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) July 2, 2018
BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 001-38559 | 45-2936287 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
25 Research Drive Westborough, MA 01581 |
01581 | |
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrants telephone number, including area code
(774) 512-7400
Not applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions ( 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 of the Securities Exchange 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. ☐
Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On July 2, 2018, BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. (the Company) closed its initial public offering (IPO) of 37,500,000 shares of the Companys common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the Common Stock), at an offering price of $17.00 per share, and the underwriters exercised their option to purchase an additional 5,625,000 shares of Common Stock from the Company at the initial public offering price, pursuant to the Companys registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-224994), as amended (the Registration Statement). In connection therewith and with the closing of the IPO, the Company entered into the following agreements previously filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement:
| a Voting Agreement, dated July 2, 2018, by and among the Company, CVC Beacon LP, Green Equity Investors V, L.P., Green Equity Investors Side V, L.P. and Beacon Coinvest LLC (collectively, the Sponsors), a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference; and |
| an Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement, dated July 2, 2018, by and among the Company and the Sponsors, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference. |
The terms of these agreements are substantially the same as the terms set forth in the forms of such agreements filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement and as described therein.
Item 1.02. Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement.
On July 2, 2018, in connection with the closing of the IPO, the Company repaid all of the outstanding borrowings under the Second Lien Term Loan Credit Agreement (the Second Lien Term Loan), dated as of February 3, 2017, among BJs Wholesale Club, Inc. (the Borrower), the Lenders party thereto from time to time and Jefferies Finance LLC, as administrative agent and as collateral agent. Following such repayment, the Borrowers obligations under the Second Lien Term Loan have been terminated.
Item 5.03. Amendments to Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
On July 2, 2018, immediately prior to the closing of the IPO, the Company amended and restated its certificate of incorporation (as amended and restated, the Certificate of Incorporation), which was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on July 2, 2018. The Certificate of Incorporation restates, integrates and further amends the provisions of an Amended and Restated Certificate (the Amended and Restated Certificate) filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on September 20, 2011, which amends and restates the Companys original certificate of incorporation, which was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on June 24, 2011.
The Certificate of Incorporation, among other things: (i) provides that the Company shall have the authority to issue 300,000,000 shares of Common Stock and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock); (ii) establishes a classified board of directors, divided into three classes, each of whose members will serve for staggered three-year terms; (iii) provides that, other than pursuant to the terms of the Voting Agreement, directors may be removed from office only for cause and (iv) designates, unless otherwise consented to by the Company, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware to be the sole and exclusive forum for certain actions, including, but not limited to, derivative actions or proceedings brought on behalf of the Company or actions asserting claims of breach of a fiduciary duty owned by, or other wrongdoing by, any of the Companys directors, officers, employees or agents to the Company or the Companys stockholders.
The foregoing description of the Certificate of Incorporation and the description contained in the Registration Statement are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Certificate of Incorporation, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Amended and Restated Bylaws
On July 2, 2018, immediately prior to the closing of the IPO, the Company amended and restated its Bylaws (as amended and restated, the Bylaws). The Bylaws amend and restate the Companys bylaws in their entirety to, among other things: (i) establish procedures relating to the presentation of stockholder proposals at stockholder meetings; (ii) establish procedures relating to the nomination of directors; and (iii) conform to the Certificate of Incorporation.
The foregoing description and the description contained in the Registration Statement are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Bylaws, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 3.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits .
Exhibit No. |
Description |
|
3.1* | Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company. | |
3.2* | Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company. | |
10.1* | Voting Agreement, dated July 2, 2018, by and among the Company and the Sponsors. | |
10.2* | Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement, dated July 2, 2018, by and among the Company and the Sponsors. |
* | Filed herewith. |
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
* | Filed herewith. |
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.
BJS WHOLESALE CLUB HOLDINGS, INC. | ||||||||
Date: July 2, 2018 | By: | /s/ Laura L. Felice | ||||||
Name: | Laura L. Felice | |||||||
Title: | Senior Vice President, Controller |
Exhibit 3.1
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
BJS WHOLESALE CLUB HOLDINGS, INC.
The present name of the corporation is BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. (the Corporation ). The Corporation was incorporated under the name Beacon Holding Inc. by the filing of its original Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the DE Secretary ) on June 24, 2011. An Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the Amended and Restated Certificate ) was filed with the DE Secretary on September 29, 2011. This Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, which restates and integrates and also further amends the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate, as amended, was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the DGCL ) and by the written consent of its stockholder in accordance with Section 228 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. The Amended and Restated Certificate is hereby amended, integrated and restated to read in its entirety as follows:
ARTICLE I
NAME
The name of the corporation is BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.
ARTICLE II
REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT
The address of the Corporations registered office in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, Delaware 19801. The name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.
ARTICLE III
PURPOSE AND DURATION
The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the DGCL. The Corporation is to have a perpetual existence.
ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL STOCK
The total number of shares of all classes of stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 305,000,000, which shall be divided into two classes as follows:
300,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share ( Common Stock ); and
5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share ( Preferred Stock ).
Section 1. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of any of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority
in voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL or any successor provision thereof, and no vote of the holders of any of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock voting separately as a class shall be required therefor.
Section 2. Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the Board ) is hereby authorized to provide from time to time by resolution or resolutions for the creation and issuance, out of the authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock, of one or more series of Preferred Stock by filing a certificate (a Certificate of Designation ) pursuant to the DGCL, setting forth such resolution and, with respect to each such series, establishing the designation of such series and the number of shares to be included in such series and fixing the voting powers (full or limited, or no voting power), preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, of the shares of each such series, including without limitation thereof, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, as shall be stated and expressed in such resolutions, all to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for the establishment of any series of Preferred Stock may, to the extent permitted by law, provide that such series shall be superior to, rank equally with or be junior to the Preferred Stock of any other series. The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of each series of Preferred Stock may be different from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock), no vote of the holders of shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock shall be a prerequisite to the issuance of any shares of any series of the Preferred Stock so authorized in accordance with this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) or pursuant to the DGCL. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Designation establishing a series of Preferred Stock, the Board may, by resolution or resolutions, increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding) the number of shares of such series and, if the number of shares of such series shall be so decreased, the shares constituting such decrease shall resume the status that they had prior to the adoption of the resolution originally fixing the number of shares of such series.
ARTICLE V
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
For the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation it is further provided that:
Section 1. Except as otherwise provided in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board. Except as otherwise provided in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the number of directors which shall constitute the whole Board shall be fixed exclusively by one or more resolutions adopted from time to time by the Board. Except as otherwise expressly provided by the bylaws of the Corporation (as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the Bylaws ) or delegated by resolution of the Board, the Board shall have the exclusive power and authority to appoint and remove officers of the Corporation.
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Section 2. Other than any directors elected by the separate vote of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, the Board shall be and is divided into three classes, designated as Class I, Class II and Class III, as nearly equal in number as possible. Directors shall be assigned to each class in accordance with a resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board. At the first annual meeting of stockholders following the date the Common Stock is first publicly traded (the IPO Date ), the term of office of the Class I directors shall expire and Class I directors shall be elected for a full term of three years. At the second annual meeting of stockholders following the IPO Date, the term of office of the Class II directors shall expire and Class II directors shall be elected for a full term of three years. At the third annual meeting of stockholders following the IPO Date, the term of office of the Class III directors shall expire and Class III directors shall be elected for a full term of three years. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, at each succeeding annual meeting of stockholders, directors shall be elected for a full term of three years to succeed the directors of the class whose terms expire at such annual meeting. If the number of such directors is changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned among the classes so as to maintain the number of directors in each class as nearly equal as possible, and any such additional director of any class elected to fill a newly created directorship resulting from an increase in such class shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of that class, but in no case shall a decrease in the number of directors remove or shorten the term of any incumbent director. Any such director shall hold office until the annual meeting at which his or her term expires and until his or her successor shall be elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office. The Board is authorized to assign members of the Board already in office to their respective class.
Section 3. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, any director may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote on the election of such director.
Section 4. Except as otherwise expressly required by law, and subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, any vacancies on the Board resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, retirement, removal or other causes and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors shall be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum, and shall not be filled by the stockholders. Any director appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of the class to which the director shall have been appointed and until such directors successor shall have been elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification, retirement or removal.
Section 5. During any period when the holders of any series of Preferred Stock have the special right to elect additional directors, then upon commencement and for the duration of the period during which such right continues: (i) the then otherwise total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be increased by such specified number of directors, and the holders of such series of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to elect the additional directors so provided for or fixed pursuant to said provisions, and (ii) each such additional director shall serve until such directors successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such directors right to hold such office terminates pursuant to said provisions, whichever occurs earlier, subject to his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal. Except as otherwise provided by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation establishing any series of Preferred Stock), whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having the special right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any such Certificate of Designation), the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such series, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation,
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disqualification or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall be reduced accordingly.
Section 6. The directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.
Section 7. Except as may otherwise be set forth in the resolution or resolutions of the Board providing for the issuance of one or more series of Preferred Stock, and then only with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, cumulative voting in the election of directors is specifically denied.
ARTICLE VI
STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1. At any time prior to the Trigger Event, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation. From and after the Trigger Event, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation (and may not be taken by consent of the stockholders in lieu of a meeting) provided, however, that any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, to the extent expressly so provided by the applicable certificate of designation relating to such series of Preferred Stock.
Section 2. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called, for any purpose or purposes, at any time by the Chairman of the Board of Directors or a resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of the majority of the then-serving members of the Board of Directors, but such special meetings may not be called by stockholders or any other Person or Persons. Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, prior to the Trigger Event, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called by the Secretary of the Corporation at the request of a Principal Stockholder.
Section 3. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of other business proposed to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation.
ARTICLE VII
LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION
Section 1. To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as the same exists or as may hereafter be amended, a director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. If the DGCL is hereafter amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as so amended, automatically and without further action, upon the date of such amendment.
Section 2. The Corporation, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall indemnify and advance expenses to any Person made or threatened to be made a party to an action, suit or proceeding, whether criminal, civil, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a
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director or officer of the Corporation or any predecessor of the Corporation, or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, serves or served at any other enterprise as a director or officer at the request of the Corporation or any predecessor to the Corporation.
Section 3. The Corporation, to the fullest extent permitted by law, may indemnify and advance expenses to any Person made or threatened to be made a party to an action, suit or proceeding, whether criminal, civil, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation or any predecessor of the Corporation, or serves or served at any other enterprise as an employee or agent at the request of the Corporation or any predecessor to the Corporation.
Section 4. Neither any amendment nor repeal of this Article VII, nor the adoption by amendment of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of any provision inconsistent with this Article VII, shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article VII in respect of any matter occurring, or any action or proceeding accruing or arising (or that, but for this Article VII, would accrue or arise) prior to such amendment or repeal or adoption of an inconsistent provision.
ARTICLE VIII
EXCLUSIVE FORUM
Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery (the Chancery Court ) of the State of Delaware (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or to the Corporations stockholders, (c) any action arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the Bylaws or this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as either may be amended from time to time) or (d) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consents to the provisions of this Article VIII.
ARTICLE IX
CERTAIN STOCKHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS
Section 1. In recognition and anticipation that (i) certain directors, principals, officers, employees and/or other representatives of the Principal Stockholders and their Affiliates (as defined below) may serve as directors, officers or agents of the Corporation, (ii) the Principal Stockholders and their Affiliates may now engage and may continue to engage in the same or similar activities or related lines of business as those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage and/or other business activities that overlap with or compete with those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage, and (iii) members of the Board who are not employees of the Corporation ( Non-Employee Directors ) and their respective Affiliates may now engage and may continue to engage in the same or similar activities or related lines of business as those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage and/or other business activities that overlap with or compete with those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage, the provisions of this Article IX are set forth to regulate and define the conduct of certain affairs of the Corporation with respect to certain classes or categories of business opportunities as they may involve any of the Principal Stockholders, the Non-Employee Directors or their respective Affiliates and the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of the Corporation and its directors, officers and stockholders in connection therewith.
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Section 2. None of (i) the Principal Stockholders or any of their Affiliates or (ii) any Non-Employee Director or his or her Affiliates (the Persons (as defined below) identified in (i) and (ii) above being referred to, collectively, as Identified Persons and, individually, as an Identified Person ) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have any duty to refrain from directly or indirectly (1) engaging in the same or similar business activities or lines of business in which the Corporation or any of its Affiliates now engages or proposes to engage or (2) otherwise competing with the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no Identified Person shall be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders or to any Affiliate of the Corporation for breach of any fiduciary duty solely by reason of the fact that such Identified Person engages in any such activities. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Corporation hereby renounces any interest or expectancy in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for an Identified Person and the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, except as provided in Section 3 of this Article IX. Subject to Section 3 of this Article IX, in the event that any Identified Person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for itself, herself or himself and the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, such Identified Person shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have no duty to communicate or offer such transaction or other business opportunity to the Corporation or any of its Affiliates and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders or to any Affiliate of the Corporation for breach of any fiduciary duty as a stockholder, director or officer of the Corporation solely by reason of the fact that such Identified Person pursues or acquires such corporate opportunity for itself, herself or himself, or offers or directs such corporate opportunity to another Person.
Section 3. The Corporation does not renounce its interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any Non-Employee Director if such opportunity is expressly offered to such Person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation, and the provisions of Section 2 of this Article IX shall not apply to any such corporate opportunity.
Section 4. In addition to and notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article IX, a corporate opportunity shall not be deemed to be a potential corporate opportunity for the Corporation if it is a business opportunity that (i) the Corporation is neither financially or legally able, nor contractually permitted, to undertake, (ii) from its nature, is not in the line of the Corporations business or is of no practical advantage to the Corporation or (iii) is one in which the Corporation has no interest or reasonable expectancy.
Section 5. For purposes of this Article IX, Affiliate shall mean (a) in respect of any Principal Stockholder, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by such Principal Stockholder, controls such Principal Stockholder or is under common control with such Principal Stockholder and shall include (i) any principal, member, director, partner, stockholder, officer, employee or other representative of any of the foregoing (other than the Corporation and any entity that is controlled by the Corporation) and (ii) any funds or vehicles advised by Affiliates of such Principal Stockholder, (b) in respect of a Non-Employee Director, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by such Non-Employee Director (other than the Corporation and any entity that is controlled by the Corporation) and (c) in respect of the Corporation, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by the Corporation.
Section 6. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in any shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Article IX.
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ARTICLE X
AMENDMENT OF THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS
Section 1. The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the DGCL, and all rights, preferences and privileges herein conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons herein are granted by and pursuant to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation in its current form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article X. Notwithstanding the foregoing, from and after the Trigger Event, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of stock required by law or by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock), the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required to alter, amend or repeal Articles V, VI, VII, VIII and IX and this Article X.
Section 2. The Board is expressly authorized to make, repeal, alter, amend and rescind, in whole or in part, the Bylaws. Notwithstanding the foregoing, from and after the Trigger Event, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of stock required by law or by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock), the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required in order for the stockholders of the Corporation to alter, amend or repeal, in whole or in part, any provision of the Bylaws or to adopt any provision inconsistent therewith.
ARTICLE XI
DGCL SECTION 203
Section 1. The Corporation hereby expressly elects not to be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL.
ARTICLE XII
DEFINITIONS
As used in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, except as otherwise expressly provided herein and unless the context requires otherwise, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
Affiliate means, other than as set forth in Section 5 of Article IX, with respect to any Person, any other Person that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such Person. For the purposes of this definition, control, when used with respect to any Person, means the power to direct or cause the direction of the affairs or management of that Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, as trustee (or the power to appoint a trustee), personal representative or executor, by contract, credit arrangement or otherwise and controlled and controlling have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
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Person means any individual, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, business trust, joint stock company, joint venture, unincorporated association, cooperative or association or any other legal entity or organization of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
Principal Stockholders means investment funds affiliated with or advised by CVC Capital Partners and Leonard Green & Partners, L.P., and their successors.
Trigger Event means the first date on which the Principal Stockholders cease to beneficially own (directly or indirectly) more than 50% of the voting power of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. For the purpose of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, beneficial ownership shall be determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.
* * * *
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. has caused this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be executed by its duly authorized officer on this 2nd day of July, 2018.
BJS WHOLESALE CLUB HOLDINGS, INC. | ||
By: |
/s/ Graham N. Luce |
|
Name: |
Graham N. Luce |
|
Title: |
SVP, Secretary |
[BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. - Signature Page to Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation]
Exhibit 3.2
Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of
BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.
(a Delaware corporation)
Table of Contents
Page | ||||||||
Article I - Corporate Offices |
1 | |||||||
1.1 | Registered Office | 1 | ||||||
1.2 | Other Offices | 1 | ||||||
Article II - Meetings of Stockholders |
1 | |||||||
2.1 | Place of Meetings | 1 | ||||||
2.2 | Annual Meeting | 1 | ||||||
2.3 | Special Meeting | 1 | ||||||
2.4 | Advance Notice Procedures for Business Brought before a Meeting | 2 | ||||||
2.5 | Advance Notice Procedures for Nominations of Directors | 5 | ||||||
2.6 | Notice of Stockholders Meetings | 7 | ||||||
2.7 | Manner of Giving Notice; Affidavit of Notice | 7 | ||||||
2.8 | Quorum | 8 | ||||||
2.9 | Adjourned Meeting; Notice | 8 | ||||||
2.10 | Conduct of Business | 8 | ||||||
2.11 | Voting | 8 | ||||||
2.12 | Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes | 9 | ||||||
2.13 | Proxies | 10 | ||||||
2.14 | List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote | 10 | ||||||
2.15 | Inspectors of Election | 10 | ||||||
Article III - Directors |
11 | |||||||
3.1 | Powers | 11 | ||||||
3.2 | Number of Directors | 11 | ||||||
3.3 | Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors | 11 | ||||||
3.4 | Resignation and Vacancies | 11 | ||||||
3.5 | Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone | 12 | ||||||
3.6 | Regular Meetings | 12 | ||||||
3.7 | Special Meetings; Notice | 12 | ||||||
3.8 | Quorum | 13 | ||||||
3.9 | Board Action by Written Consent without a Meeting | 13 | ||||||
3.10 | Fees and Compensation of Directors | 13 | ||||||
Article IV - Committees |
13 | |||||||
4.1 | Committees of Directors | 13 | ||||||
4.2 | Committee Minutes | 14 | ||||||
4.3 | Meetings and Actions of Committees | 14 | ||||||
Article V - Officers |
14 | |||||||
5.1 | Officers | 14 | ||||||
5.2 | Appointment of Officers | 15 | ||||||
5.3 | Subordinate Officers | 15 | ||||||
5.4 | Removal and Resignation of Officers | 15 | ||||||
5.5 | Vacancies in Offices | 15 |
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Table of Contents
(continued)
Page | ||||||||
5.6 | Representation of Shares of Other Corporations | 15 | ||||||
5.7 | Authority and Duties of Officers | 15 | ||||||
Article VI - Records |
16 | |||||||
Article VII - General Matters |
16 | |||||||
7.1 | Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments | 16 | ||||||
7.2 | Stock Certificates | 16 | ||||||
7.3 | Lost Certificates | 16 | ||||||
7.4 | Shares Without Certificates | 17 | ||||||
7.5 | Dividends | 17 | ||||||
7.6 | Fiscal Year | 17 | ||||||
7.7 | Seal | 17 | ||||||
7.8 | Transfer of Stock | 17 | ||||||
7.9 | Stock Transfer Agreements | 17 | ||||||
7.10 | Registered Stockholders | 18 | ||||||
7.11 | Waiver of Notice | 18 | ||||||
Article VIII - Notice by Electronic Transmission |
18 | |||||||
8.1 | Notice by Electronic Transmission | 18 | ||||||
8.2 | Definition of Electronic Transmission | 19 | ||||||
Article IX - Indemnification |
19 | |||||||
9.1 | Indemnification of Directors and Officers | 19 | ||||||
9.2 | Indemnification of Others | 19 | ||||||
9.3 | Prepayment of Expenses | 20 | ||||||
9.4 | Determination; Claim | 20 | ||||||
9.5 | Non-Exclusivity of Rights | 20 | ||||||
9.6 | Insurance | 20 | ||||||
9.7 | Other Indemnification | 20 | ||||||
9.8 | Continuation of Indemnification | 21 | ||||||
9.9 | Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation | 21 | ||||||
Article X - Amendments |
21 | |||||||
Article XI - Forum Selection |
21 | |||||||
Article XII - Definitions |
22 |
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Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of
BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.
Article I - Corporate Offices
1.1 Registered Office .
The address of the registered office of BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. (the Corporation ) in the State of Delaware, and the name of its registered agent at such address, shall be as set forth in the Corporations certificate of incorporation, as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time (the Certificate of Incorporation ).
1.2 Other Offices .
The Corporation may have additional offices at any place or places, within or outside the State of Delaware, as the Corporations board of directors (the Board ) may from time to time establish or as the business of the Corporation may require.
Article II - Meetings of Stockholders
2.1 Place of Meetings .
Meetings of stockholders shall be held at such place, if any, within or outside the State of Delaware, designated by the Board. The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the DGCL ). In the absence of any such designation or determination, stockholders meetings shall be held at the Corporations principal executive office.
2.2 Annual Meeting .
The Board shall designate the date and time of the annual meeting. At the annual meeting, directors shall be elected and other proper business properly brought before the meeting in accordance with Section 2.4 may be transacted. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any annual meeting of stockholders previously scheduled by the Board.
2.3 Special Meeting .
Special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by such Persons and only in such manner as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any special meeting of stockholders previously scheduled by the Board.
No business may be transacted at any special meeting of stockholders other than the business specified in the notice of such meeting.
2.4 Advance Notice Procedures for Business Brought before a Meeting .
(i) 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 must be (a) specified in a notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board, (b) if not specified in a notice of meeting, otherwise brought before the meeting by the Board or the chairperson of the meeting, or (c) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder present in Person who (A)(1) was a stockholder of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.4 and at the time of the meeting, (2) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (3) has complied with this Section 2.4 or (B) properly made such proposal in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the Exchange Act ), which proposal has been included in the proxy statement for the annual meeting. The foregoing clause (c) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of the stockholders. The only matters that may be brought before a special meeting are the matters specified in the Corporations notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Person calling the meeting pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation and Section 2.3 of these bylaws. For purposes of this Section 2.4 and Section 2.5 of these bylaws, present in Person shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the annual or special meeting of the Corporation, or, if the proposing stockholder is not an individual, a qualified representative of such proposing stockholder, appear at such annual meeting, and a qualified representative of such proposing stockholder shall be, if such proposing stockholder is (x) a general or limited partnership, any general partner or Person who functions as a general partner of the general or limited partnership or who controls the general or limited partnership, (y) a corporation or a limited liability company, any officer or Person who functions as an officer of the corporation or limited liability company or any officer, director, general partner or Person who functions as an officer, director or general partner of any entity ultimately in control of the corporation or limited liability company or (z) a trust, any trustee of such trust. This Section 2.4 shall apply to any business that may be brought before an annual or special meeting of stockholders other than nominations for election to the Board at an annual meeting, which shall be governed by Section 2.5 of these bylaws. Stockholders seeking to nominate Persons for election to the Board must comply with Section 2.5 of these bylaws, and this Section 2.4 shall not be applicable to nominations for election to the Board except as expressly provided in Section 2.5 of these bylaws.
(ii) Without qualification, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must (a) provide Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation and (b) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.4. To be timely, a stockholders notice must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding years annual meeting (which date shall, for purposes of the Corporations first annual meeting of stockholders after its shares of Common Stock (as defined in the Certificate of Incorporation) are first publicly traded, be deemed to have occurred on June 14, 2018); provided, however , that if the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered, or mailed and received, not later than the ninetieth (90 th ) day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth (10 th ) day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first 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 for the giving of Timely Notice as described above.
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(iii) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.4, a stockholders notice to the Secretary shall set forth:
(a) As to each Proposing Person (as defined below), (A) the name and address of such Proposing Person (including, if applicable, the name and address that appear on the Corporations books and records); and (B) the number of shares of each class or series of stock of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned of record or beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by such Proposing Person, except that such Proposing Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation as to which such Proposing Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) and (B) are referred to as Stockholder Information );
(b) As to each Proposing Person, (A) the full notional amount of any securities that, directly or indirectly, underlie any derivative security (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(c) under the Exchange Act) that constitutes a call equivalent position (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act) ( Synthetic Equity Position ) and that is, directly or indirectly, held or maintained by such Proposing Person with respect to any shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation; provided that, for the purposes of the definition of Synthetic Equity Position, the term derivative security shall also include any security or instrument that would not otherwise constitute a derivative security as a result of any feature that would make any conversion, exercise or similar right or privilege of such security or instrument becoming determinable only at some future date or upon the happening of a future occurrence, in which case the determination of the amount of securities into which such security or instrument would be convertible or exercisable shall be made assuming that such security or instrument is immediately convertible or exercisable at the time of such determination; and, provided , further , that any Proposing Person satisfying the requirements of Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act (other than a Proposing Person that so satisfies Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act solely by reason of Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E)) shall not be deemed to hold or maintain the notional amount of any securities that underlie a Synthetic Equity Position held by such Proposing Person as a hedge with respect to a bona fide derivatives trade or position of such Proposing Person arising in the ordinary course of such Proposing Persons business as a derivatives dealer, (B) any rights to dividends on the shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (C) any material pending or threatened legal proceeding in which such Proposing Person is a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the Corporation, (D) any other material relationship between such Proposing Person, on the one hand, and the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation, on the other hand, (E) any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement of such Proposing Person with the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement) and (F) any other information relating to such 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 or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (F) are referred to as Disclosable Interests ); provided ,
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however , that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner; and
(c) As to each item of business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, (A) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person, (B) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration), (C) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings (x) between or among any of the Proposing Persons or (y) between or among any Proposing Person and any other Person or entity (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder and (D) any other information relating to such item of business that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act; provided , however , that the disclosures required by this Section 2.4(iii) shall not include any disclosures with respect to any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner.
(iv) For purposes of this Section 2.4, the term Proposing Person shall mean (a) the stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, (b) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting is made, or (c) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii)-(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A) with such stockholder in such solicitation.
(v) A Proposing Person shall update and supplement its notice to the Corporation of its intent to propose business at an annual meeting, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall be true and correct as of the record date for notice of the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) 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 such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof).
(vi) Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at an annual meeting that is not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4. The presiding officer of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that the business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4, 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.
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(vii) In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.4 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 with respect to any such business. Nothing in this Section 2.4 shall be deemed to affect the rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporations proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.
(viii) 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.
2.5 Advance Notice Procedures for Nominations of Directors .
(i) Nominations of any Person for election to the Board at an annual meeting may be made at such meeting only (a) by or at the direction of the Board, including by any committee or Persons authorized to do so by the Board or these bylaws, or (b) by a stockholder present in Person (as defined in Section 2.4) (1) who was a beneficial owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.5 and at the time of the meeting, (2) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (3) has complied with this Section 2.5 as to such notice and nomination. The foregoing clause (b) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make any nomination of a Person or Persons for election to the Board at any annual meeting of stockholders.
(ii) Without qualification, for a stockholder to make any nomination of a Person or Persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting, the stockholder must (a) provide Timely Notice (as defined in Section 2.4(ii) of these bylaws) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation, (b) provide the information, agreements and questionnaires with respect to such stockholder and its candidate for nomination as required to be set forth by this Section 2.5, and (c) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholders notice as described above.
(iii) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.5, a stockholders notice to the Secretary shall set forth:
(a) As to each Nominating Person (as defined below), the Stockholder Information (as defined in Section 2.4(iii)(a) of these bylaws) except that for purposes of this Section 2.5, the term Nominating Person shall be substituted for the term Proposing Person in all places it appears in Section 2.4(iii)(a);
(b) As to each Nominating Person, any Disclosable Interests (as defined in Section 2.4(iii)(b), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5 the term Nominating Person shall be substituted for the term Proposing Person in all places it appears in Section 2.4(iii)(b) and the disclosure with respect to the business to be brought before the meeting in Section 2.4(iii)(c) shall be made with respect to nomination of each Person for election as a director at the meeting); and
(c) As to each candidate whom a Nominating Person proposes to nominate for election as a director, (A) all information with respect to such candidate for nomination that would be required to be set forth in a stockholders notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 if such
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candidate for nomination were a Nominating Person, (B) all information relating to such candidate for nomination 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(a) under the Exchange Act (including such candidates written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected), (C) a description of any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement between or among any Nominating Person, on the one hand, and each candidate for nomination or any other participants in such solicitation, 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 Nominating Person were the registrant for purposes of such rule and the candidate for nomination were a director or executive officer of such registrant (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (C) are referred to as Nominee Information ), and (D) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement as provided in Section 2.5(vi).
(iv) For purposes of this Section 2.5, the term Nominating Person shall mean (a) the stockholder providing the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting, (b) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting is made, and (c) any other participant in such solicitation.
(v) A stockholder providing notice of any nomination proposed to be made at a 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 2.5 shall be true and correct as of the record date for notice of the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) 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 such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof).
(vi) To be eligible to be a candidate for election as a director of the Corporation at an annual meeting, a candidate must be nominated in the manner prescribed in this Section 2.5 and the candidate for nomination, whether nominated by the Board or by a stockholder of record, must have previously delivered (in accordance with the time period prescribed for delivery in a notice to such candidate given by or on behalf of the Board), to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (a) a completed written questionnaire (in the form provided by the Corporation) with respect to the background, qualifications, stock ownership and independence of such candidate for nomination and (b) a written representation and agreement (in the form provided by the Corporation) that such candidate for nomination (A) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any Person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation or reimbursement for service as a director of the Corporation that has not been disclosed therein and (B) if elected as a director of the Corporation, will comply with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, stock ownership and trading and other policies and guidelines of the Corporation applicable to all directors and in effect during such Persons term in office as a director (and, if requested by any candidate for nomination, the Secretary of the Corporation shall provide to such candidate for nomination all such policies and guidelines then in effect).
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(vii) The Board may also require any proposed candidate for nomination as a Director to furnish such other information as may reasonably be requested by the Board in writing prior to the meeting of stockholders at which such candidates nomination is to be acted upon in order for the Board to determine the eligibility of such candidate for nomination to be an independent director of the Corporation in accordance with the Corporations Corporate Governance Guidelines.
(viii) In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.5 with respect to any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such nominations.
(ix) No candidate shall be eligible for nomination as a director of the Corporation unless such candidate for nomination and the Nominating Person seeking to place such candidates name in nomination has complied with this Section 2.5, as applicable. The presiding officer at the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that a nomination was not properly made in accordance with this Section 2.5, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare such determination to the meeting, the defective nomination shall be disregarded and any ballots cast for the candidate in question (but in the case of any form of ballot listing other qualified nominees, only the ballots cast for the nominee in question) shall be void and of no force or effect.
(x) Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no candidate for nomination shall be eligible to be seated as a director of the Corporation unless nominated and elected in accordance with this Section 2.5.
2.6 Notice of Stockholders Meetings .
Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be sent or otherwise given in accordance with either Section 2.7 or Section 8.1 of these bylaws not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting. The notice shall specify the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in Person and vote at such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.
2.7 Manner of Giving Notice; Affidavit of Notice .
Notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be deemed given:
(i) if mailed, when deposited in the U.S. mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at his or her address as it appears on the Corporations records; or
(ii) if electronically transmitted as provided in Section 8.1 of these bylaws.
An affidavit of the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Corporation or of the transfer agent or any other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given by mail or by a form of electronic transmission, as applicable, shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
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2.8 Quorum .
Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, present in Person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. If, however, a quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, then either (i) the chairperson of the meeting or (ii) a majority in voting power of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, present in Person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 2.9 of these bylaws until a quorum is present or represented.
2.9 Adjourned Meeting; Notice .
When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, if any, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and 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 adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At any adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (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 fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.
2.10 Conduct of Business .
The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the Person presiding over the meeting. The Board may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the chairperson of 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 chairperson, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the chairperson of 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 entitled to vote at the meeting, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other Persons as the chairperson of the meeting shall determine; (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 or the chairperson of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.
2.11 Voting .
Except as may be otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws or the DGCL, each stockholder shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.
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Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, at all duly called or convened meetings of stockholders at which a quorum is present, for the election of directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect a director. Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, or applicable law, or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, each other matter presented to the stockholders at a duly called or convened meeting at which a quorum is present shall be decided by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the votes cast (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) on such matter.
2.12 Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes .
In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board 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, and which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board 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 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, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be the close of business on the next day preceding the day on which notice is first 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 may fix a new record date for 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.
To the extent stockholder action by written consent is permitted by the Certificate of Incorporation, in order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board 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, 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. If no record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting is fixed by the Board, (i) when no prior action of the Board 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 is required by law, the record date for such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution taking such prior action.
In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment or any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of capital stock, or for the purposes of any other lawful action, the Board 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 be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no 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 adopts the resolution relating thereto.
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2.13 Proxies .
Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may authorize another Person or Persons to act for such stockholder by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting, but, no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of Section 212 of the DGCL. A proxy may be in the form of a telegram, cablegram or other means of electronic transmission which sets forth or is submitted with information from which it can be determined that the telegram, cablegram or other means of electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder.
2.14 List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote .
The Corporation shall prepare, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (provided, however, that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) 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. The Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. 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 (10) 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 Corporations principal executive office. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders 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. Such list shall presumptively determine the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares held by each of them. Except as otherwise provided by law, the stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by this Section 2.14 or to vote in Person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.
2.15 Inspectors of Election .
Before any meeting of stockholders, the Corporation shall appoint an inspector or inspectors of election to act at the meeting or its adjournment and make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more Persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If any Person appointed as inspector or any alternate fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, then the chairperson of the meeting shall appoint a Person to fill that vacancy.
Such inspectors shall:
(i) determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the number of shares represented at the meeting and the validity of any proxies and ballots;
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(ii) count all votes or ballots;
(iii) count and tabulate all votes;
(iv) determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspector(s); and
(v) certify its or their determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting and its or their count of all votes and ballots.
Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of the duties of inspector, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspection with strict impartiality and according to the best of such inspectors ability. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. The inspectors of election may appoint such Persons to assist them in performing their duties as they determine. In determining the validity and counting of proxies and ballots cast at any meeting of stockholders of the corporation, the inspectors may consider such information as is permitted by applicable law. No person who is a candidate for an office at an election may serve as an inspector at such election.
Article III - Directors
3.1 Powers .
Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.
3.2 Number of Directors .
Subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, the total number of directors constituting the Board shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that directors term of office expires.
3.3 Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors .
Except as provided in Section 3.4 of these bylaws, each director, including a director elected to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship, shall hold office until the expiration of the term of the class, if any, for which elected and until such directors successor is elected and qualified or until such directors earlier death, resignation or removal. Directors need not be stockholders. The Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws may prescribe qualifications for directors.
3.4 Resignation and Vacancies .
Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation. The resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or upon the happening of an event specified therein, and if no time or event is specified, at the time of its receipt. When one or more directors so resigns and the resignation is effective at a future date or upon the happening of an event to occur on a future
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date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each director so chosen shall hold office as provided in this section in the filling of other vacancies.
Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors shall be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Any director appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the term of the class, if any, to which the director is appointed and until such directors successor shall have been elected and qualified. A vacancy in the Board shall be deemed to exist under these bylaws in the case of the death, removal or resignation of any director.
3.5 Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone .
The Board may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or outside the State of Delaware.
Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, members of the Board, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all Persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting pursuant to this bylaw shall constitute presence in Person at the meeting.
3.6 Regular Meetings .
Regular meetings of the Board may be held without notice at such time and at such place as shall from time to time be determined by the Board.
3.7 Special Meetings; Notice .
Special meetings of the Board for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the chairperson of the Board, the chief executive officer, the president, the secretary or a majority of the total number of directors constituting the Board.
Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be:
(i) | delivered Personally by hand, by courier or by telephone; |
(ii) | sent by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid; |
(iii) | sent by facsimile or electronic mail; or |
(iv) | sent by other means of electronic transmission, |
directed to each director at that directors address, telephone number, facsimile number or electronic mail address, or other address for electronic transmission, as the case may be, as shown on the Corporations records.
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If the notice is (i) delivered Personally by hand, by courier or by telephone, (ii) sent by facsimile or electronic mail, or (iii) sent by other means of electronic transmission, it shall be delivered or sent at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by U.S. mail, it shall be deposited in the U.S. mail at least four (4) days before the time of the holding of the meeting. The notice need not specify the place of the meeting (if the meeting is to be held at the Corporations principal executive office) nor the purpose of the meeting.
3.8 Quorum .
At all meetings of the Board, the directors entitled to cast a majority of the votes of the whole Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the Board, then the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.
3.9 Board Action by Written Consent without 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, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
3.10 Fees and Compensation of Directors .
Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation, including fees and reimbursement of expenses, of directors for services to the Corporation in any capacity.
Article IV - Committees
4.1 Committees of Directors .
The Board may designate one (1) or more committees, each committee to consist, of one (1) or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one (1) 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 such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board 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 or in these bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board 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 that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to (i) approve or adopt, or recommend to the stockholders, any action or matter expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the Corporation.
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4.2 Committee Minutes .
Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board when required.
4.3 Meetings and Actions of Committees .
Meetings and actions of committees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of:
(i) | Section 3.5 (place of meetings and meetings by telephone); |
(ii) | Section 3.6 (regular meetings); |
(iii) | Section 3.7 (special meetings and notice); |
(iv) | Section 3.9 (action without a meeting); and |
(v) | Section 7.11 (waiver of notice), |
with such changes in the context of those bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the Board and its members. However :
(i) the time of regular meetings of committees may be determined either by resolution of the Board or by resolution of the committee;
(ii) special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the Board or by the chairperson of the applicable committee; and
(iii) the Board may adopt rules for the governance of any committee to override the provisions that would otherwise apply to the committee pursuant to this Section 4.3, provided that such rules do not violate the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law.
Article V - Officers
5.1 Officers .
The officers of the Corporation shall include a president and a secretary. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of the Board, a chairperson of the Board and a vice chairperson of the Board from among its members, a chief executive officer, a chief financial officer, a treasurer, one (1) or more vice presidents, one (1) or more assistant vice presidents, one (1) or more assistant treasurers, one (1) or more assistant secretaries, and any such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. Any number of offices may be held by the same Person.
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5.2 Appointment of Officers .
The Board shall appoint the officers of the Corporation, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3 of these bylaws.
5.3 Subordinate Officers .
The Board may appoint, or empower the chief executive officer or, in the absence of a chief executive officer, the president, to appoint, such other officers and agents as the business of the Corporation may require. Each of such officers and agents shall hold office for such period, have such authority, and perform such duties as are provided in these bylaws or as the Board or an authorized officer (as applicable), may from time to time determine.
5.4 Removal and Resignation of Officers .
Subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by the Board or, except in the case of an officer chosen by the Board, by any officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the Board.
Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Corporation. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time specified in that notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.
5.5 Vacancies in Offices .
Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board or as provided in Sections 5.2 and 5.3, as applicable.
5.6 Representation of Shares of Other Corporations .
The chairperson of the Board, the chief executive officer, the president, any vice president, the treasurer, the secretary or assistant secretary of this Corporation, or any other Person authorized by the Board, the chief executive officer, the president or a vice president, is authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of this Corporation all rights incident to any and all shares of any other corporation or corporations standing in the name of this Corporation. The authority granted herein may be exercised either by such Person directly or by any other Person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by such Person having the authority.
5.7 Authority and Duties of Officers .
All officers of the Corporation shall respectively have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the business of the Corporation as may be provided herein or designated from time to time by the Board and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board.
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Article VI - Records
A stock ledger consisting of one or more records in which the names of all of the Corporations stockholders of record, the address and number of shares registered in the name of each such stockholder, and all issuances and transfers of stock of the corporation are recorded in accordance with Section 224 of the DGCL shall be administered by or on behalf of the Corporation. Any records administered by or on behalf of the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account, and minute books, may be kept on, or by means of, or be in the form of, any information storage device, or method, or one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time and, with respect to the stock ledger, that the records so kept (i) can be used to prepare the list of stockholders specified in Sections 219 and 220 of the DGCL, (ii) record the information specified in Sections 156, 159, 217(a) and 218 of the DGCL, and (iii) record transfers of stock as governed by Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code.
Article VII - General Matters
7.1 Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments .
The Board may authorize any officer or officers, or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation; such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Unless so authorized or ratified by the Board or within the agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.
7.2 Stock Certificates .
The shares of the Corporation shall be uncertificated, provided that the Board by resolution may provide that some or all of the shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates. Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, shall be in such form as is consistent with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of stock represented by a certificate shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, any two officers authorized to sign stock certificates representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. The chairperson or vice chairperson of the Board, the president, vice president, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, the secretary or any assistant secretary of the Corporation shall be specifically authorized to sign stock certificates. 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 has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he or she were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
7.3 Lost Certificates .
The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares in the place of any certificate theretofore 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 owners legal representative, 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.
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7.4 Shares Without Certificates
The Corporation may adopt a system of issuance, recordation and transfer of its shares of stock by electronic or other means not involving the issuance of certificates, provided the use of such system by the Corporation is permitted in accordance with applicable law.
7.5 Dividends .
The Board, subject to any restrictions contained in either (i) the DGCL or (ii) the Certificate of Incorporation, may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of its capital stock. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the Corporations capital stock.
The Board may set apart out of any of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve. Such purposes shall include but not be limited to equalizing dividends, repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, and meeting contingencies.
7.6 Fiscal Year .
The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board and may be changed by the Board.
7.7 Seal .
The Corporation may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be adopted and which may be altered by the Board. The Corporation may use the corporate seal by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.
7.8 Transfer of Stock .
Shares of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law and in these bylaws. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation only by the holder of record thereof or by such holders attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates representing such shares endorsed by the appropriate Person or Persons (or by delivery of duly executed instructions with respect to uncertificated shares), with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement or execution, transfer, authorization and other matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps. No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing the names of the Persons from and to whom it was transferred.
7.9 Stock Transfer Agreements .
The Corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes or series of stock of the Corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the Corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.
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7.10 Registered Stockholders .
The Corporation:
(i) shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a Person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends and to vote as such owner; and
(ii) shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of another Person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.
7.11 Waiver of Notice .
Whenever notice is required to be given under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, a written waiver, signed by the Person entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the Person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. 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. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by electronic transmission unless so required by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws.
Article VIII - Notice by Electronic Transmission
8.1 Notice by Electronic Transmission .
Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders pursuant to the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, 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 (2) 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, or other Person responsible for the giving of notice.
However, the inadvertent failure to treat such inability as a revocation shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.
Any notice given pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall be deemed given:
(i) | if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; |
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(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. |
An affidavit of the secretary or an assistant secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given by a form of electronic transmission shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
8.2 Definition of Electronic Transmission .
An electronic transmission means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, including the use of, or participation in, one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.
Article IX - Indemnification
9.1 Indemnification of Directors and Officers .
The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any director or officer of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a Proceeding ) by reason of the fact that he or she, or a Person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys fees, judgments, fines ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such Person in connection with any such Proceeding. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.4, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify a Person in connection with a Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Person only if the Proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized in the specific case by the Board.
9.2 Indemnification of Others .
The Corporation shall have the power to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any employee or agent of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any Proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she, or a Person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was an 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 or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses reasonably incurred by such Person in connection with any such Proceeding.
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9.3 Prepayment of Expenses .
The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys fees) incurred by any officer or director of the Corporation, and may pay the expenses incurred by any employee or agent of the Corporation, in defending any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however , that, to the extent required by law, such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by the Person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined that the Person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article IX or otherwise.
9.4 Determination; Claim .
If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of such Proceeding) under this Article IX is not paid in full within sixty (60) days, or a claim for advancement of expenses under this Article IX is not paid in full within thirty (30) days after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation, the claimant may thereafter (but not before) 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 payment of expenses under applicable law.
9.5 Non-Exclusivity of Rights .
The rights conferred on any Person by this Article IX shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such Person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
9.6 Insurance .
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 or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust enterprise or non-profit entity 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 the DGCL.
9.7 Other Indemnificatio n .
The Corporations obligation, if any, to indemnify or advance expenses to any Person who was or is serving at its request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity shall be reduced by any amount such Person may collect as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit enterprise.
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9.8 Continuation of Indemnification .
The rights to indemnification and to prepayment of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article IX shall continue notwithstanding that the Person has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the estate, heirs, executors, administrators, legatees and distributees of such Person.
9.9 Amendment or Repeal ; Interpretation .
Any repeal or modification of this Article IX shall not adversely affect any right or protection (i) hereunder of any Person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification or (ii) under any agreement providing for indemnification or advancement of expenses to an officer or director of the Corporation in effect prior to the time of such repeal or modification.
Any reference to an officer of the Corporation in this Article IX shall be deemed to refer exclusively to the chairperson of the Board, a vice chairperson of the Board, a chief executive officer, a chief financial officer, a secretary or a treasurer appointed pursuant to Article V of these bylaws, and to any president, vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, or other officer of the Corporation appointed by (x) the Board pursuant to Article V of these Bylaws or (y) an officer to whom the Board has delegated the power to appoint officers pursuant to Article V of these bylaws, and any reference to an officer of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be deemed to refer exclusively to an officer appointed by the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of such other entity pursuant to the certificate of incorporation and bylaws (or equivalent organizational documents) of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. The fact that any Person who is or was an employee of the Corporation or an employee of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise has been given or has used the title of vice president or any other title that could be construed to suggest or imply that such Person is or may be an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall not result in such Person being constituted as, or being deemed to be, an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise for purposes of this Article IX.
Article X - Amendments
The Board is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation. The stockholders also shall have power to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation; provided, however , that, from and after the Trigger Event, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, such action by stockholders shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of voting stock of the Corporation with the power to vote at an election of directors, voting together as a single class.
Article XI - Forum Selection
Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery (the Chancery Court ) of the State of Delaware (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not
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have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts 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 of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or to the Corporations stockholders, (iii) any action arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time) or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine.
Article XII - Definitions
As used in these bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires, the term:
Affiliate means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such Person. For the purposes of this definition, control, when used with respect to any Person, means the power to direct or cause the direction of the affairs or management of that Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, as trustee (or the power to appoint a trustee), Personal representative or executor, by contract, credit arrangement or otherwise and controlled and controlling have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
Person means any individual, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, business trust, joint stock company, joint venture, unincorporated association, cooperative or association or any other legal entity or organization of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
Principal Stockholder means investment funds affiliated with or advised by CVC Capital Partners and Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. or any of its affiliates or successors.
Trigger Event means the first date on which the Principal Stockholder ceases collectively to beneficially own (directly or indirectly) more than 50% of the voting power of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. For the purpose of these bylaws, beneficial ownership shall be determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.
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BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.
Certificate of Amendment and Restatement of Bylaws
The undersigned hereby certifies that he is the duly elected, qualified, and acting Secretary of BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Corporation ), and that the foregoing bylaws were approved on June 14, 2018, effective as of July 2, 2018 by the Corporations board of directors.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this 2nd day of July, 2018.
/s/ Graham N. Luce |
||
Graham N. Luce | ||
SVP, Secretary |
[BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. Signature Page to Amended and Restated Bylaws]
Exhibit 10.1
VOTING AGREEMENT
THIS VOTING AGREEMENT, effective as of the Effective Time and dated as of the day that the Effective Time occurs, is entered into by and among (i) BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company ), (ii) CVC Beacon LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the CVC Stockholder ), (iii) Green Equity Investors V, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( LGP V ), (iv) Green Equity Investors Side V, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( LGP Side V ) and (v) Beacon Coinvest LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (together with LGP V and LGP Side V, collectively, the LGP Stockholders and, together with the CVC Stockholder, the Principal Stockholders and each a Principal Stockholder ). Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings set forth in Section 1.1 .
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Company will price an initial public offering of shares of its common stock (such shares of common stock, the Common Stock , and such initial public offering, the IPO ) pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement dated as of June 27, 2018 (the Underwriting Agreement );
WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire to provide for certain governance rights and other matters for the period on and after the Effective Time.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements and understandings set forth herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.1 Definitions As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following respective meanings:
Affiliate shall mean, with respect to any Person, any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such first Person. For these purposes, control means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
Agreement shall mean this Voting Agreement as in effect on the date hereof and as hereafter from time to time amended, modified or supplemented in accordance with the terms hereof.
Board of Directors shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
Board Designees shall mean the Directors designated by the Principal Stockholders pursuant to Section 2.1 .
Closing means the closing of the IPO.
Code shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(b) .
Common Stock shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.
Company shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
Company Shares means (i) all shares of Common Stock that are not then subject to vesting (including shares that were at one time subject to vesting to the extent they have vested), (ii) all shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any option, warrant or convertible security that are not then subject to vesting (including shares that were at one time subject to vesting to the extent they have vested) and (iii) all shares of Common Stock directly or indirectly issued or issuable with respect to the securities referred to in clauses (i) or (ii) above by way of unit or stock dividend or unit or stock split, or in connection with a combination of units or shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or other reorganization.
CVC Director shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a) .
CVC Stockholder shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
CVC Stockholder Designee shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b) .
Director shall mean a member of the Board of Directors.
Effective Time shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.12 .
IPO shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.
LGP Director shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a) .
LGP Stockholders shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
LGP Stockholders Designee shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(c) .
Necessary Action means, with respect to a specified result, all commercially reasonable actions required to cause such result that are within the power of a specified Person, including (i) voting or providing a written consent or proxy with respect to the Company Shares, (ii) causing the adoption of stockholders resolutions and amendments to the organizational documents of the Company, (iii) executing agreements and instruments, (iv) making, or causing to be made, with governmental, administrative or regulatory authorities, all filings, registrations or similar actions that are required to achieve such result and (v) causing members of the Board of Directors, subject to any fiduciary duties that such members may have as directors of the Company (including pursuant to Section 2.1(e) ), to act in a certain manner, including causing members of the Board of Directors or any nominating or similar committee of the Board of Directors to recommend the appointment of any Board Designees as provided by this Agreement.
Person shall mean an individual, corporation, company, limited liability company, association, partnership, joint venture, organization, business, trust or any other entity or organization, including a government or any subdivision or agency thereof.
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Principal Stockholders shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
Underwriting Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.
ARTICLE II
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
SECTION 2.1 Board of Directors.
(a) Composition of Initial Board . As of the Closing, the Board of Directors shall be comprised of ten (10) directors, (i) the following three (3) of whom shall be deemed to have been designated by the CVC Stockholder (each, a CVC Director ): Christopher J. Stadler, Cameron Breitner and Lars Haegg; and (ii) the following three (3) of whom shall be deemed to have been designated by the LGP Stockholders (each, a LGP Director ): Jonathan A. Seiffer, J. Kristofer Galashan and Tommy Yin. The foregoing directors shall be divided into three classes of directors, each of whose members shall serve for staggered three-year terms as follows:
(i) the class I directors shall initially include one (1) CVC Director and one (1) LGP Director;
(ii) the class II directors shall initially include two (2) CVC Directors and two (2) LGP Directors; and
(iii) the class III directors shall initially include no CVC Directors and no LGP Directors.
The initial term of the class I directors shall expire immediately following the Companys 2019 annual meeting of stockholders at which directors are elected. The initial term of the class II directors shall expire immediately following the Companys 2020 annual meeting of stockholders at which directors are elected. The initial term of the class III directors shall expire immediately following the Companys 2021 annual meeting at which directors are elected.
(b) CVC Stockholder Representation . For so long as the CVC Stockholder holds, in the aggregate, a number of shares of Common Stock representing at least the percentages shown below of shares of Common Stock held in the aggregate by the CVC Stockholder as of the Closing of the IPO, the Company and the Principal Stockholders shall take Necessary Action to include in the slate of nominees recommended by the Board for election as directors at each applicable annual or special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected that number of individuals designated by the CVC Stockholder (each, a CVC Stockholder Designee ) that, if elected, will result in the number of CVC Directors serving on the Board of Directors that is shown below.
Percentage |
Number of
Directors |
|||
70% or greater |
3 | |||
Less than 70% but greater than or equal to 40% |
2 | |||
Less than 40% but greater than or equal to 10% |
1 | |||
Less than 10% |
0 |
3
Upon any decrease in the number of directors that the CVC Stockholder is entitled to designate for election to the Board of Directors, the CVC Stockholder shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the appropriate number of CVC Stockholder Designees to offer to tender his or her resignation. If such resignation is then accepted by the Board of Directors, the Company and the Principal Stockholders shall cause the size of the Board of Directors to be reduced accordingly unless the Company, with the approval of a majority of the remaining Directors, determines not to reduce the authorized size of the Board of Directors, in which case the Board of Directors shall act in accordance with the bylaws of the Company then in effect to appoint or nominate a new director to the Board of Directors.
(c) LGP Stockholders Representation . For so long as the LGP Stockholders hold, in the aggregate, a number of shares of Common Stock representing at least the percentages shown below of shares of Common Stock held in the aggregate by the LGP Stockholders as of the Closing of the IPO, the Company and the Principal Stockholders shall take Necessary Action to include in the slate of nominees recommended by the Board for election as directors at each applicable annual or special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected that number of individuals designated by the LGP Stockholders (each, a LGP Stockholder Designee ) that, if elected, will result in the number of LGP Directors serving on the Board of Directors that is shown below.
Percentage |
Number of
Directors |
|||
70% or greater |
3 | |||
Less than 70% but greater than or equal to 40% |
2 | |||
Less than 40% but greater than or equal to 10% |
1 | |||
Less than 10% |
0 |
Upon any decrease in the number of directors that the LGP Stockholders are entitled to designate for election to the Board of Directors, the LGP Stockholders shall use their reasonable best efforts to cause the appropriate number of LGP Stockholder Designees to offer to tender his or her resignation. If such resignation is then accepted by the Board of Directors, the Company and the Principal Stockholders shall cause the size of the Board of Directors to be reduced accordingly unless the Company, with the approval of a majority of the remaining Directors, determines not to reduce the authorized size of the Board of Directors, in which case the Board of Directors shall act in accordance with the bylaws of the Company then in effect to appoint or nominate a new director to the Board of Directors.
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(d) Additional Obligations . An individual designated by a Principal Stockholder for election (including pursuant to Sections 2.1(b) or 2.1(c)) as a Director shall comply with the requirements of the charter for, and related guidelines of, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article II, in the event that the Board of Directors determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel, that its nomination, appointment or election of a particular Board Designee pursuant to this Section 2.1 or Section 2.2 would constitute a breach of its fiduciary duties to the Companys stockholders or does not otherwise comply with any requirements of the charter for, or related guidelines of, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, then the Board of Directors shall inform such Principal Stockholder of such determination in writing and explain in reasonable detail the basis for such determination and shall designate another individual designated for nomination, election or appointment to the Board of Directors by such Principal Stockholder (subject in each case to this Section 2.1(d)), and the Board of Directors and the Company shall take all of the actions required by this Article II with respect to the election of such substitute Board Designee. It is hereby acknowledged and agreed that the fact that a particular Board Designee is an Affiliate, director, professional, partner, member, manager, employee or agent of a Principal Stockholder or is not an independent director shall not in and of itself constitute an acceptable basis for such determination by the Board of Directors.
(e) Vacancies . Except as provided in Sections 2.1(b) and 2.1(c) , as applicable, with respect to decreases in ownership of the Principal Stockholders, (i) each Principal Stockholder shall have the exclusive right to request the removal of its Board Designees from the Board of Directors in accordance with the bylaws of the Company then in effect, and the Company and the Principal Stockholders shall take all Necessary Action to cause the removal (whether for our without cause) of any such Board Designee at the request of the designating Principal Stockholder and (ii) each Principal Stockholder shall have the exclusive right to designate directors for election to the Board of Directors to fill vacancies (for the remainder of the then current term) created by reason of death, disability, removal or resignation of its Board Designees to the Board of Directors, and the Company and the Principal Stockholders shall take all Necessary Action to cause any such vacancies to be filled by replacement directors designated by such designating Principal Stockholder as promptly as reasonably practicable.
SECTION 2.2 Voting Agreement . Each Principal Stockholder agrees, in person or by proxy, to cast all votes to which such Principal Stockholder is entitled in respect of its Company Shares, whether at any annual or special meeting, by written consent or otherwise, so as to cause to be elected to the Board of Directors those individuals designated in accordance with Section 2.1 and to otherwise effect the intent of this Article II .
SECTION 2.3 Agreement of Company . The Company hereby agrees that it will take all Necessary Actions to cause the matters addressed by this Article II to be carried out in accordance with the provisions thereof. Without limiting the foregoing, the Secretary of the Company or such other officer or employee of the Company who may be fulfilling the duties of the Secretary, shall not record any vote or consent or other action contrary to the terms of this Article II .
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SECTION 2.4 Restrictions on Other Agreements . No Principal Stockholder shall grant any proxy or enter into or agree to be bound by any voting trust, agreement or arrangement of any kind with any Person with respect to its Company Shares if and to the extent the terms thereof conflict with the provisions of this Agreement (whether or not such proxy, voting trust, agreements or arrangements are with other Principal Stockholders, holders of Company Shares that are not parties to this Agreement or otherwise).
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
Each of the parties to this Agreement hereby represents and warrants to each other party to this Agreement, severally on behalf of itself and not jointly, that as of the date such party executes this Agreement:
SECTION 3.1 Existence; Authority; Enforceability . Such party has the power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out its obligations hereunder. If such party is an entity, it is duly organized and validly existing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, and the execution of this Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, have been authorized by all necessary action, and no other act or proceeding on its part is necessary to authorize the execution of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby. If such party is a natural person, such person has full capacity to contract. This Agreement has been duly executed by each of the parties hereto and constitutes his or its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against him or it in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors rights generally, or by the general principles of equity. No representation is made by any party with respect to the regulatory effect of this Agreement, and each of the parties has had an opportunity to consult with counsel as to his or its rights and responsibilities under this Agreement. No party makes any representation to any other party as to future law or regulation or the future interpretation of existing laws or regulations by any governmental authority or self-regulatory organization.
SECTION 3.2 Absence of Conflicts . The execution and delivery by such party of this Agreement and the performance of its obligations hereunder does not and will not (i) conflict with, or result in the breach of, any provision of the constitutive documents of such party, if any; (ii) result in any violation, breach, conflict, default or event of default (or an event which with notice, lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default or event of default), or give rise to any right of acceleration or termination or any additional payment obligation, under the terms of any contract, agreement or permit to which such party is a party or by which such partys assets or operations are bound or affected; or (iii) violate any law applicable to such party.
SECTION 3.3 Consents . Other than any consents which have already been obtained, no consent, waiver, approval, authorization, exemption, registration, license or declaration is required to be made or obtained by such party in connection with the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement.
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ARTICLE IV
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 4.1 Termination . This Agreement shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (a) either of the LGP Stockholders, on the one hand, or the CVC Stockholder, on the other hand, ceasing to own any shares of Common Stock, (b) the written agreement of the LGP Stockholders and the CVC Stockholder to terminate this Agreement or (c) subject to the final sentence of Section 4.7 of this Agreement, its provisions become illegal or are interpreted by any governmental authority to be illegal, or any exchange on which the Companys Common Shares are traded asserts in writing that its existence will threaten the continued listing of the Companys Common Shares on such exchange
SECTION 4.2 Successors and Assigns; Beneficiaries . Except as otherwise provided herein, all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon, shall inure to the benefit of and shall be enforceable by the respective successors and permitted assigns of the parties hereto. This Agreement may not be assigned without the express prior written consent of the other parties hereto, and any attempted assignment, without such consents, will be null and void; provided that each Principal Stockholder (from time to time party hereto) shall be entitled to assign (solely in connection with a transfer of Common Stock) to any of its Affiliates, without such prior written consent, any of its rights and obligations hereunder; provided , further , that any such Affiliate agrees be bound by the obligations hereunder.
SECTION 4.3 Amendment and Modification; Waiver of Compliance . (a) This Agreement may be amended only by a written instrument duly executed by the Company, the LGP Stockholders and the CVC Stockholder.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, any failure of any of the parties to comply with any obligation, covenant, agreement or condition herein may be waived by the party entitled to the benefits thereof only by a written instrument signed by the party granting such waiver, but such waiver or failure to insist upon strict compliance with such obligation, covenant, agreement or condition shall not operate as a waiver of, or estoppel with respect to, any subsequent or other failure.
SECTION 4.4 Notices . Any notice, request, claim, demand, document and other communication hereunder to any party shall be effective upon receipt (or refusal of receipt) and shall be in writing and delivered personally or sent by electronic mail, facsimile, or first class mail, or by Federal Express, United Parcel Service or other similar courier or other similar means of communication, as follows:
(i) If to the LGP Stockholders, addressed to Green Equity Investors V, L.P., 11111 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 2000, Los Angeles, CA 90025, Attention: Jonathan Seiffer (seiffer@leonardgreen.com) and J. Kristofer Galashan (galashan@leonardgreen.com); and
(ii) If to the CVC Stockholder, addressed to CVC Capital Partners Advisory (US), Inc., One Maritime Plaza, Suite 1610, San Francisco, CA 94111, Attention: Cameron Breitner (CBreitner@cvc.com) and Nishad Chande (nchande@cvc.com);
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or, in each case, to such other address or electronic mail address as such party may designate in writing to each Principal Stockholder by written notice given in the manner specified herein.
All such communications shall be deemed to have been given, delivered or made when so delivered by hand or sent by electronic mail or facsimile (with confirmed receipt or transmission), on the next business day if sent by overnight courier service (with confirmed delivery) or when received if sent by first class mail.
SECTION 4.5 Specific Performance . Each party hereto acknowledges and agrees that in the event of any breach of this Agreement by any of them, the other parties hereto would be irreparably harmed and could not be made whole by monetary damages. Each party accordingly agrees to waive the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate and agrees that the parties, in addition to any other remedy to which they may be entitled at law or in equity, shall be entitled to specific performance of this Agreement without the posting of bond.
SECTION 4.6 Entire Agreement . The provisions of this Agreement and the other writings referred to herein or delivered pursuant hereto which form a part hereof contain the entire agreement among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior oral and written agreements and memoranda and undertakings among the parties hereto with regard to such subject matter.
SECTION 4.7 Severability . If any provision of this Agreement, or the application of such provision to any Person or circumstance or in any jurisdiction, shall be held to be invalid or unenforceable to any extent, (i) the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby, and each other provision hereof shall be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law, (ii) as to such Person or circumstance or in such jurisdiction such provision shall be reformed to be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law and (iii) the application of such provision to other Persons or circumstances or in other jurisdictions shall not be affected thereby. If this Agreement would be required to be terminated pursuant to clause (c) of Section 4.1 of this Agreement, the parties to this Agreement shall use their respective reasonable best efforts to cause the provisions of this Agreement to be reformed, prior to any such termination, to the fullest extent possible to both effectuate the intent of the parties to this Agreement (as of the date of this Agreement) and not cause the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 4.1 of this Agreement.
SECTION 4.8 CHOICE OF LAW AND VENUE; WAIVER OF RIGHT TO JURY TRIAL . THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, CONSTRUED, APPLIED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE.
IN THE EVENT ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT COMMENCES ANY LITIGATION, PROCEEDING OR OTHER LEGAL ACTION IN CONNECTION WITH OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY RELATED AGREEMENT OR ANY MATTERS DESCRIBED OR CONTEMPLATED HEREIN OR THEREIN, THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY (1) AGREE UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES ABSOLUTELY AND IRREVOCABLY TO INSTITUTE ANY LITIGATION, PROCEEDING OR OTHER LEGAL
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ACTION IN A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION LOCATED WITHIN THE STATE OF DELAWARE, WHETHER A STATE OR FEDERAL COURT; (2) AGREE THAT IN THE EVENT OF ANY SUCH LITIGATION, PROCEEDING OR ACTION, SUCH PARTIES WILL CONSENT AND SUBMIT TO THE PERSONAL JURISDICTION OF ANY SUCH COURT DESCRIBED IN CLAUSE (1) OF THIS SECTION AND TO SERVICE OF PROCESS UPON THEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES AND STATUTES GOVERNING SERVICE OF PROCESS (IT BEING UNDERSTOOD THAT NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE DEEMED TO PREVENT ANY PARTY FROM SEEKING TO REMOVE ANY ACTION TO A FEDERAL COURT IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE); (3) AGREE TO WAIVE TO THE FULL EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW ANY OBJECTION THAT THEY MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE VENUE OF ANY SUCH LITIGATION, PROCEEDING OR ACTION IN ANY SUCH COURT OR THAT ANY SUCH LITIGATION, PROCEEDING OR ACTION WAS BROUGHT IN ANY INCONVENIENT FORUM; (4) AGREE, AFTER CONSULTATION WITH COUNSEL, TO WAIVE ANY RIGHTS TO A JURY TRIAL TO RESOLVE ANY DISPUTES OR CLAIMS RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT; (5) AGREE TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING BY MAILING OF COPIES THEREOF TO SUCH PARTY AT ITS ADDRESS SET FORTH HEREIN FOR COMMUNICATIONS TO SUCH PARTY; (6) AGREE THAT ANY SERVICE MADE AS PROVIDED HEREIN SHALL BE EFFECTIVE AND BINDING SERVICE IN EVERY RESPECT; AND (7) AGREE THAT NOTHING HEREIN SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHTS OF ANY PARTY TO EFFECT SERVICE OF PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW.
SECTION 4.9 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
SECTION 4.10 Further Assurances . At any time or from time to time after the date hereof, the parties hereto agree to cooperate with each other, and at the request of any other party, to execute and deliver any further instruments or documents and to take all such further action as any other party may reasonably request in order to evidence or effectuate the provisions of this Agreement and to otherwise carry out the intent of the parties hereunder.
SECTION 4.12 Effectiveness of Agreement . Immediately prior to the effectiveness of the Companys registration statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-224994), the Agreement shall thereupon be deemed to be effective (such time, the Effective Time ). However, to the extent the Closing does not occur, the provisions of this Agreement shall be without any force or effect.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has signed this Voting Agreement as of the date first above written.
COMPANY:
BJS WHOLESALE CLUB HOLDINGS, INC. |
||
By: | /s/ Graham N. Luce | |
Name: | Graham N. Luce | |
Title: | Senior Vice President, Secretary | |
LGP STOCKHOLDERS:
GREEN EQUITY INVESTORS V, L.P. |
||
By: | GEI Capital V, LLC, its general partner | |
By: | /s/ Jonathan A. Seiffer | |
Name: | Jonathan A. Seiffer | |
Title: | ||
GREEN EQUITY INVESTORS SIDE V, L.P. | ||
By: | GEI Capital V, LLC, its general partner | |
By: | /s/ Jonathan A. Seiffer | |
Name: | Jonathan A. Seiffer | |
Title: | ||
BEACON COINVEST LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Jonathan A. Seiffer | |
Name: | Jonathan A. Seiffer | |
Title: |
[BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. Signature Page to the 2018 Voting Agreement]
CVC STOCKHOLDER:
CVC BEACON LP |
||
By: | CVC Beacon GP LLC, its general partner | |
By: | /s/ Cameron Breitner | |
Name: | Cameron Breitner | |
Title: | President and Assistant Secretary |
[BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. Signature Page to the 2018 Voting Agreement]
Exhibit 10.2
AMENDED AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT
BY AND AMONG
BJS WHOLESALE CLUB HOLDINGS, INC.,
GREEN EQUITY INVESTORS V, L.P.,
GREEN EQUITY INVESTORS SIDE V, L.P.,
BEACON COINVEST LLC AND
CVC BEACON LP
JULY 2, 2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE I. REGISTRATION RIGHTS. |
1 | |||||
Section 1.01 |
Requested Registration | 1 | ||||
Section 1.02 |
Company Registration. | 4 | ||||
Section 1.03 |
Company Control | 5 | ||||
Section 1.04 |
Expenses of Registration; Cooperation. | 6 | ||||
Section 1.05 |
Registration Procedures | 6 | ||||
Section 1.06 |
Indemnification. | 8 | ||||
Section 1.07 |
Information by the Stockholders | 10 | ||||
Section 1.08 |
Market Stand-off Agreement | 10 | ||||
Section 1.09 |
Transfer of Registration Rights | 10 | ||||
Section 1.10 |
Access | 10 | ||||
Section 1.11 |
Termination. | 11 | ||||
ARTICLE II. REPRESENTATIONS; WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS |
11 | |||||
Section 2.01 |
Representations and Warranties of the Stockholders. | 11 | ||||
Section 2.02 |
Representations and Warranties of the Company. | 12 | ||||
Section 2.03 |
Entitlement of the Company and the Stockholders to Rely on Representations and Warranties. | 12 | ||||
ARTICLE III. INTERPRETATION OF THIS AGREEMENT. |
13 | |||||
Section 3.01 |
Defined Terms | 13 | ||||
Section 3.02 |
Directly or Indirectly | 16 | ||||
Section 3.03 |
Governing Law | 16 | ||||
Section 3.04 |
Section Headings | 16 | ||||
ARTICLE IV. MISCELLANEOUS |
16 | |||||
Section 4.01 |
Notices. | 16 | ||||
Section 4.02 |
Successors and Assigns | 18 | ||||
Section 4.03 |
Entire Agreement | 18 |
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Section 4.04 |
Amendment and Waiver. | 18 | ||||
Section 4.05 |
Business Opportunities; No Recourse. | 18 | ||||
Section 4.06 |
Severability | 19 | ||||
Section 4.07 |
Counterparts | 19 | ||||
Section 4.08 |
Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial | 19 | ||||
Section 4.09 |
Specific Performance | 19 | ||||
Section 4.10 |
Conflict with Organizational Documents | 20 | ||||
Section 4.11 |
No Third Party Liability | 20 | ||||
Section 4.12 |
Stockholder Acting as Creditor | 20 | ||||
Section 4.13 |
Indemnification | 20 | ||||
Schedule A - LGP Investors |
||||||
Schedule B - CVC Investors |
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STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT
This AMENDED AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT (the Agreement ), dated as of July 2, 2018, by and among BJS WHOLESALE CLUB HOLDINGS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the Company ), the investment funds listed on Schedule A hereto (collectively, LGP ) and the entity listed on Schedule B hereto ( CVC and CVC, together with LGP, the Stockholders ).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company (in the name of its predecessor company, Beacon Holding Inc.) entered into that certain Merger Agreement, dated as of June 28, 2011, by and among BJs Wholesale Club, Inc., a Delaware corporation ( BJs ), the Company and Beacon Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Transitory Subsidiary ), pursuant to which the Transitory Subsidiary merged with and into BJs (the Merger ), with BJs being the surviving entity of the Merger and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company;
WHEREAS, the closing of the Merger took place on September 30, 2011 and the original Stockholders Agreement of the Company (in the name of its predecessor company, Beacon Holding Inc.) was dated as of such date (the Original Agreement );
WHEREAS, on the date hereof immediately following the execution of this Agreement, the Company will price an initial public offering of shares of its common stock (such shares of common stock, the Common Stock , and such initial public offering, the IPO ) pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement dated as of the date hereof;
WHEREAS, in connection with the IPO, the parties hereto desire to provide for certain registration rights and other matters for the period on and after the date hereof and to amend and restate the Original Agreement in its entirety pursuant to this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, if the IPO is not promptly consummated, the parties hereto will amend and restate this Agreement to the form of the Original Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties to this Agreement hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I.
REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
Section 1.01 Requested Registration ; Covered Sales; Access.
(a) Request for Registration.
(i) Following the occurrence of the IPO, subject to Section 1.08 , a Stockholder (in such capacity, an Initiating Investor ) may elect to cause the Company to effect a Registration with respect to all or a part of the Registrable Securities held by such Initiating Investor on Form S-1 (or any successor form) in an amount greater than $25 million dollars (an S-1 Demand ). In the event such Initiating Investor provides
notice to the Company of its election to cause an S-1 Demand, the Company will (A) promptly give written notice of the proposed Registration to the other Stockholder; and (B) as soon as practicable, use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect such Registration (including, without limitation, filing post-effective amendments, appropriate qualification under applicable blue sky or other state securities laws and appropriate compliance with applicable regulations issued under the Securities Act) as may be so requested and as would permit or facilitate the sale and distribution of all or such portion of such Registrable Securities of the Initiating Investor as are specified in such request, together with all or such portion of the Registrable Securities of the other Stockholder joining in such request as are specified in a written request of such other Stockholder received by the Company within fifteen (15) Business Days after written notice from the Company is given under Section 1.01(a)(i)(A) above.
(ii) If the Company shall receive from an Initiating Investor, at any time after the Company is eligible to register Registrable Securities on Form S-3, a written request that the Company effect a Registration with respect to all or a part of the Registrable Securities held by such Initiating Investor on Form S-3 in an amount greater than five million dollars ($5,000,000), the Company will (A) promptly give written notice of the proposed Registration to the other Stockholder, and (B) as soon as practicable, use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect such Registration (including, without limitation, filing post-effective amendments, appropriate qualification under applicable blue sky or other state securities laws and appropriate compliance with applicable regulations issued under the Securities Act) as may be so requested and as would permit or facilitate the sale and distribution of all or such portion of such Registrable Securities of the Initiating Investor as are specified in such request, together with all or such portion of the Registrable Securities of the other Stockholder joining in such request as are specified in a written request of the other Stockholder received by the Company within fifteen (15) Business Days after written notice from the Company is given under Section 1.01(a)(ii)(A) above; provided that the Company shall not be obligated to effect, or take any action to effect, any such Registration pursuant to this Section 1.01(a)(ii) after the Company has effected three (3) such Registrations requested by such Initiating Investor pursuant to this Section 1.01(a)(ii) during the previous twelve (12) month period.
(iii) If the Registration pursuant to Section 1.01(a)(ii) is for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (or any successor provisions) (a Shelf Registration ), the Company shall use reasonable best efforts to maintain continuously in effect, supplement and amend, if necessary, the Shelf Registration, as required by the instructions applicable to such registration form or by the Securities Act, until there are no remaining Registrable Securities.
(iv) If at any time, the Shelf Registration ceases to be effective, the Company shall file, not later than 30 days after such prior Shelf Registration ceased to be effective, and use its reasonable best efforts to cause to become effective a new Shelf Registration as soon as practicable. If, after any Shelf Registration has become effective, it is interfered with by any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement
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of the SEC or other governmental agency or authority, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the withdrawal of any such order at the earliest possible moment.
(b) Underwriting.
(i) If an Initiating Investor intends to distribute the Registrable Securities covered by its request by means of an underwriting, it shall so advise the Company as a part of its request made pursuant to Section 1.01(a) or prior to the takedown of any Registrable Securities registered pursuant to Section 1.01(a)(ii) and in each case the Initiating Investor shall have the right to select the managing underwriter or underwriters to administer the Registration; provided that such managing underwriter or underwriters shall be acceptable to each Stockholder participating in such Registration (in each such Stockholders sole discretion) if both Stockholders are participating in such Registration, or solely to the Initiating Investor if the other Stockholder is not participating in such Registration.
(ii) If the Stockholder that is not an Initiating Investor requests inclusion of Registrable Securities in any Registration or underwriting contemplated by Section 1.01(a) , the Initiating Investor may condition such offer on such other Stockholders acceptance of the further applicable provisions of this Article I . The Initiating Investor whose Registrable Securities are to be included in such Registration shall (together with the other Stockholder proposing to distribute its Registrable Securities through such underwriting) complete and execute all questionnaires, indemnities, powers of attorney and other documents required for such underwriting and enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form, with the representative of the underwriter or underwriters selected for such underwriting.
(iii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 1.01 , if, in any Registration contemplated by Section 1.01(a) , the managing underwriter advises the Company and the Stockholders in writing that marketing factors require a limitation on the number of Registrable Securities to be underwritten, the number of Registrable Securities included in the Registration by the Initiating Investor and the other Stockholder shall in each case be reduced on a pro rata basis (based on the number of Registrable Securities proposed to be included in such Registration), by such minimum number of Registrable Securities as is necessary to comply with such request. No Registrable Securities or any other securities excluded from the underwriting by reason of the underwriters marketing limitation shall be included in such Registration. If the other Stockholder who has requested inclusion in such Registration as provided above disapproves of the terms of the underwriting (including the terms of any indemnification required of such other Stockholder in the underwriting agreement related to such Registration), such Person may elect to withdraw therefrom by written notice to the Company, the underwriter and the Initiating Investor. The securities so withdrawn shall also be withdrawn from Registration.
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(c) Coordination of Covered Sales . Following the IPO, the Stockholders will use commercially reasonable efforts to coordinate any Covered Sales (any such transfer, a Coordination Transfer ) of Registrable Securities held by them in accordance with this Section 1.01(c) . Prior to any such Coordination Transfer, the applicable Stockholder (the Notifying Investor ) shall provide the other Stockholder with at least five (5) days prior written notice (a Coordination Notice ) of the Notifying Investors intention to Transfer Registrable Securities held by it in a Covered Sale. The Coordination Notice is intended to permit all Stockholders electing to Transfer Registrable Securities held by them at such time to coordinate the timing and process for Transferring such Registrable Securities in an orderly fashion. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.01(c) , the Stockholder receiving a Coordination Notice shall be entitled to effect Coordination Transfers of a number of Registrable Securities held by it equal to such Stockholders Pro Rata Portion. Each Coordination Notice shall specify (i) the earliest time at which such Stockholder intends to commence a Covered Sale pursuant to this Section 1.01(c) , and (ii) to the extent the Covered Sale is a Rule 144 Transfer, (A) whether such a Covered Sale will commence a new measurement period for purposes of the Rule 144 group volume limit or is part of a continuing measurement period previously commenced by another Coordination Notice related to a Rule 144 Transfer, and (B) the volume limit for each Stockholder for that measurement period, determined as of its commencement. In the event that the Stockholder receiving a Coordination Notice agrees to forego its full Pro Rata Portion of any Covered Sale by written notice to the applicable Initiating Investor, the remainder shall be reallocated to the Notifying Investor in like manner. The obligations with respect to Covered Sales set forth in this Section 1.01(c) shall no longer be applicable at such time as either CVC (and its Permitted Transferees) or LGP (and its Permitted Transferees) ceases to own at least ten percent (10%) of the outstanding Shares.
Section 1.02 Company Registration .
(a) Following the consummation of the IPO, if the Company shall determine to Register any of its Equity Securities either for its own account (other than a Registration (x) relating solely to employee stock or benefit plans, (y) relating solely to a Commission Rule 145 transaction, or (z) on any registration form which does not permit secondary sales or does not include substantially the same information as would be required to be included in a registration statement covering the sale of Registrable Securities) or for the account of other holders of Equity Securities of the Company or to sell registered securities from a Shelf Registration in an underwritten offering, the Company will:
(i) promptly give to each Stockholder a written notice thereof;
(ii) promptly give to each Stockholder a written notice of any underwriting of a shelf takedown; and
(iii) include in such Registration (and any related qualification under blue sky laws or other compliance), and in any underwriting involved therein, all the Registrable Securities specified in a written request or requests, made by the Stockholders within fifteen (15) days after receipt of the last written notice from the Company described in clause (i) above; provided that in the case of a shelf takedown
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such request shall be made in time to be included in the shelf takedown. Such written request may specify all or a part of the Stockholders Registrable Securities.
(b) Underwriting.
(i) If the Registration of which the Company gives notice is for a registered public offering involving an underwriting, the Company shall so advise the Stockholders as a part of the written notice given pursuant to Section 1.02(a)(i) . In such event, the right of each Stockholder to include its Registrable Securities in such Registration pursuant to this Section 1.02 shall be conditioned upon such Stockholders participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Stockholders Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided herein. Each Stockholder whose Registrable Securities are to be included in such Registration shall (together with the Company) agree to sell such Stockholders Registrable Securities on the basis provided in any customary underwriting arrangements approved by the Company and complete and execute all customary questionnaires, power of attorney, indemnities and other documents, in each case in customary form, required for such underwriting arrangements and enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the representative of the underwriter or underwriters selected for underwriting by the Company.
(ii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 1.02 , if the representative of the underwriter or underwriters determines that marketing factors require a limitation on the number of Registrable Securities to be underwritten, the representative may (subject to the allocation priority set forth below) exclude from such Registration and underwriting some or all of the Registrable Securities which would otherwise be underwritten pursuant hereto. The Company shall so advise all Stockholders requesting Registration, and the number of Registrable Securities that may be included in the Registration and underwriting by each of the Stockholders shall be reduced, on a pro rata basis (based on the number of Registrable Securities proposed to be in included in such Registration), by such minimum number of shares as is necessary to comply with such limitation. For the avoidance of doubt, none of the Equity Securities being Registered by the Company for its own account shall be excluded. If any of the Stockholders disapproves of the terms of any such underwriting, it may elect to withdraw therefrom by written notice to the Company and the underwriter. Any Registrable Securities or other securities excluded or withdrawn from such underwriting shall be withdrawn from such registration.
Section 1.03 Company Control . The Stockholders shall not be permitted to sell any securities pursuant to Section 1.01 or Section 1.02 at any time that the board of directors of the Company determines in good faith that it would be materially detrimental to the Company or its stockholders for sales of securities to be made; provided that all Stockholders shall be treated consistently in connection with each such determination; and provided further , that the Company shall promptly notify each Stockholder in writing of any such action and provided further , that any such delay may not last more than sixty (60) days and such delays may not be in effect more than one hundred and twenty (120) days during any three hundred and sixty-five (365) day period.
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Section 1.04 Expenses of Registration; Cooperation.
(a) All Registration Expenses incurred in connection with any Registration, qualification or compliance pursuant to this Article I shall be borne by the Company, except that the costs and expenses of more than one special counsel to any Stockholder shall be borne by such Stockholder.
(b) The Company and its Subsidiaries and their respective directors and officers shall cooperate with the Stockholders (including, but not limited to, participation in any road-show or similar equity marketing meetings and the preparation of the materials related thereto) and use their commercially reasonable efforts to consummate such Registration in a timely manner.
Section 1.05 Registration Procedures . In the case of each Registration effected by the Company pursuant to this Article I , the Company will keep the Stockholders, as applicable, advised in writing as to the initiation of each Registration and as to the completion thereof. At its expense, the Company will, subject to the terms of this Article I :
(a) keep such Registration that has become effective continuously current and effective, and not subject to any stop order, injunction or other similar order or requirement of the Commission, until the earlier of (x) the expiration of the Required Period and (y) the date on which all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration (i) have been disposed of pursuant to such Registration or (ii) cease to be Registrable Securities; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.05(a) , with respect to a Shelf Registration that has become effective, the Company shall comply with Section 1.01(a)(iv) with respect to such Shelf Registration. In the event of any stop order, injunction or other similar order or requirement of the Commission or any other governmental or regulatory authority relating to any Registration, the Required Period for such Registration will be extended by the number of days during which such stop order, injunction or similar order or requirement is in effect. No request for Registration for purposes of Section 1.01(a) shall be deemed to have been effected while (x) such Registration is interfered with by any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the Commission or other governmental or regulatory authority or (y) the conditions to closing specified in the underwriting agreement, if any, entered into in connection with such Registration are not satisfied other than by reason of a wrongful act, misrepresentation or breach of such applicable underwriting agreement by the Initiating Investor;
(b) furnish such number of prospectuses, offer documents and other documents incident thereto as each of the Stockholders, as applicable, from time to time may reasonably request;
(c) notify each Stockholder of Registrable Securities covered by such Registration at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act or other applicable law of the happening of any event as a result of which the
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prospectus included in such registration statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then existing;
(d) furnish, on the date that such Registrable Securities are delivered to the underwriters for sale, if such securities are being sold through underwriters or, if such securities are not being sold through underwriters, on the date that the registration statement with respect to such securities becomes effective, (i) an opinion and negative assurance letter, dated as of such date, of the counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such Registration, in form and substance as is customarily given to underwriters in an underwritten public offering and reasonably satisfactory to a majority in interest of the Stockholders participating in such Registration, addressed to the underwriters, if any, and to the Stockholders participating in such Registration and (ii) a letter, dated as of such date, from the independent certified public accountants of the Company, in form and substance as is customarily given by independent certified public accountants to underwriters in an underwritten public offering and reasonably satisfactory to a majority in interest of the Stockholders participating in such Registration, addressed to the underwriters, if any, and if permitted by applicable accounting standards, to the Stockholders participating in such Registration;
(e) before filing any registration statement, prospectus, offer document and other documents incident or any amendments or supplements thereto, the Company shall furnish to and afford each Stockholder covered by such document, and its advisors, and the managing underwriters, if any, a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on copies of all such documents (including copies of all exhibits thereto) proposed to be filed;
(f) make available upon reasonable advance notice for inspection by any Stockholder of such Registrable Securities, any underwriter participating in any such distribution and any attorney, accountant or other professional retained by any such Stockholder or underwriter, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company as shall be reasonably necessary to enable them to conduct a reasonable investigation for purposes of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and other applicable antifraud and securities laws and cause the Companys officers, directors and employees to make available for inspection all information reasonably requested by such Stockholders in connection with such Offer Document;
(g) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Registrable Securities covered by a Registration to be listed or qualified for trading on any stock exchange or quotation service on which the Companys outstanding Shares are listed or qualified for trading;
(h) cooperate with each Stockholder and the managing underwriter, if any, participating in the disposition of such Registrable Securities in connection with any filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or any other analogous regulation; and
(i) use its commercially reasonable efforts to take all other steps reasonably necessary to effect the Registration, qualification, offering and sale of the Registrable
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Securities covered by a Registration contemplated hereby and enter into any other customary agreements and take such other actions, including participation in roadshows, as are reasonably required in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities.
Section 1.06 Indemnification.
(a) To the extent permitted by law, the Company will indemnify each of the Stockholders, as applicable, each of its officers, directors and partners, and each Person controlling each of the Stockholders, with respect to each Registration which has been effected pursuant to this Article I , and each underwriter for such Stockholders, if any, and each person who controls any underwriter, against all claims, losses, damages and liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arising out of or based on any of the following (each, a Violation ): (x) any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any marketing materials, prospectus, offering circular or other document (including any related registration statement, notification or the like) incident to any such registration, qualification or compliance, (y) any omission (or alleged omission) to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (z) any violation by the Company of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or any rule or regulation thereunder applicable to the Company and relating to action or inaction required of the Company in connection with any such Registration, qualification or compliance; and will reimburse each of the Stockholders, each of its officers, directors and partners, and each Person controlling each of the Stockholders, each such underwriter and each Person who controls any such underwriter, for any legal and any other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating and defending any such claim, loss, damage, liability or action; provided that the Company will not be liable in any such case to any Stockholder, underwriter or controlling person to the extent that any such claim, loss, damage, liability or expense arises out of or is based upon a Violation which occurs in reliance upon information furnished to the Company by the Stockholder, underwriter or controlling person seeking to be indemnified, where such information is specifically provided in writing for use in such prospectus, offering circular or other document.
(b) Each of the Stockholders will, if Registrable Securities held by it are included in the securities as to which such Registration, qualification or compliance is being effected, indemnify the Company, each of its directors and officers and each underwriter, if any, of the Companys securities covered by such a registration statement, each person who controls the Company or such underwriter, each other Stockholder and each of their officers, directors, and partners, and each person controlling such other Stockholder against all claims, losses, damages and liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arising out of or based on any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any such registration statement, prospectus, offering circular or other offering document made in writing by such Stockholder for the express purpose of inclusion in such registration statement, prospectus, offering circular or other document, or any omission (or alleged omission) to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements by such Stockholder therein not misleading, and will reimburse the Company and such other Stockholder, directors, officers, partners, persons, underwriters or control persons for any legal or any other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any
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such claim, loss, damage, liability or action, 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 made in such registration statement, prospectus, offering circular or other document in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Stockholder and stated to be specifically for use therein; provided , however , that the obligations of each of the Stockholders hereunder shall be limited to an amount equal to the net proceeds to such Stockholder of securities sold in such offering as contemplated herein.
(c) Each party entitled to indemnification under this Section 1.06 (the Indemnified Party ) shall give notice to the party required to provide indemnification (the Indemnifying Party ) promptly after such Indemnified Party has actual knowledge of any claim as to which indemnity may be sought, and shall permit the Indemnifying Party to assume the defense of any such claim or any litigation resulting therefrom; provided that counsel for the Indemnifying Party, who shall conduct the defense of such claim or any litigation resulting therefrom, shall be approved by the Indemnified Party (whose approval shall not unreasonably be withheld) and the Indemnified Party may participate in such defense at such partys expense (unless the Indemnified Party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest between the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party in such action, in which case the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party); provided further that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations under this Article I except to the extent the Indemnifying Party is materially prejudiced thereby. No Indemnifying Party, in the defense of any such claim or litigation shall, except with the consent of each Indemnified Party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnified Party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation. Each Indemnified Party shall furnish such information regarding itself or the claim in question as an Indemnifying Party may reasonably request in writing and as shall be reasonably required in connection with the defense of such claim and litigation resulting therefrom.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 1.06 is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to an Indemnified Party with respect to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense referred to herein, then the Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party hereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party on the one hand and of the Indemnified Party on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and of the Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the 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.
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(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that the provisions on indemnification and contribution contained in the underwriting agreement entered into in connection with any underwritten public offering contemplated by this Agreement are in conflict with the foregoing provisions, the provisions in such underwriting agreement shall be controlling.
Section 1.07 Information by the Stockholders . Each of the Stockholders holding securities included in any Registration shall furnish to the Company such information regarding such Stockholder and the distribution proposed by such Stockholder as the Company may reasonably request in writing and as shall be reasonably required in connection with any Registration, qualification or compliance referred to in this Article I .
Section 1.08 Market Stand-off Agreement .
(a) Each of the Stockholders agrees not to sell or otherwise Transfer or dispose of any Registrable Securities held by such Stockholder, if requested by the Company and an underwriter of Equity Securities of the Company, for a period not longer than, (i) with respect to the IPO, the one hundred and eighty (180) day period following the consummation of the IPO or (ii) following the IPO, the longer of (x) the ninety (90) day period following the consummation of the applicable Registration and (y) the period requested by an underwriter with respect to the applicable Registration (which period shall in no event exceed one hundred and eighty (180) days following the consummation of such Registration); provided that if such offering includes a primary underwritten offering by the Company, all directors and substantially all officers of the Company enter into similar agreements; and provided further that if such offering does not include a primary underwritten offering by the Company, the Stockholders shall only be required to enter into such agreements if such Stockholder is selling shares in connection with such offering. Any waiver provided by the Company or an underwriter of Equity Securities of the Company with respect to the obligations set forth in the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to the other Stockholder on a pro rata basis (based on the number of Registrable Securities proposed to be sold by the Stockholders in such Registration).
(b) If requested by the underwriters, the Stockholders shall execute a separate agreement to the foregoing effect. The Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to the shares (or securities) subject to the foregoing restriction until the end of said period. The provisions of this Section 1.08 shall be binding upon any Transferee who acquires Registrable Securities.
Section 1.09 Transfer of Registration Rights . The registration rights set forth in this Article I may be assigned, in whole or in part, to any Permitted Transferee (who shall be bound by all obligations of this Agreement), provided that such rights of assignment will in no event be deemed to enlarge, alter or otherwise expand the rights of any Stockholder set forth in Section 1.01 or Section 1.02 .
Section 1.10 Access . Upon the request of a Stockholder, so long as such Stockholder holds Registrable Securities, such Stockholder and any representatives of such Stockholder shall have (i) reasonable access (at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice) to
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all executive officers and accountants of the Company and its Subsidiaries and (ii) reasonable access (at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice) to all premises, properties, books, records (including tax records), contracts, financial and operating data and information and documents pertaining to the Company and its Subsidiaries and shall be entitled to make copies of such books, records, contracts, data, information and documents as such Stockholder or its representatives may reasonably request.
Section 1.11 Termination . The registration rights set forth in this Article I shall not be available to any Stockholder if all of the Registrable Securities held by such Stockholder have been sold in a registration pursuant to the Securities Act or pursuant to Rule 144.
ARTICLE II.
REPRESENTATIONS; WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS
Section 2.01 Representations and Warranties of the Stockholders . Each Stockholder hereby represents and warrants, severally and not jointly, and solely on its own behalf, to each other Stockholder and to the Company that on the date hereof:
(a) Existence; Authority; Enforceability . Such Stockholder has the necessary power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out its obligations hereunder. Such Stockholder is duly organized and validly existing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, and the execution of this Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, have been authorized by all necessary corporate or other action, and no other act or proceeding, corporate or otherwise, on its part is necessary to authorize the execution of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed by such Stockholder and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors rights generally, general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and any implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
(b) Absence of Conflicts . The execution and delivery by such Stockholder of this Agreement and the performance of its obligations hereunder do not and will not (i) conflict with, or result in the breach of any provision of the constitutive documents of such Stockholder; (ii) result in any violation, breach, conflict, default or event of default (or an event which with notice, lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default or event of default), or give rise to any right of acceleration or termination or any additional payment obligation, under the terms of any material contract, agreement or permit to which such Stockholder is a party or by which such Stockholders assets or operations are bound or affected; or (iii) violate, in any material respect, any law applicable to such Stockholder.
(c) Consents . Other than any consents that have already been obtained, no governmental consent, waiver, approval, authorization, exemption, registration, license or declaration is required to be made or obtained by such Stockholder in connection with (a) the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement or (b) the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein.
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Section 2.02 Representations and Warranties of the Company . The Company hereby represents and warrants to each Stockholder that on the date hereof:
(a) Existence; Authority; Enforceability . The Company has the necessary power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out its obligations hereunder. The Company is duly organized and validly existing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, and the execution of this Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, have been authorized by all necessary corporate or other action, and no other act or proceeding on its part is necessary to authorize the execution of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed by the Company and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors rights generally, general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and any implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
(b) Absence of Conflicts . The execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the performance of its obligations hereunder do not and will not (i) conflict with, or result in the breach of any provision of the organizational documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (ii) result in any violation, breach, conflict, default or event of default (or an event which with notice, lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default or event of default), or give rise to any right of acceleration or termination or any additional payment obligation, under the terms of any material contract, agreement or permit to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Companys or any of its Subsidiaries assets or operations are bound or affected; or (iii) violate, in any material respect, any law applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(c) Consents . Other than any consents that have already been obtained, no governmental consent, waiver, approval, authorization, exemption, registration, license or declaration is required to be made or obtained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with (a) the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement and the issuance of the Shares issued on the date hereof or (b) the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein.
Section 2.03 Entitlement of the Company and the Stockholders to Rely on Representations and Warranties . The foregoing representations and warranties may be relied upon by the Company and by the Stockholders in connection with the entering into of this Agreement.
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ARTICLE III.
INTERPRETATION OF THIS AGREEMENT.
Section 3.01 Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meaning set forth below:
(a) Affiliate shall mean, with respect to any Person, any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such first Person. For these purposes, control means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
(b) Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
(c) BJs shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.
(d) Business Day shall mean any day other than Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which banking institutions in New York are required or authorized to be closed for the transaction of normal banking business
(e) Commission shall mean the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any other federal agency at the time administering the Securities Act.
(f) Common Stock shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.
(g) Company shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
(h) Coordination Notice shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.01(c) .
(i) Covered Sale means any Transfer of Registrable Securities, other than pursuant to Section 1.01(a) , Section 1.01(b) or Section 1.02 of this Agreement or to a Permitted Transferee.
(j) CVC shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
(k) CVC Fund Indemnitors shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.13(b) .
(l) CVC Indemnitees shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.13(b) .
(m) Equity Securities shall mean (a) any Shares, preferred stock or other capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) any security convertible, or exchangeable, with or without consideration, into any Shares or other capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary, as the case may be (including any option, warrant or other right to subscribe for or purchase such a convertible security), (c) any security carrying or linked to any
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option, warrant or other right to subscribe for or purchase any Shares or other capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary or (d) any such option, warrant or other right. All references to Equity Securities held by any Stockholder includes Equity Securities now owned or hereafter acquired (whether or not now authorized, issued or outstanding).
(n) Exchange Act shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(o) Indemnified Party shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.06 .
(p) Indemnifying Party shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.06 .
(q) Initiating Investor shall mean CVC or LGP, in its capacity as an initiator of a Registration of Registrable Securities in accordance with Section 1.01(a) .
(r) IPO shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.
(s) LGP shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
(t) LGP Fund Indemnitors shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.13(a) .
(u) LGP Indemnitees shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.13(a) .
(v) Merger shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.
(w) Notifying Investor shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.01(c) .
(x) Organizational Documents shall mean the certificate of incorporation and by-laws of the Company.
(y) Original Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.
(z) Permitted Transferee shall mean any Affiliate of LGP or CVC, as the case may be; provided that (i) any Permitted Transferee of LGP shall be treated as LGP for all purposes hereof, and (ii) any Permitted Transferee of CVC shall be treated as CVC for all purposes hereof
(aa) Person shall mean an individual, partnership, joint-stock company, corporation, limited liability company, trust or unincorporated organization, and a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.
(bb) Pro Rata Portion means, with respect to any Stockholder, the aggregate number of Registrable Securities to be transferred, multiplied by such Stockholders
14
percentage ownership of Registrable Securities held by all Stockholders; provided, however, that in any Rule 144 Transfer the Registrable Securities to be transferred shall be deemed to be the maximum aggregate number of Registrable Securities held by the Stockholders that are then permitted to be sold by the Stockholders as a group in accordance with Rule 144.
(cc) Register , Registered and Registration shall mean a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement in compliance with the Securities Act (and any post-effective amendments filed or required to be filed) and the declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such registration statement.
(dd) Registrable Securities shall mean all Shares and all Shares issued or issuable upon conversion of any warrants or options held by any holder of Shares, provided, that, a Registrable Security shall cease to be a Registrable Security as such time as the holder thereof is entitled to sell such Registrable Security within six (6) months under Rule 144(k) or Regulation S of the Securities Act or otherwise without restriction under the Securities Act.
(ee) Registration Expenses shall mean all expenses incurred by the Company in compliance with Section 1.01 and Section 1.02 hereof, including, without limitation, all registration and filing fees, printing expenses, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, fees and expenses of counsel for the Stockholders, blue sky fees and expenses and the expense of any special audits incident to or required by any such registration (but excluding the compensation of regular employees of the Company, which shall be paid in any event by the Company).
(ff) Required Period shall mean one hundred and eighty (180) days following the first day of effectiveness of such Registration.
(gg) Rule 144 means Rule 144 under the Securities Act.
(hh) Rule 144 Transfer means any transfer conducted in accordance with Rule 144.
(ii) S-1 Demand shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.01(a) .
(jj) Securities Act shall mean the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(kk) Shares shall mean all shares of Common Stock.
(ll) Stockholders shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
(mm) Subsidiaries shall mean when used with respect to any Person, means any other Person of which (a) in the case of a corporation, at least (i) a majority of the equity and (ii) a majority of the voting interests are owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such first Person, by any one or more of such first Persons Subsidiaries, or by such first Person and one or more of such first Persons Subsidiaries or (b) in the case of any Person other than a corporation, such first Person, one or more of such first Persons Subsidiaries, or such first
15
Person and one or more of such first Persons Subsidiaries (i) owns a majority of the equity interests thereof and (ii) has the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the members of the governing body thereof.
(nn) Transfer shall mean any sale, transfer, conveyance, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or other disposition in one transaction or a series of related transactions (including by merger, consolidation, operation of law or otherwise); and Transferred , Transferee , Transferability , and Transferor shall each have a correlative meaning. For the avoidance of doubt, a sale, transfer, conveyance, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or other disposition of a controlling interest in any Stockholder, in each case directly or through the sale, transfer, conveyance, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or other disposition of a controlling interest, whether through a stock sale or otherwise, in any ultimate or intermediate parent entity of such Stockholder, shall constitute a Transfer for purposes of this Agreement, as if such interest was a direct interest in the Company; provided, however that with respect to any Stockholder organized for the business purpose of, or whose sole business purpose is, the holding of Equity Securities (a Holding Company ), any sale, transfer, conveyance, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or other disposition of any interest in any such Stockholder or any ultimate or intermediate parent entity of such Stockholder (solely to the extent that such entity is a is also a Holding Company), shall in each case constitute a Transfer for purposes of this Agreement.
(oo) Transitory Subsidiary shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.
(pp) Violation shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.06(a) .
(qq) Voting Agreement shall mean the Voting Agreement of even date hereof between CVC and LGP, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified.
Section 3.02 Directly or Indirectly . Where any provision in this Agreement refers to action to be taken by any Person, or which such Person is prohibited from taking, such provision shall be applicable whether such action is taken directly or indirectly by such Person.
Section 3.03 Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such State.
Section 3.04 Section Headings . The headings of the sections and subsections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part thereof.
ARTICLE IV.
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 4.01 Notices .
16
(a) All communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or sent by electronic mail or facsimile, or mailed by overnight courier or by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid:
To the Company: |
BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. c/o Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. 11111 Santa Monica Blvd., #2000 Los Angeles, CA 90025 Attn: Jonathan A. Seiffer (seiffer@leonardgreen.com) J. Kristofer Galashan (galashan@leonardgreen.com) Facsimile: (310) 954-0404
and
c/o CVC Capital Partners Advisory (US), Inc. One Maritime Plaza, Suite 1610 San Francisco, CA 94111 Attn: Cameron Breitner (CBreitner@cvc.com) Nishad Chande (nchande@cvc.com) Facsimile: (415) 520-2312 |
|
To CVC: |
CVC Beacon LLC c/o CVC Capital Partners Advisory (US), Inc. One Maritime Plaza, Suite 1610 San Francisco, CA 94111 Attn: Cameron Breitner (CBreitner@cvc.com) Nishad Chande (nchande@cvc.com) Facsimile: (212) 265-6375 |
|
with a copy to: |
Latham & Watkins LLP 885 Third Avenue New York, New York 10022 Attn: Howard A. Sobel (Howard.Sobel@lw.com) Paul Kukish (Paul.Kukish@lw.com) Facsimile: (212) 751-4864 |
|
To LGP: |
c/o Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. 11111 Santa Monica Blvd., #2000 Los Angeles, CA 90025 Attn: Jonathan A. Seiffer (seiffer@leonardgreen.com) J. Kristofer Galashan (galashan@leonardgreen.com) Facsimile: (310) 954-0404 |
17
with a copy to: |
Latham & Watkins LLP 885 Third Avenue New York, New York 10022 Attn: Howard A. Sobel (Howard.Sobel@lw.com) Paul Kukish (Paul.Kukish@lw.com) Facsimile: (212) 751-4864 |
or at such other address and to the attention of such other person as the Stockholder may designate by written notice to the Company.
(b) Any notice so addressed shall be deemed to be received: if delivered by hand or facsimile, on the date of such delivery; if mailed by overnight courier, on the first Business Day following the date of such mailing; and if mailed by registered or certified mail, on the third Business Day after the date of such mailing.
Section 4.02 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the parties.
Section 4.03 Entire Agreement . This Agreement and the Voting Agreement constitute the entire understanding of the parties hereto relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior understandings among such parties.
Section 4.04 Amendment and Waiver . This Agreement may be amended, and the observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived, with (and only with) the written consent of the Company and each of the Stockholders. No waiver of any breach shall be deemed to be a further or continuing waiver of such breach or a waiver of any other or subsequent breach. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, no failure on the part of any party to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right, power or remedy hereunder, or otherwise available in respect hereof at law or in equity, shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of such right, power or remedy by such party preclude any other or further exercise thereof, or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy.
Section 4.05 Business Opportunities; No Recourse .
(a) None of the Stockholders nor any of their respective Affiliates shall have any obligation to present any business opportunity to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, even if the opportunity is one that the Company or any of its subsidiaries might reasonably be deemed to have pursued or had the ability or desire to pursue if granted the opportunity to do so, and no such Person shall be liable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Stockholder for breach of any fiduciary or other duty, as a Stockholder, by reason of the fact that such Person pursues or acquires such business opportunity, directs such business opportunity to another Person or fails to present such business opportunity, or information regarding such business opportunity, to the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(b) Notwithstanding anything that may be expressed or implied in this Agreement, and notwithstanding the fact that certain of the parties may be partnerships or limited
18
liability companies, each party hereto covenants, agrees and acknowledges that no recourse under this Agreement or any documents or instruments delivered in connection with this Agreement shall be had against any former, current or future directors, officers, agents, Affiliates, employees, general or limited partners, members, managers or stockholders of any party hereto or any of their successors or permitted assignees or any former, current or future directors, officers, agents, Affiliates, employees, general or limited partners, members, managers or stockholders of any of the foregoing, as such, whether by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding, or by virtue of any statute, regulation or other applicable law or otherwise, for any obligation of any party hereto under this Agreement or any documents or instruments delivered in connection with this Agreement for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation.
Section 4.06 Severability . In the event that any part or parts of this Agreement shall be held illegal or unenforceable by any court or administrative body of competent jurisdiction, such determination shall not affect the remaining provisions of this Agreement which shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 4.07 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts (including by facsimile or pdf format), each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which together shall be considered one and the same agreement.
Section 4.08 Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY SUBMITS TO THE NONEXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE AND OF ANY DELAWARE STATE COURT FOR PURPOSES OF ALL LEGAL PROCEEDINGS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY OBJECTION WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF THE VENUE OF ANY SUCH PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN SUCH A COURT AND ANY CLAIM THAT ANY SUCH PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN SUCH A COURT HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
Section 4.09 Specific Performance . The Company and the Stockholders hereby acknowledge and agree that it is impossible to measure in money the damages which will accrue to the parties hereto by reason of the failure of any party hereto to perform any of its obligations set forth in this Agreement and that, in the event of any such failure, an aggrieved party will be irreparably damaged and will not have an adequate remedy at law. Any such party shall, therefore, be entitled (in addition to any other remedy to which such party may be entitled at law or in equity) to injunctive relief, including specific performance, to enforce such obligations, without the posting of any bond 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.
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Section 4.10 Conflict with Organizational Documents . In the event of any conflict between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Organizational Documents, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control. The parties shall cooperate to take any actions necessary to ensure that the Organizational Documents conform to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
Section 4.11 No Third Party Liability . This Agreement may only be enforced against the named parties hereto. All claims or causes of action (whether in contract or tort) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement, or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including any representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement or as an inducement to enter into this Agreement), may be made only against the entities that are expressly identified as parties hereto.
Section 4.12 Stockholder Acting as Creditor . Nothing in this Agreement shall impair or otherwise affect any Stockholders rights as a creditor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or in any other relationship with the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any other Stockholder.
Section 4.13 Indemnification .
(a) Any director, officer, employee or agent of the Company entitled to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance, pursuant to this Agreement or the Organizational Documents of the Company and that is an officer, employee, partner or advisor of LGP or any of their Affiliates (each such person, a LGP Indemnitee ), may have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance provided by or on behalf of LGP and/or their Affiliates (collectively, the LGP Fund Indemnitors ). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Organizational Documents of the Company or otherwise: (i) the Company is the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., the Companys obligations to each LGP Indemnitee are primary and any obligation of the LGP Fund Indemnitors to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the same expenses or liabilities incurred by each LGP Indemnitee are secondary), (ii) the Company will be required to advance the full amount of expenses incurred by each LGP Indemnitee and will be liable for the full amount of all liabilities, expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement to the extent legally permitted and required by this Agreement, without regard to any rights each LGP Indemnitee may have against the LGP Fund Indemnitors, and (iii) the Company irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases the LGP Fund Indemnitors from any and all claims against the LGP Fund Indemnitors for contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Organizational Documents of the Company or otherwise, no advancement or payment by the LGP Fund Indemnitors on behalf of a LGP Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which such LGP Indemnitee has sought indemnification or advancement of expenses from the Company will affect the foregoing and the LGP Fund Indemnitors will have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of such LGP Indemnitee against the Company. The LGP Fund Indemnitors are express third-party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section 4.13(a) .
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(b) Any director, officer, employee or agent of the Company entitled to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance, pursuant to this Agreement or the Organizational Documents of the Company and that is an officer, employee, partner or advisor of CVC or any of their Affiliates (each such person, a CVC Indemnitee ), may have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance provided by or on behalf of CVC and/or their Affiliates (collectively, the CVC Fund Indemnitors ). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Organizational Documents of the Company or otherwise: (i) the Company is the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., the Companys obligations to each CVC Indemnitee are primary and any obligation of the CVC Fund Indemnitors to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the same expenses or liabilities incurred by each CVC Indemnitee are secondary), (ii) the Company will be required to advance the full amount of expenses incurred by each CVC Indemnitee and will be liable for the full amount of all liabilities, expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement to the extent legally permitted and required by this Agreement, without regard to any rights each CVC Indemnitee may have against the CVC Fund Indemnitors, and (iii) the Company irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases the CVC Fund Indemnitors from any and all claims against the CVC Fund Indemnitors for contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Organizational Documents of the Company or otherwise, no advancement or payment by the CVC Fund Indemnitors on behalf of a CVC Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which such CVC Indemnitee has sought indemnification or advancement of expenses from the Company will affect the foregoing and the CVC Fund Indemnitors will have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of such CVC Indemnitee against the Company. The CVC Fund Indemnitors are express third-party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section 4.13(b) .
[ Remainder of page intentionally left blank ]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Stockholders Agreement as of the date first above written.
BJS WHOLESALE CLUB HOLDINGS, INC. | ||
By: |
/s/ Graham N. Luce |
|
Name: Graham N. Luce | ||
Title: Senior Vice President, Secretary | ||
STOCKHOLDERS: | ||
GREEN EQUITY INVESTORS V, L.P. | ||
By: | GEI Capital V, LLC, its General Partner | |
By: |
/s/ Jonathan A. Seiffer |
|
Name: Jonathan A. Seiffer | ||
Title: | ||
GREEN EQUITY INVESTORS SIDE V, L.P. | ||
By: | GEI Capital V, LLC, its General Partner | |
By: |
/s/ Jonathan A. Seiffer |
|
Name: Jonathan A. Seiffer | ||
Title: | ||
BEACON COINVEST LLC | ||
By: |
/s/ Jonathan A. Seiffer |
|
Name: Jonathan A. Seiffer | ||
Title: |
[BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. Signature Page to the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]
22
CVC BEACON LP
By: | CVC Beacon GP LLC, its general partner | |
By: |
/s/ Cameron Breitner |
|
Name: Cameron Breitner | ||
Title: President and Assistant Secretary |
[BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. Signature Page to the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]
23
SCHEDULE A
LGP Investors
Stockholder |
Common Stock | |||
Green Equity Investors V, L.P. |
32,472,664 | |||
Green Equity Investors Side V, L.P. |
9,741,018 | |||
Beacon Coinvest LLC |
1,323,000 | |||
Total |
43,536,682 |
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SCHEDULE B
CVC Investors
Stockholder |
Common Stock | |||
CVC Beacon LP |
43,536,682 | |||
Total |
43,536,682 |
25