relating to interests in such entity (or a related entity) are outstanding immediately prior to such merger, acquisition or other business transaction.  Except as provided in Section 4.1, for all purposes hereunder, Replacement Awards shall be deemed Awards.

 

2.29.                      Restricted Stock ” means an Award granted to a Participant, as described in Article 8 herein.

 

2.30.                      Restricted Stock Unit ” means an Award granted to a Participant, as described in Article 9 herein.

 

2.31.                      Share ” means a share of Class A common stock of the Company, having a par value of $0.0001 per share, subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 4.3 hereof.

 

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

 

2.33.                      Subsidiary ” means (i) 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, and (ii) any other affiliate of the Company that has been designated by the Committee for purposes of the participation of its employees in the Plan.  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 Code Section 424(f).

 

2.34.                      Tandem SAR ” means an SAR that is granted in connection with a related Option, as described in Article 7 herein.

 

ARTICLE 3.  Administration

 

3.1.                             The Committee.  The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board or such other committee as the Board shall select (the “Committee”).  The members of the Committee shall be appointed from time to time by, and shall serve at the discretion of, the Board.

 

3.2.                             Authority of the Committee.  Except as limited by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company, and subject to the provisions herein, the Committee shall have full power to select the Employees, Directors and Consultants who shall participate in the Plan; determine the sizes and types of Awards; determine the terms and conditions of Awards in a manner consistent with the Plan; construe and interpret the Plan and any Award Agreement or other agreement or instrument entered into in connection with the Plan; establish, amend, or waive rules and regulations for the Plan’s administration; and, subject to the provisions of Section 19.3 herein, amend the terms and conditions of any outstanding Award and Award Agreement.  Further, the Committee shall make all other determinations that may be necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.  As permitted by law, the Committee may delegate its authority as identified herein.

 

3.3.                             Decisions Binding.  All determinations and decisions made by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan and all related orders and resolutions of the Board shall be final, conclusive and binding on all

 

4



 

persons, including the Company, its Subsidiaries, its stockholders, Directors, Employees, Consultants and their estates and beneficiaries and any transferee of an Award.

 

ARTICLE 4.  Shares Subject to the Plan; Individual Limits; and Anti-Dilution Adjustments

 

4.1.                             Number of Shares Available for Grants .

 

(a)                                  Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.3 herein, the maximum number of Shares that may be delivered pursuant to Awards under the Plan shall be 18, 494, 215 provided that:

 

(i)                                      Shares that are potentially deliverable under an Award that is canceled, 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;

 

(ii)                                   Shares that are held back, tendered or returned 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; and

 

(iii)                                Shares 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.

 

Shares delivered pursuant to the Plan may be authorized but unissued Shares, treasury Shares or Shares purchased on the open market.  Shares delivered or deliverable pursuant to Replacement Awards shall not reduce the number of Shares available for delivery pursuant to Awards under the Plan.

 

(b)                                  Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.3 herein, all Shares authorized under the Plan and available for grant may be delivered in connection with “full value Awards,” meaning Awards other than Options, SARs, or Other Awards for which the Participant pays the grant date intrinsic value.

 

(c)                                   Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining the number of Shares available for grant as Incentive Stock Options, only Shares that are subject to an Award that expires or is cancelled, forfeited or settled in cash shall be treated as not having been issued under the Plan.

 

4.2.                             Individual Limits.  Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.3 herein, the following rules shall apply with respect to Awards and any related dividends or Dividend Equivalents intended to qualify for the Performance-Based Exception:

 

(a)                                  Options:  The maximum aggregate number of Shares with respect to which Options may be granted in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall be 4,000,000 Shares.

 

(b)                                  SARs:  The maximum aggregate number of Shares with respect to which Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall be 4,000,000 Shares.

 

(c)                                   Restricted Stock:  The maximum aggregate number of Shares of Restricted Stock that may be granted in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall be 2,000,000 Shares.

 

(d)                                  Restricted Stock Units:  The maximum aggregate number of Shares with respect to which Restricted Stock Units may be granted in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall be 2,000,000 Shares.

 

(e)                                   Performance Shares:  The maximum aggregate number of Shares with respect to which Performance Shares may be granted in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall be 2,000,000 Shares.

 

5



 

(f)                                    Performance Units:  The maximum aggregate compensation that can be paid pursuant to Performance Units awarded in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall be $25,000,000 or a number of Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value not in excess of such amount.

 

(g)                                   Other Awards:  The maximum aggregate compensation that can be paid pursuant to Other Awards (other than LLC Conversion Awards) awarded in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall be $25,000,000 or a number of Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value not in excess of such amount.

 

(h)                                  Dividends and Dividend Equivalents:  The maximum dividend or Dividend Equivalent that may be paid in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall be $25,000,000.

 

4.3.                             Adjustments in Authorized Shares and Awards.  In the event of any merger, reorganization, consolidation, recapitalization, liquidation, stock dividend, split-up, spin-off, stock split, reverse stock split, share combination, share exchange, extraordinary dividend, or any change in the corporate structure affecting the Shares, such adjustment shall be made in the number and kind of shares that may be delivered under the Plan as set forth in Section 4.1(a) and (b), the individual limits set forth in Section 4.2, and, with respect to outstanding Awards, the number and kind of shares subject to outstanding Awards, the Exercise Price, grant price or other price of shares subject to outstanding Awards, any performance conditions relating to shares, the market price of shares, or per-share results, and other terms and conditions of outstanding Awards, as may be determined to be appropriate and equitable by the Committee, in its sole discretion, to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights; provided, however, that, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the number of shares subject to any Award shall always be rounded down to a whole number.

 

ARTICLE 5.  Eligibility and Participation

 

5.1.                             Eligibility.  Persons eligible to participate in the Plan include all Employees, Directors and Consultants.

 

5.2.                             Actual Participation.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee 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.

 

ARTICLE 6.  Options

 

6.1.                             Grant of Options.  Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, Options may be granted to Participants in such amounts, upon such terms, and at such times as the Committee shall determine.

 

6.2.                             Award Agreement.  Each Option grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Exercise Price, the duration of the Option, the number of Shares to which the Option pertains, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine.  The Award Agreement also shall specify whether the Option is intended to be an ISO or an NQSO.  Options that are intended to be ISOs shall be subject to the limitations set forth in Code Section 422.

 

6.3.                             Exercise Price.  The Exercise Price for each grant of an Option under the Plan shall be at least equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share (of the same class as the Shares that are subject to the Option) on the date the Option is granted; provided, however, that this restriction shall not apply to Replacement Awards or Awards that are adjusted pursuant to Section 4.3 herein.  No ISO granted to a Participant who, at the time the ISO is granted, owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Subsidiary shall have an Exercise Price that is less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share (of the same class as the Shares that are subject to the ISO) on the date the ISO is granted.

 

6.4.                             Duration of Options.  Each Option granted to a Participant shall expire at such time as the Committee shall determine at the time of grant; provided, however, that no Option shall be exercisable later than the tenth (10th) anniversary date of its grant.  No ISO granted to a Participant who, at the time the ISO is granted, owns

 

6



 

stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Subsidiary shall be exercisable later than the fifth (5th) anniversary of the date of its grant.

 

6.5.                             Exercise of Options.  Options granted under this Article 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 Committee shall in each instance approve, which need not be the same for each grant or for each Participant.

 

6.6.                             Payment.  Options granted under this Article 6 shall be exercised by the delivery of a written notice of exercise to the Company, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is to be exercised and specifying the method of payment of the Exercise Price.

 

The Exercise Price of an Option shall be payable to the Company in full:  (a) in cash or its equivalent, (b) by tendering Shares or directing the Company to withhold Shares from the Option having an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the Exercise Price, (c) by broker-assisted cashless exercise, (d) in any other manner then permitted by the Committee, or (e) by a combination of any of the permitted methods of payment.  The Committee 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.

 

6.7.                             Restrictions on Share Transferability.  The Committee may impose such restrictions on any Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Option granted under this Article 6 as it may deem advisable, including, without limitation, restrictions under applicable federal securities laws, under the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which such Shares are then listed and/or traded, and under any blue sky or state securities laws applicable to such Shares.

 

6.8.                             Dividend Equivalents.  An Award of Options shall not provide the Participant with the right to receive Dividend Equivalents.

 

6.9.                             Termination of Employment or Service.  Each Participant’s Option Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to exercise the Option following termination of the Participant’s employment or, if the Participant is a Director or Consultant, service with the Company and/or a Subsidiary, as the case may be. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, need not be uniform among all Options, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination of employment or service.

 

6.10.                      Nontransferability of Options .

 

(a)                                  Incentive Stock Options.  ISOs may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and shall be exercisable during a Participant’s lifetime only by such Participant.

 

(b)                                  Nonqualified Stock Options.  NQSOs may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and shall be exercisable during a Participant’s lifetime only by such Participant.

 

ARTICLE 7.  Stock Appreciation Rights

 

7.1.                             Grant of SARs.   Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, SARs may be granted to Participants in such amounts, upon such terms, and at such times as the Committee shall determine.  The Committee may grant Freestanding SARs, Tandem SARs, or any combination of these forms of SAR.

 

The Committee shall have complete discretion in determining the number of SARs granted to each Participant (subject to Article 4 herein) and, consistent with the provisions of the Plan, in determining the terms and conditions pertaining to such SARs.

 

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The grant price of a Freestanding SAR shall at least equal the Fair Market Value of a Share (of the same class as the Shares that are subject to the SAR) on the date of grant of the SAR, and the grant price of a Tandem SAR shall equal the Exercise Price of the related Option; provided, however, that this restriction shall not apply to Replacement Awards or Awards that are adjusted pursuant to Section 4.3 herein.

 

7.2.                             Exercise of Tandem SARs.  A Tandem SAR may be exercised only with respect to the Shares for which its related Option is then exercisable.  To the extent exercisable, Tandem SARs may be exercised for all or part of the Shares subject to the related Option.  The exercise of all or part of a Tandem SAR shall result in the forfeiture of the right to purchase a number of Shares under the related Option equal to the number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised.  Conversely, upon exercise of all or part of an Option with respect to which a Tandem SAR has been granted, an equivalent portion of the Tandem SAR shall similarly be forfeited.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, with respect to a Tandem SAR granted in connection with an ISO:  (i) the Tandem SAR will expire no later than the expiration of the underlying ISO; (ii) the value of the payout with respect to the Tandem SAR may be for no more than one hundred percent (100%) of the difference between the Exercise Price of the underlying ISO and the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the underlying ISO at the time the Tandem SAR is exercised; and (iii) the Tandem SAR may be exercised only when the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the ISO exceeds the Exercise Price of the ISO.

 

7.3.                             Exercise of Freestanding SARs.   Freestanding SARs may be exercised upon whatever terms and conditions the Committee, in its sole discretion, imposes upon them and sets forth in the Award Agreement.

 

7.4.                             Award Agreement.  Each SAR grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the grant price, the term of the SAR, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine.

 

7.5.                             Term of SARs.   The term of an SAR granted under the Plan shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion; provided, however, that such term shall not exceed ten (10) years.

 

7.6.                             Payment of SAR Amount.  Upon exercise of an SAR, a Participant shall be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount determined by multiplying:

 

(a)                                  the difference between the Fair Market Value of a Share (of the same class as the Shares that are subject to the SAR) on the date of exercise over the grant price; by

 

(b)                                  the number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised.

 

At the discretion of the Committee, the payment upon SAR exercise may be in cash, in Shares of equivalent value, or in some combination thereof.

 

7.7.                             Dividend Equivalents.  An Award of SARs shall not provide the Participant with the right to receive Dividend Equivalents.

 

7.8.                             Termination of Employment or Service.  Each SAR Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to exercise the SAR following termination of the Participant’s employment or, if the Participant is a Director or Consultant, service with the Company and/or a Subsidiary, as the case may be. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, need not be uniform among all SARs, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination of employment or service.

 

7.9.                             Nontransferability of SARs.   SARs may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and shall be exercisable during a Participant’s lifetime only by such Participant.

 

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ARTICLE 8.  Restricted Stock

 

8.1.                             Grant of Restricted Stock.  Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, Restricted Stock may be granted to Participants in such amounts, upon such terms, and at such times as the Committee shall determine.

 

8.2.                             Award Agreement.  Each Restricted Stock grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Period(s) of Restriction and, if applicable, Performance Period(s), the number of Shares of Restricted Stock granted, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine.

 

8.3.                             Other Restrictions.  The Committee shall impose such other conditions and/or restrictions on any Shares of Restricted Stock granted pursuant to the Plan as it may deem advisable including, without limitation, a requirement that Participants pay a stipulated purchase price for each Share of Restricted Stock, a requirement that the issuance of Shares of Restricted Stock be delayed, restrictions based upon the achievement of specific performance goals, time-based restrictions on vesting following the attainment of the performance goals, time-based restrictions, and/or restrictions under applicable laws or under the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which such Shares are listed or traded, or holding requirements or sale restrictions placed on the Shares by the Company upon vesting of such Restricted Stock.  The Company may retain in its custody any certificate evidencing the Shares of Restricted Stock and place thereon a legend and institute stop-transfer orders on such Shares, and the Participant shall be obligated to sign any stock power requested by the Company relating to the Shares to give effect to the forfeiture provisions of the Restricted Stock.

 

8.4.                             Removal of Restrictions.  Subject to applicable laws, Restricted Stock shall become freely transferable by the Participant after the last day of the Period of Restriction applicable thereto.  Once Restricted Stock is released from the restrictions, the Participant shall be entitled to receive a certificate evidencing the Shares.

 

8.5.                             Voting Rights.  Unless otherwise determined by the Committee and set forth in a Participant’s Award Agreement, to the extent permitted or required by law, as determined by the Committee, Participants holding Shares of Restricted Stock granted hereunder may exercise full voting rights with respect to those Shares during the Period of Restriction.

 

8.6.                             Dividends and Other Distributions.  During the Period of Restriction, all distributions, including regular cash dividends, paid with respect to Shares of Restricted Stock shall be credited to Participants subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the Restricted Stock with respect to which they were paid and shall not be paid unless and until the Shares of Restricted Stock with respect to which such distributions were made vest.

 

8.7.                             Termination of Employment or Service.  Each Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to retain unvested Restricted Stock following termination of the Participant’s employment or, if the Participant is a Director or Consultant, service with the Company and/or a Subsidiary, as the case may be. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, need not be uniform among all Awards of Restricted Stock, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination of employment or service.

 

8.8.                             Nontransferability of Restricted Stock.  Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, during the applicable Period of Restriction, a Participant’s Restricted Stock and rights relating thereto shall be available during the Participant’s lifetime only to such Participant, and such Restricted Stock and related rights may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.

 

ARTICLE 9.  Restricted Stock Units and Performance Shares

 

9.1.                             Grant of Restricted Stock Units/Performance Shares.  Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, Restricted Stock Units and Performance Shares may be granted to Participants in such amounts, upon such terms, and at such times as the Committee shall determine.

 

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9.2.                             Award Agreement.  Each grant of Restricted Stock Units or Performance Shares shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the applicable Period(s) of Restriction and/or Performance Period(s) (as the case may be), the number of Restricted Stock Units or Performance Shares granted, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine.  The initial value of a Restricted Stock Unit or Performance Share shall be at least equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share (of the same class as the Shares that are subject to the Award) on the date of grant; provided, however, that this restriction shall not apply to Replacement Awards or Awards that are adjusted pursuant to Section 4.3 herein.

 

9.3.                             Form and Timing of Payment.  Except as otherwise provided in Article 17 herein or a Participant’s Award Agreement, payment of Restricted Stock Units or Performance Shares shall be made at a specified settlement date that shall not be earlier than the last day of the Period of Restriction or Performance Period, as the case may be. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may pay earned Restricted Stock Units and Performance Shares by delivery of Shares or by payment in cash of an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of such Shares (or a combination thereof).  The Committee may provide that settlement of Restricted Stock Units or Performance Shares shall be deferred, on a mandatory basis or at the election of the Participant.

 

9.4.                             Voting Rights.  A Participant shall have no voting rights with respect to any Restricted Stock Units or Performance Shares granted hereunder; provided, however, that the Committee may deposit Shares potentially deliverable in connection with Restricted Stock Units or Performance Shares in a rabbi trust, in which case the Committee may provide for pass through voting rights with respect to such deposited Shares.

 

9.5.                             Dividend Equivalents.  At the discretion of the Committee, an Award of Restricted Stock Units or Performance Shares may provide the Participant with the right to receive Dividend Equivalents, which, if provided, will be credited to an account for the Participant and will be subject to the restrictions and vesting conditions applicable to such Award, and may be settled in cash and/or Shares, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, subject in each case to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall establish.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any such Dividend Equivalents shall not be paid unless and until the Restricted Stock Units or Performance Shares with respect to which the Dividend Equivalents were made vest.

 

9.6.                             Termination of Employment or Service.  Each Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to receive a payout with respect to an Award of Restricted Stock Units or Performance Shares following termination of the Participant’s employment or, if the Participant is a Director or Consultant, service with the Company and/or a Subsidiary, as the case may be. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, need not be uniform among all Restricted Stock Units or Performance Shares, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination of employment or service.

 

9.7.                             Nontransferability.  Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, Restricted Stock Units and Performance Shares and rights relating thereto may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.

 

ARTICLE 10.  Performance Units

 

10.1.                      Grant of Performance Units.  Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, Performance Units may be granted to Participants in such amounts, upon such terms, and at such times as the Committee shall determine.

 

10.2.                      Award Agreement.  Each grant of Performance Units shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the number of Performance Units granted, the Performance Period(s), the performance goals and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine.

 

10.3.                      Value of Performance Units.  The Committee shall set performance goals in its discretion that, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the number and/or value of Performance Units that will be paid out to the Participants.

 

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10.4.                      Form and Timing of Payment.  Except as otherwise provided in Article 17 herein or a Participant’s Award Agreement, payment of earned Performance Units shall be made following the close of the applicable Performance Period.  The Committee, in its sole discretion, may pay earned Performance Units in cash or in Shares that have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the value of the earned Performance Units (or a combination thereof).  The Committee may provide that settlement of Performance Units shall be deferred, on a mandatory basis or at the election of the Participant.

 

10.5.                      Dividend Equivalents.  At the discretion of the Committee, an Award of Performance Units may provide the Participant with the right to receive Dividend Equivalents, which, if provided, will be credited to an account for the Participant and subject to the restrictions and vesting conditions applicable to such Award, and may be settled in cash and/or Shares, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, subject in each case to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall establish.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any such Dividend Equivalents shall not be paid unless and until the Restricted Stock Units or Performance Shares with respect to which the Dividend Equivalents were made vest.

 

10.6.                      Termination of Employment or Service.  Each Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to receive a payout with respect to an Award of Performance Units following termination of the Participant’s employment or, if the Participant is a Director or Consultant, service with the Company and/or a Subsidiary, as the case may be. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, need not be uniform among all Performance Units and may reflect distinctions based on reasons for termination of employment or service.

 

10.7.                      Nontransferability.  Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, Performance Units and rights relating thereto may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.

 

ARTICLE 11.  Other Awards

 

11.1.                      Grant of Other Awards.  Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, Other Awards may be granted to Participants in such amounts, upon such terms, and at such times as the Committee shall determine.  Types of Other Awards that may be granted pursuant to this Article 11 include, without limitation, the payment of cash or Shares based on attainment of performance goals established by the Committee, the payment of Shares as a bonus or in lieu of cash based on attainment of performance goals established by the Committee, and the payment of Shares in lieu of cash under other Company incentive or bonus programs.

 

11.2.                      Payment of Other Awards.  Payment under or settlement of any such Awards shall be made in such manner and at such times as the Committee may determine.

 

11.3.                      Termination of Employment or Service.  The Committee shall determine the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to receive Other Awards following termination of the Participant’s employment or, if the Participant is a Director or Consultant, service with the Company and/or a Subsidiary, as the case may be. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, may be included in an agreement entered into with each Participant, but need not be uniform among all Other Awards, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination of employment or service.

 

11.4.                      Nontransferability.  Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, Other Awards and rights relating thereto may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.

 

11.5.                      LLC Conversion Awards.  The Committee shall be permitted to issue Other Awards under the Plan in the form of fully-vested or restricted Shares in conversion of profits interest awards issued pursuant to the Black Knight Financial Services, LLC 2013 Management Incentive Plan and the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Black Knight Financial Services, LLC, which Awards shall be subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee (“LLC Conversion Awards”).

 

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ARTICLE 12.  Replacement Awards

 

Each Replacement Award shall have substantially the same terms and conditions (as determined by the Committee) as the award it replaces; provided, however, that the number of Shares subject to Replacement Awards, the Exercise Price, grant price or other price of Shares subject to Replacement Awards, any performance conditions relating to Shares underlying Replacement Awards, or the market price of Shares underlying Replacement Awards or per-Share results may differ from the awards they replace to the extent such differences are determined to be appropriate and equitable by the Committee, in its sole discretion.

 

ARTICLE 13.  Performance Measures

 

The Committee may specify that the attainment of one or more of the performance measures set forth in this Article 13 shall determine the degree of granting, vesting and/or payout with respect to Awards (including any related dividends or Dividend Equivalents) that the Committee intends will qualify for the Performance-Based Exception.  The performance goals to be used for such Awards shall be chosen from among the following performance measure(s):  earnings per share, economic value created, market share (actual or targeted growth), net income (before or after taxes), operating income, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and restructuring costs (EBITDAR), adjusted net income after capital charge, return on assets (actual or targeted growth), return on capital (actual or targeted growth), return on equity (actual or targeted growth), return on investment (actual or targeted growth), revenue (actual or targeted growth), cash flow, operating margin, share price, share price growth, total stockholder return, new sales total contract value, and strategic business criteria consisting of one or more objectives based on meeting specified market penetration goals, productivity measures, geographic business expansion goals,

 

cost targets, customer satisfaction or employee satisfaction goals, goals relating to merger synergies, management of employment practices and employee benefits, or supervision of litigation and information technology, and goals relating to acquisitions or divestitures of Subsidiaries and/or other affiliates or joint ventures.  Each of the performance goals listed under this Article 13 shall be subject to such adjustments as may be specified by the Committee.  The targeted level or levels of performance with respect to such performance measures may be established at such levels and on such terms as the Committee may determine, in its discretion, including in absolute terms, as a goal relative to performance in prior periods, or as a goal compared to the performance of one or more comparable companies or an index covering multiple companies.  Awards (including any related dividends or Dividend Equivalents) that are not intended to qualify for the Performance-Based Exception may be based on these or such other performance measures as the Committee may determine.

 

Achievement of performance goals in respect of Awards intended to qualify under the Performance-Based Exception shall be measured over a Performance Period, and the goals shall be established not later than ninety (90) days after the beginning of the Performance Period or, if less than (90) days, the number of days that is equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of the relevant Performance Period applicable to the Award.  The Committee shall have the discretion to adjust the determinations of the degree of attainment of the pre-established performance goals; provided, however, that Awards that are designed to qualify for the Performance-Based Exception may not be adjusted upward (the Committee may, in its discretion, adjust such Awards downward).

 

ARTICLE 14.  Beneficiary Designation

 

Each Participant under the Plan may, from time to time, name any beneficiary or beneficiaries (who may be named contingently or successively) to whom any benefit under the Plan is to be paid in case of his or her death before he or she receives any or all of such benefit.  Each such designation shall revoke all prior designations by the same Participant, shall be in a form prescribed by the Committee, and will be effective only when filed by the Participant in writing during the Participant’s lifetime with the Committee.  In the absence of any such designation, benefits remaining unpaid at the Participant’s death shall be paid to the Participant’s estate.

 

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ARTICLE 15.  Deferrals

 

If permitted by the Committee, a Participant may defer receipt of amounts that would otherwise be provided to such Participant with respect to an Award, including Shares deliverable upon exercise of an Option or SAR or upon payout of any other Award.  If permitted, such deferral (and the required deferral election) shall be made in accordance with, and shall be subject to, the terms and conditions of the applicable nonqualified deferred compensation plan, agreement or arrangement under which such deferral is made and such other terms and conditions as the Committee may prescribe.

 

ARTICLE 16.  Rights of Participants

 

16.1.                      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.

 

16.2.                      Participation.  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.

 

ARTICLE 17.  Change in Control

 

Except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, unless otherwise specifically prohibited under applicable laws, or by the rules and regulations of any governing governmental agencies or national securities exchanges:

 

(a)                                  any and all outstanding Options and SARs granted hereunder shall become immediately exercisable; provided, however, that the Committee may instead provide that such Awards shall be automatically cashed out upon a Change in Control;

 

(b)                                  any Period of Restriction or other restriction imposed on Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units and Other Awards shall lapse; and

 

(c)                                   any and all Performance Shares, Performance Units and other Awards (if performance-based) shall be deemed earned at the target level (or if no target level is specified, the maximum level) with respect to all open Performance Periods.

 

ARTICLE 18.  Additional Forfeiture Provisions

 

The Committee may condition a Participant’s right to receive a grant of an Award, to vest in the Award, to exercise the Award, to retain cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property acquired in connection with the Award, or to retain the profit or gain realized by the Participant in connection with the Award, including cash or other proceeds received upon sale of Shares acquired in connection with an Award, upon compliance by the Participant with specified conditions relating to non-competition, confidentiality of information relating to or possessed by the Company, non-solicitation of customers, suppliers, and employees of the Company, cooperation in litigation, non-disparagement of the Company and its officers, directors and affiliates, and other restrictions upon or covenants of the Participant, including during specified periods following termination of employment with or service for the Company and/or a Subsidiary.

 

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ARTICLE 19.  Amendment, Modification, Termination, and Stockholder Approval

 

19.1.                      Amendment, Modification, and Termination.  The Board may at any time and from time to time, alter, amend, suspend or terminate the Plan in whole or in part; provided, however, that no amendment that requires stockholder approval in order for the Plan to continue to comply with the New York Stock Exchange listing standards or any rule promulgated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any securities exchange on which the securities of the Company are listed shall be effective unless such amendment shall be approved by the requisite vote of stockholders of the Company entitled to vote thereon within the time period required under such applicable listing standard or rule.

 

19.2.                      Adjustment of Awards Upon the Occurrence of Certain Unusual or Nonrecurring Events.  The Committee may make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, the events described in Section 4.3 hereof) affecting the Company or the financial statements of the Company or of changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles, whenever the Committee determines that such adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan With respect to any Awards intended to comply with the Performance-Based Exception, any such adjustments shall be specified at such times and in such manner as will not cause such Awards to fail to qualify under the Performance-Based Exception.

 

19.3.                      Awards Previously Granted.  No termination, amendment or modification of the Plan or of any Award shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted under the Plan without the written consent of the Participant holding such Award, unless such termination, modification or amendment is required by applicable law and except as otherwise provided herein.

 

19.4.                      Compliance with the Performance-Based Exception.  If it is intended that an Award (and/or any dividends or Dividend Equivalents relating to such Award) comply with the requirements of the Performance-Based Exception, the Committee may apply any restrictions it deems appropriate such that the Awards (and/or dividends or Dividend Equivalents) maintain eligibility for the Performance-Based Exception.  If changes are made to Code Section 162(m) or regulations promulgated thereunder to permit greater flexibility with respect to any Award or Awards available under the Plan, the Committee may, subject to this Article 19, make any adjustments to the Plan and/or Award Agreements it deems appropriate.

 

19.5.                      No Repricings.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, except as provided in Section 4.3 hereof, without first obtaining stockholder approval, (i) the exercise price of outstanding Options and grant price of outstanding SARs may not be reduced, (ii) Options and SARs may not be cancelled and replaced with Options or SARs with a lower exercise price or grant price, (iii) Options and SARs with an exercise or grant price that is equal to or in excess of the Fair Market Value of the underlying Share may not be purchased from Participants for cash or other securities, and (iv) outstanding Options or SARs may not otherwise be amended or modified in a manner that would be treated as a “repricing” under the then applicable rules, regulations or listing requirements adopted by the New York Stock Exchange.

 

ARTICLE 20.  Withholding

 

20.1.                      Tax Withholding.  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 taxable event arising as a result of the Plan.

 

20.2.                      Use of Shares to Satisfy Withholding Obligation.  With respect to withholding required upon the exercise of Options or SARs, 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 Committee 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 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

 

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which it would not result in additional accounting expense to the Company, taxes in excess of the minimum statutory withholding amounts.  Any such elections by a Participant shall be irrevocable, made in writing and signed by the Participant.

 

ARTICLE 21.  Indemnification

 

Each person who is or shall have been a member of the Committee, or of the Board, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law against and from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action taken or failure to act under the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in settlement thereof, with the Company’s approval, or paid by him or her in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her, provided he or she shall give the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf.  The foregoing right of indemnification is subject to the person having been successful in the legal proceedings or having acted in good faith and what is reasonably believed to be a lawful manner in the Company’s best interests.  The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.

 

ARTICLE 22.  Successors

 

All obligations of the Company under the Plan and with respect to Awards shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or other event, or a sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.

 

ARTICLE 23.  Limitation on Dividends and Dividend Equivalents

 

Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, if dividends or Dividend Equivalents are granted with respect to any Awards, the dividends or Dividend Equivalents shall be accumulated or reinvested and shall not be paid unless and until applicable vesting conditions are met.

 

ARTICLE 24.  Minimum Vesting Period

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, Awards under the Plan granted after June 14, 2017 shall vest no earlier than the first anniversary of the date the Award is granted; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) Awards that result in the issuance of an aggregate of up to five percent (5%) of the Shares available pursuant to Section 3.1(a) may be granted to any one or more Participants without respect to such minimum vesting provisions, and (ii) this Article 24 shall not prevent Awards from vesting due to death, disability or a Change in Control.

 

ARTICLE 25.  Holding Period

 

If and when (i) a Participant is an Officer (as defined in Rule 16a-1(f) of the Exchange Act) or holds the title of President of Data and Analytics, President of Origination Technology or President of Servicing Technology, and (ii) the Participant does not hold Shares with a value sufficient to satisfy the applicable stock ownership guidelines of the Company in place at that time, then the Participant must retain at least 50% of (a) any Shares of Restricted Stock that vest and (b) any Shares acquired by the Participant pursuant to an Award of Restricted Stock Units or Performance Units (excluding from the calculation any Shares withheld for purposes of satisfying applicable tax withholding obligations arising in connection with the vesting or settlement of the Award) until such time as the value of the Shares remaining in the Participant’s possession following any sale, assignment, pledge, exchange, gift or other transfer of the Shares shall be sufficient to meet any applicable stock ownership guidelines of the Company in place at that time.  For the avoidance of doubt, at any time when a Participant holds, in the aggregate, Shares with a value sufficient to satisfy the applicable stock ownership guidelines of the Company in

 

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place at that time, the Participant may enter into a transaction with respect to any Shares acquired by Grantee pursuant to an Award of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Performance Units so long as the Participant shall continue to satisfy such stock ownership guidelines following such transaction.  This Article 25 may be interpreted, modified or amended by the Committee, in its reasonable discretion, without shareholder approval.

 

ARTICLE 26.  Clawback of Benefits

 

The Company may (a) cause the cancellation of any Award, (b) require reimbursement of any Award by a Participant or beneficiary, and (c) effect any other right of recoupment of equity or other compensation provided under this Plan or otherwise in accordance with any Company policies that currently exist or that may from time to time be adopted or modified in the future by the Company and/or applicable law (each, a “Clawback Policy”).  In addition, a Participant may be required to repay to the Company certain previously paid compensation, whether provided under this Plan or an Award Agreement or otherwise, in accordance with any Clawback Policy.  By accepting an Award, a Participant is also agreeing to be bound by any existing or future Clawback Policy adopted by the Company, or any amendments that may from time to time be made to the Clawback Policy in the future by the Company in its discretion (including without limitation any Clawback Policy adopted or amended to comply with applicable laws or stock exchange requirements) and is further agreeing that all of the Participant’s Award Agreements may be unilaterally amended by the Company, without the Participant’s consent, to the extent that the Company in its discretion determines to be necessary or appropriate to comply with any Clawback Policy.

 

ARTICLE 27.  Legal Construction

 

27.1.                      Gender, Number and References.  Except where otherwise indicated by the context, any masculine term used herein also shall include the feminine; the plural shall include the singular and the singular shall include the plural.  Any reference in the Plan to an act or code or to any section thereof or rule or regulation thereunder shall be deemed to refer to such act, code, section, rule or regulation, as may be amended from time to time, or to any successor act, code, section, rule or regulation.

 

27.2.                      Severability.  In the event any provision of the Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.

 

27.3.                      Requirements of Law.  The granting of Awards and the issuance of Shares under the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required.

 

27.4.                      Governing Law.  To the extent not preempted by federal law, the Plan, and all agreements hereunder, shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without giving effect to conflicts or choice of law principles.

 

27.5.                      Non-Exclusive Plan.  Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor its submission to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board or a committee thereof to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable, including other incentive arrangements and awards that do or do not qualify under the Performance-Based Exception.

 

27.6.                      Code Section 409A Compliance.  To the extent applicable, it is intended that this Plan and any Awards granted under the Plan comply with the requirements of Code Section 409A and any related regulations or other guidance promulgated with respect to such Section by the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the Internal Revenue Service (collectively “Section 409A”).  Any provision that would cause the Plan or any Award granted under the Plan to fail to satisfy Section 409A shall have no force or effect until amended to comply with Section 409A, which amendment may be retroactive to the extent permitted by Section 409A.

 

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