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): February 25, 2018

 

 

Albertsons Companies, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   333-218138   47-4376911
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
  (Commission
File Number)
  (IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

250 Parkcenter Blvd., Boise, Idaho   83706
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

(208) 395-6200

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

N/A

(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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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 if the Securities Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company    ☐

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.    ☐

 

 

 


Introductory Note

This Form 8-K is being filed by Albertsons Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ACI”), as the initial report of ACI to the Securities and Exchange Commission and as notice that ACI is the “successor issuer” to Albertsons Companies, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ACL”), pursuant to Rule 15d-5 promulgated under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On February 25, 2018, in connection with a modification of ACL’s organizational structure, ACL’s parent, AB Acquisition LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“AB Acquisition”), and AB Acquisition’s parent, ACI, entered into a series of agreements (together, the “Reorganization Transactions”). As part of the Reorganization Transactions, ACL and ACI entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of February 25, 2018 (the “ACI Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which, and in accordance with Section 264 of the Delaware General Corporation Law and Section 18-209 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, ACL merged with and into ACI, with ACI being the surviving corporation in the Merger. The description of the ACI Merger Agreement is qualified in its entirety by the copy thereof which is filed as Exhibit 2.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

The certificate of incorporation of ACI, including an amendment to the certificate of incorporation dated September 21, 2015 and an amendment to the certificate of incorporation dated February 16, 2018, is filed herewith as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. The bylaws of ACI are filed herewith as Exhibit 3.2 and are incorporated herein by reference.

Prior to consummation of the Reorganization Transactions, ACI entered into a Stockholders’ Agreement (the “Stockholders’ Agreement”), dated December 3, 2017, by and among the Company, Albertsons Investor Holdings LLC (“Albertsons Investor”) and KIM ACI, LLC (“KIM ACI”), pursuant to which ACI has granted Albertsons Investor and KIM ACI certain registration rights for the common stock of ACI, par value $0.01 per share (the “ACI Common Stock”) held by such stockholders and provided Albertsons Investor with conditional board of director appointment and observer rights. In addition, ACI has agreed to indemnify Albertsons Investor, or any Holder (as defined in the Stockholders’ Agreement), against any losses or damages resulting from any untrue statement or omission of material fact in any registration statement or prospectus pursuant to which ACI sell its shares, unless such liability arose from Albertsons Investor’s, or any such Holder’s, misstatement or omission, and Albertsons Investor and the Holders have agreed to indemnify ACI against all losses caused by their misstatements or omissions. ACI has also agreed to pay all expenses incident to its performance of or compliance with the registration rights under the Stockholders’ Agreement, including but not limited to all underwriting discounts, commissions, fees and related expenses of underwriters, provided that a Demand Holder (as defined in the Stockholders’ Agreement) shall be responsible for ACI’s out-of-pocket registration expenses in the case of a withdrawal of a demand registration by such party (subject to certain exceptions). The description of the Stockholders’ Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety to the text of such document, which is filed herewith as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 5.01. Changes in Control of Registrant.

Following the consummation of the Reorganization Transactions, as of February 28, 2018, ACI has 279,654,028 shares of ACI Common Stock issued and outstanding, of which 252,413,675 shares and 27,240,353 shares were owned by Albertsons Investor and KIM ACI, respectively.

Similar to AB Acquisition prior to the Reorganization Transactions, Albertsons Investor and KIM ACI are held by a private investor group, including affiliates of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., Kimco Realty Corporation, Klaff Realty, LP, Schottenstein Stores Corp., Lubert-Adler Partners, L.P and certain members of management.

The information disclosed in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K relating to the Reorganization Transactions is incorporated herein by reference.

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

As previously announced by ACL, Wayne Denningham, President and Chief Operating Officer, retired effective February 24, 2018. On February 24, 2018, Mr. Denningham entered into a retirement agreement with ACI and its subsidiary, AB Management Services Corp. (the “Denningham Retirement Agreement”). Pursuant to the Denningham Retirement Agreement, in consideration for Mr. Denningham’s release of claims, ACI and AB Management Services Corp. agreed to provide Mr. Denningham with the severance payments and benefits set forth in his employment agreement with AB Management Services Corp., as if he were terminated without cause rather than retiring, and to accelerate the vesting of his outstanding Phantom Units under ACI’s Phantom Unit Plan that would have otherwise become vested had he remained in service through the end of ACI’s 2018 fiscal year.


Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Exhibit Description

  2.1    Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as February 25, 2018, by and between Albertsons Companies, Inc. and Albertsons Companies, LLC.
  3.1    Certificate of Incorporation of Albertsons Companies, Inc., including Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation, dated September 21, 2015 and Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation, dated February 16, 2018.
  3.2    Bylaws of Albertsons Companies, Inc.
10.1    Stockholders’ Agreement, dated December 3, 2017, by and among Albertsons Companies, Inc., Albertsons Investor Holdings LLC and KIM ACI, LLC.


Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Exhibit Description

  2.1    Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as February 25, 2018, by and between Albertsons Companies, Inc. and Albertsons Companies, LLC.
  3.1    Certificate of Incorporation of Albertsons Companies, Inc., including Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation, dated September  21, 2015 and Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation, dated February 16, 2018.
  3.2    Bylaws of Albertsons Companies, Inc.
10.1    Stockholders’ Agreement, dated December 3, 2017, by and among Albertsons Companies, Inc., Albertsons Investor Holdings LLC and KIM ACI, LLC.


SIGNATURES

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

 

   

Albertsons Companies, Inc.

 

Dated: March 1, 2018      
    By:  

/s/ Robert A. Gordon

      Robert A. Gordon
     

Executive Vice President, General

Counsel and Secretary

Exhibit 2.1

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of February 25, 2018 (this “ Agreement ”), by and between Albertsons Companies, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Merging Company ”), and Albertsons Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ ACI ”). The Merging Company and ACI are sometimes hereinafter together referred to as the “ Constituent Entities ”.

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, the sole member of the Merging Company, on the one hand, and the board of directors of ACI, on the other hand, have approved the merger of the Merging Company with and into ACI, with ACI continuing as the surviving corporation (the “ Merger ”); and

WHEREAS, the sole member of the Merging Company and the board of directors of ACI have approved and adopted this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the parties hereto hereby approve and adopt this Agreement and mutually covenant and agree with each other as follows:

ARTICLE I

The Merger

1.01. The Merger . (a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, at the Effective Time (as defined below), the Merging Company shall be merged with and into ACI in accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “ DGCL ”) and the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the “ Act ”), and the separate existence of the Merging Company shall cease and ACI shall continue as the surviving corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “ Surviving Corporation ”).

(b) The Merger shall be effected by the filing of a duly executed Certificate of Merger (the “ Certificate of Merger ”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The Merger shall become effective as of 12:01 AM Eastern Standard Time on February 25, 2018, such time is herein referred to as the “ Effective Time ”.

(c) At the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall thereupon and thereafter possess all of the rights, privileges and powers of each of the Constituent Entities, and all property, real, personal and mixed, and all debts due to either of the Constituent Entities, as well as all other things and causes of action belonging to each of the Constituent Entities, shall remain vested in the Surviving Corporation and shall be the property of the Surviving Corporation, and the title to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in the Constituent Entities shall not revert or be in any way impaired as a result of such conversion; but all rights of creditors and all liens upon any property of either of the Constituent Entities shall be preserved unimpaired, and all debts, liabilities and duties of each of the Constituent Entities shall attach to the Surviving Corporation, and may be enforced against it to the same extent as if said debts, liabilities and duties had originally been incurred or contracted by it.


1.02. Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation . At the Effective Time, the Certificate of Incorporation of ACI, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be and continue to be the Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation, until thereafter amended in accordance with applicable law.

1.03. Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation . At the Effective Time, the bylaws of ACI, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be and continue to be the bylaws of the Surviving Corporation, until thereafter amended in accordance with its terms or applicable law.

1.04. Officers of the Surviving Corporation . Until their successors shall be duly elected and qualified, upon the Effective Time, the officers of ACI shall continue to hold their respective positions as officers of the Surviving Corporation.

1.05. Closing . The closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “ Closing ”) shall take place (i) on February 25, 2018 or (ii) at such other time as the Merging Company and ACI shall agree (the “ Closing Date ”). The Merging Company and ACI shall cause the Certificate of Merger to be prepared and properly executed and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in accordance with the DGCL and the Act to be effective on the Closing Date.

1.06. No Appraisal Rights . No appraisal or dissenters’ rights shall be available with respect to the Merger.

ARTICLE II

Miscellaneous

2.01. Termination and Abandonment . This Agreement may be terminated and the transactions contemplated hereby may be abandoned at any time, but not later than the Closing Date, by written agreement of the Merging Company and ACI.

2.02. Entire Agreement . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral and written, among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.

2.03. Binding Effect; Benefit . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns but neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned by any party hereto without the prior written consent of the other party. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer on any person other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assigns, any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement.


2.04. Amendment and Modification . Subject to applicable law, this Agreement may be amended, modified and supplemented in any and all respects by written agreement of the Merging Company and ACI at any time prior to the Closing Date with respect to any of the terms contained herein.

2.05. Section Headings . The section headings contained in this Agreement are inserted for reference purposes only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

2.06. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (including by facsimile or portable document file (PDF) signatures), each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which together shall be deemed to be one and the same instrument.

2.07. Applicable Law . This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties hereto shall be governed by, and construed and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware.

[ Signature Page Follows ]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized all as of the date first above written.

 

ALBERTSONS COMPANIES, INC.
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Gordon

Name:   Robert A. Gordon
Title:   Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary

[Signature Page to Albertsons Companies LLC Merger Agreement]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized all as of the date first above written.

 

ALBERTSONS COMPANIES, LLC
By:   ALBERTSONS COMPANIES, INC, its sole member
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Gordon

Name:   Robert A. Gordon
Title:   Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary

[Signature Page to Albertsons Companies LLC Merger Agreement]

EXHIBIT 3.1

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

ALBERTSONS COMPANIES, INC.

ARTICLE I

The name of the Corporation is Albertsons Companies, Inc. (the “Corporation”).

ARTICLE II

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

ARTICLE III

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 (the “GCL”).

ARTICLE IV

The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is six hundred thirty million (630,000,000), consisting of (i) six hundred million (600,000,000) shares of common stock, par value one cent ($0.01) per share (the “Common Stock”), and (ii) thirty million (30,000,000) shares of preferred stock, par value one cent ($0.01) per share (the “Preferred Stock”). The Board of Directors is hereby expressly authorized, by resolution or resolutions, to provide, out of the unissued shares of Preferred Stock, for one or more series of Preferred Stock and, with respect to each such series, to fix, without further stockholder approval, the designation, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, including voting powers and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of each series of Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 151 of the GCL.

ARTICLE V

Except as otherwise provided by the GCL or this Certificate of Incorporation, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.


The total number of directors consisting the Board of Directors shall be not less than 7 directors nor more than 15 directors, the exact number of directors to be determined from time to time exclusively by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors or in the manner provided herein. Prior to the date upon which Albertsons Investor Holdings LLC, KRS ABS, LLC, KRS AB Acquisition, LLC, Albertsons Management Holdco, LLC and their respective Affiliates (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) or any person who is an express assignee or designee of their respective rights under this Certificate of Incorporation (and such assignee’s or designee’s Affiliates) (the “ABS Control Group” and, of these entities, the entity that is the beneficial owner of the largest number of shares is referred to as the “Designated Controlling Stockholder”) ceases to own, in the aggregate, at least 50% of the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Corporation (the “50% Trigger Date”) the authorized number of directors may be increased or decreased by the Designated Controlling Stockholder. On and after the 50% Trigger Date, the authorized number of directors may be increased or decreased by the affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation or by resolution of the Board of Directors. At each annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation, all directors shall be elected for a one (1) year term and shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors shall be elected and shall qualify, subject, however, to prior death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office.

Vacancies on the Board of Directors by reason of death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office, or otherwise, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, shall be filled (i) prior to the 50% Trigger Date, by (x) the Designated Controlling Stockholder or (y) a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director and (ii) on and after the 50% Trigger Date, solely by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and shall not be filled by the stockholders. A director elected to fill a vacancy or a newly created directorship shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor shall be elected and shall qualify, subject, however, to prior death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office.

ARTICLE VI

On or after the 50% Trigger Date, subject to the special rights of one or more series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, any director or the entire Board of Directors may only be removed from office, either with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the total voting power of the outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation then entitled to vote generally in an election of directors, voting together as a single class.

 

2


ARTICLE VII

Elections of directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of the Corporation shall otherwise provide.

ARTICLE VIII

A. Special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation for any purpose or purposes (i) may be called at any time by the Board of Directors, and (ii) shall be called by the Secretary upon the written request of stockholders owning at least twenty-five percent (25%) in amount of the entire capital stock of the Corporation issued and outstanding, and entitled to vote at the special meeting.

B. At any time prior to the 50% Trigger Date, any action required or permitted by the GCL to be taken at a stockholders’ meeting may be taken without a meeting and without prior notice if the action is taken by the written consent of the Designated Controlling Stockholder and by the delivery of consents representing the voting power of stockholders otherwise required under the GCL to effect such action by written consent in lieu of a meeting. On and after the 50% Trigger Date, no action required or permitted by the GCL to be taken at a stockholders’ meeting may be taken by the written consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting.

ARTICLE IX

The officers of the Corporation shall be chosen in such a manner, shall hold their offices for such terms and shall carry out such duties as are determined 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 X

A. The Corporation shall indemnify to the full extent authorized or permitted by law (as now or hereafter in effect) any person made, or threatened to be made, a defendant or witness to any action, suit or proceeding (whether civil or 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, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, in any capacity. Nothing contained herein shall affect any rights to indemnification to which employees other than directors or officers may be entitled by law. No amendment or repeal of this Section A of Article X shall apply to or have any effect on any right to indemnification provided hereunder with respect to

 

3


any acts or omissions occurring prior to such amendment or repeal. The rights to indemnification provided under this Section A of Article X shall extent to the testator or intestate of the person to whom such rights are granted.

B. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. No amendment to or repeal of this Section B of this Article X 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 or repeal.

C. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute:

(i) the Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is 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 such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of law; and

(ii) the Corporation may create a trust fund, grant a security interest and/or use other means (including, without limitation, letters of credit, surety bonds and/or other similar arrangements), as well as enter into contracts providing indemnification to the full extent authorized or permitted by law and including as part thereof provisions with respect to any or all of the foregoing to ensure the payment of such amounts as may become necessary to effect indemnification as provided therein, or elsewhere.

ARTICLE XI

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation. Any adoption, amendment or repeal of the Bylaws by the Board of Directors shall require the approval of a majority of the entire Board of Directors. The stockholders shall also have power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws; provided , however , that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, (i) prior to the 50% Trigger Date, in addition to any vote required by law, only the Designated Controlling Stockholder shall have the power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws, and (ii) on and after the 50% Trigger Date, in addition to any vote required by law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of the capital stock of the

 

4


Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required to adopt, amend or repeal any provision of the Bylaws. Notwithstanding anything in the preceding sentences, in no event shall (x) any amendment or repeal of any Bylaw provision requiring a supermajority vote of the stockholders to take action under such provision be made without the affirmative vote of the same supermajority of the stockholders, and (y) any rights to indemnification or advancement of expenses conferred on the ABS Control Group, directors or officers by the Bylaws be amended or repealed other than prospectively with respect to actions taken on or after the date of such amendment or repeal.

ARTICLE XII

The Corporation reserves the right to repeal, alter amend, or rescind any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, and all rights conferred on stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation.

ARTICLE XIII

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim for breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the GCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine.

ARTICLE XIV

The Corporation elects not to be governed by Section 203 of the GCL, “Business Combinations With Interested Stockholders”, as permitted under and pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of Section 203 of the DGCL.

ARTICLE XV

Michael Stromquist is the sole incorporator and his mailing address is c/o Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP, 919 Third Avenue, New York, New York, 10022.

[ Remainder of page intentionally left blank ]

 

5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being the sole incorporator of the Corporation, does make and file this Certificate of Incorporation, hereby declaring and certifying that the facts herein stated are true, and accordingly has hereunto set his hand this 23 rd day of June, 2015.

 

/s/ Michael Stromquist

Name:   Michael Stromquist
Title:   Sole Incorporator

 

6


CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

OF

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

ALBERTSONS COMPANIES, INC.

Pursuant to Section 241

of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

Albertsons Companies, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify:

1. The Corporation has not received any payment for any of its stock.

2. The Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation is hereby amended by deleting Article IV thereof and inserting the following in lieu thereof:

“ARTICLE IV: The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is one billion thirty million (1,030,000,000), consisting of (i) one billion (1,000,000,000) shares of common stock, par value one cent ($0.01) per share (the “Common Stock”), and (ii) thirty million (30,000,000) shares of preferred stock, par value one cent ($0.01) per share (the “Preferred Stock”). The Board of Directors is hereby expressly authorized, by resolution or resolutions, to provide, out of the unissued shares of Preferred Stock, for one or more series of Preferred Stock and, with respect to each such series, to fix, without further stockholder approval, the designation, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, including voting powers and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of each series of Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 151 of the GCL.”

3. The foregoing amendment to the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 241 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Albertsons Companies, Inc. has caused this Certificate to be executed by its duly authorized officer on this 21 st day of September, 2015.

 

ALBERTSONS COMPANIES, INC.
By:  

/s/ Robert A. Gordon, Esq.

Name:  

Robert A. Gordon, Esq.

Title:  

Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary


CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

TO THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

ALBERTSONS COMPANIES, INC.

 

 

Pursuant to Section 242

of the General Corporation Law of the

State of Delaware

 

 

Albertsons Companies, Inc. (the “ Corporation ”), a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Delaware, pursuant to the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “ DGCL ”), DOES HEREBY CERTIFY

FIRST: That, in accordance with the provisions of Sections 141 and 242 of the DGCL, the Board of Directors of the Corporation duly adopted resolutions setting forth the following amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the “ Amendment ”), declaring the Amendment to be advisable and calling for the submission of the proposed Amendment to the stockholders of the Corporation for their consideration thereof. The resolution setting forth the proposed amendment is as follows:

RESOLVED, that, in order to effect a reverse split of the Corporation’s common stock, the Board of Directors declares that if is advisable to amend Article IV of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, upon approval by the requisite vote of the holders of the common stock of the Corporation, by adding the following at the end of Article IV :

Without regard to any other provision of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as the same may be amended from time to time, effective as of 5:00 p.m. New York City time, on February 16, 2018 (the “ Effective Time ”), each share of common stock, par value one cent ($0.01) per share (the “ Old Common Stock ”), of the Corporation issued and outstanding or held as treasury shares immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall, automatically and without any action on the part of the respective holders thereof, be reclassified, combined and converted into 0.682361 of a share of common stock, par value one cent ($0.01) per share (the “ New Common Stock ”), of the Corporation.

Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, no fractional shares of New Common Stock shall be issued to the holders of record of Old Common Stock in connection with the foregoing reclassification of shares of Old Common Stock. Any fraction resulting from such division will be rounded to the nearest whole number.

The New Common Stock issued in this exchange shall have the same rights, preferences and privileges as the Old Common Stock.

SECOND: That the Amendment was submitted for stockholder approval and that on February 16, 2018, a majority of the outstanding stock of the Corporation entitled to vote as a class voted to approve the foregoing amendment in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation and the DGCL,


THIRD: That the Amendment was duly approved and adopted in accordance with the applicable provisions of Section 242 of the DGCL.

FOURTH: That the Amendment shall be effective as of 5:00 p.m. New York City time on February 16, 2018.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Certificate of Amendment to be duly signed by Robert G. Miller, its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer this 16th day of February, 2018.

 

ALBERTSONS COMPANIES, INC.
By:  

/s/ Robert G. Miller

  Name: Robert G. Miller
  Title:   Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Exhibit 3.2

BYLAWS

OF

ALBERTSONS COMPANIES, INC.

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

As used in these Bylaws of the Corporation, the terms set forth below shall have the meanings indicated, as follows:

35% Trigger Date ” shall mean the date upon which the ABS Control Group ceases to own, in the aggregate, at least 35% of the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock.

50% Trigger Date ” shall mean the date upon which the ABS Control Group ceases to own, in the aggregate, at least 50% of the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock.

ABS Control Group ” shall mean Albertsons Investor Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and KIM ACI LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and their respective Affiliates (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act), or any person who is an express assignee or designee of their respective rights under the Certificate of Incorporation (and such assignee’s or designee’s respective Affiliates).

Board of Directors ” or “ Board ” shall mean the board of directors of the Corporation.

Bylaws ” shall mean these Bylaws of the Corporation, as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time.

Certificate of Incorporation ” shall mean the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time.

Common Stock ” shall mean the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation.

Corporation ” shall mean Albertsons Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

Delaware Court ” shall mean the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.

Designated Controlling Stockholder ” shall mean, of the entities in the ABS Control Group, the entity that is the beneficial owner of the largest number of shares of the Common Stock.

DGCL ” shall mean the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time.

Electronic Transmission ” shall mean any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced on paper form by such a recipient through an automatic process.

 

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Exchange Act ” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Proposing Stockholder ” shall mean any stockholder of record other than, prior to the 35% Trigger Date, the Designated Controlling Stockholder, provided that, on or after the 35% Trigger Date, the Designated Controlling Stockholder shall be included as a Proposing Stockholder.

Secretary of State ” shall mean the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

Stockholders’ Agreement ” shall mean that certain Stockholders’ Agreement, dated as of December 3, 2017, by and among the Corporation and the holders of stock of the Corporation signatory thereto, as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time.

ARTICLE II

OFFICES

Section 2.01 Offices . The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware shall be as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation.

The Corporation may also have offices at such other places both within and without the State of Delaware as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.

ARTICLE III

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

Section 3.01 Place of Meeting . Meetings of stockholders shall be held at any place within or outside the State of Delaware designated by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that the meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as provided under the DGCL. In the absence of any such designation, stockholders’ meetings shall be held at the principal executive office of the Corporation.

Section 3.02 Annual Meeting .

(a) The annual meeting of stockholders for the election of directors and for the transaction of such other business as shall have been properly brought before the meeting shall be held on such date and at such time and place, if any, as may be fixed by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting. The Board of Directors may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled annual meeting of stockholders. At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business (other than the nomination of a person for election of a director, which is governed by Section 4.01 of these Bylaws) must be (i) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, including any committee thereof, (ii) otherwise

 

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properly brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, including any committee thereof, or, prior to the 35% Trigger Date, the Designated Controlling Stockholder, or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a Proposing Stockholder who (A) was a stockholder of record (and, with respect to any beneficial owner, if different, on whose behalf such business is proposed, only if such beneficial owner was the beneficial owner of shares of the Corporation) both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 3.02 and at the time of the meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (C) complied with all of the notice procedures set forth in this Section 3.02 as to such business. Except for proposals made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act, and included in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, the foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a Proposing Stockholder to propose business (other than the nomination of a person for election of a director, which is governed by Section 4.01 of these Bylaws) to be brought before an annual meeting of the stockholders. Proposing Stockholders seeking to nominate persons for election to the Board of Directors must comply with the notice procedures set forth in Section 4.01 of these Bylaws, and this Section 3.02 shall not be applicable to nominations except as expressly provided in Section 4.01 of these Bylaws.

(b) Without qualification, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a Proposing Stockholder, such proposed business must constitute a proper matter for stockholder action and the Proposing Stockholder must (i) provide Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 3.02. To be timely, a Proposing Stockholder’s notice must be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s 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 120 days after the end of the last fiscal year concluded prior to the date on which shares of Common Stock are first publicly traded); provided, however , that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 60 days after such anniversary date, notice by the Proposing Stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the 120 th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the 90 th day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the 10 th day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was made (such notice within such time periods, “ Timely Notice ”). In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of Timely Notice as described above.

(c) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 3.02, a Proposing Stockholder’s notice to the Secretary pursuant to this Section 3.02 shall be required to set forth:

(i) As to the Proposing Stockholder providing the notice and each other Proposing Person (as defined below), (A) the name and address of the Proposing Stockholder providing the notice, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and each other Proposing Person and (B) the class or series and number of shares of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned of record or beneficially owned (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by the Proposing Stockholder providing the notice and/or any other Proposing Persons, except that such Proposing Stockholder and/or such other Proposing Persons shall be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of the Corporation as to which such Proposing Stockholder and/or such other Proposing Person(s) has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future;

 

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(ii) As to the Proposing Stockholder providing the notice (or, if different, the beneficial owner on whose behalf such business is proposed) and each other Proposing Person, (A) any derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions engaged in, directly or indirectly, by such Proposing Stockholder or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or any other Proposing Person, the purpose or effect of which is to give such Proposing Stockholder or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or such other Proposing Person economic risk similar to ownership of shares of any class or series of the Corporation, including due to the fact that the value of such derivative, swap or other transaction is determined by reference to the price, value or volatility of any shares of any class or series of the Corporation, or which derivative, swap or other transaction provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit from any increase in the price or value of shares of any class or series of the Corporation (“ Synthetic Equity Interests ”), which such Synthetic Equity Interests shall be disclosed without regard to whether (x) such derivative, swap or other transaction conveys any voting rights in such shares to such Proposing Stockholder or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or such other Proposing Person, (y) the derivative, swap or other transaction is required to be, or is capable of being, settled through delivery of such shares or (z) such Proposing Stockholder or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or such other Proposing Person may have entered into other transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such derivative, swap or other transaction, (B) any proxy (other than a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the Exchange Act), agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship pursuant to which such Proposing Stockholder or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or any other Proposing Person has or shares a right to vote any shares of any class or series of the Corporation, (C) any agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship, including any repurchase or similar so-called “stock borrowing” agreement or arrangement, engaged in, directly or indirectly, by such Proposing Stockholder or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or any other Proposing Person, the purpose or effect of which is to mitigate loss to, reduce the economic risk (of ownership or otherwise) of shares of any class or series of the Corporation by, manage the risk of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such Proposing Stockholder or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or such other Proposing Person with respect to the shares of any class or series of the Corporation, or which provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit from any decrease in the price or value of the shares of any class or series of the Corporation (“ Short Interests ”), (D)(x) if such Proposing Stockholder or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or any other Proposing Person is not a natural person, the identity of the natural person or persons associated with such Proposing Stockholder or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or such other Proposing Person responsible for the formulation of and decision to propose the business to be brought before the meeting (such person or persons, the “ Responsible Person ”), the manner in which such Responsible Person was selected, any fiduciary duties owed by such Responsible Person to the equity holders or other beneficiaries of such Proposing Stockholder and/or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or such other Proposing Person, the qualifications and background of such Responsible Person and any material interests or relationships of such Responsible Person that are not shared generally by the other stockholders of the Corporation and that reasonably could have influenced the decision of such Proposing Stockholder and/or beneficial owner, as

 

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applicable, and/or such other Proposing Person to propose such business to be brought before the meeting, and (y) if such Proposing Stockholder or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or any other Proposing Person is a natural person, the qualifications and background of such natural person and any material interests or relationships of such natural person that are not shared generally by the other stockholders of the Corporation and that reasonably could have influenced the decision of such Proposing Stockholder and/or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or such other Proposing Person to propose such business to be brought before the meeting, (E) any significant equity interests or any Synthetic Equity Interests or Short Interests in any principal competitor of the Corporation held by such Proposing Stockholder and/or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or any other Proposing Persons, (F) any direct or indirect interest of such Proposing Stockholder and/or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or any other Proposing Person in any contract with the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation (including any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), or any principal competitor of the Corporation, (G) any pending or threatened litigation in which such Proposing Stockholder and/or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or any other Proposing Person is a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the Corporation, (H) any material transaction occurring during the prior 12 months between such Proposing Stockholder and/or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or any other Proposing Person, on the one hand, and the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation or any principal competitor of the Corporation, on the other hand, (I) any other information relating to such Proposing Stockholder and/or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or any other Proposing 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 by such Proposing Stockholder or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or such other Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, (J) a representation that the Proposing Stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business and (K) a representation whether the Proposing Stockholder and/or beneficial owner, if any, and/or any other Proposing Person intends or is part of a group that intends (a) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal and/or (b) otherwise to solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (K) are referred to as “ Disclosable Interests ”); and

(iii) As to each matter the Proposing Stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, (A) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and, in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend these Bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of the Proposing Stockholder providing the notice and/or any other Proposing Person and (B) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings between or among the Proposing Stockholder providing the notice, any other Proposing Person and/or any other persons or entities (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such Proposing Stockholder.

 

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For purposes of this Section 3.02, the term “ Proposing Person shall mean (i) the Proposing Stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or owners, if different, on whose behalf the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting is made, (iii) any affiliate or associate (as such terms are defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act) of such beneficial owner and (iv) any other person with whom such Proposing Stockholder or beneficial owner (or any of their respective affiliates or associates) is Acting in Concert (as defined below).

A person shall be deemed to be “ Acting in Concert ” with another person for purposes of these Bylaws if such person knowingly acts (whether or not pursuant to an express agreement, arrangement or understanding) in concert with, or towards a common goal relating to the management, governance or control of the Corporation in parallel with, such other person where (A) each person is conscious of the other person’s conduct or intent and this awareness is an element in their decision-making processes and (B) at least one additional factor suggests that such persons intend to act in concert or in parallel, which such additional factors may include, without limitation, exchanging information (whether publicly or privately), attending meetings, conducting discussions or making or soliciting invitations to act in concert or in parallel; provided , that a person shall not be deemed to be Acting in Concert with any other person solely as a result of the solicitation or receipt of revocable proxies from such other person in connection with a public proxy solicitation pursuant to, and in accordance with, the Exchange Act. A person which is Acting in Concert with another person shall be deemed to be Acting in Concert with any third party who is also acting in concert with such other person.

(d) A Proposing Stockholder providing notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 3.02 shall be true and correct as of the record date for notice of the meeting and as of the date that is ten business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to or mailed and received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five business days after the record date for notice of the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date for notice of the meeting), and not later than eight business days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof).

(e) Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at an annual meeting except in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 3.02 (including the requirement in the case of business to be brought before the meeting by a Proposing Stockholder that such Proposing Stockholder update and supplement the notice of proposed business set forth in clause (d) above). The person presiding over the annual meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that the business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3.02, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare to the meeting, and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.02, unless otherwise required by law, if the Proposing Stockholder (or a qualified representative of the Proposing Stockholder) does not appear at the annual meeting of

 

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stockholders of the Corporation to present the proposed business, such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of this Section 3.02, to be considered a qualified representative of the Proposing Stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such Proposing Stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such Proposing Stockholder or an Electronic Transmission delivered by such Proposing Stockholder to act for such Proposing Stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or Electronic Transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or Electronic Transmission, at the meeting of stockholders.

(f) In addition to the requirements of this Section 3.02 with respect to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to any such business. This Section 3.02 shall not be deemed to affect the rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

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

Section 3.03 Quorum; Adjournments . A majority in voting power of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the meeting of stockholders, the holders of which are present in person, present by means of remote communication in a manner, if any, authorized by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business except as otherwise provided by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws. A quorum, once established, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum. If, however, such quorum shall not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the person presiding at the meeting or, if directed to be voted on by the person presiding at the meeting, the stockholders present or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote thereon, although less than a quorum, may 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 original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 30 days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote is required for the adjourned meeting, the Board of Directors shall fix the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting, and a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

Section 3.04 Voting . Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law, each stockholder shall have one vote for each share of stock having voting power, registered in such stockholder’s name on the books of the Corporation on the record date set by the Board of Directors for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at a

 

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meeting of stockholders as provided in Section 7.04 hereof. When a quorum is present at any meeting, a majority of the votes cast by the shares present or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall decide any questions brought before such meeting, unless the question is one upon which by express provisions of applicable law, regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation or the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a different vote is required, in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question. Except as otherwise provided by these Bylaws, at any meeting for the election of directors at which a quorum is present, each director of the Corporation shall be elected by the vote of a majority of the votes cast with respect to that director’s election by the shares present or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if, as of the tenth (10th) day preceding the date the Corporation first mails its notice of meeting for such meeting of stockholders, the number of nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected (a “ Contested Election ”), the directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the votes cast. In a Contested Election, stockholders shall be given the choice to cast “for” or “withhold” votes for the election of directors, and shall not have the ability to cast any other vote with respect to such election of directors. For purposes of this Section, a “majority of the votes cast” means that the number of votes cast “for” a proposal or a candidate for director must exceed the number of votes cast “against” that proposal or candidate for director (with “abstentions” and “broker non-votes” (i.e., shares held by a bank, broker or other nominee which are present or represented by proxy at the meeting, but with respect to which such bank, broker or nominee is not empowered to vote) not counted as votes cast either “for” or “against” such proposal or candidate for director).

Section 3.05 Proxies . Each stockholder having the right to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy in a manner permitted by applicable law. No such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period.

Section 3.06 Special Meetings . Unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, special meetings of the stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, (i) may be called at any time by the Board of Directors, and (ii) shall be called by the Secretary upon the written request of stockholders owning at least 25% in amount of the entire capital stock of the Corporation issued and outstanding, and entitled to vote at the special meeting. Such request shall set forth (i) if the purpose of the meeting relates to business other than the election or appointment of directors, all information as is required to be included in a notice delivered to the Corporation pursuant to Section 3.02(c) hereof (and, in such circumstance, the requirements of Section 3.02(d) hereof shall also apply) and (ii) if the purpose of the meeting includes the appointment or election of one or more members of the Board of Directors, all information as would be required to be included in a notice delivered to the Corporation pursuant to Section 4.01(d) hereof (and, in such circumstance, the requirements of Section 4.01(e) hereof shall also apply). The Board of Directors or, prior to the 35% Trigger Date, the Designated Controlling Stockholder, may bring business before a special meeting of stockholders called by the Secretary upon the request of the Stockholders. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice. The Board of Directors may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled special meeting of stockholders, whether called by them or otherwise.

 

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Section 3.07 Notice to Stockholders .

(a) Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a written notice of the meeting shall be given which notice shall state the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (if such date is different from the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting) and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Except as otherwise provided by law, such written notice of any meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, not less than ten nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting. If mailed, notice is deemed given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation.

(b) Except as otherwise prohibited by the DGCL and without limiting the foregoing, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of Electronic Transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the Corporation. Any such consent shall be deemed revoked if (i) the Corporation is unable to deliver by Electronic Transmission two consecutive notices given by the Corporation in accordance with such consent and (ii) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent of the Corporation, or other person responsible for the giving of notice; provided, however, the inadvertent failure to treat such inability as a revocation shall not invalidate any meeting or other action. Any such notice shall be deemed given (i) if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (ii) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (iii) if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and (iv) if by any other form of Electronic Transmission, when directed to the stockholder.

(c) Except as otherwise prohibited under the DGCL and without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws may be given by a single written notice to stockholders who share an address if consented to by the stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given. Such consent shall have been deemed to have been given if a stockholder fails to object in writing to the Corporation within 60 days of having been given written notice by the Corporation of its intention to send the single notice as set forth in this Section 3.07(c). Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholders by written notice to the Corporation.

 

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Section 3.08 List of Stockholders . The officer 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 (provided, however, if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth day before the meeting date), 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, for a period of at least ten days prior to the meeting, (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Except as otherwise provided by law, such list shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by this Section 3.08 or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of the stockholders. The Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list.

Section 3.09 Written Consent of Stockholders in Lieu of Meeting . Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, at any time prior to the 50% Trigger Date, any action required or permitted by the DGCL to be taken at a stockholders’ meeting may be taken without a meeting and without prior notice in the manner provided in the Certificate of Incorporation and the DGCL.

Section 3.10 Conduct of Meetings .

(a) Meetings of stockholders shall be presided over by the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, if any, or in the Chairperson’s absence by the Chief Executive Officer, or in the Chief Executive Officer’s absence, by the President, or in the President’s absence by a Vice President, or in the absence of all of the foregoing persons by a person designated by the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in the Secretary’s absence the person presiding over the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

(b) The Board of Directors may adopt by resolution such rules, regulations and procedures for the conduct of any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation as it shall deem appropriate including, without limitation, such guidelines and procedures as it may deem appropriate regarding the presence and participation by means of remote communication of stockholders and proxy holders not physically present at a meeting. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules, regulations and procedures as adopted by the Board of Directors, the person presiding over any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such person, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures,

 

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whether adopted by the Board of Directors or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (ii) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (iii) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as shall be determined; (iv) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (v) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board of Directors or the person presiding over the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

(c) The person presiding over the meeting shall announce at the meeting when the polls for each matter to be voted upon at the meeting will be opened and closed. After the polls close, no ballots, proxies or votes or any revocations or changes thereto may be accepted.

(d) In advance of any meeting of stockholders, the Board of Directors, the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President shall appoint one or more inspectors of election to act at the meeting and make a written report thereof. One or more other persons may be designated as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate is present, ready and willing to act at a meeting of stockholders, the person presiding over the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Unless otherwise required by law, inspectors may be officers, employees or agents of the Corporation. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of such inspector’s duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of such inspector’s ability. The inspector shall have the duties prescribed by law and, when the vote is completed, shall make a certificate of the result of the vote taken and of such other facts as may be required by law. Every vote taken by ballots shall be counted by a duly appointed inspector or duly appointed inspectors.

ARTICLE IV

DIRECTORS

Section 4.01 Election of Directors .

(a) The total number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall be as fixed in, or be determined in the manner provided by, the Certificate of Incorporation. At each annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation, all directors shall be elected for a one (1) year term and shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors shall be elected and shall qualify, subject, however, to prior death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office. Election of directors need not be by written ballot. The directors need not be stockholders.

With respect to nominations by Proposing Stockholders, only persons who are nominated in accordance with the following procedures shall be eligible for election as directors. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors at an annual meeting or at a special meeting (but only if the Board, or pursuant to Section 3.06 of these Bylaws, the stockholders,

 

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have first determined that directors are to be elected at such special meeting) may be made at such meeting (i) specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, including any committee thereof, (ii) brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, including any committee thereof or the Designated Controlling Stockholder, prior to the 35% Trigger Date, or (iii) by any Proposing Stockholder who (A) was a stockholder of record (and, with respect to any beneficial owner, if different, on whose behalf such nomination is proposed to be made, only if such beneficial owner was the beneficial owner of shares of the Corporation) both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 4.01 and at the time of the meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (C) complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 4.01 as to such nomination. This Section 4.01 shall be the exclusive means for a Proposing Stockholder to propose any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board to be considered by the stockholders at an annual meeting or special meeting.

Without qualification, for nominations to be made at an annual meeting by a Proposing Stockholder, the Proposing Stockholder must (i) provide Timely Notice (as defined in Section 3.02 of these Bylaws) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 4.01. Without qualification, if the Board has first determined that directors are to be elected at such special meeting (or if a special meeting is called pursuant to Section 3.06 hereof and relates to the election or appointment of directors), then for nominations to be made at a special meeting by a Proposing Stockholder, the Proposing Stockholder must (i) provide timely notice thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 4.01. To be timely, a Proposing Stockholder’s notice for nominations to be made at a special meeting by a Proposing Stockholder must be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the 120 th day prior to such special meeting and not later than the 90 th day prior to such special meeting or, if later, the 10 th day following the day on which public disclosure (as defined in Section 3.02 of these Bylaws) of the date of such special meeting was first made. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or special meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 4.01, a Proposing Stockholder’s notice to the Secretary pursuant to this Section 4.01 shall be required to set forth:

(i) As to the Proposing Stockholder providing the notice and each other Proposing Person (as defined below), (A) the name and address of the Proposing Stockholder providing the notice, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and of the other Proposing Persons, (B) a representation that the Proposing Stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such nomination, (C) a representation whether the Proposing Stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, and/or any other Proposing Person intends or is part of a group that intends (a) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to elect the nominee and/or (b) otherwise to solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such nomination, and (D) any Disclosable Interests (as defined in Section 3.02 of these Bylaws) of the Proposing Stockholder providing the notice (or, if different, the beneficial owner on whose behalf such notice is given) and/or each other Proposing Person;

 

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(ii) As to each person whom the Proposing Stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a director, (A) all information with respect to such proposed nominee that would be required to be set forth in a Proposing Stockholder’s notice pursuant to this Section 4.01 if such proposed nominee were a Proposing Person, (B) all information relating to such proposed nominee that is required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (including such proposed nominee’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected) and (C) a description of all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among the Proposing Stockholder providing the notice (or, if different, the beneficial owner on whose behalf such notice is given) and/or any Proposing Person, on the one hand, and each proposed nominee, his or her respective affiliates and associates and any other persons with whom such proposed nominee (or any of his or her respective affiliates and associates) is Acting in Concert (as defined in Section 3.02 of these Bylaws), on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 under Regulation S-K if such Proposing Stockholder or beneficial owner, as applicable, and/or such Proposing Person were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the proposed nominee were a director or executive officer of such registrant; and

(iii) The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director of the Corporation or that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence or lack of independence of such proposed nominee.

For purposes of this Section 4.01, the term “ Proposing Person ” shall mean (i) the Proposing Stockholder providing the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the annual or special meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or owners, if different, on whose behalf the nomination proposed to be made at the annual or special meeting is made, (iii) any affiliate or associate of such beneficial owner (as such terms are defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act) and (iv) any other person with whom such Proposing Stockholder or such beneficial owner (or any of their respective affiliates or associates) is Acting in Concert.

A Proposing Stockholder providing notice of any nomination proposed to be made at an annual or special meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 4.01 shall be true and correct as of the record date for the annual or special meeting and as of the date that is ten business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to or mailed and received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five business days after the record date for the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the

 

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record date), and not later than eight business days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof).

Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no person nominated by a Proposing Stockholder shall be eligible for election as a director of the Corporation unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 4.01. The person presiding over the annual or special meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that a nomination was not properly made in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4.01 (including the requirement to update and supplement a Proposing Stockholder’s notice of any nomination set forth in clause (e) above), and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare such determination to the meeting, and the defective nomination shall be disregarded. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.01, unless otherwise required by law, if the Proposing Stockholder (or a qualified representative of the Proposing Stockholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present a nomination, such nomination shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of this Section 4.01, to be considered a qualified representative of the Proposing Stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such Proposing Stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such Proposing Stockholder or an Electronic Transmission delivered by such Proposing Stockholder to act for such Proposing Stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or Electronic Transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or Electronic Transmission, at the meeting of stockholders.

This Section 4.01 is expressly intended to apply to any nomination by a Proposing Stockholder proposed to be brought before an annual or special meeting. In addition to the requirements of this Section 4.01 with respect to any nomination by a Proposing Stockholder proposed to be made at an annual or special meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to any such nominations. Nothing in this Section 4.01 shall be deemed to affect any rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock to elect directors pursuant to any applicable provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or the rights of the Designated Controlling Stockholder as agreed with the Corporation.

Section 4.02 Vacancies . Vacancies on the Board of Directors by reason of death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office, or otherwise, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, shall be filled as provided in the Certificate of Incorporation. A director elected to fill a vacancy or a newly created directorship shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor shall be elected and shall qualify, subject, however, to prior death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office.

Section 4.03 Removal . Any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed from office in the manner provided in the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

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Section 4.04 General Powers . Except as otherwise provided by law or the Certificate of Incorporation, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of its Board of Directors.

Section 4.05 Place of Meeting . The Board may hold its meetings at such place or places within or without the State of Delaware as it may from time to time determine.

Section 4.06 Regular Meetings . Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such time and place as shall from time to time be determined by the Board.

Section 4.07 Special Meetings . Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairperson of the Board of Directors. Special meetings also shall be called by the Secretary on the written request of any two directors unless the Board consists of only one director, in which case special meetings shall be called by the Secretary on the written request of the sole director. Notice of the time, date and place of such meeting shall be given, orally or in writing, by the person or persons calling or requesting the meeting to all directors at least four days before the meeting if the notice is mailed, or at least 24 hours before the meeting if such notice is given by telephone, hand delivery, overnight express courier, facsimile, electronic mail or other Electronic Transmission. Unless otherwise indicated in the notice, any and all business may be transacted at a special meeting, provided that notice of the special meeting shall state the purpose or purposes of the special meeting. The notice shall be deemed given:

(i) in the case of hand delivery or notice by telephone, when received by the director to whom notice is to be given or by any person accepting such notice on behalf of such director,

(ii) in the case of delivery by mail, upon deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the director to whom notice is being given at such director’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation,

(iii) in the case of delivery by overnight express courier, on the first business day after such notice is dispatched, and

(iv) in the case of delivery via facsimile, electronic mail or other Electronic Transmission, when sent to the director to whom notice is to be given at such director’s facsimile number or electronic mail address, as the case may be, as shown on the Corporation’s records.

Section 4.08 Quorum; Adjournments . At all meetings of the Board of Directors a majority of the authorized number of directors shall be necessary and sufficient to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the vote 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, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws. 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. If only one director is authorized, such sole director shall constitute a quorum.

 

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Section 4.09 Unanimous Action in Lieu of a Meeting . Unless otherwise restricted 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 members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, or by Electronic Transmission, and the writing or writings or Electronic Transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee, respectively. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

Section 4.10 Conference Call Meetings . Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, members of the Board of Directors, or any committee designated by the Board of Directors, may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

Section 4.11 Committees . The Board of Directors may designate one or more committees, each such committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he, she 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 such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors, 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, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval or adopting, amending or repealing these Bylaws.

Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board of Directors when required.

Section 4.12 Compensation . Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors, including the granting of equity interests (which may include profits interests and Synthetic Equity Interests) of the Corporation to the 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. Members of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation for attending committee meetings or a stated salary as a committee member. The terms of any compensation (including the granting of equity interests of the Corporation) paid to directors shall be as determined by the Board of Directors.

 

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ARTICLE V

OFFICERS

Section 5.01 Generally . The Board of Directors shall from time to time elect or appoint such officers as it shall deem necessary or appropriate to the management and operation of the Corporation, including, without limitation, a President (which may be the Chief Executive Officer (“ CEO ”), a Secretary and a Treasurer (which may be the Chief Financial Officer). The Board of Directors or the CEO shall have the power and authority to appoint as officers one or more Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, Vice Presidents, a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Administrative Officer and a Chief Marketing Officer. The officers of the Corporation shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as are specified in these Bylaws, in a resolution of the Board of Directors or, in the case of an officer appointed by the CEO, as specified by the CEO. Any person may hold two or more offices simultaneously, and no officer need be a stockholder of the Corporation.

In addition to the authority of the CEO to appoint officers as set forth above, if so provided by resolution of the Board, any officer may be delegated the authority to appoint one or more officers or assistant officers, which appointed officers or assistant officers shall have the duties and powers specified in the resolution of the Board or as determined by such officer.

Section 5.02 Compensation . The officers of the Corporation shall be entitled to such salaries, compensation or reimbursement as shall be fixed or allowed from time to time by the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee thereof. In fixing the salaries, compensation and reimbursement of the officers of the Company other than the CEO, the Board of Directors may, among other things, take into account the recommendation of the CEO.

Section 5.03 Term; Removal . Each officer shall hold office until such officer’s successor is elected or appointed and qualified or until such officer’s earlier resignation or removal. Any officer may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Board of Directors. Any officer appointed by the CEO may be removed at any time by the CEO. If the office of any officer or officers becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy shall be filled by the Board of Directors or by the CEO.

Section 5.04 Duties .

(a) Chairperson of the Board . The Chairperson of the Board shall, if present, preside at all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board. The Chairperson of the Board shall also perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may be assigned by these Bylaws or prescribed by the Board from time to time. If there is no President, the Chairperson of the Board shall in addition be the CEO and shall have the powers and duties prescribed in paragraph (c) of this Section 5.04.

(b) President, Chief Executive Officer . The President shall be the CEO of the Corporation. The CEO shall be the principal executive officer of the Corporation and shall have such other title or titles designated by the Board. Subject to the control of the Board, the CEO shall in general manage, supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Corporation. He or she shall have authority to conduct all ordinary business on behalf of the Corporation and

 

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may execute and deliver on behalf of the Corporation any contract, conveyance or similar document; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of the CEO of a corporation and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board or these Bylaws from time to time. The President shall perform such other duties and shall have such other powers as the Board or the CEO (if the President is not the CEO) may from time to time prescribe.

(c) Treasurer . The Treasurer (who shall have any other title or titles designated by the Board or the CEO, including without limitation, in the Board’s or the CEO’s discretion, “ 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 valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation, in such depositories as may be designated by the Board. He or she shall disburse the funds of the corporation as may be ordered by the Board, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the Board, at its regular meetings, or when the Board so requires, an account of all his or her transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation. If required by the Board, he or she shall give the Corporation a bond, in such sum and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board, for the faithful performance of the duties of his or her office and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of his or her death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in his or her possession or under his or her control belonging to the Corporation. The Treasurer in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of the Treasurer of a corporation and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board, the CEO or these Bylaws from time to time.

(d) Secretary . The Secretary shall: (1) attend and keep the minutes of the stockholders’ meetings and of the Board’s meetings in one or more books provided for that purpose, and perform like duties for the standing committees of the Board when required by the Board; (2) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or as otherwise required by law or the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation; (3) be custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the Corporation and see that the seal of the Corporation is affixed to all documents, the execution of which on behalf of the Corporation under its seal is duly authorized; (4) maintain, or cause an agent designated by the Board to maintain, a record of the Corporation’s stockholders in a form that permits the preparation of a list of the names and addresses of all stockholders in alphabetical order by class of shares, showing the number and class of shares held by each; (5) have general charge of the stock transfer books of the Corporation or responsibility for supervision, on behalf of the Corporation, of any agent to which stock transfer responsibility has been delegated by the Board; (6) have responsibility for the custody, maintenance and preservation of those corporate records which the Corporation is required by the DGCL or otherwise to create, maintain or preserve; and (7) in general perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary of a corporation and such other duties as may be assigned by the Board, the CEO or these Bylaws from time to time.

(e) Deputy Officers . The Board may create one or more deputy officers whose duties shall be, among any other designated thereto by the Board, to perform the duties of the officer to which such office has been deputized in the event of the unavailability, death or inability or refusal of such officer to act. Deputy officers may hold such titles as designated therefor by the Board; however, any office designated with the prefix “Vice” or “Deputy” shall be, unless otherwise specified by resolution of the Board, automatically a deputy officer to the office with the title of which the prefix term is conjoined. Deputy officers shall have such other duties as prescribed by the Board or the CEO from time to time.

 

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(f) Assistant Officers . The Board may appoint one or more officers who shall be assistants to principal officers of the Corporation, or their deputies, and who shall have such duties as shall be delegated to such assistant officers by the Board or such principal officers, including the authority to perform such functions of those principal officers in the place of and with full authority of such principal officers as shall be designated by the Board or (if so authorized) by such principal officers. The Board may by resolution authorize appointment of assistant officers by those principal officers to which such appointed officers will serve as assistants.

ARTICLE VI

INDEMNIFICATION

Section 6.01 Indemnification .

(a) The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless to the full extent permitted by law (as now or hereafter in effect) 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 or she is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or, while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation, any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise in any capacity, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she 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 or her 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 or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful. Notwithstanding this Section 6.01(a) or the provisions of Section 6.01(b) hereof, except as otherwise provided in Section 6.01(f) hereof, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify a covered person in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) commenced by such covered person only if the commencement of such proceeding (or part thereof) by the covered person was authorized in the specific case by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

(b) The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless to the full extent permitted by law (as now or hereafter in effect) 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 or she is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or, while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent

 

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of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise in any capacity against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation and except that no such 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 Delaware Court 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 such Delaware Court or such other court shall deem proper.

(c) To the extent that a present or former director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation shall be successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b), or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he or she shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith.

(d) Any indemnification under paragraphs (a) and (b) (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 present or former director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b). Such determination shall be made, with respect to a person who is a director, officer, employee or agent at the time of such determination, (1) by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (2) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (3) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (4) by the stockholders.

(e) Expenses incurred by an officer or director in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law 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 or she is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Section 6.01. Such expenses incurred by former directors and officers or other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the Corporation deems appropriate.

(f) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, the other paragraphs of this Section 6.01 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking 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 his or her official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. The provisions of this Section 6.01 shall not be deemed to preclude the indemnification of (or advancement of expenses to) any person who is not specified in Section 6.01(a) or Section 6.01(b) but whom the Corporation has the power or obligation to indemnity under the provisions of the DGCL, or otherwise.

 

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(g) If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of a proceeding) or advancement of expenses under this Section 6.01 is not paid in full within 90 days after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation, the claimant may file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim to the fullest extent permitted by law. In any such action the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that the claimant was not entitled to the requested indemnification or advancement of expenses under applicable law.

(g) The Board of Directors may authorize, by a vote of a majority of a quorum of the Board of Directors, the Corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise in any capacity against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of this Section 6.01.

(h) The Board of Directors may authorize the Corporation to enter into a contract with any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise providing for indemnification rights equivalent to or, if the Board of Directors so determines, greater than those provided in Section 6.01.

(i) For the purposes of this Section 6.01, 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, officers, employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Section 6.01 with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he or she would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

(j) For purposes of this Section 6.01, references to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; 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 service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he or she 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 interest of the Corporation” as referred to in this section.

 

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(k) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Section 6.01 shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

(l) The Corporation’s obligation, if any, to indemnify or to advance expenses to any person who was or is serving at its request another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise in any capacity shall be reduced by any amount such person may collect as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

(m) Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Section 6.01 shall not adversely affect any right or protection hereunder of any person in respect of any proceeding (regardless of when such proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) arising out of, or related to, any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification.

ARTICLE VII

CERTIFICATES OF STOCK

Section 7.01 Certificates . The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of the Corporation’s stock shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation. Every holder of stock represented by certificates shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, or the President or a Vice President, and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of the Corporation, representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. Any or all of the signatures 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 or she were such officer, transfer agent, or registrar at the date of issue.

Section 7.02 Transfer . The issue, transfer, conversion and registration of stock certificates or uncertificated shares shall be governed by such other regulations as the Board of Directors may establish.

Section 7.03 Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates . The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares in the place of any certificate previously issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to agree to indemnify the Corporation and/or to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it, against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares.

 

22


Section 7.04 Fixing the Record Date .

(a) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board of Directors so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board of Directors determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. 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 determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at the adjourned meeting.

(b) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders 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 a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no such record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

(c) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting at any time prior to the 50% Trigger Date, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors. If no record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting is fixed by the Board of Directors, (i) when no prior action of the Board of Directors is required by law, the record date for such purpose shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the corporation in accordance with applicable law, and (ii) if prior action by the Board of Directors is required by law, the record date for such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

 

23


Section 7.05 Registered Stockholders . The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share or shares of stock as the holder in fact thereof and accordingly shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim or interest in such share on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, save as expressly provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.

ARTICLE VIII

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 8.01 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, pursuant to law. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation.

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 directors from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve fund to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or for such other purpose as the directors shall think conducive to the interests of the Corporation, and the directors may abolish any such reserve.

Section 8.02 Checks . All checks or demands for money and notes of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.

Section 8.03 Fiscal Year . The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.

Section 8.04 Seal . The Board of Directors may provide for a corporate seal, which shall have the name of the Corporation inscribed thereon and shall otherwise be in such form as may be approved from time to time by the Board of Directors. Said seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.

Section 8.05 Waiver of Notice . Whenever any notice is required to be given under applicable law or the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to said notice, or a waiver by Electronic Transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders, directors or members of a committee of directors need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by Electronic Transmission, unless so required by the Certificate of Incorporation. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

 

24


ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS

Section 9.01 Amendments . These Bylaws may be amended or repealed, in whole or in part, or new Bylaws may be adopted by the Board or by the stockholders as expressly provided in the Certificate of Incorporation.

ARTICLE X

EXCLUSIVE FORUM

Section 10.01 Exclusive Forum . Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Delaware Court shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director or officer of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or these Bylaws or the Certificate of Incorporation or (iv) any action governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Section 10.01.

 

25

EXHIBIT 10.1

 

 

 

STOCKHOLDERS’ AGREEMENT

BY AND AMONG

ALBERTSONS COMPANIES, INC.

AND

HOLDERS OF STOCK OF ALBERTSONS COMPANIES, INC. SIGNATORY HERETO

Dated as of December 3, 2017

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     1  

Section 1.01.

   Defined Terms      1  

Section 1.02.

   Other Interpretive Provisions      8  

ARTICLE II HOLDERS’ RIGHTS

     9  

Section 2.01.

   Board Representation      9  

Section 2.02.

   Voting      10  

Section 2.03.

   Sell-Downs; Distributions of Company Shares      11  

ARTICLE III REGISTRATION RIGHTS

     17  

Section 3.01.

   Demand Registration      17  

Section 3.02.

   Shelf Registration      19  

Section 3.03.

   Piggyback Registration      22  

Section 3.04.

   Black-out Periods      24  

Section 3.05.

   Registration Procedures      26  

Section 3.06.

   Underwritten Offerings      31  

Section 3.07.

   No Inconsistent Agreements; Additional Rights      33  

Section 3.08.

   Registration Expenses      33  

Section 3.09.

   Indemnification      34  

Section 3.10.

   Rules 144 and 144A and Regulation S      37  

Section 3.11.

   Limitation on Registrations and Underwritten Offerings      38  

Section 3.12.

   Clear Market      38  

Section 3.13.

   In-Kind Distributions      38  

ARTICLE IV MISCELLANEOUS

     39  

Section 4.01.

   Term      39  

Section 4.02.

   Injunctive Relief      39  

Section 4.03.

   Attorneys’ Fees      39  

Section 4.04.

   Notices      39  

Section 4.05.

   Publicity and Confidentiality      40  

Section 4.06.

   Amendment      40  

Section 4.07.

   Taxable REIT Subsidiary Election      40  

Section 4.08.

   Successors, Assigns and Transferees      41  

Section 4.09.

   Binding Effect      41  

Section 4.10.

   Third Party Beneficiaries      41  

Section 4.11.

   Governing Law; Jurisdiction      42  

Section 4.12.

   Waiver of Jury Trial      42  

Section 4.13.

   Severability      42  

Section 4.14.

   Counterparts      42  

Section 4.15.

   Headings      42  

Section 4.16.

   Joinder      42  

Section 4.17.

   Other Activities      43  

 

i


STOCKHOLDERS’ AGREEMENT

This Stockholders’ Agreement (the “ Agreement ”) is made, entered into and effective as of December 3, 2017, by and between Albertsons Investor Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Investor Holdco ”), KIM ACI, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ KIM ACI ”, and together with Investor Holdco, the “ ABS Control Group ”) and Albertsons Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (including any of its successors by merger, acquisition, reorganization, conversion or otherwise) (the “ Company ”).

WITNESSETH

WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, each of the members of the ABS Control Group owns Registrable Securities of the Company; and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to set forth certain rights of members of the ABS Control Group with respect to the Company.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual promises, covenants and agreements of the parties hereto, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

5% Demanding Holder ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

ABS Control Group ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Adverse Disclosure ” means public disclosure of material non-public information that, in the Board of Directors’ good faith judgment, after consultation with independent outside counsel to the Company, would be required to be made in any Registration Statement filed with the SEC by the Company so that such Registration Statement would not be materially misleading and would not be required to be made at such time but for the filing of such Registration Statement, but which information the Company has a bona fide business purpose for not disclosing publicly.

Affiliate ” shall mean any Person or entity, directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person or entity, including (i) a general partner, limited partner, or retired partner affiliated with such Person or entity, (ii) a fund, partnership, limited liability company or other entity affiliated with such Person or entity, (iii) a director, officer, stockholder, partner or member (or retired partner or member) affiliated with such Person or entity, or (iv) or the estate of any such partner or member (or retired partner or member) affiliated with such Person or entity; provided that neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of the Holders.


Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Company.

Business Day ” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which commercial banks located in New York, New York are required or authorized by law or executive order to be closed.

Change of Control ” means the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the sale, lease or transfer, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any one Person or (ii) the acquisition by any Person or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) (other than the Equity Investors), including any group acting for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of securities (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision), in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, by way of merger, consolidation or other business combination or purchase of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) of 50% or more of the total voting power of the Company or any of its direct or indirect parent companies holding directly or indirectly 100% of the total voting power of the Company.

Company ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Company Public Sale ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.03(a).

Company Share Equivalent ” means securities exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible, into Company Shares.

Company Shares ” means the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, any Equity Securities into which such shares of common stock shall have been changed, or any Equity Securities resulting from any reclassification, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, conversion, stock or other equity split or dividend or similar transactions with respect to such shares of common stock or such other Equity Securities.

Consent and Agreement ” means that certain Consent and Agreement, dated as of December 3, 2017, among Management Holdco, the members of Management Holdco identified on the signature pages thereof, Investor Holdco and certain other parties thereto.

Conversion Event ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.08(b).

Conversion Securities ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.08(b).

Conversion Securities Issuer ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.08(b).

Demand Company Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(c).

 

2


Demand Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

Demand Party ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

Demand Registration ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

Demand Registration Statement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

Demand Suspension ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(d).

Director Requirements ” means with respect to an individual, that such individual must be qualified and suitable to serve as a member of the Board of Directors under all applicable corporate governance policies and guidelines of the Company and the Board of Directors and subject to any employment agreement or other agreement with an employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or controlled Affiliates, and all applicable legal, regulatory and stock exchange requirements (other than any requirements under Section 303A of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual regarding director independence).

Eligibility Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(a).

Equity Investors ” means (i) the Sponsors, and any other funds or managed accounts advised or managed by any Sponsor or one of a Sponsor’s Affiliates, (ii) any person that has no material assets other than the capital stock of the Company or a direct or indirect parent of the Company, and of which no other Person or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, or any successor provision), other than any Equity Investor specified in clause (i) above, holds more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock thereof, and (iii) any group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) the members of which include any Equity Investor specified in clause (i) above and that, directly or indirectly, hold or acquire beneficial ownership of the Voting Stock of the Company (a “ Permitted Group ”), so long as (1) each member of the Permitted Group has voting rights proportional to the percentage of ownership interests held or acquired by such member and (2) no Person or other “group” (other than an Equity Investor specified in clause (i) above) beneficially owns more than 50% on a fully diluted basis of the Voting Stock held by the Permitted Group.

Equity Securities ” means, as applicable, (i) any capital stock, membership interests or other equity interest of any Person; (ii) any securities directly or indirectly convertible into or exchangeable for any capital stock, membership interests or other equity interest of any Person; or (iii) any rights or options directly or indirectly to subscribe for or to purchase any capital stock, membership interests or other equity interest of any Person or to subscribe for or to purchase any securities directly or indirectly convertible into or exchangeable for any capital stock, membership interests or other equity interest of any Person.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any successor thereto, and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect from time to time.

Excluded Company Shares ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(b).

 

3


Family Member ” means, with respect to any specified natural person (including any entities or trusts formed for estate or family planning purposes by such specified natural person), (i) any parent, child, descendant or sibling of such natural person or of such natural person’s spouse (including relationships resulting from adoption) or (ii) the spouse of such natural person or of any person covered by clause (i).

FINRA ” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Form S-1 ” means a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act, or any comparable or successor form or forms thereto.

Form S-3 ” means a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act, or any comparable or successor form or forms thereto.

Governmental Entity ” means any federal, state, local or foreign governmental, administrative, judicial or regulatory agency, commission, court, body, entity or authority.

Holder ” means any holder of Registrable Securities that is a party hereto and/or any Permitted Assignee that succeeds to rights hereunder pursuant to Section 4.08.

Initial S-3 Holder ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(a).

Initiating Shelf Take-Down Holder ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(e)(i).

Investor Holdco ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

IPO ” means (i) the first underwritten public offering and sale of Company Shares for cash pursuant to an effective registration statement (other than on Form S-8 or a comparable form) filed with and declared effective by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, (ii) the consummation of a transaction in which Company Shares are first exchanged for or converted into common stock of a company traded on an internationally recognized securities exchange or dealer quotation system, or (iii) the consummation of a business combination transaction in which Company Shares are first listed on an internationally recognized securities exchange or dealer quotation system.

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus ” means an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, relating to an offer of Registrable Securities.

KIM ACI ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Law ” means foreign or domestic law, statute, code, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, writ, stipulation, award, injunction, decree or arbitration award or finding of any Governmental Entity.

Loan Agreement ” means that certain Term (Committed Loan) Loan Agreement, dated as of July 2, 2015, by and between Goldman Sachs Bank USA, as Lender, and Albertsons Management Holdings, LLC, as Borrower, as amended on November 22, 2016 such agreement (and loan pursuant thereto) and related documents, each as may be further amended, modified or refinanced from time to time.

 

4


Lockup Period ” means the period beginning on the date hereof until the date that is 180 days from the date of the final Prospectus filed in connection with the IPO.

Long-Form Registration ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

Loss ” or “ Losses ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.09(a).

Majority Holders ” means the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities as determined from time to time.

Management Holdco ” means Albertsons Management Holdco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Marketed Underwritten Offering ” means any Underwritten Offering (including a Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, but, for the avoidance of doubt, not including any Shelf Take-Down that is not a Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down) that involves a customary “road show” (including an “electronic road show”) or other substantial marketing effort by the Company and the underwriters over a period of at least 48 hours.

Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(e)(iii).

Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(e)(iii).

Non-Participating Holder ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(b).

Observer ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(h).

Other Selling Holders ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(b).

Participating Holder ” means, with respect to any Registration, any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by the applicable Registration Statement.

Participating Majority ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04(b).

Permitted Assignee ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.08.

Permitted Group ” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Equity Investors”.

Person ” means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, unincorporated organization, trust or joint venture, or a governmental agency or political subdivision thereof or any other entity.

Piggyback Registration ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.03(a).

 

5


Pro Rata Percentage ” means, as of any date, with respect to a Holder, a number of Registrable Securities equal to (i) the number of Registrable Securities held by such Holder as of such date divided by (ii) the number of Registrable Securities held by all Holders requesting to include Registrable Securities in a Registration Statement.

Prospectus ” means the prospectus included in any Registration Statement, all amendments and supplements to such prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments to such Registration Statement, and all other material incorporated by reference in such prospectus.

Registrable Securities ” means any Company Shares now owned or hereafter acquired by a Holder; provided , however , that any such Company Shares shall cease to be Registrable Securities to the extent (i) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such Company Shares has been declared effective under the Securities Act and such Company Shares have been disposed of in accordance with the plan of distribution set forth in such Registration Statement, (ii) such Company Shares have been sold to the public through a broker, dealer or market maker in compliance with Rule 144 or Rule 145 of the Securities Act (or any successor rule), or (iii) such Company Shares cease to be outstanding. For the avoidance of doubt, it is understood that, with respect to any Registrable Securities for which a Holder holds vested but unexercised options or other Company Share Equivalents at such time exercisable for, convertible into or exchangeable for Company Shares, to the extent that such Registrable Securities are to be sold pursuant to this Agreement, such Holder must exercise the relevant option or exercise, convert or exchange such other relevant Company Share Equivalent and transfer the underlying Registrable Securities (in each case, net of any amounts required to be withheld by the Company in connection with such exercise).

Registration ” means a registration with the SEC of the Company’s securities for offer and sale to the public under a Registration Statement. The terms “ Register ” and “ Registered ” shall have correlative meanings.

Registration Expenses ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.08.

Registration Statement ” means any registration statement of the Company that covers Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement filed with, or to be filed with, the SEC under the rules and regulations promulgated under the Securities Act, including the related Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including pre- and post-effective amendments, and all exhibits and all material incorporated by reference in such registration statement.

Representatives ” means, with respect to any Person, any of such Person’s officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys, accountants, actuaries, consultants, equity financing partners or financial advisors or other Person associated with, or acting on behalf of, such Person.

Rule 144 ” means Rule 144 (or any successor provisions) under the Securities Act.

S-3 Eligibility Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(a).

 

6


S-3 Shelf Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(a).

SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any successor thereto, and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect from time to time.

Sell-Down ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(b).

Sell-Down Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(b).

Shelf Holder ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(c).

Shelf Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(c).

Shelf Period ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(b).

Shelf Registration ” means a Registration effected pursuant to Section 3.02.

Shelf Registration Statement ” means a Registration Statement of the Company filed with the SEC on either (i) Form S-3 or (ii) if the Company is not permitted to file a Registration Statement on Form S-3, an evergreen Registration Statement on Form S-1, in each case for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (or any successor provision) covering all or any portion of the Registrable Securities, as applicable.

Shelf Suspension ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(d).

Shelf Take-Down ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(e)(i).

Short-Form Registration ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

Special Registration ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.12.

Sponsor ” means individually and collectively, (a) Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., (b) Lubert-Adler Real Estate Fund V, L.P., (c) Klaff Realty, LP, (d) Schottenstein Stores Corporation, and (e) Kimco Realty Corporation.

Transaction Transfer Restrictions ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(a).

Underwritten Offering ” means a Registration in which securities of the Company are sold to an underwriter or underwriters on a firm commitment basis for reoffering to the public.

Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(e)(ii).

 

7


Voting Stock ” of any Person as of any date means the capital stock of such Person that is at the time entitled to vote in the election of the board of directors of such Person.

Section 1.02. Other Interpretive Provisions .

(a) In this Agreement, except as otherwise provided:

(i) A reference to an Article, Section, Schedule or Exhibit is a reference to an Article or Section of, or Schedule or Exhibit to, this Agreement, and references to this Agreement include any recital in or Schedule or Exhibit to this Agreement.

(ii) The Schedules form an integral part of and are hereby incorporated by reference into this Agreement.

(iii) Headings and the Table of Contents are inserted for convenience only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.

(iv) Unless the context otherwise requires, words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa, words importing the masculine include the feminine and vice versa, and words importing persons include corporations, associations, partnerships, joint ventures and limited liability companies and vice versa.

(v) Unless the context otherwise requires, the words “hereof” and “herein”, and words of similar meaning refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or clause. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.”

(vi) A reference to any legislation or to any provision of any legislation shall include any amendment, modification or re-enactment thereof and any legislative provision substituted therefor.

(vii) All determinations to be made by any Holder hereunder may be made by such Holder in its sole discretion, and such Holder may determine, in its sole discretion, whether or not to take actions that are permitted, but not required, by this Agreement to be taken by such Holder, including the giving of consents required hereunder.

(b) The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question of intention or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any provisions of this Agreement.

 

8


ARTICLE II

HOLDERS’ RIGHTS

Section 2.01. Board Representation .

(a) For so long as the ABS Control Group collectively has beneficial ownership of less than 50% but at least 35% of the aggregate number of Company Shares then outstanding, Investor Holdco shall have the right to designate to the Board of Directors a number of individuals who satisfy the Director Requirements equal to one director fewer than 50% of the size of the Board of Directors at any time (rounded up to the next whole number).

(b) For so long as any Holder has beneficial ownership of less than 35% but at least 20% of the aggregate number of Company Shares then outstanding, such Holder shall have the right to designate to the Board of Directors a number of individuals who satisfy the Director Requirements equal to the greater of (A) three or (B) 25% of the size of the Board of Directors at any time (rounded up to the next whole number).

(c) For so long as any Holder has beneficial ownership of less than 20% but at least 15% of the aggregate number of Company Shares then outstanding, such Holder shall have the right to designate to the Board of Directors a number of individuals who satisfy the Director Requirements equal to the greater of (A) two or (B) 15% of the size of the Board of Directors at any time (rounded up to the next whole number).

(d) For so long as any Holder has beneficial ownership of less than 15% but at least 10% of the aggregate number of Company Shares then outstanding, such Holder shall have the right to designate to the Board of Directors one individual who satisfies the Director Requirements.

(e) For so long as a Holder is entitled to designate any individuals to the Board of Directors pursuant to this Section 2.01, the Company shall take all action reasonably available to it to cause such individual(s) (or any replacement designated by such Holder) to be included in the slate of nominees recommended by the Board of Directors to the Company’s stockholders for election as directors at each annual meeting of the stockholders of the Company (and/or in connection with any election by written consent) and the Company shall use the same efforts to cause the election of such nominee(s) as it uses to cause other nominees recommended by the Board of Directors to be elected, including soliciting proxies in favor of the election of such nominee(s).

(f) Until immediately prior to the time at which the ABS Control Group ceases to collectively have beneficial ownership of at least 50% of the aggregate number of Company Shares then outstanding, the ABS Control Group shall vote its Company Shares to set the size of the Board of Directors at 13 individuals. For so long as the ABS Control Group collectively has beneficial ownership of less than 50% but at least 35% of the aggregate number of Company Shares then outstanding, Investor Holdco shall, unless otherwise determined by the management board of Investor Holdco in accordance with the operating agreement of Investor Holdco, cause its individuals designated to the Board of Directors to vote in favor of maintaining the size of the Board of Directors at 13 individuals.

(g) In the event that a vacancy is created at any time by the death, disability, retirement, resignation or removal (with or without cause) of a director nominated or designated pursuant to this Section 2.01, or in the event of the failure of any such nominee to be elected, the Holder who nominated or designated such director shall have the right to designate a

 

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replacement who satisfies the Director Requirements to fill such vacancy. The Company shall take all action reasonably available to it to cause such vacancy to be filled by the replacement so designated, and, to the extent permitted under the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Company then in effect, the Board of Directors shall promptly elect such designee to the Board of Directors.

(h) For so long as a Sponsor indirectly beneficially owns at least 10% of the aggregate number of Company Shares then outstanding but does not have (pursuant to a designation made by Investor Holdco or otherwise) a representative of such Sponsor on the Board of Directors, such Sponsor shall have the right to designate an observer to the Board of Directors (each such observer, an “ Observer ”). A Sponsor shall have the right to designate a replacement for any Observer previously designated by such Sponsor at any time and from time to time for so long as such Sponsor has a right to designate an Observer.

(i) An Observer may attend any meeting of the Board of Directors, provided , that no Observer shall have the right to vote or otherwise participate in the Board of Directors meeting in any way other than to observe any applicable meeting of the Board of Directors. Observers shall be provided advance notice of each meeting of the Board of Directors in the same manner and at the same time as the other members of the Board of Directors and shall be given copies of all documents, materials and other information as and when given to other members of the Board of Directors, provided that the Observer shall have executed a non-disclosure and confidentiality agreement and such other acknowledgments and agreements reasonably satisfactory to the Board of Directors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Observer shall be excluded from attending any meeting of the Board of Directors or receiving any materials to the extent necessary to preserve attorney-client privilege, to safeguard highly proprietary or classified information, in the case of any conflict of interest involving such Observer or as otherwise deemed necessary or advisable by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors or any committee thereof shall have the right to exclude an Observer from any meeting or portion thereof in the sole discretion of a majority of the members in attendance at such meeting. Each Observer shall be a natural person.

(j) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.01, KIM ACI shall not have any right to designate individuals to the Board of Directors or as an Observer regardless of KIM ACI’s beneficial ownership of Company Shares.

Section 2.02. Voting .

(a) Prior to the distribution by Investor Holdco of all (but not less than all) of its Registrable Securities to its members, each other member of the ABS Control Group and their respective Permitted Assignees (including recipients of Registrable Securities from Investor Holdco and KIM ACI pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.03) agrees, with respect to all of such Person’s Company Shares held by any of such members as of the date hereof, to vote such Person’s Company Shares as instructed by Investor Holdco. Each member of the ABS Control Group (other than Investor Holdco) and each of their respective Permitted Assignees, shall take all other necessary or desirable actions within such Person’s control (including, without limitation, attending meetings in person or by proxy for purposes of obtaining a quorum and execution of written consents in lieu of meetings) to effect the voting of such Person’s Company Shares in accordance with this provision.

 

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(b) To secure each member of the ABS Control Group’s obligations to vote their respective Company Shares in accordance with Section 2.02(a) of this Agreement, each such Person hereby appoints an officer of Investor Holdco designated by the management board of Investor Holdco, as such Person’s true and lawful proxy and attorney, with the power to act alone and with full power of substitution, to vote all of such Person’s Company Shares as set forth in this Agreement and to execute all appropriate instruments consistent with this Agreement on behalf of such Person if, and only if, such Person fails to vote all of such Person’s Company Shares or execute such other instruments in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement within five days of Investor Holdco’s written request for such Person’s written consent or signature. The proxy and power granted by each Person pursuant to this Section 2.02(b) are coupled with an interest and are given to secure the performance of such Person’s duties under this Agreement, provided, that the proxy and power set forth in this Section 2.02(b) shall not be used to affect an Other Selling Holder’s (as defined in Section 2.03(b)) election to not participate in a Sell Down (as defined in Section 2.03(b)). Each such member of the ABS Control Group agrees to execute an irrevocable proxy in favor of the designated individual as and when identified, if requested by Investor Holdco. Each such proxy and power will be irrevocable for the term hereof. The proxy and power, so long as any such Person is an individual, will survive the death, incompetency and disability of such party or any other individual holder of any Person’s Company Shares, as the case may be, and, so long as such Person is an entity, will survive the merger or reorganization of such party or any other entity holding any of a Person’s Company Shares.

Section 2.03. Sell-Downs ; Distributions of Company Shares; Drag-Along; Tag-Along .

(a) KIM ACI shall not transfer, assign, distribute, or otherwise dispose of all or any portion of the Company Shares then held by such Person except pursuant to, and in accordance with, this Section 2.03 or Article III.

(b) In the event Investor Holdco proposes to effect a private block sale or resale or to demand or participate in a registered offering of Company Shares held by the ABS Control Group (which such sale shall be proportionate among members of the ABS Control Group) (a “ Sell-Down ”), Investor Holdco shall promptly provide written notice to KIM ACI (or its Permitted Assignees) and each equityholder of Investor Holdco (collectively, the “ Other Selling Holders ”), specifying the number and percentage of Company Shares then held by the ABS Control Group to be sold in such Sell-Down, the number of Company Shares each Other Selling Holder shall be obligated to sell in such Sell Down (calculated on a pro rata basis based on such Other Selling Holder’s beneficial ownership of Company Shares) and all other material terms and conditions of the Sell-Down (the “ Sell-Down Notice ”). Each Other Selling Holder shall be obligated to participate in such Sell-Down, unless such Other Selling Holder delivers a written notice to Investor Holdco by the close of business on the date which is 10 Business Days after the Sell-Down Notice is delivered to such Other Selling Holder, which such notice shall include the number of Company Shares such Other Selling Holder elects to exclude from such Sell-Down (the “ Excluded Company Shares ”, and such notifying Other Selling Holder, the “ Non-Participating Holder ”). Any Other Selling Holder that does not deliver such notice shall be obligated to participate in the Sell Down with respect to the number of Company Shares set

 

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forth in the Sell-Down Notice. If any Other Selling Holder does not participate in such Sell-Down, Investor Holdco (or KIM ACI) shall, unless prohibited by applicable Law, promptly distribute the Excluded Company Shares to the Non-Participating Holder (or, in the case of KIM ACI, to its applicable equityholders), provided , that (i) the Non-Participating Holder (or, in the case of KIM ACI, to its applicable equityholders) complies with the provisions of Section 2.03(d) and (ii) the Excluded Company Shares shall be subject to the same restrictions on transfer, market stand-off and lock-up provisions to which the Company Shares of Investor Holdco to be sold in the Sell-Down are subject in this Agreement and/or with respect to such Sell-Down (the “ Transaction Transfer Restrictions ”). Subject to compliance with applicable Law, the Excluded Company Shares may be sold or otherwise disposed of by a Non-Participating Holder (or, in the case of KIM ACI, to its applicable equityholders) so long as no Transaction Transfer Restriction period is in effect. Investor Holdco shall provide further notice to such Non-Participating Holder or its representatives of its intention to effect a Sell-Down not more than 30 calendar days prior to the intended date for the completion of such Sell-Down, in which event the Non-Participating Holder (or, in the case of KIM ACI, to its applicable equityholders), after receiving notice of such Sell-Down, shall (notwithstanding its earlier election in respect of Excluded Company Shares) have the right to participate in such Sell-Down with Investor Holdco on the same terms and conditions as Investor Holdco pro rata based on the Non-Participating Holder’s (or, in the case of KIM ACI, to its applicable equityholders) beneficial ownership of Company Shares, and, if not participating in such Sell-Down, shall not sell or otherwise dispose of the Excluded Company Shares (or other Company Shares beneficially owned by such holder) during such 30 calendar day period following delivery of such notice and such longer transfer, market stand-off or lock up provision that Investor Holdco shall become subject to in connection with such Sell-Down.

(c) From and after the date of consummation of an IPO, Investor Holdco shall have the right to distribute Company Shares to a holder of capital interests of Management Holdco for immediate contribution to Investor Holdco following termination of the security interests granted in connection with the Loan Agreement in the Company Shares allocable to such holder’s capital interests of Management Holdco if such Company Shares are so distributed. From and after the date of consummation of an IPO, a holder of Common Units of Investor Holdco who is also a holder of capital interests of Management Holdco may require Investor Holdco to distribute to such holder for immediate contribution to Management Holdco Company Shares allocable to such equityholder solely to the extent necessary to permit such equityholder to satisfy margin requirements in accordance with the Loan Agreement.

(d) Any Person who receives a distribution of Company Shares shall, to the extent not already a party hereto, execute and deliver a joinder agreement, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Company, agreeing to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement as if such Person were a party hereto, whereupon such Person will be treated as a Holder for all purposes of this Agreement, with the same benefits and obligations hereunder as the distributing Holder with respect to the distributed Registrable Securities. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws and rules and for so long as no Transaction Transfer Restriction period or Company black-out period (including, but not limited to, periods during which Company insiders are restricted from trading under an insider trading policy adopted by the Company or other “special” black-out periods) is then in effect with respect to such Holder, a Holder may make a subsequent distribution of Excluded Company Shares to an equityholder of

 

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such Holder or may transfer such shares to any third party (A) free of any obligations set forth in this Agreement and (B) free of any restrictive legend other than restrictions relating to applicable securities rules and laws. For the sake of clarity, any equityholder of a Holder to whom Excluded Company Shares are distributed pursuant to the preceding sentence may make transfers without restriction other than restrictions relating to applicable securities rules and laws.

(e) Except as otherwise set forth in this Section 2.03, KIM ACI shall not distribute Company Shares to its equityholders unless and until Investor Holdco has distributed all of its Company Shares to its equityholders or otherwise disposed of all of its Company Shares, provided , that if Investor Holdco makes a pro rata distribution of Company Shares to its equityholders of less than all of its Company Shares, then KIM ACI shall have the right to make a distribution of Company Shares to its equityholders in the same proportion of Company Shares distributed by Investor Holdco to its equityholders.

(f) Drag-Along Right .

(i) Upon the affirmative vote by seventy percent (70%) of the Board of Directors any time in connection with a proposed offer (a “ Third Party Offer ”) by a third party (a “ Third Party ”) for Investor Holdco to, directly or indirectly, sell, transfer, assign or otherwise dispose of (“ Transfer ”) 50% or more of the outstanding Company Shares to any Person (an “ Offeror ”), each other holder of Company Shares (an “ Other Stockholder ”) shall be required to Transfer the pro rata portion of their Company Shares to the Offeror upon the same terms and conditions as Investor Holdco; provided, that (A) no Other Stockholder shall be required to make any representations or warranties other than representations, warranties or agreements regarding such Other Stockholder’s title to such Company Shares, and such Other Stockholder’s authority to sell such Company Shares, and (B) the aggregate amount of the liability of such Other Stockholder shall not exceed such Other Stockholder’s net proceeds from such proposed Transfer of Company Shares to such Offeror. Investor Holdco shall promptly and acting in good faith (A) cause the Third Party Offer to be reduced to writing, specifying the Offeror, the price to be paid by the Third Party for Company Shares and all other material terms and conditions of the Third Party Offer, and (B) provide a notice of such Third Party Offer to each of the other holders of Company Shares (a “ Third Party Notice ”). The Third Party Notice shall (w) contain an unconditional offer by such Offeror to purchase or otherwise acquire from each Other Stockholder such Other Stockholders’ Company Shares simultaneously with the purchase by the Offeror of all of Investor Holdco’s Company Shares on the same terms and conditions as the Third Party Offer, (x) be accompanied by a true and correct copy of the Third Party Offer, (y) specify the total Company Shares then owned by Investor Holdco and (z) indicate that the Third Party Notice is being delivered to the Other Stockholders pursuant to this Section  2.03(f)(i) .

(ii) In the event that the terms and conditions of any Third Party Offer shall be modified in any way prior to the consummation of the respective Transfers of Company Shares contemplated by such Third Party Offer, Investor Holdco shall send a copy of the amended Third Party Offer to the Company and each of the Other Stockholders. The Other Stockholders shall be required to transfer their Company Shares in accordance with such modified Third Party Offer only if such modified Third Party Offer is approved by the affirmative vote of seventy percent (70%) of the Board of Directors.

 

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(iii) At the closing, each holder of Company Shares shall Transfer such holder’s Company Shares to be sold to such Offeror free and clear of any and all liens, mortgages, pledges, security interests or other restrictions or encumbrances, except encumbrances incurred by the Third Party, against payment of the purchase price for such Company Shares. If such Third Party does not purchase such Company Shares from all holders and Investor Holdco on the same terms and conditions applicable to Investor Holdco, then the entire proposed Transfer of Company Shares to such Offeror shall not take place.

(iv) The preceding provisions of this Section  2.03(f) shall terminate upon an IPO.

(g) Tag-Along Right .

(i) If Investor Holdco shall propose or offer in a single transaction or series of transactions to Transfer any Company Shares to any Third Party, Investor Holdco shall promptly and acting in good faith (A) cause the Third Party Offer to be reduced to writing, specifying the Third Party, the proportion of Company Shares held by Investor Holdco proposed to be transferred by Investor Holdco to the Third Party, the price to be paid by the Third Party for the Company Shares and all other material terms and conditions of the Third Party Offer, and (B) provide written notice (the “ Tag-Along Notice ”) of such Third Party Offer to all of the Other Stockholders. The Tag-Along Notice shall (w) contain an unconditional offer by such Third Party to purchase or otherwise acquire from each Other Stockholder such Other Stockholders’ Company Shares (which offer shall apply to such percentage of such Company Shares held in the aggregate by each Other Stockholder that is equal to the relationship between (1) the Company Shares proposed to be Transferred by the Investor Holdco and (2) the aggregate number of Company Shares held by Investor Holdco), simultaneously with the purchase by such Third Party of the applicable percentage of Investor Holdco’s Company Shares, on the same terms and conditions as the Third Party Offer, provided, that (A) no Other Stockholder shall be required to make any representations or warranties other than representations, warranties or agreements regarding such Other Stockholder’s title to such Company Shares, and such Other Stockholder’s authority to sell such Company Shares, and (B) the aggregate amount of the liability of such Other Stockholder shall not exceed such Other Stockholder’s net proceeds from such proposed Transfer of Company Shares to such Third Party, (x) be accompanied by a true and correct copy of the Third Party Offer, (y) specify the total Company Shares then owned by Investor Holdco and (z) indicate that the Third Party Notice is being delivered to the Other Stockholders pursuant to this Section  2.03(g) .

(ii) Each Other Stockholder shall have the right, but not the obligation, to accept the offer set forth in the Tag-Along Notice by delivering a written notice to Investor Holdco (each, a “ Tag-Along Participation Notice ”; and each Other Stockholder delivering such a Tag-Along Participation Notice, a “ Participating Stockholder ”) by the close of business on the day which is 15 Business Days after and excluding the date that the Third Party Notice is given to such Other Stockholder (each, a “ Tag-Along Participation Notice Period ”). Each Tag-Along Participation Notice shall (A) specify the Company Shares that such Participating Stockholder wishes to Transfer pursuant to the Third Party Offer (up to the percentage proposed to be Transferred by Investor Holdco) and (B) constitute an irrevocable acceptance by such Other Stockholder of the Third Party Offer, except as otherwise provided in clause (iii) below and

 

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subject to the Transfer by Investor Holdco of its Company Shares as contemplated by the Third Party Offer. Any Other Stockholder that does not deliver the Tag-Along Participation Notice by the end of the Tag-Along Participation Notice Period shall be deemed to have elected not to exercise its rights under this Section  2.03(g)(ii) . No Transfer pursuant to this Section  2.03(g) shall occur prior to the expiration of the Tag-Along Participation Notice Period.

(iii) In the event that the terms and conditions of any Third Party Offer shall be modified in any way prior to the consummation of the Transfers of Company Shares contemplated by such Third Party Offer, Investor Holdco shall send a copy of the amended Third Party Offer to each of the Other Stockholders. Any Other Stockholder that is not a Participating Stockholder and that desires to Transfer Company Shares pursuant to the amended Third Party Offer, or any Participating Stockholder desiring to amend or withdraw its Tag-Along Participation Notice, may do so by delivering notice by the close of business on the day which is 10 Business Days after and excluding the day on which such amended Third Party Offer is given to the Other Stockholders. If such notice is not timely delivered by an Other Stockholder, then, if such Other Stockholder was not then a Participating Stockholder, such Other Stockholder shall be deemed to have elected not to participate in the amended Third Party Offer, or if such Other Stockholder was then a Participating Stockholder, then such Other Stockholder shall be deemed to have elected to participate in such Third Party Offer under the terms and conditions set forth in the amended Third Party Offer.

(iv) No later than the close of business on the third Business Day after and excluding the day on which the Tag-Along Participation Notice Period is terminated or, if applicable, the 10 Business Day time period referred to in Section  2.03(g)(iii) above is terminated, with respect to any Third Party Offer, Investor Holdco, after review of the Tag-Along Participation Notices received, and (in the case of Section  2.03(g)(iii) ) notices of withdrawal, if any, shall give written notice to each Participating Stockholder of the time and place of the closing, which shall occur not fewer than ten (10) Business Days and not more than twenty (20) Business Days after and excluding the date on which such notice is given. At the closing and concurrently with the Transfer by Investor Holdco of its Company Shares as contemplated by the Third Party Offer, each Participating Stockholder shall Transfer such Participating Stockholder’s Company Shares to be sold to such Third Party free and clear of any and all liens, mortgages, pledges, security interests or other restrictions or encumbrances, except encumbrances incurred by the Third Party, against payment of the purchase price for such Company Shares. If such Third Party does not purchase such Company Shares from all Participating Stockholders and Investor Holdco on the same terms and conditions applicable to Investor Holdco, then the entire proposed Transfer to such Third Party shall not take place.

(v) If at the termination of the Tag-Along Participation Notice Period or, if applicable, the 10 Business Day time period referred to in Section  2.03(g)(iii) above, any Other Stockholder shall not have accepted the offer (or the amended offer) contained in the Tag-Along Notice, such Other Stockholder shall be deemed to have waived any and all of its rights under this Section  2.03(g) to Transfer its Company Shares to such Third Party on the terms specified in such Third Party Offer or such amended Third Party Offer, as applicable.

(vi) The exercise or non-exercise of the rights of a party hereunder to participate in one or more sales pursuant to a Third Party Offer pursuant to this Section  2.03(g) shall not adversely affect such party’s rights to participate in subsequent sales pursuant to a Third Party Offer.

 

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(vii) The preceding provisions of this Section  2.03(g) shall terminate upon an IPO.

(h) Other Transfers . Prior to an IPO, no Holder other than a member of the ABS Control Group shall Transfer any Company Shares held by such Holder except pursuant to, and in accordance with, Sections 2.03(f) and 2.03(g) or with the prior consent of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that such restrictions shall not apply to Transfers (i) made as a bona fide gift or for bona fide estate planning purposes, (ii) to any Family Member of such Holder or any entity or trust for the direct or indirect benefit of such Holder or Family Member in a transaction not involving a disposition for value, (iii) if the Holder is an entity, to another corporation, member, partner, trust or other business entity that is a direct or indirect affiliate, or in the event of the dissolution, liquidation or winding up of a Holder, in a distribution to such Holder’s stockholders, members or partners, (iv) by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession, (v) by operation of law and (vi) with respect to any Company Shares held by the lender under the Loan Agreement, any transferree of such Company Shares in connection with a foreclosure on any such Company Shares or any disposition of Company Shares by such lender pursuant to Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code and the Consent and Agreement. From and after the consummation of an IPO, and subject to the terms of any lock-up restrictions (including the black-out periods described in Section 3.04) and for so long as no applicable Company black-out period (including, but not limited to, periods during which Company insiders are restricted from trading under an insider trading policy adopted by the Company or other “special” black-out periods) is then in effect, Holders other than the ABS Control Group may Transfer Company Shares subject only to compliance with applicable securities laws and rules. Prior to an IPO, any Person who receives Company Shares pursuant to a Transfer made in accordance with this Section 2.03(h) shall, to the extent not already a party hereto, execute and deliver a joinder agreement, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Company, agreeing to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement as if such Person were a party hereto, whereupon such Person will be treated as a Holder for all purposes of this Agreement, with the same benefits and obligations hereunder as the distributing Holder with respect to the distributed Registrable Securities.

(i) KIM ACI Transfers . Prior to an IPO, KIM ACI shall have the right to Transfer Company Shares from time to time in a total amount (aggregated for all such Transfers) not to exceed two percent (2%) of the Company Shares then outstanding (i) to Albertsons Investor Holdings, any member of Albertsons Investor Holdings, any Sponsor or Affiliate of a Sponsor or (ii) to an unaffiliated third party, provided , that immediately following such Transfer, the Company Shares shall be held by an entity as to which Kimco Realty Corp. or its Affiliates has and retains sole voting and dispostional power, provided , further , that in the case of a Transfer pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, such entity, if not already a stockholder of the Company shall execute and deliver a joinder agreement, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Company, agreeing to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement as if such entity were a party hereto, whereupon such entity will be treated as a Holder and a member of the ABS Control Group for all purposes of this Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE III

REGISTRATION RIGHTS

Section 3.01. Demand Registration .

(a) Demand Rights . At any time after the expiration of the Lockup Period, Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then any Holder that beneficially owns more than 5% of the Company’s then outstanding Company Shares, (each such Holder, a “ 5% Demanding Holder ”, and together with Investor Holdco, the “ Demand Party ”), may, subject to Section 3.11, make a written request (a “ Demand Notice ”) to the Company for Registration of all or part of the Registrable Securities held by the Demand Party (i) on Form S-1 (a “ Long-Form Registration ”) or (ii) on Form S-3 (a “ Short-Form Registration ”) if the Company qualifies to use such short form (any such requested Long-Form Registration or Short-Form Registration, a “ Demand Registration ”). Each Demand Notice shall specify the aggregate amount of Registrable Securities held by the Demand Party to be registered and the intended methods of disposition thereof, provided that in the case of a Demand Notice from Investor Holdco, the aggregate amount of Registrable Securities shall include Registrable Securities from each member of the ABS Control Group on a pro rata basis based on each such member’s beneficial ownership of Registrable Securities, unless such member otherwise directs Investor Holdco to include less than its pro rata share of Registrable Securities in accordance with Section 2.03. Subject to Section 3.11, after delivery of such Demand Notice, the Company (x) shall file promptly (and, in any event, within (i) ninety (90) days in the case of a request for a Long-Form Registration or (ii) thirty (30) days in the case of a request for a Short-Form Registration, in each case, following delivery of such Demand Notice) with the SEC a Registration Statement relating to such Demand Registration (a “ Demand Registration Statement ”), and (y) shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Demand Registration Statement to promptly be declared effective under (x) the Securities Act and (y) the “Blue Sky” or securities laws of such jurisdictions as any Participating Holder or any underwriter, if any, reasonably requests.

(b) Demand Withdrawal . The Demand Party may withdraw its Registrable Securities from a Demand Registration at any time prior to the effectiveness of the applicable Demand Registration Statement. Upon delivery of a notice by the Demand Party to such effect, the Company shall cease all efforts to secure effectiveness of the applicable Demand Registration Statement and promptly notify each other Participating Holder of such withdrawal.

(c) Demand Company Notice . Subject to Section 3.11, promptly upon delivery of any Demand Notice (but in no event more than five (5) Business Days thereafter), the Company shall deliver a written notice (a “ Demand Company Notice ”) of any such Registration request to all Holders (other than the Demand Party), and the Company shall include in such Demand Registration all such Registrable Securities of such Holders which the Company has received written requests for inclusion therein within ten (10) Business Days after the date that such Demand Company Notice has been delivered except for such Registrable Securities that are withdrawn from such Demand Registration by written notice of the Holder thereof at any time prior to the effectiveness of the applicable Demand Registration Statement. All requests made pursuant to this Section 3.01(c) shall specify the aggregate amount of Registrable Securities of such Holder to be registered.

 

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(d) Delay in Filing; Suspension of Registration . If the Company shall furnish to the Participating Holders a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer or equivalent senior executive officer of the Company stating that the filing, effectiveness or continued use of a Demand Registration Statement would require the Company to make an Adverse Disclosure, then the Company may delay the filing (but not the preparation of) or initial effectiveness of, or suspend use of, the Demand Registration Statement (a “ Demand Suspension ”); provided , however , that the Company, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Holders of a majority of the Company Shares that elected to participate in the registration in respect of any Demand Suspension, shall not be permitted to exercise aggregate Demand Suspensions and Shelf Suspensions more than twice, or for more than an aggregate of 90 days, in each case, during any 12-month period; provided , further , that in the event of a Demand Suspension, such Demand Suspension shall terminate at such earlier time as the Company would no longer be required to make any Adverse Disclosure. Each Participating Holder shall keep confidential the fact that a Demand Suspension is in effect, the certificate referred to above and its contents unless and until otherwise notified by the Company, except (A) for disclosure to such Participating Holder’s employees, agents and professional advisers who reasonably need to know such information for purposes of assisting the Participating Holder with respect to its investment in the Company Shares and agree to keep it confidential, (B) for disclosures to the extent required in order to comply with reporting obligations to its limited partners or other direct or indirect investors who have agreed to keep such information confidential, (C) if and to the extent such matters are publicly disclosed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any other Person that, to the actual knowledge of such Participating Holder, was not subject to an obligation or duty of confidentiality to the Company and its Subsidiaries and (D) as required by law, rule or regulation. In the case of a Demand Suspension, the Participating Holders agree to suspend use of the applicable Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in connection with any sale or purchase of, or offer to sell or purchase, Registrable Securities, upon delivery of the notice referred to above. The Company shall immediately notify the Participating Holders upon the termination of any Demand Suspension, amend or supplement the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if necessary, so it does not contain any untrue statement or omission and furnish to the Participating Holders such numbers of copies of the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as so amended or supplemented as any Participating Holder may reasonably request. The Company agrees, if necessary, to supplement or make amendments to the Demand Registration Statement if required by the registration form used by the Company for the applicable Registration or by the instructions applicable to such registration form or by the Securities Act or the rules or regulations promulgated thereunder, or as may reasonably be requested by the Demand Party.

(e) Underwritten Offering . If the Demand Party so requests, an offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Demand Registration shall be in the form of an Underwritten Offering, and the Demand Party shall have the right to select the managing underwriter or underwriters to administer the offering. If the Demand Party intends to sell the Registrable Securities covered by its demand by means of an Underwritten Offering, the Demand Party shall so advise the Company as part of its Demand Notice, and the Company shall include such information in the Demand Company Notice.

 

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(f) Priority of Securities Registered Pursuant to Demand Registrations . If the managing underwriter or underwriters of a proposed Underwritten Offering of the Registrable Securities included in a Demand Registration advise the Board of Directors in writing that, in its or their opinion, the number of securities requested to be included in such Demand Registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without being likely to have a significant adverse effect on the price, timing or distribution of the securities offered or the market for the securities offered, the securities to be included in such Demand Registration (i)  first , shall be allocated pro rata among the Holders that have requested to participate in such Demand Registration based on each Holder’s Pro Rata Percentage ( provided that any securities thereby allocated to a Holder that exceed such Holder’s request shall be reallocated among the remaining requesting Holders in like manner), (ii) second , and only if all the securities referred to in clause (i) have been included in such Registration, the number of securities that the Company proposes to include in such Registration that, in the opinion of the managing underwriter or underwriters, can be sold without having such adverse effect and (iii)  third , and only if all of the securities referred to in clause (ii) have been included in such Registration, any other securities eligible for inclusion in such Registration that, in the opinion of the managing underwriter or underwriters, can be sold without having such adverse effect.

Section 3.02. Shelf Registration .

(a) Filing . Following the IPO, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to qualify for Registration on Form S-3 for secondary sales. Promptly following the date on which the Company becomes eligible to Register on Form S-3 (the “ S-3 Eligibility Date ”), the Company shall notify, in writing, Investor Holdco, or if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then the Holders, of such eligibility and its intention to file and maintain a Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 covering the Registrable Securities held by Investor Holdco, or if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then the Holders, (the “ Eligibility Notice ”). Promptly following receipt of such Eligibility Notice (but in no event more than ten (10) days after receipt of such Eligibility Notice), Investor Holdco, or if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then the Majority Holders, shall deliver a written notice to the Company, which notice shall specify the aggregate amount of Registrable Securities held by Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then the Majority Holders, to be covered by such Shelf Registration Statement and the intended methods of distribution thereof (the “ S-3 Shelf Notice ”, and Investor Holdco or the Majority Holders, as applicable, in such capacity, the “ Initial S-3 Holder ”). An S-3 Shelf Notice delivered by Investor Holdco shall include Registrable Securities pro rata from each member of the ABS Control Group based on each such member’s beneficial ownership of Registrable Securities, unless such member otherwise directs Investor Holdco to include less than its pro rata share of Registrable Securities in accordance with Section  2.03 . Following delivery of the S-3 Shelf Notices, the Company (x) shall file promptly (and, in any event, within the earlier of (i) thirty (30) days of receipt of the S-3 Shelf Notices and (ii) forty (40) days after delivery of the Eligibility Notice) with the SEC such Shelf Registration Statement (which shall be an automatic Shelf Registration Statement if the Company qualifies at such time to file such a Shelf Registration Statement) relating to the offer and sale of all Registrable Securities requested for inclusion therein by the Initial S-3 Holder and, to the extent requested under Section 3.02(c), the other Holders from time to time in accordance with the methods of distribution elected by such Holders (to the extent permitted in this Section 3.02) and set forth in the Shelf Registration

 

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Statement and (y) shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Shelf Registration Statement to be promptly declared effective under the Securities Act (including upon the filing thereof if the Company qualifies to file an automatic Shelf Registration Statement); provided , however , that if Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then the Majority Holders, reasonably believes that the Company will become S-3 eligible and delivers a S-3 Shelf Notice following the IPO but prior to the S-3 Eligibility Date, the Company shall not be obligated to file (but shall be obligated to prepare) such Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 until promptly after the S-3 Eligibility Date.

(b) Continued Effectiveness . The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep any Shelf Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 3.02(a) continuously effective under the Securities Act in order to permit the Prospectus forming a part thereof to be usable by Shelf Holders until the earliest of (i) the date as of which all Registrable Securities have been sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement or another Registration Statement filed under the Securities Act (but in no event prior to the applicable period referred to in Section 4(3) of the Securities Act and Rule 174 thereunder), (ii) the date as of which each of the Shelf Holders is permitted to sell its Registrable Securities without Registration pursuant to Rule 144 without volume limitation or other restrictions on transfer thereunder, (iii) such shorter period as Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then Shelf Holders holding a majority of the Registrable Securities subject to the Shelf Registration Statement, shall agree in writing (such period of effectiveness, the “ Shelf Period ”). Subject to Section 3.02(d), the Company shall not be deemed to have used its reasonable best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement effective during the Shelf Period if the Company voluntarily takes any action or omits to take any action that would result in Shelf Holders not being able to offer and sell any Registrable Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement during the Shelf Period, unless such action or omission is (x) a Shelf Suspension permitted pursuant to Section 3.02(d) or (y) required by applicable law, rule or regulation.

(c) Company Notices . Promptly upon delivery of any S-3 Shelf Notice pursuant to Section 3.02(a) (each, a “ Shelf Notice ”) (but in no event more than five (5) Business Days thereafter), the Company shall deliver a written notice of such Shelf Notice to the Holders (other than the Initial S-3 Holder) and the Company shall include in such Shelf Registration all such Registrable Securities of such other Holders which the Company has received a written request for inclusion therein within five (5) Business Days after such written notice is delivered to such other Holders (each such Holder delivering such a request together with the Initial S-3 Holder, if applicable, a “ Shelf Holder ”); provided , that , except in connection with a Marketed Underwritten Shelf Takedown the Company shall not include in such Shelf Registration Registrable Securities of any Holder in an amount in excess of such Holder’s Pro Rata Percentage. If the Company is permitted by applicable law, rule or regulation to add selling stockholders to a Shelf Registration Statement without filing a post-effective amendment, a Holder may request the inclusion of an amount of such Holder’s Registrable Securities not to exceed such Holder’s Pro Rata Percentage in such Shelf Registration Statement at any time or from time to time after the filing of a Shelf Registration Statement, and the Company shall add such Registrable Securities to the Shelf Registration Statement as promptly as reasonably practicable, and such Holder shall be deemed a Shelf Holder.

 

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(d) Suspension of Registration . If the Company shall furnish to the Shelf Holders a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer or equivalent senior executive officer of the Company stating that the continued use of a Shelf Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 3.02(a) would require the Company to make an Adverse Disclosure, then the Company may suspend use of the Shelf Registration Statement (a “ Shelf Suspension ”); provided , however , that the Company unless otherwise approved in writing the Holders of a majority of the Company Shares that demanded the registration, in respect of any Demand Suspension, shall not be permitted to exercise aggregate Demand Suspensions and Shelf Suspensions more than twice, or for more than an aggregate of 90 days, in each case, during any 12-month period; provided further that in the event of a Shelf Suspension, such Shelf Suspension shall terminate at such earlier time as the Company would no longer be required to make any Adverse Disclosure. Each Shelf Holder shall keep confidential the fact that a Shelf Suspension is in effect, the certificate referred to above and its contents unless and until otherwise notified by the Company, except (A) for disclosure to such Shelf Holder’s employees, agents and professional advisers who reasonably need to know such information for purposes of assisting the Holder with respect to its investment in the Company Shares and agree to keep it confidential, (B) for disclosures to the extent required in order to comply with reporting obligations to its limited partners or other direct or indirect investors who have agreed to keep such information confidential, (C) if and to the extent such matters are publicly disclosed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any other Person that, to the actual knowledge of such Shelf Holder, was not subject to an obligation or duty of confidentiality to the Company and its Subsidiaries and (D) as required by law, rule or regulation. In the case of a Shelf Suspension, the Holders agree to suspend use of the applicable Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in connection with any sale or purchase of, or offer to sell or purchase, Registrable Securities, upon delivery of the notice referred to above. The Company shall immediately notify the Shelf Holders upon the termination of any Shelf Suspension, amend or supplement the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if necessary, so it does not contain any untrue statement or omission and furnish to the Shelf Holders such numbers of copies of the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as so amended or supplemented as any Shelf Holder may reasonably request. The Company agrees, if necessary, to supplement or make amendments to the Shelf Registration Statement if required by the registration form used by the Company for the applicable Registration or by the instructions applicable to such registration form or by the Securities Act or the rules or regulations promulgated thereunder, or as may reasonably be requested by the Initial S-3 Holder.

(e) Shelf Take-Downs .

(i) An offering or sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement (each, a “ Shelf Take-Down ”) may be initiated by Investor Holdco, or if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, by any Shelf Holder (in such capacity, the “ Initiating Shelf Take-Down Holder ”) in respect of such Initiating Shelf Take-Down Holder’s Registrable Securities included in such Shelf Registration Statement. Except as set forth in Section 3.02(e)(iii) with respect to Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Downs, the Initiating Shelf Take-Down Holder shall not be required to permit the offer and sale of Registrable Securities by other Shelf Holders in connection with any such Shelf Take-Down initiated by such Initiating Shelf Take-Down Holder.

 

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(ii) Subject to Section 3.11, if the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in the Shelf Registration Statement elect by written request to the Company, a Shelf Take-Down shall be in the form of an Underwritten Offering (an “ Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice ”) and the Company shall amend or supplement the Shelf Registration Statement for such purpose as soon as practicable. Such Holders shall have the right to select the managing underwriter or underwriters to administer such offering. The provisions of Section 3.01(f) shall apply to any Underwritten Offering pursuant to this Section 3.02(e).

(iii) If the plan of distribution set forth in any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice includes a customary “road show” (including an “electronic road show”) or other substantial marketing effort by the Company and the underwriters over a period expected to exceed 48 hours (a “ Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down ”), promptly upon delivery of such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice (but in no event more than three (3) Business Days thereafter), the Company shall deliver a written notice (a “ Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice ”) of such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down to all Shelf Holders (other than the Initiating Shelf Take-Down Holder), and the Company shall include in such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down all such Registrable Securities of such Shelf Holders that are Registered on such Shelf Registration Statement for which the Company has received written requests, which requests must specify the aggregate amount of such Registrable Securities of such Holder to be offered and sold pursuant to such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, for inclusion therein within three (3) Business Days after the date that such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice has been delivered.

(iv) For so long as no black-out period as described in and subject to the terms of Section 3.04 with respect to a Marketed Underwritten Offering is then in effect, a Shelf Holder may initiate a Shelf Take-Down with respect to the Registrable Securities of such Shelf Holder so long as such Shelf Take-Down is not in the form of an Underwritten Offering.

Section 3.03. Piggyback Registration .

(a) Participation . If the Company at any time after the IPO proposes to file a Registration Statement with respect to any offering of Company Shares for its own account or for the account of any other Persons (other than (i) a Registration under Section 3.01 or Section 3.02, it being understood that this clause (i) does not limit the rights of Holders to make written requests pursuant to Section 3.01 or Section 3.02 or otherwise limit the applicability thereof, (ii) a Registration Statement on Form S-4 or S-8 (or such other similar successor forms then in effect under the Securities Act), (iii) a registration of securities solely relating to an offering and sale to employees, directors or consultants of the Company or its Subsidiaries pursuant to any employee stock plan or other employee benefit plan arrangement, (iv) a registration not otherwise covered by clause (iii) above pursuant to which the Company is offering to exchange its own securities for other securities or (v) a Registration Statement relating solely to dividend reinvestment or similar plans) (a “ Company Public Sale ”), then, (A) as soon as practicable (but in no event less than 60 days prior to the proposed date of filing of such Registration Statement), the Company shall give written notice of such proposed filing to Investor Holdco, for so long as Investor Holdco is a Holder of Registrable Securities, and shall offer Investor Holdco the opportunity to Register under such Registration Statement such number of Registrable Securities as Investor Holdco may request on behalf of the ABS Control Group in writing (and such number of

 

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Registrable Securities shall be pro rata among members of the ABS Control Group based on the Registrable Securities beneficially owned by each such member of the ABS Control Group, unless such member of the ABS Control Group otherwise directs Investor Holdco to include less than its pro rata share of Registrable Securities in accordance with Section 2.03) delivered to the Company within ten (10) days of delivery of such written notice by the Company, and (B) subject to Section 3.03(c), as soon as practicable after the expiration of such 10-day period (but in no event less than fifteen (15) days prior to the proposed date of filing of such Registration Statement), the Company shall give written notice of such proposed filing to the Holders (other than members of the ABS Control Group), and such notice shall offer each such Holder the opportunity to Register under such Registration Statement such number of Registrable Securities as such Holder may request in writing within ten (10) days of delivery of such written notice by the Company. Subject to Section 3.03(b) and (c), the Company shall include in such Registration Statement all such Registrable Securities that are requested by Holders to be included therein in compliance with the immediately foregoing sentence (a “ Piggyback Registration ”); provided that if at any time after giving written notice of its intention to Register any equity securities and prior to the effective date of the Registration Statement filed in connection with such Piggyback Registration, the Company shall determine for any reason not to Register or to delay Registration of the equity securities covered by such Piggyback Registration, the Company shall give written notice of such determination to each Holder that had requested to Register its, his or her Registrable Securities in such Registration Statement and, thereupon, (1) in the case of a determination not to Register, shall be relieved of its obligation to Register any Registrable Securities in connection with such Registration, without prejudice, however, to the rights of Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then a 5% Demanding Holder, to request that such Registration be effected as a Demand Registration under Section 3.01, and (2) in the case of a determination to delay Registering, in the absence of a request by Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then a 5% Demanding Holder, that such Registration be effected as a Demand Registration under Section 3.01, shall be permitted to delay Registering any Registrable Securities, for the same period as the delay in Registering the other equity securities covered by such Piggyback Registration. If the offering pursuant to such Registration Statement is to be underwritten, the Company shall so advise the Holders as a part of the written notice given pursuant this Section 3.03(a), and each Holder making a request for a Piggyback Registration pursuant to this Section 3.03(a) must, and the Company shall make such arrangements with the managing underwriter or underwriters so that each such Holder may, participate in such Underwritten Offering, subject to the conditions of Section 3.03(b) and (c). If the offering pursuant to such Registration Statement is to be on any other basis, the Company shall so advise the Holders as part of the written notice given pursuant to this Section 3.03(a), and each Holder making a request for a Piggyback Registration pursuant to this Section 3.03(a) must, and the Company shall make such arrangements so that each such Holder may, participate in such offering on such basis, subject to the conditions of Section 3.03(b) and (c). Each Holder shall be permitted to withdraw all or part of its Registrable Securities from a Piggyback Registration at any time prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement.

(b) Priority of Piggyback Registration . If the managing underwriter or underwriters of any proposed Underwritten Offering of Registrable Securities included in a Piggyback Registration informs the Company and the Holders that have requested to participate in such Piggyback Registration in writing that, in its or their opinion, the number of securities

 

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which such Holders and any other Persons intend to include in such offering exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without being likely to have a significant adverse effect on the price, timing or distribution of the securities offered or the market for the securities offered, then the securities to be included in such Registration shall be (i)  first , the number of Registrable Securities that, in the opinion of such managing underwriter or underwriters, can be sold without having such adverse effect in such Registration, which such number shall be allocated pro rata among the Holders that have requested to participate in such Registration based on each Holder’s Pro Rata Percentage ( provided that any securities thereby allocated to a Holder that exceed such Holder’s request shall be reallocated among the remaining requesting Holders in like manner) and (ii)  second , and only if all of the Registrable Securities referred to in clause (i) have been included in such Registration, any other securities eligible for inclusion in such Registration that, in the opinion of the managing underwriter or underwriters, can be sold without having such adverse effect in such Registration.

(c) Restrictions on Holders . Notwithstanding any provisions contained herein, prior to the distribution by Investor Holdco of all its Registrable Securities held as of the date hereof to its members, Holders other than Investor Holdco may not request Piggyback Registration of Registrable Securities with respect to any offering of Company Shares for the Company’s account unless Investor Holdco requests such Piggyback Registration with respect to such offering.

(d) No Effect on Demand Registrations . No Registration of Registrable Securities effected pursuant to a request under this Section 3.03 shall be deemed to have been effected pursuant to Section 3.01 or Section 3.02 or shall relieve the Company of its obligations under Section 3.01 or Section 3.02.

Section 3.04. Black-out Periods .

(a) Black-out Periods for Holders . In the event of a Company Public Sale of the Company’s equity securities in an Underwritten Offering, each of the Holders agrees, if requested by the managing underwriter or underwriters in such Underwritten Offering (and, with respect to a Company Public Sale other than the IPO, if and only if Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then the Majority Holders, agrees to such request), not to (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any Person at any time in the future of) any Company Shares (including Company Shares that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and Company Shares that may be issued upon exercise of any options or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Company Shares, (2) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of Company Shares, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Company Shares or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any Company Shares or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Company Shares or any other securities of the Company or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case, during the period beginning seven (7) days before and

 

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ending 180 days (in the event of the IPO) or 90 days (in the event of any other Company Public Sale) (or, in each case, such other period as may be reasonably requested by the Company or the managing underwriter or underwriters to accommodate regulatory restrictions on (i) the publication or other distribution of research reports and (ii) analyst recommendations and opinions, including, but not limited to, the restrictions contained in the FINRA rules or any successor provisions or amendments thereto) after the date of the underwriting agreement entered into in connection with such Company Public Sale, to the extent timely notified in writing by the Company or the managing underwriter or underwriters; provided , that (i) no Holder shall be subject to any such black-out period of longer duration or other greater restriction than that applicable to (x) Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then any of the Majority Holders or (y) any director or executive officer who holds Registrable Securities and (ii) if any Holder is released from any such lockup restrictions, all other Holders shall also be released from such lockup restrictions to the same extent. If requested by the managing underwriter or underwriters of any such Company Public Sale (and, with respect to any such Company Public Sale other than the IPO, if and only if Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then the Majority Holders, agrees to such request), the Holders shall execute a separate agreement to the foregoing effect. The Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to the Company Shares (or other securities) subject to the foregoing restriction until the end of the period referenced above.

(b) Black-out Period for the Company and Others . In the case of an offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 3.01 or Section 3.02 that is a Marketed Underwritten Offering, the Company and each of the Holders agree, if requested by (x) Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then requested by Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities participating in the Marketed Underwritten Offering (the “ Participating Majority ”), or (y) the managing underwriter or underwriters with respect to such Marketed Underwritten Offering, not to (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or would reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition by any Person at any time in the future of) any Company Shares (including Company Shares that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and Company Shares that may be issued upon exercise of any options or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Company Shares, (2) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of Company Shares, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Company Shares or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any Company Shares or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Company Shares or any other securities of the Company or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case, during the period beginning seven (7) days before, and ending 90 days (or such lesser period as may be agreed by (x) Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then by a Participating Majority, or, (y) if applicable, the managing underwriter or underwriters) (or such other period as may be reasonably requested by Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then by a Participating Majority, or the managing underwriter or underwriters to accommodate regulatory restrictions on (i) the

 

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publication or other distribution of research reports and (ii) analyst recommendations and opinions, including, but not limited to, the restrictions contained in the FINRA rules or any successor provisions or amendments thereto) after, the date of the underwriting agreement entered into in connection with such Marketed Underwritten Offering, to the extent timely notified in writing by (x) Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then by a Participating Majority, or (y) the managing underwriter or underwriters, as the case may be; provided that (i) no Holder shall be subject to any such black-out period of longer duration or other greater restriction than that applicable to Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then a Participating Majority, and (ii) if any Holder is released from any such lockup restrictions, all other Holders shall also be released from such lockup restrictions to the same extent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may effect a public sale or distribution of securities of the type described above and during the periods described above if such sale or distribution is made pursuant to Registrations on Form S-4 or S-8 or any successor form to such Forms or as part of any Registration of securities for offering and sale to employees, directors or consultants of the Company and its Subsidiaries pursuant to any employee stock plan or other employee benefit plan arrangement. The Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to obtain from each of its directors and officers and each other holder of restricted securities of the Company which securities are the same as or similar to the Registrable Securities being Registered, or any restricted securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any of such securities, an agreement not to effect any public sale or distribution of such securities during any such period referred to in this paragraph, except as part of any such Registration, if permitted. Without limiting the foregoing (but subject to Section 3.07), if after the date hereof the Company or any of its Subsidiaries grants any Person (other than a Holder) any rights to demand or participate in a Registration, the Company shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, provide that the agreement with respect thereto shall include such Person’s agreement to comply with any black-out period required by this Section as if it were a Holder hereunder. If requested by the managing underwriter or underwriters of any such Marketed Underwritten Offering (and if and only if Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then a Participating Majority, agrees to such request), the Holders shall execute a separate agreement to the foregoing effect. The Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to the Company Shares (or other securities) subject to the foregoing restriction until the end of the period referenced above.

Section 3.05. Registration Procedures .

(a) In connection with the Company’s Registration obligations under Section 3.01, Section 3.02 and Section 3.03 and subject to the applicable terms and conditions set forth therein, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect such Registration to permit the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof as expeditiously as reasonably practicable (and to take all actions reasonably necessary to cure any suspension or stop order of such Registration as promptly as reasonably practicable), and in connection therewith the Company shall:

(i) prepare the required Registration Statement including all exhibits and financial statements required under the Securities Act to be filed therewith, and before filing a Registration Statement, Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any amendments or

 

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supplements thereto, (x) furnish to the underwriters, if any, and the Participating Holders, if any, copies of all documents prepared to be filed, which documents shall be subject to the review of such underwriters and the Participating Holders and their respective counsel and (y) except in the case of a Registration under Section 3.03, not file any Registration Statement or Prospectus or amendments or supplements thereto to which any Participating Holder or the underwriters, if any, shall reasonably object;

(ii) as promptly as practicable file with the SEC a Registration Statement relating to the Registrable Securities including all exhibits and financial statements required by the SEC to be filed therewith, and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective under the Securities Act as soon as practicable;

(iii) prepare and file with the SEC such pre- and post-effective amendments to such Registration Statement, supplements to the Prospectus and such amendments or supplements to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as may be reasonably requested by any other Participating Holder necessary to keep such Registration effective for the period of time required by this Agreement, and comply with provisions of the applicable securities laws with respect to the sale or other disposition of all securities covered by such Registration Statement during such period in accordance with the intended method or methods of disposition by the sellers thereof set forth in such Registration Statement;

(iv) promptly notify the Participating Holders and the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, and (if requested) confirm such advice in writing and provide copies of the relevant documents, as soon as reasonably practicable after notice thereof is received by the Company (A) when the applicable Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has been filed or becomes effective, and when the applicable Prospectus or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been filed, (B) of any written comments by the SEC or any request by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to such Registration Statement, Prospectus or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information, (C) of the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement or any order by the SEC or any other regulatory authority preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary or final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for such purposes, (D) if, at any time, the representations and warranties of the Company in any applicable underwriting agreement cease to be true and correct in all material respects, (E) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction and (F) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction;

(v) promptly notify the Participating Holders and the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, when the Company becomes aware of the happening of any event as a result of which the applicable Registration Statement, the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement (as then in effect) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of such Prospectus, any preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in

 

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light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, when any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus includes information that may conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such time period to amend or supplement such Registration Statement, Prospectus or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act and, in either case as promptly as reasonably practicable thereafter, prepare and file with the SEC, and furnish without charge to the Participating Holders and the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, an amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement, Prospectus or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus which shall correct such misstatement or omission or effect such compliance;

(vi) use its reasonable best efforts to prevent, or obtain the withdrawal of, any stop order or other order suspending the use of any preliminary or final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus;

(vii) promptly incorporate in a Prospectus supplement, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or post-effective amendment to the applicable Registration Statement such information as the managing underwriter or underwriters and the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in the applicable Registration Statement agree should be included therein relating to the plan of distribution with respect to such Registrable Securities, and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or post-effective amendment as soon as reasonably practicable after being notified of the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or post-effective amendment;

(viii) furnish to each Participating Holder and each underwriter, if any, without charge, as many conformed copies as such Participating Holder or underwriter may reasonably request of the applicable Registration Statement and any amendment or post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated therein by reference and all exhibits (including those incorporated by reference);

(ix) deliver to each Participating Holder and each underwriter, if any, without charge, as many copies of the applicable Prospectus (including each preliminary Prospectus), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto as such Participating Holder or underwriter may reasonably request (it being understood that the Company consents to the use of such Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto by such Participating Holder and the underwriters, if any, in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities thereby) and such other documents as such Participating Holder or underwriter may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities by such Participating Holder or underwriter;

(x) on or prior to the date on which the applicable Registration Statement is declared effective, use its reasonable best efforts to register or qualify, and cooperate with the Participating Holders, the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, and their respective counsel, in connection with the registration or qualification of such Registrable Securities for offer and sale under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of each state and other jurisdiction of the United States as any Participating Holder or managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, or their respective counsel reasonably request in writing and do any and all other acts or things

 

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reasonably necessary or advisable to keep such registration or qualification in effect for such period as required by Section 3.02(b), whichever is applicable, provided that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or to take any action which would subject it to taxation or general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;

(xi) cooperate with the Participating Holders and the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends, and enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as the managing underwriters may request at least two (2) Business Days prior to any sale of Registrable Securities to the underwriters;

(xii) use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Registrable Securities covered by the applicable Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to enable the seller or sellers thereof or the underwriter or underwriters, if any, to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities;

(xiii) not later than the effective date of the applicable Registration Statement, provide a CUSIP number for all Registrable Securities and provide the applicable transfer agent with printed certificates for the Registrable Securities which are in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company;

(xiv) make such representations and warranties to the Participating Holders and the underwriters or agents, if any, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers in secondary underwritten public offerings;

(xv) enter into such customary agreements (including underwriting and indemnification agreements) and take all such other actions as the Holders of a majority of the then outstanding Registrable Securities or the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, reasonably request in order to expedite or facilitate the registration and disposition of such Registrable Securities;

(xvi) obtain for delivery to the Participating Holders and to the underwriter or underwriters, if any, an opinion or opinions from counsel for the Company dated the effective date of the Registration Statement or, in the event of an Underwritten Offering, the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement, in customary form, scope and substance, which opinions shall be reasonably satisfactory to such Participating Holders or underwriters, as the case may be, and their respective counsel;

(xvii) in the case of an Underwritten Offering, obtain for delivery to the Company and the managing underwriter or underwriters, with copies to the Participating Holders, a cold comfort letter from the Company’s independent certified public accountants in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by cold comfort letters as the managing underwriter or underwriters reasonably request, dated the date of execution of the underwriting agreement and brought down to the closing under the underwriting agreement;

 

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(xviii) cooperate with each Participating Holder and each underwriter, if any, participating in the disposition of such Registrable Securities and their respective counsel in connection with any filings required to be made with the FINRA;

(xix) use its reasonable best efforts to comply with all applicable securities laws and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;

(xx) provide and cause to be maintained a transfer agent and registrar for all Registrable Securities covered by the applicable Registration Statement from and after a date not later than the effective date of such Registration Statement;

(xxi) use its reasonable best efforts to cause all Registrable Securities covered by the applicable Registration Statement to be listed on each securities exchange on which any of the Company Shares are then listed or quoted and on each inter-dealer quotation system on which any of the Company Shares are then quoted;

(xxii) make available upon reasonable notice at reasonable times and for reasonable periods for inspection by any Participating Holder, by any underwriter participating in any disposition to be effected pursuant to such Registration Statement and by any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by such Participating Holder(s) or any such underwriter, all pertinent financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company, and cause all of the Company’s officers, directors and employees and the independent public accountants who have certified its financial statements to make themselves available to discuss the business of the Company and to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Person in connection with such Registration Statement as shall be necessary to enable them to exercise their due diligence responsibility; provided , that , any such Person gaining access to information regarding the Company pursuant to this Section 3.05(a)(xxii) shall agree to hold in strict confidence and shall not make any disclosure or use any information regarding the Company that the Company determines in good faith to be confidential, and of which determination such Person is notified, unless (w) the release of such information is requested or required by law or by deposition, interrogatory, requests for information or documents by a governmental entity, subpoena or similar process, (x) such information is or becomes publicly known other than through a breach of this or any other agreement of which such Person has actual knowledge, (y) such information is or becomes available to such Person on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Company or (z) such information is independently developed by such Person; and

(xxiii) in the case of an Underwritten Offering, cause the senior executive officers of the Company to participate in the customary “road show” presentations that may be reasonably requested by the managing underwriter or underwriters in any such Underwritten Offering and otherwise to facilitate, cooperate with, and participate in each proposed offering contemplated herein and customary selling efforts related thereto.

 

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(b) The Company may require each Participating Holder to furnish to the Company such information regarding the distribution of such securities and such other information relating to such Participating Holder and its ownership of Registrable Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing. Each Participating Holder agrees to furnish such information to the Company and to cooperate with the Company, in each case as reasonably necessary to enable the Company to comply with the provisions of this Agreement.

(c) Each Participating Holder agrees that, upon delivery of any notice by the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3.05(a)(iv)(C), (D), or (E) or Section 3.05(a)(v), such Participating Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement until (i) such Participating Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus contemplated by Section 3.05(a)(v), (ii) such Participating Holder is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the Prospectus or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, may be resumed, (iii) such Participating Holder is advised in writing by the Company of the termination, expiration or cessation of such order or suspension referenced in Section 3.05(a)(iv)(C) or (E) or (iv) such Participating Holder is advised in writing by the Company that the representations and warranties of the Company in such applicable underwriting agreement are true and correct in all material respects. If so directed by the Company, such Participating Holder shall deliver to the Company (at the Company’s expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies then in such Participating Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities current at the time of delivery of such notice. In the event the Company shall give any such notice, the period during which the applicable Registration Statement is required to be maintained effective shall be extended by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when each seller of Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement either receives the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus contemplated by Section 3.05(a)(v) or is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the Prospectus or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus may be resumed.

Section 3.06. Underwritten Offerings .

(a) Demand and Shelf Registrations . If requested by the underwriters for any Underwritten Offering requested by Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then by a Participating Majority, the Company shall enter into an underwriting agreement with such underwriters for such offering, such agreement to be reasonably satisfactory in substance and form to the Company, Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then the Participating Majority, and the underwriters, and to contain such representations and warranties by the Company and such other terms as are generally prevailing in agreements of that type, including indemnities no less favorable to the recipient thereof than those provided in Section 3.09. Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then the Participating Majority, shall cooperate with the Company in the negotiation of such underwriting agreement and shall give consideration to the reasonable suggestions of the Company regarding the form thereof. The Participating Holders shall be parties to such underwriting agreement, which underwriting

 

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agreement shall (i) contain such representations and warranties by, and the other agreements on the part of, the Company to and for the benefit of such Participating Holders as are customarily made by issuers to selling stockholders in secondary underwritten public offerings and (ii) provide that any or all of the conditions precedent to the obligations of such underwriters under such underwriting agreement also shall be conditions precedent to the obligations of such Participating Holders. Any such Participating Holder shall not be required to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters in connection with such underwriting agreement other than representations, warranties or agreements regarding such Participating Holder, such Participating Holder’s title to the Registrable Securities, such Participating Holder’s authority to sell the Registrable Securities, such Participating Holder’s intended method of distribution, absence of liens with respect to the Registrable Securities of such Participating Holder, enforceability of the applicable underwriting agreement as against such Participating Holder, receipt of all consents and approvals with respect to the entry into such underwriting agreement and the sale of such Registrable Securities by such Participating Holder and any other representations required to be made by such Participating Holder under applicable law, rule or regulation, and the aggregate amount of the liability of such Participating Holder in connection with such underwriting agreement shall not exceed such Participating Holder’s net proceeds from such Underwritten Offering.

(b) Piggyback Registrations . If the Company proposes to register any of its securities under the Securities Act as contemplated by Section 3.03 and such securities are to be distributed in an Underwritten Offering through one or more underwriters, the Company shall, if requested by any Holder pursuant to Section 3.03 and subject to the provisions of Section 3.03(b) and (c), arrange for such underwriters to include on the same terms and conditions that apply to the other sellers in such Registration all the Registrable Securities to be offered and sold by such Holder among the securities of the Company to be distributed by such underwriters in such Registration. The Participating Holders shall be parties to the underwriting agreement between the Company and such underwriters, which underwriting agreement shall (i) contain such representations and warranties by, and the other agreements on the part of, the Company to and for the benefit of such Participating Holders as are customarily made by issuers to selling stockholders in secondary underwritten public offerings and (ii) provide that any or all of the conditions precedent to the obligations of such underwriters under such underwriting agreement also shall be conditions precedent to the obligations of such Participating Holders. Any such Participating Holder shall not be required to make any representations or warranties to, or agreements with the Company or the underwriters in connection with such underwriting agreement other than representations, warranties or agreements regarding such Participating Holder, such Participating Holder’s title to the Registrable Securities, such Participating Holder’s authority to sell the Registrable Securities, such Participating Holder’s intended method of distribution, absence of liens with respect to the Registrable Securities of such Participating Holder, enforceability of the applicable underwriting agreement as against such Participating Holder, receipt of all consents and approvals with respect to the entry into such underwriting agreement and the sale of such Registrable Securities by such Participating Holder or any other representations required to be made by such Participating Holder under applicable law, rule or regulation, and the aggregate amount of the liability of such Participating Holder in connection with such underwriting agreement shall not exceed such Participating Holder’s net proceeds from such Underwritten Offering.

 

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(c) Participation in Underwritten Registrations . Subject to the provisions of Section 3.06(a) and (b) above, no Person may participate in any Underwritten Offering hereunder unless such Person (i) agrees to sell such Person’s securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Persons entitled to approve such arrangements and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.

(d) Price and Underwriting Discounts . In the case of an Underwritten Offering under Section 3.01 or Section 3.02, the price, underwriting discount and other financial terms for the Registrable Securities shall be determined by Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then by a Participating Majority.

Section 3.07. No Inconsistent Agreements; Additional Rights . The Company is not currently a party to, and shall not hereafter enter into any agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders by this Agreement, including allowing any other holder or prospective holder of any securities of the Company (a) registration rights in the nature or substantially in the nature of those set forth in Section 3.01, Section 3.02 or Section 3.03 that would have priority over the Registrable Securities with respect to the inclusion of such securities in any Registration (except to the extent such registration rights are solely related to registrations of the type contemplated by Section 3.03(a)(ii) through (iv)) or (b) demand registration rights in the nature or substantially in the nature of those set forth in Section 3.01 or Section 3.02 that are exercisable prior to such time as Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then the Participating Majority, can first exercise its rights under Section 3.01 or Section 3.02, in each case without the prior written consent of Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then of the Majority Holders.

Section 3.08. Registration Expenses . All expenses incident to the Company’s performance of or compliance with this Agreement shall be paid by the Company, including (i) all registration and filing fees, and any other fees and expenses associated with filings required to be made with the SEC, FINRA and if applicable, the fees and expenses of any “qualified independent underwriter,” as such term is defined in Rule 5121 of FINRA. (or any successor provision), and of its counsel, (ii) all fees and expenses in connection with compliance with any securities or “Blue Sky” laws (including fees and disbursements of counsel for the underwriters in connection with “Blue Sky” qualifications of the Registrable Securities), (iii) all printing, duplicating, word processing, messenger, telephone, facsimile and delivery expenses (including expenses of printing certificates for the Registrable Securities in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company and of printing Prospectuses and Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses), (iv) all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and of all independent certified public accountants of the Company (including the expenses of any special audit and cold comfort letters required by or incident to such performance), (v) Securities Act liability insurance or similar insurance if the Company so desires or the underwriters so require in accordance with then-customary underwriting practice, (vi) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of Registrable Securities on any securities exchange or quotation of the Registrable Securities on any inter-dealer quotation system, (vii) all applicable rating agency fees with respect to the Registrable Securities, (viii) all reasonable fees and disbursements of one legal counsel and one accounting firm as selected by the holders of a majority of the Registrable

 

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Securities included in such Registration, (ix) any underwriting discounts, commissions, fees and related expenses of underwriters, (x) all fees and expenses of any special experts or other Persons retained by the Company in connection with any Registration, (xi) all of the Company’s internal expenses (including all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), (xii) all expenses related to the “road-show” for any Underwritten Offering, including all travel, meals and lodging and (xiv) any other fees and disbursements customarily paid by the issuers of securities. All such expenses are referred to herein as “ Registration Expenses .”

Section 3.09. Indemnification .

(a) Indemnification by the Company . The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless, to the full extent permitted by law, each of the Holders, each of their respective direct or indirect partners, members or shareholders and each of such partner’s, member’s or shareholder’s partners, members or shareholders and, with respect to all of the foregoing Persons, each of their respective Affiliates, employees, directors, officers, trustees or agents and each Person who controls (within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) such Persons, each of their respective Representatives and, with respect to any Holder who is a natural person, the Family Members of such natural person, entities formed for estate or family planning purposes and/or one or more trusts for the sole benefit of the natural person and/or the Family Members of such natural Person, from and against any and all losses, penalties, judgments, suits, costs, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses, joint or several (including reasonable costs of investigation and legal expenses) (each, a “ Loss ” and collectively, “ Losses ”) arising out of or based upon (i) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement under which such Registrable Securities were Registered under the Securities Act (including any final, preliminary or summary Prospectus contained therein or any amendment or supplement thereto or any documents incorporated by reference therein), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto, or any other disclosure document produced by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries including reports and other documents filed under the Exchange Act, (ii) any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of a Prospectus, preliminary Prospectus or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, (iii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of any federal, state or common law rule or regulation applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with any such registration, qualification, compliance or sale of Registrable Securities, (iv) any failure to register or qualify Registrable Securities in any state where the Company or its agents have affirmatively undertaken or agreed in writing that the Company (the undertaking of any underwriter being attributed to the Company) will undertake such registration or qualification on behalf of the Holders of such Registrable Securities ( provided , that , in such instance the Company shall not be so liable if it has undertaken its reasonable best efforts to so register or qualify such Registrable Securities) or (v) any actions or inactions or proceedings in respect of the foregoing whether or not such indemnified party is a party thereto, and the Company will reimburse, as incurred, each such Holder and each of their respective direct or indirect partners, members or shareholders and each of such partner’s, member’s or shareholder’s partners members or shareholders and, with respect to all of the foregoing Persons, each of their respective Affiliates, employees, directors, officers, trustees or agents and controlling Persons, each of their respective Representatives and, with

 

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respect to any Holder who is a natural person, the Family Members of such natural person, entities formed for estate or family planning purposes and/or one or more trusts for the sole benefit of such natural person and/or the Family Members of such natural Person, for any legal and any other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any such claim, loss, damage, liability or action; provided , that , the Company shall not be liable to any particular indemnified party to the extent that any such Loss arises out of or is based upon (A) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any such Registration Statement or other document in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such indemnified party (in its capacity as a Holder) expressly for use in the preparation thereof or (B) an untrue statement or omission in a preliminary Prospectus relating to Registrable Securities, if a Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented) that would have cured the defect was furnished to the indemnified party from whom the Person asserting the claim giving rise to such Loss purchased Registrable Securities at least five (5) days prior to the written confirmation of the sale of the Registrable Securities to such Person and a copy of such Prospectus (as amended and supplemented) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such indemnified party to such Person at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of the Registrable Securities to such Person. This indemnity shall be in addition to any liability the Company may otherwise have. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Holder or any indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of such securities by such Holder. The Company shall also indemnify underwriters, selling brokers, dealer managers and similar securities industry professionals participating in the distribution, their officers and directors and each Person who controls such Persons (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the indemnified parties.

(b) Indemnification by the Participating Holders . Each Participating Holder agrees (severally and not jointly) to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company, its directors and officers and each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act), and each other Holder, each of such other Holder’s respective direct or indirect partners, members or shareholders and each of such partner’s, member’s or shareholder’s partners, members or shareholders and, with respect to all of the foregoing Persons, each of their respective Affiliates, employees, directors, officers, trustees or agents and each Person who controls (within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) such Persons, each of their respective Representatives and, with respect to any Participating Holder who is a natural person, the Family Members of such natural person, entities formed for estate or family planning purposes and/or one or more trusts for the sole benefit of such natural person and/or the Family Members of such natural Person, from and against any Losses resulting from (i) any untrue statement of a material fact in any Registration Statement under which such Registrable Securities of such Participating Holder were Registered under the Securities Act (including any final, preliminary or summary Prospectus contained therein or any amendment or supplement thereto or any documents incorporated by reference therein) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto, or (ii) any omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of a Prospectus, preliminary Prospectus or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) or omission (or alleged omission) is contained in any information furnished in writing by such Participating

 

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Holder (in its capacity as a Holder) to the Company specifically for inclusion in such Registration Statement, Prospectus, offering circular, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or other document and has not been corrected in a subsequent writing prior to or concurrently with the sale of the Registrable Securities to the Person asserting the claim. In no event shall the liability of such Participating Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the net proceeds received by such Participating Holder under the sale of Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation.

(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings . Any Person entitled to indemnification under this Section 3.09 shall (i) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification ( provided , that , any delay or failure to so notify the indemnifying party shall relieve the indemnifying party of its obligations hereunder only to the extent, if at all, that it is actually and materially prejudiced by reason of such delay or failure) and (ii) permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; provided , that , any Person entitled to indemnification hereunder shall have the right to select and employ separate counsel and to participate in the defense of such claim, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Person unless (A) the indemnifying party has agreed in writing to pay such fees or expenses, (B) the indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense of such claim within a reasonable time after delivery of notice of such claim from the Person entitled to indemnification hereunder and employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Person, (C) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based upon advice of its counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, or (D) in the reasonable judgment of any such Person (based upon advice of its counsel) a conflict of interest may exist between such Person and the indemnifying party with respect to such claims (in which case, if the Person notifies the indemnifying party in writing that such Person elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense of such claim on behalf of such Person). If the indemnifying party assumes the defense, the indemnifying party shall not have the right to settle such action, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement, in each case without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, unless the entry of such judgment or settlement (i) includes as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of an unconditional release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of such indemnified party, and provided , that , any sums payable in connection with such settlement are paid in full by the indemnifying party. If such defense is not assumed by the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will not be subject to any liability for any settlement made without its prior written consent, but such consent may not be unreasonably withheld. It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, except as specifically set forth in this Section 3.09(c), in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees, disbursements or other charges of more than one separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time unless (x) the employment of more than one counsel has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party or parties, (y) an indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on the advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the other indemnified parties, or (z) a conflict or potential conflict exists or may exist (based upon advice of counsel to an indemnified party) between such indemnified party and the other indemnified parties, in each of which cases the indemnifying party shall be obligated to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such additional counsel or counsels.

 

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(d) Contribution . If for any reason the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 3.09 is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any Losses referred to therein, then the indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such Loss in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the acts, statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. In connection with any Registration Statement filed with the SEC by the Company, the relative fault of the indemnifying party on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the indemnifying party or by the indemnified party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 3.09(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 3.09(d). No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the Losses referred to in Section 3.09(a) and Section 3.09(b) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3.09(d), in connection with any Registration Statement filed by the Company, a Participating Holder shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the dollar amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder under the sale of Registrable Securities giving rise to such contribution obligation less any amount paid by such Holders pursuant to Section 3.09(b). If indemnification is available under this Section 3.09, the indemnifying parties shall indemnify each indemnified party to the full extent provided in Section 3.09(a) and Section 3.09(b) hereof without regard to the provisions of this Section 3.09(d).

(e) No Exclusivity . The remedies provided for in this Section 3.09 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity or pursuant to any other agreement.

(f) Survival . The indemnities provided in this Section 3.09 shall survive the transfer of any Registrable Securities by such Holder.

Section 3.10. Rules 144 and 144A and Regulation  S . The Company covenants that it will file the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations adopted by the SEC thereunder (or, if the Company is not required to file such reports, it will, upon the reasonable request of any Holder, make publicly available such necessary information for so long as necessary to permit sales pursuant to

 

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Rules 144, 144A or Regulation S under the Securities Act), and it will take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable the Holders, following the IPO, to sell Registrable Securities without Registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by (i) Rules 144, 144A or Regulation S under the Securities Act, as such Rules may be amended from time to time, or (ii) any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC. Upon the reasonable request of a Holder, the Company will deliver to such Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements and, if not, the specifics thereof.

Section 3.11. Limitation on Registrations and Underwritten Offerings . Notwithstanding the rights and obligations set forth in Section 3.01 and Section 3.02, in no event shall the Company be obligated to take any action to (i) effect more than one Marketed Underwritten Offering in any consecutive 90-day period or (ii) effect any Underwritten Offering unless Holders propose to sell Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering having a reasonably anticipated gross aggregate price (before deduction of underwriter commissions and offering expenses) of at least $75,000,000.

Section 3.12. Clear Market . With respect to any Underwritten Offerings of Registrable Securities by Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then by a Participating Majority, the Company agrees not to effect (other than pursuant to the Registration applicable to such Underwritten Offering or pursuant to a Special Registration) any public sale or distribution, or to file any Registration Statement (other than pursuant to the Registration applicable to such Underwritten Offering or pursuant to a Special Registration) covering any of its equity securities or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for such securities, during the period not to exceed ten (10) days prior and sixty (60) days following the effective date of such offering or such longer period up to ninety (90) days as may be requested by the managing underwriter for such Underwritten Offering. “ Special Registration ” means the registration of (A) equity securities and/or options or other rights in respect thereof solely registered on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (or successor form) or (B) shares of equity securities and/or options or other rights in respect thereof to be offered to directors, employees, consultants, customers, lenders or vendors of the Company or its Subsidiaries or in connection with dividend reinvestment plans.

Section 3.13. In-Kind Distributions . If any Holder seeks to effectuate an in-kind distribution of all or part of its Company Shares to its direct or indirect equityholders, the Company will reasonably cooperate with and assist such Holder, such equityholders and the Company’s transfer agent to facilitate such in-kind distribution in the manner reasonably requested by such Holder (including the delivery of instruction letters by the Company or its counsel to the Company’s transfer agent, the delivery of customary legal opinions by counsel to the Company and the delivery of Company Shares without restrictive legends, to the extent no longer applicable).

 

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ARTICLE IV

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 4.01. Term . Article III of this Agreement (other than the provisions of Section 3.09, Section 3.10 and Section 3.13) shall terminate with respect to any Holder (a) with the prior written consent of Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then the Majority Holders, in connection with the consummation of a Change of Control, (b) for those Holders that beneficially own less than five percent (5%) of the Company’s outstanding Company Shares, if all of the Registrable Securities then owned by such Holder could be sold in any ninety (90)-day period pursuant to Rule 144 (assuming for this purpose that such Holder is an Affiliate of the Company), or (c) as to any Holder, if all of the Registrable Securities held by such Holder have been sold in a Registration pursuant to the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption therefrom. Upon the written request of the Company, each Holder agrees to promptly deliver a certificate to the Company setting forth the number of Registrable Securities then beneficially owned by such Holder.

Section 4.02. Injunctive Relief . It is hereby agreed and acknowledged that it will be impossible to measure in money the damage that would be suffered if the parties fail to comply with any of the obligations herein imposed on them and that in the event of any such failure, an aggrieved Person will be irreparably damaged and will not have an adequate remedy at law. Any such Person shall, therefore, be entitled (in addition to any other remedy to which it may be entitled in law or in equity) to injunctive relief, including specific performance, to enforce such obligations, and if any action should be brought in equity to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement, none of the parties hereto shall raise the defense that there is an adequate remedy at law.

Section 4.03. Attorneys Fees . In any action or proceeding brought to enforce any provision of this Agreement or where any provision hereof is validly asserted as a defense, the successful party shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys’ fees in addition to any other available remedy.

Section 4.04. Notices . Unless otherwise specified herein, all notices, consents, approvals, reports, designations, requests, waivers, elections and other communications authorized or required to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given (a) when personally delivered, (b) when transmitted via facsimile to the number set out below or on a Holder’s signature page hereto, as applicable, if the sender on the same day sends a confirming copy of such notice by a recognized overnight delivery service (charges prepaid), (c) the day following the day (except if not a Business Day then the next Business Day) on which the same has been delivered prepaid to a reputable national overnight air courier service, (d) when transmitted via email (including via attached pdf document) to the email address set out below or on a Holder’s signature page hereto, as applicable, as applicable, if the sender on the same day sends a confirming copy of such notice by a recognized overnight delivery service (charges prepaid) or (e) the third Business Day following the day on which the same is sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, in each case to the respective parties as applicable, at the address, facsimile number or email address set forth on a Holder’s signature page hereto, as applicable (or such other address, facsimile number or email address as such Holder may specify by notice to the Company in accordance with this Section 4.04), and the Company at the following address:

 

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Albertsons Companies, Inc.

250 Parkcenter Blvd.

Boise, ID 83706

Attention: Robert A. Gordon, Esq.

with copies (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP

919 Third Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Attention: Stuart D. Freedman, Esq.

Michael Gilligan, Esq.

Section 4.05. Publicity and Confidentiality . Each of the parties hereto shall keep confidential this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, and any nonpublic information received pursuant hereto, and shall not disclose, issue any press release or otherwise make any public statement relating hereto or thereto without the prior written consent of the Company and Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then the Majority Holders, unless so required by applicable law or any governmental authority; provided that no such written consent shall be required (and each party shall be free to release such information) for disclosures (a) to each party’s partners, members, advisors, employees, agents, accountants, trustee, attorneys, Affiliates and investment vehicles managed or advised by such party or the partners, members, advisors, employees, agents, accountants, trustee or attorneys of such Affiliates or managed or advised investment vehicles, in each case so long as such Persons agree to keep such information confidential or (b) to the extent required by law, rule or regulation.

Section 4.06. Amendment . The terms and provisions of this Agreement may only be amended, modified or waived at any time and from time to time by a writing executed by the Company and Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, the Majority Holders; provided , that , any amendment, modification or waiver that would affect the rights, benefits or obligations of any Holder shall require the written consent of such Holder only if any of the following is applicable: (i) such amendment, modification or waiver would materially and adversely affect such rights, benefits or obligations of such Holder and (ii) such amendment, modification or waiver would affect such Holder in a materially worse manner than the manner in which such amendment or waiver affects the other Holders.

Section 4.07. Taxable REIT Subsidiary Election . The Company shall cooperate with any real estate investment trust that is a direct or indirect equityholder of KIM ACI in making any requested election to cause the Company to be a treated as a “taxable REIT subsidiary” with respect to such real estate investment trust.

 

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Section 4.08. Successors, Assigns and Transferees .

(a) Subject to Section 2.03, the rights and obligations of each party hereto may not be assigned, in whole or in part, without the written consent of (i) the Company and (ii) Investor Holdco, or, if Investor Holdco is no longer a Holder of Registrable Securities, then the Majority Holders; provided , that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the rights and obligations of any member of the ABS Control Group set forth herein may be assigned, in whole or in part, by such member of the ABS Control Group, to any transferee of Registrable Securities held by such member of the ABS Control Group (including the members of Investor Holdco and their Affiliates) and to any Affiliate of a member of the ABS Control Group that otherwise acquires Company Shares or Company Share Equivalents in accordance with this Agreement, including in accordance with Section  2.03 ) (each Person to whom the rights and obligations are assigned in compliance with this Section 4.08 is a “ Permitted Assignee ” and all such Persons, collectively, are “ Permitted Assignees ”); provided further , that such transferee shall only be admitted as a party hereunder upon its, his or her execution and delivery of a joinder agreement, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Company, agreeing to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement as if such Person were a party hereto (together with any other documents the Company reasonably determines are necessary to make such Person a party hereto), whereupon such Person will be treated as a Holder for all purposes of this Agreement, with the same rights, benefits and obligations hereunder as the transferring Holder with respect to the transferred Registrable Securities (except that if the transferee was a Holder prior to such transfer, such transferee shall have the same rights, benefits and obligations with respect to the such transferred Registrable Securities as were applicable to Registrable Securities held by such transferee prior to such transfer). Nothing herein shall operate to permit a transfer of Registrable Securities otherwise restricted by the Limited Liability Company Agreement of Investor Holdco, as amended from time to time, or any other agreement to which any Holder may be a party.

(b) If the Company is a party to any merger, amalgamation, consolidation, exchange or other similar transaction (a “ Conversion Event ”) pursuant to which Registrable Securities are converted into or exchanged for securities or the right to receive Equity Securities of any other Person (“ Conversion Securities ”), the issuer of such Conversion Securities (a “ Conversion Security Issuer ”) shall assume (in a writing delivered to the Company and the ABS Control Group), with respect to such Conversion Securities, all rights and obligations of the Company hereunder (which assumption shall not relieve the Company of its obligations hereunder to the extent that any Registrable Securities issued by the Company continue to be outstanding and held by a Holder following a Conversion Event) and this Agreement shall apply with respect to such Conversion Securities, mutatis mutandis . The Company will not effect any Conversion Event unless the issuer of the Conversion Securities complies with this Section 4.08(b).

Section 4.09. Binding Effect . Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall be binding on and inure to the benefit of each of the parties hereto and their respective successors.

Section 4.10. Third Party Beneficiaries . Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended or shall be construed to confer upon any Person not a party hereto (other than those Persons entitled to indemnity or contribution under Section 3.09, each of whom shall be a third party beneficiary thereof) any right, remedy or claim under or by virtue of this Agreement.

 

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Section 4.11. Governing Law; Jurisdiction . THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES THEREOF. ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING AGAINST THE PARTIES RELATING IN ANY WAY TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE BROUGHT AND ENFORCED EXCLUSIVELY IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR (TO THE EXTENT SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION EXISTS THEREFOR) THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, IN EACH CASE SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, AND THE PARTIES IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF BOTH SUCH COURTS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING.

Section 4.12. Waiver of Jury Trial . EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF THE OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, AS APPLICABLE, BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 4.12 .

Section 4.13. Severability . If any provision of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 4.14. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement.

Section 4.15. Headings . The heading references herein and in the table of contents hereto are for convenience purposes only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

Section 4.16. Joinder . Any Person that holds Company Shares may, with the prior written consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Registrable Securities, be admitted as a party to this Agreement upon its execution and delivery of a joinder agreement, in form and substance acceptable to the holders of a majority of the outstanding Registrable Securities, agreeing to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement as if such Person were a party hereto (together with any other documents the Company reasonably determines are necessary to make such Person a party hereto), whereupon such Person will be treated as a Holder for all purposes of this Agreement.

 

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Section 4.17. Other Activities . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, none of the provisions of this Agreement shall in any way limit a Holder or any of its Affiliates from engaging in any brokerage, investment advisory, financial advisory, anti-raid advisory, principaling, merger advisory, financing, asset management, trading, market making, arbitrage, investment activity and other similar activities conducted in the ordinary course of their business.

[ Remainder of Page Intentionally Blank ]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

ALBERTSONS COMPANIES, INC.
By:  

/s/ Robert Gordon

  Name: Robert Gordon
  Title: Executive Vice President, General
            Counsel & Secretary

[Albertsons Companies Inc. Stockholders’ Agreement]


HOLDERS:

 

ALBERTSONS INVESTOR HOLDINGS LLC
By:  

/s/ Robert Gordon

  Name: Robert Gordon
  Title: Executive Vice President, General
            Counsel & Secretary

[Albertsons Companies Inc. Stockholders’ Agreement]


KIM ACI, LLC
By:  

/s/ Raymond Edwards

  Name: Raymond Edwards
  Title: Executive Vice President

[Albertsons Companies Inc. Stockholders’ Agreement]