As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 5, 2021

Registration No. 333-                

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Solo Brands, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Deleware   87-1360865
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (IRS Employer
Identification No.)

1070 S. Kimball Ave. Suite 121, Southlake, TX 76092

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (ZIP Code)

SOLO BRANDS, INC. 2021 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

SOLO BRANDS, INC. 2021 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

(Full title of the plans)

John Merris

Chief Executive Officer

Solo Brands, Inc.

1070 S. Kimball Ave. Suite 121

Southlake, TX 76092

(Name and address of agent for service)

(817) 900-2664

(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copy to:

Ian D. Schuman, Esq.

John H. Chory, Esq.

Adam J. Gelardi, Esq.

Latham & Watkins LLP

1271 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10020-1300

Telephone: (212) 906-1200

Fax: (212) 751-4864

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
     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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of securities
to be registered
  Amount
to be
registered (1)
  Proposed
maximum
offering price
per share
  Proposed
maximum
aggregate
offering price
  Amount of
registration fee

Class A Common Stock 2021 Incentive Award Plan

  25,112,703(2)   $17.00 (4)   $426,915,951   $39,575.11

2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

  3,050,748 (3)   $17.00 (4)   $51,862,716   $4,807.68

Total

  28,163,451     $478,778,667   $44,382.79

 

 

(1)

Pursuant to Rule 416(a) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Class A Common Stock”), of Solo Brands, Inc. (the “Company”) that become issuable under the Company’s 2021 Incentive Award Plan (the “2021 Plan”) and the Company’s 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2021 ESPP”) by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without receipt of consideration that increases the number of outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock.

(2)

Represents 25,112,703 shares of Class A Common Stock available for future issuance under the 2021 Plan, which number consists of (a) 10,789,561 shares of Class A Common Stock initially available for issuance under the 2021 Plan and (b) an additional 14,323,142 shares of Class A Common Stock that may become issuable under the 2021 Plan pursuant to its terms.

(3)

Represents 3,050,748 shares of Class A Common Stock available for future issuance under the 2021 ESPP, which number consists of (a) 1,618,434 shares of Common Stock initially available for issuance under the ESPP and (b) an additional 1,432,314 shares of Class A Common Stock that may become issuable under the 2021 ESPP pursuant to its terms.

(4)

Pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) of the Securities Act of 1933, and solely for the purposes of calculating the amount of the registration fee, the proposed maximum offering price is based on the initial public offering price of the Class A Common Stock ($17.00 per share).

 

 

 


PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1. Plan Information.

Not required to be filed with this Registration Statement.

Item 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.

Not required to be filed with this Registration Statement.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The following documents filed or to be filed (other than portions of those documents furnished or otherwise not deemed filed) by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) are incorporated into this Registration Statement by reference, as of their respective dates:

 

  (1)

The Company’s prospectus filed with the SEC on October 29, 2021, including all amendments and exhibits thereto, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, relating to the registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-260026);

 

  (2)

The description of the Company’s Common Stock contained in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated October 28, 2021 (File No. 001-354912) filed under the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all securities then remaining unsold shall be deregistered, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and to be a part thereof from the date of the filing of such documents.

For purposes of this Registration Statement and the related prospectus, any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained herein or in a subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated herein by reference modifies or replaces such statement. Any statement so modified shall not be deemed in its unmodified form to constitute part of this Registration Statement or the related prospectus.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Not applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Section 102 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware permits a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of directors of a corporation to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached his duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit. The Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that no director of the Company shall be personally liable to it or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, notwithstanding any provision of law imposing such liability, except to the extent that the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware prohibits the elimination or limitation of liability of directors for breaches of fiduciary duty.


Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware provides that a corporation has the power to indemnify a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation, or a person serving at the request of the corporation for another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise in related capacities against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with an action, suit or proceeding to which he was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, ending or completed action, suit or proceeding by reason of such position, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, in any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful, except that, in the case of actions brought by or in the right of the corporation, no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or other adjudicating court determines that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all of the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

The Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws provide indemnification for the Company’s directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. The Company indemnifies each person who was or is a party or threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of the Company) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at the Company’s request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (all such persons being referred to as an “Indemnitee”), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal therefrom, if such Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the Company’s best interests, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws provides that the Company will indemnify any Indemnitee who was or is a party to an action or suit by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in the Company’s favor by reason of the fact that the Indemnitee is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at the Company’s request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) and, to the extent permitted by law, amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, and any appeal therefrom, if the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the Company’s best interests, except that no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Company, unless a court determines that, despite such adjudication but in view of all of the circumstances, he or she is entitled to indemnification of such expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that any Indemnitee has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, he or she will be indemnified by the Company against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection therewith. Expenses must be advanced to an Indemnitee under certain circumstances.

The Company has entered into separate indemnification agreements with each of the Company’s directors and executive officers. Each indemnification agreement provides, among other things, for indemnification to the fullest extent permitted by law and the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws against any and all expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement of any claim. The indemnification agreements provide for the advancement or payment of all expenses to the indemnitee and for the reimbursement to the Company if it is found that such indemnitee is not entitled to such indemnification under applicable law and the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws.

The Company maintains a general liability insurance policy that covers certain liabilities of directors and officers of the Company arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers.


In any underwriting agreement the Company enters into in connection with the sale of Class A common stock being registered hereby, the underwriters will agree to indemnify, under certain conditions, the Company, the Company’s directors, officers and persons who control the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, against certain liabilities.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

The Exhibits listed on the accompanying Index to Exhibits are filed as part hereof, or incorporated by reference into, this Registration Statement. See Exhibit Index below.

Item 9. Undertakings.

A. The Company hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement;

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

Provided, however, that paragraphs (A)(1)(i) and (A)(1)(ii) do not apply if the Registration Statement is on Form S-8, and the information required to be included in the post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Company pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

B. The undersigned Company hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Company’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.


C. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Company has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Company in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Company will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Exhibit Index

  4.1*    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Solo Brands, Inc.
  4.2*    Amended and Restated Bylaws of Solo Brands, Inc.
  5.1*    Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP
23.1*    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm
23.2*    Consent of Moss Adams LLP, independent auditors
23.3*    Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1*    Power of Attorney (included on the signature page hereto)
99.1*    Solo Brands, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan
99.2*    Solo Brands, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

 

*

Filed herewith.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Southlake, Texas, on November 5, 2021.

 

Solo Brands, Inc.

By

 

/s/ John Merris

 

John Merris

 

Chief Executive Officer and Director


POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN AND WOMEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby severally constitutes and appoints each of Registrant’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer (currently John Merris and Samuel Simmons, respectively) as such person’s true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, each acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for and in such person’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and all documents relating thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Commission, granting unto such attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing necessary or advisable to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, or such person’s substitute or substitutes, lawfully may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature    Title   Date

/s/ John Merris

John Merris

   Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)   November 5, 2021

/s/ Samuel Simmons

Samuel Simmons

   Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   November 5, 2021

/s/ Matthew Guy-Hamilton

Matthew Guy-Hamilton

   Director   November 5, 2021

/s/ Paul Furer

Paul Furer

   Director   November 5, 2021

/s/ Andrea K. Tarbox

Andrea K. Tarbox

   Director   November 5, 2021

/s/ Julia Brown

Julia Brown

   Director   November 5, 2021

/s/ Marc Randolph

Marc Randolph

   Director   November 5, 2021

 

Exhibit 4.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

SOLO BRANDS, INC.

Solo Brands, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, hereby certifies as follows:

1. The original Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was filed with the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on June 23, 2021 (the “Original Certificate”).

2. The Corporation is filing this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (this “Certificate of Incorporation”), which restates, integrates and further amends the Original Certificate, as heretofore amended and which was duly adopted by all necessary action of the board of directors of the Corporation and the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242, 245 and 228 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

3. The text of the Original Certificate is hereby amended and restated in its entirety hereby to read in full as follows:

ARTICLE I.

The name of the corporation is Solo Brands, Inc. (the “Corporation”).

ARTICLE II.

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive, New Castle County, Wilmington, Delaware, 19808. The name of its registered agent at such address is Corporation Service Company.

ARTICLE III.

The nature of the business of the Corporation and the objects or purposes to be transacted, promoted or carried on by the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), including, without limitation, (i) investing in securities of Solo Stove Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, or any successor entities thereto (“Solo Stove LLC”) and any of its subsidiaries, (ii) exercising all rights, powers, privileges and other incidents of ownership or possession with respect to the Corporation’s assets, including managing, holding, selling and disposing of such assets and (iii) engaging in any other activities incidental or ancillary thereto.


ARTICLE IV.

Section 4.1 Authorized Stock.

(a) The total number of shares of all classes of stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is Five Hundred and Thirty Five Million (535,000,000) shares, consisting of three classes as follows:

(i) Four hundred and seventy-five million (475,000,000) shares of Class A common stock, with a par value of $0.001 per share (the “Class A Common Stock”);

(ii) Fifty million (50,000,000) shares of Class B common stock, with a par value of $0.001 per share (the “Class B Common Stock” and, together with the Class A Common Stock, the “Common Stock”); and

(iii) Ten million (10,000,000) shares of preferred stock, with a par value of $0.001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”).

(b) Recapitalization. Effective upon the filing and effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Effective Time”), all shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Corporation issued and outstanding (or held in treasury) immediately prior to the Effective Time (the “Existing Common Stock”) shall be reclassified as and become one (1) fully paid and non-assessable share of Class A Common Stock (the “Recapitalization”). The Recapitalization shall occur automatically without any further action by the Corporation or the holders of Existing Common Stock. The outstanding stock certificate that, immediately prior to the Effective Time, represented the outstanding Existing Common Stock shall, from and after the Effective Time, be deemed to represent one (1) share of Class A Common Stock, without the need for surrender or exchange thereof.

Section 4.2 Preferred Stock. The board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) is authorized, to provide, out of the unissued shares of Preferred Stock, for the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock in one or more series, and by filing a certificate pursuant to the applicable law of the State of Delaware (such certificate being hereinafter referred to as a “Preferred Stock Designation”), to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series and to fix the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including, without limitation, the authority to fix or alter the dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion rights, exchange rights, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption (including sinking and purchase fund provisions), the redemption price or prices, restrictions on the issuance of shares of such series, the dissolution preferences and the rights in respect of any distribution of assets of any wholly unissued series of Preferred Stock and the number of shares constituting any such series, and the designation thereof, or any of them and to increase (but not above the total number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock) or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding) the number of shares of any series so created (except where otherwise provided in the Preferred Stock Designation), subsequent to the issue of that series. In case the authorized number of shares of any series shall be so decreased, the shares constituting such decrease shall resume the status which they had prior to the adoption of the resolution originally

 

2


fixing the number of shares of such series. There shall be no limitation or restriction on any variation between any of the different series of Preferred Stock as to the designations, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof; and the several series of Preferred Stock may vary in any and all respects as fixed and determined by the resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors or by a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors, providing for the issuance of the various series of Preferred Stock.

Section 4.3 Number of Authorized Shares. The number of authorized shares of any of the Class A Common Stock, Class B 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 of the voting power of all of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, without a separate vote of any holders of shares of Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock or Preferred Stock, or of any series thereof, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL, unless a separate vote of any such holders is required pursuant to the terms of any Preferred Stock Designation.

Section 4.4 Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock. The powers, preferences and rights of the Class A Common Stock and the Class B Common Stock, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof are as follows:

(a) Voting Rights. Except as otherwise required by law,

(i) Each share of Class A Common Stock shall entitle the record holder thereof as of the applicable record date to one (1) vote per share in person or by proxy on all matters submitted to a vote of the holders of Class A Common Stock, whether voting separately as a class or otherwise.

(ii) Each share of Class B Common Stock shall entitle the record holder thereof as of the applicable record date to one (1) vote per share in person or by proxy on all matters submitted to a vote of the holders of Class B Common Stock, whether voting separately as a class or otherwise.

(iii) Except as otherwise required by applicable law or this Certificate of Incorporation, the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock shall vote together as a single class (or, if any holders of shares of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together with the holders of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock, as a single class with such holders of Preferred Stock) on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.

(b) Dividends.

(i) Subject to applicable law and the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock or any class or series of stock having a preference over or the right to participate with the Class A Common Stock with respect to the payment of dividends, dividends may be declared and paid on the Class A Common Stock out of the assets or funds of the Corporation that are by law available therefor, at such times and in such amounts as the Board

 

3


of Directors in its discretion shall determine. Other than in connection with a dividend declared by the Board of Directors in connection with a “poison pill” or similar stockholder rights plan, or to the extent required by clause (ii) below, dividends shall not be declared or paid on the Class B Common Stock and the holders of shares of Class B Common Stock shall have no right to receive dividends in respect of such shares of Class B Common Stock.

(ii) In no event will any stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, combination of stock, reclassification or recapitalization be declared or made on any class of Common Stock (each, a “Stock Adjustment”) unless a corresponding Stock Adjustment for all other classes of Common Stock at the time outstanding is made in the same proportion and the same manner (unless the holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of any such other class of Common Stock (voting separately as a single class) waive such requirement in advance and in writing, in which event no such Stock Adjustment need be made for such other class of Common Stock). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation shall be entitled to declare a stock dividend on the Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock without any corresponding Stock Adjustment to the other classes of Common Stock (if any) so long as, after the payment of such stock dividend on the Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock, the number of shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock outstanding (excluding any shares issuable upon the exercise of any options, warrants, restricted stock units, exchange rights, conversion rights or similar rights for Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, and excluding any shares issuable upon the exchange or redemption of Common Units pursuant to the applicable provisions of the LLC Agreement) is equal to the number of Common Units outstanding.

(c) Liquidation Rights. In the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation and after making provisions for preferential and other amounts, if any, to which the holders of Preferred Stock or any class or series of stock having a preference over or the right to participate with the Class A Common Stock with respect to payments in liquidation shall be entitled, the remaining assets and funds of the Corporation available for distribution shall be divided among the holders of all outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock, such that (i) the holders of shares of Class B Common Stock shall be entitled to receive only $0.001 per share, and upon receiving such amount, the holders of shares of Class B Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to receive any other assets or funds of the Corporation and (ii) the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock shall share ratably in any such remaining assets and funds in proportion to the number of shares held by each such stockholder. A consolidation, reorganization or merger of the Corporation with any other Person or Persons (as defined below), or a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation, shall not be considered to be a dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section 4.4(c).

(d) Class B Common Stock.

(i) From and after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Effective Time”), shares of Class B Common Stock may be issued only to, and registered only in the name of, the Existing Owners (as defined below), their respective successors and assigns as well as their Permitted Transferees (as

 

4


defined below) in accordance with Section 4.5 (including all subsequent successors, assigns and Permitted Transferees) (the Existing Owners together with such Persons, collectively, the “Permitted Class B Owners”) and the aggregate number of shares of Class B Common Stock at any time registered in the name of each such Permitted Class B Owner must be equal to the aggregate number of Common Units held of record at such time by such Permitted Class B Owner under the LLC Agreement (as defined below). As used in this Certificate of Incorporation, (A) “Existing Owner” means each of the holders of Common Units (other than the Corporation) of Solo Stove LLC, as set forth on Schedule 1 of the LLC Agreement (as defined below) (as such Schedule 1 may be amended from time to time in accordance with the LLC Agreement) (B) “Common Unit” means a limited liability company interest in Solo Stove LLC, authorized and issued under the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Solo Stove LLC, dated as of the date hereof, as such agreement may be further amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time (the “LLC Agreement”), and constituting a “Common Unit” as defined in such LLC Agreement and (C) “Permitted Transferee” has the meaning given to it in the LLC Agreement.

(ii) The Corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, undertake all necessary and appropriate action to ensure that the number of shares of Class B Common Stock issued by the Corporation at any time to, or otherwise held of record by, any Permitted Class B Owner shall be equal to the aggregate number of Common Units held of record by such Permitted Class B Owner in accordance with the terms of the LLC Agreement.

(iii) In the event that there is a Change of Control (as defined below) of the Corporation that was approved by the Board of Directors prior to such Change of Control, without limiting the rights of the holders of Class B Common Stock to have their Common Units redeemed or exchanged in accordance with Article XI of the LLC Agreement, then the holders of shares of Class B Common Stock shall not be entitled to receive more than $0.001 per share of Class B Common Stock, whether in the form of consideration for such shares or in the form of a distribution of the proceeds of a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation with respect to such shares.

Section 4.5 Transfer of Class B Common Stock.

(a) A holder of Class B Common Stock may surrender and transfer shares of Class B Common Stock to the Corporation for cancellation for no consideration at any time. Following the surrender and transfer, or other acquisition, of any shares of Class B Common Stock to or by the Corporation, the Corporation will take all actions necessary to cancel and retire such shares and such shares shall not be re-issued by the Corporation.

(b) Except as set forth in Section 4.5(a), a holder of Class B Common Stock may transfer or assign shares of Class B Common Stock (or any legal or beneficial interest in such shares) (directly or indirectly, including by operation of law) only to a Permitted Transferee of such holder, and only if such holder also simultaneously transfers an equal number of such holder’s Common Units to such Permitted Transferee in compliance with the LLC Agreement. The transfer restrictions described in this Section 4.5(b) are referred to as the “Restrictions”.

 

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(c) Any purported transfer of shares of Class B Common Stock in violation of the Restrictions shall be null and void ab initio. If, notwithstanding the Restrictions, a Person shall, voluntarily or involuntarily, purportedly become or attempt to become, the purported owner (“Purported Owner”) of shares of Class B Common Stock in violation of the Restrictions, then the Purported Owner shall not obtain any rights in, to or with respect to such shares of Class B Common Stock (the “Restricted Shares”), and the purported transfer of the Restricted Shares to the Purported Owner shall not be recognized by the Corporation, the Corporation’s transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”) or the Secretary of the Corporation and each holder of such Restricted Share shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, automatically, without any further action on the part of the Corporation, the holder thereof, the Purported Owner or any other party, not be entitled to any voting rights with respect to those shares.

(d) Upon a determination by the Board of Directors that a Person has attempted or may attempt to transfer or to acquire Restricted Shares in violation of the Restrictions, the Corporation may take such action as it deems advisable to refuse to give effect to such transfer or acquisition on the books and records of the Corporation, including without limitation to cause the Transfer Agent or the Secretary of the Corporation, as applicable, to not record the Purported Owner as the record owner of the Restricted Shares, and to institute proceedings to enjoin or rescind any such transfer or acquisition.

(e) The Board of Directors may, to the extent permitted by law, from time to time establish, modify, amend or rescind, by bylaw or otherwise, regulations and procedures not inconsistent with the provisions of this Section 4.5 for determining whether any transfer or acquisition of shares of Class B Common Stock would violate the Restrictions and for the orderly application, administration and implementation of the provisions of this Section 4.5. Any such procedures and regulations shall be kept on file with the Secretary of the Corporation and with the Transfer Agent and shall be made available for inspection by and, upon written request shall be mailed to, holders of shares of Class B Common Stock.

(f) As used in this Section 4.5, the term “Transfer”, as it relates to the shares of Class B Common Stock, shall not be deemed to include any bona fide pledge or collateralization by a holder thereof to a financial institution of international standing in connection with any bona fide loan or debt transaction if such holder is, in connection therewith, making a Permitted Pledge (as defined in the LLC Agreement) of Common Units corresponding to such shares pursuant to Section 10.02(iv) of the LLC Agreement; provided, that in the event that the lender to whom the applicable shares of Class B Common Stock have been pledged forecloses on such shares, such shares (together with any Corresponding Rights (as defined in the LLC Agreement)) shall be automatically canceled and retired as contemplated by Section 10.02 of the LLC Agreement such that, for the avoidance of doubt, the applicable lender shall never take ownership of such shares of Class B Common Stock.

 

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Section 4.6 Certificates. All certificates or book entries representing shares of Class B Common Stock shall bear a legend substantially in the following form (or in such other form as the Board of Directors may determine):

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS [CERTIFICATE][BOOK ENTRY] ARE SUBJECT TO THE RESTRICTIONS (INCLUDING RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER) SET FORTH IN THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF THE CORPORATION AS IT MAY BE AMENDED AND RESTATED (A COPY OF WHICH IS ON FILE WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE CORPORATION AND SHALL BE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE TO ANY STOCKHOLDER MAKING A REQUEST THEREFOR).

Section 4.7 Fractions. Shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock may be issued and transferred in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder to exercise fractional voting rights and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock, as applicable. Subject to the Restrictions, holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock shall be entitled to transfer fractions thereof and the Corporation shall, and shall cause the Transfer Agent to, facilitate any such transfers, including by issuing certificates or making book entries representing any such fractional shares. For all purposes of this Certificate of Incorporation, all references to Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock or any share thereof (whether in the singular or plural) shall be deemed to include references to any fraction of a share of such Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock.

Section 4.8 Amendment.

Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) 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 Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) or the DGCL.

ARTICLE V.

The Corporation shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued shares or other securities at least as many shares (including shares of Class A Common Stock) or other securities equal to the number of Common Units held by the holders of Common Units (other than the Corporation and any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation).

ARTICLE VI.

The Board of Directors, by action of a majority of the Whole Board of Directors (as defined below), is expressly authorized to adopt, amend and repeal the bylaws of the Corporation (the “Bylaws”). The stockholders may also adopt, amend and repeal the Bylaws only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the voting power of all of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, 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.

 

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ARTICLE VII.

Section 7.1 Ballot. Elections of directors (each such director, in such capacity, a “Director”) need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws shall so provide.

Section 7.2 Number and Terms of the Board of Directors. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors under specified circumstances and the terms of that certain stockholders agreement, dated as of October 27, 2021, by and among the Corporation and the other Persons party thereto (as it may be amended, restated, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms, the “Stockholders Agreement”), the number of Directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by a majority of the Whole Board of Directors; provided, that for as long as the Stockholders Agreement is in effect, the number of Directors shall never be less than the aggregate number of Directors that the parties to the Stockholders Agreement are entitled to designate from time to time pursuant to Section 1 thereof. For purposes of this Certificate of Incorporation, the term “Whole Board of Directors” shall mean the total number of authorized directors (from time to time) whether or not there exist any vacancies.

Section 7.3 Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies. Except as otherwise required by law, the separate rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then outstanding or the Stockholders Agreement, unless the Board of Directors otherwise determines, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification, removal from office or other cause shall be filled only by a majority vote of the Directors then in office, though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining Director entitled to vote thereon, and not by the stockholders. Any Director so chosen shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such Director shall have been chosen and until his or her successor shall be elected and qualified.

Section 7.4 Removal for Cause. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, for as long as this Certificate of Incorporation provides for a classified Board of Directors, any Director, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed only for cause and only by an affirmative vote of the holders at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the voting power of all the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, at a meeting duly called for that purpose.

Section 7.5 Classified Board. The Directors shall be classified, with respect to the time for which they shall hold their respective offices, by dividing them into three (3) classes, with each Director then in office to be designated as a Class I Director, a Class II Director or a Class III Director, with each class to be apportioned 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 of Directors. The initial Class I Directors shall serve for a term expiring at the first annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation following the time at which the initial classification of the Board becomes effective; the initial Class II Directors shall serve for a term expiring at the second annual meeting of stockholders following the time at which the initial classification of the Board becomes effective; and the initial Class III Directors shall serve for a term expiring at the third annual meeting of stockholders following the time at which the initial classification of the Board becomes effective. Each director shall serve for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of

 

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stockholders following the annual meeting of stockholders at which such director was elected and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, subject to such Director’s earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with Section 7.4 of this Certificate of Incorporation. Subject to the Stockholders Agreement, the Board of Directors is authorized to assign each Director already in office at the Effective Time, as well as each Director elected or appointed to a newly created directorship due to an increase in the size of the Board of Directors, to Class I, Class II or Class III. Without limitation to the rights of the stockholders party to the Stockholders Agreement, the provisions of this Section 7.5 are subject to the rights of the holders of any class or series of Preferred Stock to elect directors and such directors need not serve classified terms.

Section 7.6 Notice. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for election of Directors and other business to be brought by stockholders before a meeting of stockholders shall be given in the manner provided by the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VIII.

Any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents, setting forth the action so taken, are (1) signed by the holders of outstanding shares of the Corporation representing not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of stock of the Corporation then issued and outstanding entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, and (2) delivered to the Corporation in accordance with applicable law.

ARTICLE IX.

Subject to any limitations in the Stockholders Agreement, the Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, and all rights conferred upon stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation; provided, that (x) any amendment (including by merger, consolidation or otherwise) to this Certificate of Incorporation that gives holders of the Class B Common Stock (i) any rights to receive dividends (other than as set forth in the first sentence of Section 4.4(c)) or any other kind of distribution other than in connection with a dissolution or liquidation pursuant to Section 4.4(c), (ii) any right to convert into or be exchanged for shares of Class A Common Stock or (iii) any other economic rights shall, in addition to the vote of the holders of shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation), also require the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock voting separately as a class and, (y) subject to Section 4.8 and the immediately preceding clause (x), the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the voting power of all of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, voting together as a single class, shall be required in order for the stockholders of the Corporation to alter, amend, repeal or rescind, in whole or in part, any of the following provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation or to adopt any provision inconsistent therewith: Section 4.2, Section 4.4(b)(ii), Article V, Article VIII, Article IX and Article X. If any provision or provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any Person or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by

 

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law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any sentence of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other Persons and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

ARTICLE X.

The Corporation is authorized to indemnify, and to advance expenses to, each current or former Director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the DGCL as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended. To the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware as it exists on the date hereof or as it may hereafter be amended, no Director shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of his or her fiduciary duties as a director. No amendment to, or modification or repeal of, this Article X shall adversely affect any right or protection of a Director or of any officer, employee or agent of the Corporation existing hereunder with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, modification or repeal.

ARTICLE XI.

Section 11.1 Corporate Opportunity.

(a) To the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware and in accordance with Section 122(17) of the DGCL, (i) the Corporation hereby renounces all interest and expectancy that it otherwise would be entitled to have in, and all rights to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any business opportunity that from time to time may be presented to (1) Summit, any Directors who are employees of or Affiliates (other than the Corporation or its subsidiaries) of Summit or any of their respective principals, members, directors, partners, stockholders, officers, employees or other representatives (other than any such Director who is also an employee of the Corporation or its subsidiaries), or (2) any Director or stockholder who is not employed by the Corporation or its subsidiaries (each such Person, an “Exempt Person”); (ii) no Exempt Person will have any duty to refrain from (1) engaging in a corporate opportunity in the same or similar lines of business in which the Corporation or its subsidiaries from time to time is engaged or proposes to engage or (2) otherwise competing, directly or indirectly, with the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries; and (iii) if any Exempt Person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity both for such Exempt Person or any of his or her respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and for the Corporation or its subsidiaries, on the other hand, such Exempt Person shall have no duty to communicate or offer such transaction or business opportunity to the Corporation or its subsidiaries and such Exempt Person may take any and all such transactions or opportunities for itself or offer such transactions or opportunities to any other Person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the preceding sentence of this Section 11.1(a) shall not apply to any potential transaction or business opportunity that is expressly offered to a Director, executive officer or employee of the Corporation or its subsidiaries, solely in his or her capacity as a Director, executive officer or employee of the Corporation or its subsidiaries.

 

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(b) To the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware, no potential transaction or business opportunity may be deemed to be a corporate opportunity of the Corporation or its subsidiaries unless (i) the Corporation or its subsidiaries would be permitted to undertake such transaction or opportunity in accordance with this Certificate of Incorporation, (ii) the Corporation or its subsidiaries at such time have sufficient financial resources to undertake such transaction or opportunity, (iii) the Corporation or its subsidiaries have an interest or expectancy in such transaction or opportunity and (iv) such transaction or opportunity would be in the same or similar line of business in which the Corporation or its subsidiaries are then engaged or a line of business that is reasonably related to, or a reasonable extension of, such line of business.

Section 11.2 Liability. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no stockholder and no Director will be liable to the Corporation or its subsidiaries or stockholders for breach of any duty solely by reason of any activities or omissions of the types referred to in this Article XI, except to the extent such actions or omissions are in breach of this Article XI.

ARTICLE XII.

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, (a) (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 current or former director, officer or other employee or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, creditors or other constituents (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws (as either may be amended, restated, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time) or as to which the DGCL confers exclusive jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (the “Court of Chancery”), or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction thereof, the federal district court of the State of Delaware; and (b) the federal district courts of the United States (the “Federal Courts”) shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. If any provision or provisions of this Article XII shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article XII (including, without limitation, each portion of any sentence of this Article XII containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby. If any action, the subject matter of which is within the scope of the first sentence of this Article XII, is filed in a court other than the Court of Chancery or the Federal Courts, as applicable, (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery or the Federal Courts, as applicable, in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the first sentence of this Article XII and (ii) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder. 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 consented to the provisions of this Article XII.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Article XII shall not apply to claims seeking to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

ARTICLE XIII.

Section 13.1 Section 203 of the DGCL. The Corporation expressly elects not to be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL and the restrictions and limitations set forth therein.

Section 13.2 Interested Stockholder Transactions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Certificate of Incorporation, the Corporation shall not engage in any Business Combination (as defined below) at any point in time at which the Corporation’s Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act with any Interested Stockholder (as defined below) for a period of three (3) years following the time that such stockholder became an Interested Stockholder, unless:

(a) prior to such time that such stockholder became an Interested Stockholder, the Board of Directors approved either the Business Combination or the transaction which resulted in such stockholder becoming an Interested Stockholder;

(b) at or subsequent to such time that such stockholder became an Interested Stockholder, the Business Combination is approved by the Board of Directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation which is not owned by such Interested Stockholder; or

(c) upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in such stockholder becoming an Interested Stockholder, the Interested Stockholder owned at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the voting stock (as defined below) of the Corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the Interested Stockholder) those shares owned by (i) persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer.

Section 13.3 Definitions. As used in this Certificate of Incorporation, the following terms shall have the following meaning:

(a) “Affiliate” means a Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, another Person;

(b) “Associate”, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person, means: (i) any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity of which such Person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of twenty percent (20%) or more of any class of shares of voting stock of the Corporation; (ii) any trust or other estate in which such Person has at least a twenty percent (20%) beneficial interest or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (iii) any relative or spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same residence as such Person.

 

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(c) “Business Combination” means (i) any merger or consolidation of the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation with the Interested Stockholder or (ii) any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions), except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation, to or with the Interested Stockholder, whether as part of a dissolution or otherwise, of assets of the Corporation or of any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which assets have an aggregate market value equal to ten percent (10%) or more of either the aggregate market value of all the assets of the Corporation determined on a consolidated basis or the aggregate market value of all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation.

(d) “Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events: (1) any “person” or “group” (within the meaning of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person and its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan and excluding the Permitted Transferees) becomes the “beneficial owner” (within the meaning of Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of shares of Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock, Preferred Stock or any other class or classes of capital stock of the Corporation (if any) representing in the aggregate more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote; (2) the stockholders of the Corporation approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation or there is consummated a transaction or series of related transactions for the sale, lease, exchange or other disposition, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets (including a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of Solo Stove LLC); (3) there is consummated a merger or consolidation of the Corporation with any other corporation or entity, and, immediately after the consummation of such merger or consolidation, the voting securities of the Corporation immediately prior to such merger or consolidation do not continue to represent, or are not converted into, voting securities representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the Person resulting from such merger or consolidation or, if the surviving company is a subsidiary, the ultimate parent thereof; or (4) the Corporation ceases to be the “Manager” and sole managing member of Solo Stove LLC. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a “Change of Control” shall not be deemed to have occurred by virtue of the consummation of any transaction or series of related transactions immediately following which the beneficial owners of the Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock, Preferred Stock or any other class or classes of capital stock of the Corporation immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions continue to have substantially the same proportionate ownership in and voting control over, and own substantially all of the shares of, an entity which owns all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation immediately following such transaction or series of transactions.

(e) Control, including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with,” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting stock, by contract or otherwise. A Person who is the owner of 20% or more of the outstanding voting stock of any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity shall be presumed to have control of such entity, in the absence of proof by a preponderance of the evidence to the contrary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a presumption of control shall not apply where such Person holds voting stock, in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing this section, as an agent, bank, broker, nominee, custodian or trustee for one or more owners who do not individually or as a group have control of such entity.

 

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(f) “Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and any successor to such statute, rules or regulations.

(g) “Interested Stockholder” means any Person (other than the Corporation and any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation) that (i) is the beneficial owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are entitled to vote, or (ii) is an Affiliate of the Corporation and was the beneficial owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are entitled to vote at any time within the three-year period immediately prior to the date on which it is sought to be determined whether such Person is an Interested Stockholder, and the Affiliates and Associates of such Person. Notwithstanding anything in this Article XIII to the contrary, the term “Interested Stockholder” shall not include: (w) a stockholder that becomes an Interested Stockholder inadvertently and (1) as soon as practicable divests itself of ownership of sufficient shares so that such stockholder ceases to be an Interested Stockholder and (2) would not, at any time within the three-year period immediately prior to a business combination between the Corporation and such stockholder, have been an Interested Stockholder but for the inadvertent acquisition of ownership, (x) any Person whose ownership of shares in excess of the fifteen percent (15%) limitation set forth herein is the result of any action taken solely by the Corporation; provided, however, that such Person specified in this clause (x) shall be deemed an Interested Stockholder if thereafter such Person acquires additional shares of voting stock of the Corporation, except as a result of further corporate action not caused, directly or indirectly, by such Person, (y) the Summit Related Parties or any of their current and future Affiliates (so long as such Affiliate remains an Affiliate) or their Associates, including any investment funds managed, directly or indirectly, by a Summited Related Party or any other Person with whom any of the foregoing are acting as a group or in concert for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of shares of capital stock of the Corporation, or (z) any other Person who acquires voting stock of the Corporation directly or indirectly from a Summit Related Party, and excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any Person who acquires voting stock of the Corporation through a broker’s transaction executed on any securities exchange or other over-the-counter market or pursuant to an underwritten public offering.

(h) “owner,” including the terms “own” and “owned,” when used with respect to any stock, means a Person that individually or with or through any of its Affiliates or Associates:

(i) beneficially owns such stock, directly or indirectly; or

(ii) has (A) the right to acquire or hold such stock (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose Affiliates or associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, such stock, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the owner of stock tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such person

 

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or any of such Person’s Affiliates or associates until such tendered stock is accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to dispose of or vote such stock pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose Affiliates or associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, such stock; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the owner of any stock because of such Person’s right to vote such stock if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such stock arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to ten or more Persons.

(i) “Person” means, except as otherwise provided in the definition of “Change of Control”, any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, unincorporated association or other entity.

(j) “Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and any successor to such statute, rules or regulations.

(k) “stock” means, with respect to any corporation, capital stock and, with respect to any other entity, any equity interest.

(l) “Summit” means Summit Partners Growth Equity Fund X-A, L.P., Summit Partners Growth Equity Fund X-B, L.P., Summit Partners Growth Equity Fund X-C, L.P., Summit Investors X, LLC, Summit Investors X (UK), L.P., Summit Partners Subordinated Debt Fund V-A, L.P., Summit Partners Subordinated Debt Fund V-B, L.P. and SP-SS Aggregator, LLC.

(m) “Summit Related Parties” means Summit and its Permitted Transferees.

(n) “voting stock” means stock of any class or series entitled to vote generally in the election of directors and, with respect to any entity that is not a corporation, any equity interest entitled to vote generally in the election of the governing body of such entity. Every reference to a percentage of voting stock shall refer to such percentages of the votes of such voting stock.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate of Incorporation to be signed on this 27th day in October, 2021.

 

SOLO BRANDS, INC.
By:   /s/ John Merris
Name:   John Merris
Title:   Chief Executive Officer

Exhibit 4.2

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

SOLO BRANDS, INC.

Dated as of October 27, 2021

 

 

 

 

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CONTENTS

 

        Page  

Article I. Meetings of Stockholders

     1  

Section 1.01

   Place of Meetings      1  

Section 1.02

   Annual Meetings      1  

Section 1.03

   Special Meetings      1  

Section 1.04

   Notice of Meetings      1  

Section 1.05

   Adjournments      2  

Section 1.06

   Quorum      2  

Section 1.07

   Organization      2  

Section 1.08

   Voting; Proxies      3  

Section 1.09

   Fixing Date for Determination of Stockholders of Record      3  

Section 1.10

   List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote      4  

Section 1.11

   Action by Written Consent of Stockholders      5  

Section 1.12

   Inspectors of Election      5  

Section 1.13

   Conduct of Meetings      5  

Section 1.14

   Advance Notice Procedures for Business Brought before a Meeting      6  

Section 1.15

   Advance Notice Procedures for Nominations of Directors      10  

Article II. Board of Directors

     14  

Section 2.01

   Number; Tenure; Qualifications      14  

Section 2.02

   Election; Resignation; Removal; Vacancies      14  

Section 2.03

   Regular Meetings      14  

Section 2.04

   Special Meetings      14  

Section 2.05

   Telephonic Meetings Permitted      14  

Section 2.06

   Quorum; Vote Required for Action      15  

Section 2.07

   Organization      15  

Section 2.08

   Action by Unanimous Consent of Directors      15  

Section 2.09

   Compensation of Directors      15  

Section 2.10

   Chairperson      15  

Article III. Committees

     16  

Section 3.01

   Committees      16  

Section 3.02

   Committee Minutes      16  

Section 3.03

   Committee Rules      16  

Article IV. Officers

     16  

Section 4.01

   Officers      16  

Section 4.02

   Appointment of Officers      16  

Section 4.03

   Subordinate Officer      17  

Section 4.04

   Removal and Resignation of Officers      17  


Section 4.05

   Vacancies in Offices      17  

Section 4.06

   Chief Executive Officer      17  

Section 4.07

   President      17  

Section 4.08

   Secretary      17  

Section 4.09

   Chief Financial Officer      18  

Section 4.10

   Representation of Shares of Other Entities      18  

Section 4.11

   Authority and Duties of Officers      18  

Section 4.12

   Compensation      18  

Article V. Stock

     19  

Section 5.01

   Certificates      19  

Section 5.02

   Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Stock Certificates; Issuance of New Certificates      19  

Article VI. Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses

     19  

Section 6.01

   Right to Indemnification      19  

Section 6.02

   Indemnification of Others      20  

Section 6.03

   Advancement of Expenses      20  

Section 6.04

   Claims      20  

Section 6.05

   Non-exclusivity of Rights      20  

Section 6.06

   Insurance      20  

Section 6.07

   Other Sources      21  

Section 6.08

   Continuation of Indemnification      21  

Section 6.09

   Amendment or Repeal      21  

Section 6.10

   Other Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses      21  

Article VII. Miscellaneous

     21  

Section 7.01

   Fiscal Year      21  

Section 7.02

   Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments      21  

Section 7.03

   Dividends      22  

Section 7.04

   Registered Stockholders      22  

Section 7.05

   Corporate Seal      22  

Section 7.06

   Construction; Definitions      22  

Section 7.07

   Manner of Notice      22  

Section 7.08

   Waiver of Notice of Meetings of Stockholders, Directors and Committees      23  

Section 7.09

   Form of Records      23  

Section 7.10

   Amendment of Bylaws      23  

 

 

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ARTICLE I.

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

Section 1.01 Place of Meetings. Meetings of stockholders of Solo Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”; and such stockholders, the “Stockholders”), may be held at any place, within or without the State of Delaware, as may be designated by or in the manner determined by the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”). In the absence of such designation, meetings of Stockholders shall be held at the principal executive office of the Corporation. The Board of Directors 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 authorized by and in accordance with Section 211(a) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).

Section 1.02 Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of Stockholders shall be held for the election of directors at such date and time as may be designated by or in the manner determined by resolution of the Board of Directors from time to time. Any other business as may be properly brought before the annual meeting may be transacted at the annual meeting. The Board of Directors may postpone, reschedule or cancel any annual meeting of Stockholders previously scheduled by the Board of Directors.

Section 1.03 Special Meetings. Special meetings of Stockholders for any purpose or purposes may be called only by the chairperson of the Board of Directors (the “Chairperson”), pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board of Directors or by the Secretary upon the written request of the Stockholders holding a majority of the voting power of the Corporation. For purposes of these Bylaws, the term “Whole Board of Directors” shall mean the total number of authorized directors whether or not there exist any vacancies. Special meetings validly called in accordance with this Section 1.03 of these bylaws (as the same may be amended, restated, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time, these “Bylaws”) may be held at such date and time as specified in the applicable notice. Notice of every special meeting shall state the purpose or purposes of the meeting, and the business transacted at any special meeting of Stockholders shall be limited to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice. The Board of Directors may postpone, reschedule or cancel any special meeting of Stockholders previously scheduled by the Chairperson or Board of Directors; provided, however, that with respect to any special meeting of stockholders previously scheduled by the Board of Directors at the request of the stockholders in accordance with this Section 1.03, the Board of Directors shall not postpone, reschedule or cancel such special meeting without the prior written consent of such stockholders.

Section 1.04 Notice of Meetings. Whenever Stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a notice of the meeting shall be given that shall state the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, the means of remote communications, if any, by which Stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, the record date for determining the Stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (if such date is different from the record date for Stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting) and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Unless otherwise required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (as the same may be amended, restated, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Certificate of Incorporation”) or these Bylaws, the notice of any meeting shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty


(60) days before the date of the meeting to each Stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting as of the record date for determining the Stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the Stockholder at such Stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation.

Section 1.05 Adjournments. Any meeting of Stockholders, annual or special, may be adjourned from time to time by the chairperson of the meeting (or by the Stockholders in accordance with Section 1.06) to reconvene at the same or some other place, if any, and the same or some other time, and notice need not be given of any such adjourned meeting if the time and 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 the 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 of Directors shall fix a new record date for determining Stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting in accordance with Section 1.09(a) of these Bylaws, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each Stockholder of record entitled to vote at such adjourned meeting as of the record date fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the Stockholder at such Stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation.

Section 1.06 Quorum. At any meeting of the Stockholders, the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation (“Stock”) entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for all purposes, unless or except to the extent that the presence of a larger number may be required by law, the rules of any stock exchange upon which the Corporation’s securities are listed, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws. In the absence of a quorum, then either (i) the chairperson of the meeting or (ii) if the Board of Directors so determines, the Stockholders by the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of capital Stock entitled to vote thereon, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have the power to adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 1.05 of these Bylaws until a quorum is present or represented. Where a separate vote by a class or classes or series of Stock is required by law or the Certificate of Incorporation, the holders of a majority of voting power of the shares of such class or classes or series of Stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote on such matter, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to the vote on such matter. A quorum, once established at a meeting, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum.

Section 1.07 Organization. Meetings of Stockholders shall be presided over by the Chairperson or by such other officer or director of the Corporation as designated by the Board of Directors or the Chairperson, or in the absence of such person or designation, by a chairperson chosen at the meeting by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of Stock present or represented at the meeting and entitled to vote at the meeting (provided there is a quorum). The Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in his or her absence the chairperson of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

 

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Section 1.08 Voting; Proxies. Each Stockholder entitled to vote at any meeting of Stockholders shall be entitled to the number of votes, if any, for each share of Stock held of record by such Stockholder which has voting power upon the matter in question that is set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation or, if such voting power is not set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation, one vote per share. Each Stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of Stockholders or express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting (if permitted by the Certificate of Incorporation) may authorize another person or persons to act for such Stockholder by proxy, 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. A proxy may be authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting. A proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power. A Stockholder may revoke any proxy which is not irrevocable by attending the meeting and voting in person (or by means remote communication, if applicable) or by delivering to the Secretary a revocation of the proxy or a new proxy bearing a later date. Voting at meetings of Stockholders need not be by written ballot. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, at all meetings of Stockholders for the election of directors at which a quorum is present a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect directors. No holder of shares of Stock shall have the right to cumulate votes. All other elections and questions presented to the Stockholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be decided by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of votes cast (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) on such matter, unless a different or minimum vote is required 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 in which case such different or minimum vote shall be the applicable vote on the matter.

Section 1.09 Fixing Date for Determination of Stockholders of Record.

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

 

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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 with the foregoing provisions of Section 1.09(a) at the adjourned meeting.

(b) In order that the Corporation may determine the Stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of Stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no such record date is fixed, the record date for determining Stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

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

Section 1.10 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, 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 (10th) 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 as of the record date (or such other date). Such list shall be open to the examination of any Stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting (a) 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 (b) during ordinary business hours at the principal place of business of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then a list of Stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be examined by any Stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any Stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Except as otherwise provided by law, the “stock ledger” shall be the only evidence as to who are the

 

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Stockholders entitled to examine the list of Stockholders required by this Section 1.10 or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of Stockholders. For purposes of these Bylaws, the term “stock ledger” means one or more records administered by or on behalf of the Corporation in which the names of all of the Corporation’s 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.

Section 1.11 Action by Written Consent of Stockholders. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of Stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, only to the extent permitted by Article VIII of the Certificate of Incorporation.

Section 1.12 Inspectors of Election. The Corporation may, and shall if required by law, in advance of any meeting of Stockholders, appoint one or more inspectors of election, who may be employees of the Corporation, to act at the meeting or any adjournment thereof and to make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. In the event that no inspector so appointed or designated is able to act at a meeting of Stockholders, the person presiding at the meeting may, and to the extent required by law, shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath to execute faithfully the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. The inspector or inspectors so appointed or designated shall (a) ascertain the number of shares of Stock outstanding and the voting power of each such share, (b) determine the shares of Stock represented at the meeting and the validity of proxies and ballots, (c) count all votes and ballots, (d) determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspectors and (e) certify their determination of the number of shares of Stock represented at the meeting and such inspectors’ count of all votes and ballots. Such certification and report shall specify such other information as may be required by law. In determining the validity and counting of proxies and ballots cast at any meeting of Stockholders, 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.

Section 1.13 Conduct of Meetings. 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 designated in accordance with Section 1.07 of these Bylaws. After the polls close, no ballots, proxies or votes or any revocations or changes thereto may be accepted. The Board of Directors 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 of Directors, the person presiding over any meeting of Stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such presiding person, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board of Directors or prescribed by the presiding person of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (a) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting;

 

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(b) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (c) 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 presiding person of the meeting shall determine; (d) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (e) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants. The presiding person at any meeting of Stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting, shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a matter or business was not properly brought before the meeting and if such presiding person should so determine, such presiding person shall so declare to the meeting and any such matter or business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted or considered. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board of Directors or the person presiding over the meeting, meetings of Stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

Section 1.14 Advance Notice Procedures for Business Brought before a Meeting. This Section 1.14 shall apply to any business that may be brought before an annual meeting of Stockholders other than (i) nominations for election to the Board of Directors at such a meeting, which shall be governed by Section 1.15 of these Bylaws or (ii) business brought by Summit at any time prior to the date when Summit and its affiliates cease to beneficially own in the aggregate (directly or indirectly) at least 10% of the voting power of the then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation then entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Advance Notice Trigger Date”)). Stockholders seeking to nominate Persons for election to the Board of Directors must comply with Section 1.15 of these Bylaws, and this Section 1.14 shall not be applicable to nominations for election to the Board of Directors except as expressly provided in Section 1.15 of these Bylaws.

(a) 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 (i) specified in a notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or a duly authorized committee thereof, (ii) if not specified in a notice of meeting, otherwise brought before the meeting by the Board of Directors or the chairperson of the meeting, or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a Stockholder present in person who (A) (1) was a Stockholder of record of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 1.14 and at the time of the meeting, (2) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (3) has complied with this Section 1.14 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 (iii) 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 Corporation’s notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Person calling the meeting pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation and Section 1.03 of these Bylaws. For purposes of these Bylaws, “Person” shall mean 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

 

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otherwise) of such entity. For purposes of this Section 1.14 and Section 1.15 of these Bylaws, “present in person” shall mean that the Stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the meeting or a qualified representative of such proposing Stockholder, appear in person at such annual meeting, and a “qualified representative” of such proposing Stockholder shall be, a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such Stockholder or any other person authorized by a writing executed by such Stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such Stockholder to act for such Stockholder as proxy at the meeting of the Stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of the Stockholders.

(b) Without qualification, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a Stockholder, the business must constitute a proper matter for Stockholder action and the Stockholder must (i) provide Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation (other than such a notice by Summit prior to the Advance Notice Trigger Date, which may be delivered at any time prior to the mailing of the definitive proxy statement pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act related to the next annual meeting of stockholders) and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 1.14. To be timely, a Stockholder’s 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 year’s annual meeting (which, in the case of the first annual meeting of stockholders following the closing the Corporation’s initial underwritten public offering of common stock, the preceding year’s annual meeting date shall be deemed to be May 15, 2021); 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 (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) 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 (or extend any time period) for the giving of Timely Notice as described above.

(c) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 1.14, a Stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:

(i) 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 Corporation’s 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”);

 

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(ii) 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 Person’s 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), (F) a representation that such Proposing Person intends or is part of a group which intends to deliver a proxy statement or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or otherwise solicit proxies or votes from the Stockholders in support of such proposal and (G) 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 (G) are referred to as “Disclosable Interests”); provided, 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

 

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(iii) 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 and the text of any proposed amendment to these Bylaws), (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 1.14(c) 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.

(d) For purposes of this Section 1.14, the term “Proposing Person shall mean (i) the Stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, (ii) 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 (iii) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii) through (a)(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A) with such Stockholder in such solicitation.

(e) 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 1.14 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).

(f) 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 1.14. 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 1.14, 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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(g) In addition to the requirements of this Section 1.14 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 1.14 shall be deemed to affect the rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

(h) 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.

Section 1.15 Advance Notice Procedures for Nominations of Directors.

(a) Nominations. Nominations of any Person for election to the Board of Directors at an annual meeting or at a special meeting (but only if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling such special meeting) may be made at such meeting only (i) as provided in the Stockholders Agreement (as defined below), (ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, including by any committee or Persons authorized to do so by the Board of Directors or these Bylaws, or (iii) by a Stockholder present in Person (as defined in Section 1.14) (A) who was a Stockholder of record of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 1.15 and at the time of the meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (C) has complied with this Section 1.15 as to such notice and nomination. Other than as provided in the Stockholders Agreement, the foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a Stockholder to make any nomination of a Person or Persons for election to the Board of Directors at any annual meeting or special meeting of Stockholders.

(b) Notices, etc.

(i) Without qualification, for a Stockholder to make any nomination of a Person or Persons for election to the Board of Directors at an annual meeting, the Stockholder must (A) provide Timely Notice (as defined in Section 1.14(b) of these Bylaws) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (other than such a notice by Summit prior to the Advance Notice Trigger Date, which may be delivered at any time up to thirty-five (35) days prior to the next annual meeting of stockholders), (B) provide the information, agreements and questionnaires with respect to such Stockholder and its candidate for nomination as required by this Section 1.15, and (C) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 1.15.

(ii) Without qualification, if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling a special meeting, then for a Stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board of Directors at a special meeting, the Stockholder must provide (A) timely notice thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (B) the information, agreements and questionnaires with respect to such Stockholder and its candidate for nomination required by this Section 1.15, and (C) any

 

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updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 1.15. To be timely for purposes of this Section 1.15(b)(ii), a Stockholder’s notice for nominations to be made at a special meeting must be delivered to, or mailed to and received by the Secretary of the Corporation not earlier than the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure (as defined in Section 1.14(h)) of the date of such special meeting at which directors are to be elected was first made (other than such a notice by Summit prior to the Advance Notice Trigger Date, which may be delivered at any time up to thirty-five (35) days prior to the next annual meeting of stockholders).

(iii) In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or special meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a Stockholder’s notice as described above.

(iv) In no event may a Nominating Person (as defined below) provide notice under this Section 1.15 or otherwise with respect to a greater number of director candidates than are subject to election by Stockholders at the applicable meeting. Notwithstanding anything in Section 1.15(b)(i) to the contrary, if the number of directors subject to election at an annual meeting is increased effective after the time period for which nominations would otherwise be due under Section 1.15(b)(i) and there is no public announcement by the Corporation naming the nominees for the additional directorships at least one hundred (100) days prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a Stockholder’s notice required by this Section 1.15 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for the additional directorships, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation not later than the tenth (10th) day following the date on which public disclosure (as defined in Section 1.14(h)) is first made by the Corporation.

(c) Proper Form. To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 1.15, a Stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:

(i) As to each Nominating Person, the Stockholder Information (as defined in Section 1.14(c)(i) of these Bylaws) except that for purposes of this Section 1.15, the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 1.14(c)(i);

(ii) As to each Nominating Person, any Disclosable Interests (as defined in Section 1.14(c)(ii), except that for purposes of this Section 1.15 the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 1.14(c)(ii) and the disclosure with respect to the business to be brought before the meeting in Section 1.14(c)(iii) shall be made with respect to nomination of each Person for election as a director at the meeting); and

 

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(iii) 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 Stockholder’s notice pursuant to this Section 1.15 if such 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 Person’s written consent to being named in the Corporation’s 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 1.15(f).

(d) Nominating Person. For purposes of this Section 1.15, the term “Nominating Person shall mean (i) the Stockholder providing the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting, (ii) 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 (iii) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii) through (a)(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A) with such Stockholder in such solicitation.

(e) Updates. 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 1.15 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).

(f) Eligibility. To be eligible to be a candidate for election as a director of the Corporation at an annual or special meeting, a candidate must be nominated in the manner prescribed in this Section 1.15 and the candidate for nomination, whether nominated by the Board of Directors 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 of Directors), to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (i) a completed written questionnaire (in the form provided by the Corporation upon request) with respect to the

 

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background, qualifications, stock ownership and independence of such candidate for nomination and (ii) a written representation and agreement (in the form provided by the Corporation upon request) 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 in such written questionnaire 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 candidate’s 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).

(g) Additional Info. The Board of Directors may also require any proposed candidate for nomination as a Director to furnish such other information as may reasonably be requested by the Board of Directors in writing prior to the meeting of stockholders at which such candidate’s nomination is to be acted upon in order for the Board of Directors to determine the eligibility of such candidate for nomination to be an independent director of the Corporation in accordance with the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines.

(h) Exchange Act. In addition to the requirements of this Section 1.15 with respect to any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting, each Nominating Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such nominations.

(i) Compliance. No candidate shall be eligible for nomination as a director of the Corporation unless each of such candidate for nomination and the Nominating Person seeking to place such candidate’s name in nomination has complied with this Section 1.15, 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 1.15, 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 case for the nominee in question) shall be void and of no force or effect.

(j) No Other Candidates. Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, subject to Section 1.15(k), 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 1.15.

(k) Summit. Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, for so long as Summit (as defined in the Certificate of Incorporation) is entitled to nominate a Director pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, Summit shall not be subject to the notice procedures set forth in this Section 1.15 with respect to nominations made pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE II.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 2.01 Number; Tenure; Qualifications. Subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors and that certain stockholders agreement, dated as October 27, 2021, by and among the Corporation and the other persons party thereto (as may be amended, restated, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Stockholders Agreement”), the total number of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board of Directors. The terms of directors shall be as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation. Each director shall hold office until such time as provided in the Certificate of Incorporation. Directors need not be Stockholders to be qualified for election or service as a director of the Corporation.

Section 2.02 Election; Resignation; Removal; Vacancies. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of Stockholders by such Stockholders that have the right to vote on such election. Any director may resign at any time upon written or electronic transmission to the Corporation. Such resignation shall be effective upon delivery unless otherwise specified. Directors of the Corporation may be removed only as expressly provided in the Certificate of Incorporation. Newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification, removal from office or other cause shall be filled only as expressly provided in the Certificate of Incorporation.

Section 2.03 Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at such places, if any, within or without the State of Delaware, and at such times as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine. A notice of regular meetings shall not be required.

Section 2.04 Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairperson or a majority of the directors then in office and shall be held at such time, date and place, if any, within or without the State of Delaware as he or she or they shall fix. Notice to directors of the date, place and time of any special meeting of the Board of Directors shall be given to each director by the Secretary or by the officer or one of the directors calling the meeting. Notice may be given in person, by United States first-class mail, or by e-mail, telephone, facsimile or other means of electronic transmission. If the notice is delivered in person, by e-mail, telephone facsimile or other means of electronic transmission, it shall be delivered or sent at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by mail, it shall be deposited in the United States mail at least four (4) days before the time of the holding of the meeting.

Section 2.05 Telephonic Meetings Permitted. Members of the Board of Directors may participate in any meetings of the Board of Directors thereof by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this Section 2.05 shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

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Section 2.06 Quorum; Vote Required for Action. At all meetings of the Board of Directors a majority of the Whole Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; provided that, solely for the purposes of filling vacancies pursuant to Section 2.02 of these Bylaws, a meeting of the Board of Directors may be held if a majority of the directors then in office participate in such meeting. The affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise specifically required by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.

Section 2.07 Organization. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be presided over by the Chairperson, or in his or her absence by the person whom the Chairperson shall designate, or in the absence of the foregoing persons or if no designation is made, by a chairperson chosen at the meeting by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present at the meeting. The Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in his or her absence the chairperson of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

Section 2.08 Action by Unanimous Consent of Directors. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board of Directors or such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission. Thereafter, the writing or writings or electronic transmissions shall be filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or such committee in accordance with applicable law.

Section 2.09 Compensation of Directors. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors. The directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a stated salary or other compensation as a director. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members of special or standing committees may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of such committee or a stated salary or other compensation as a member of such committee. Any director of the Corporation may decline any or all such compensation payable to such director in his or her discretion.

Section 2.10 Chairperson. Subject to the Stockholders Agreement, the Board of Directors may appoint from its members a Chairperson of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, from time to time appoint one or more vice chairpersons (each, a “Vice Chairperson”) each of whom as such shall report directly to the Chairperson.

 

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ARTICLE III.

COMMITTEES

Section 3.01 Committees. Subject to the Stockholders Agreement, the Board of Directors may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of such committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of any committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he, she or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent permitted by law and to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, or the resolution of the Board of Directors designating the committee, a committee may create one or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one or more members of the committee, and delegate to a subcommittee any or all of the powers and authority of the committee. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, or the resolution of the Board of Directors designating the committee (or resolution of the committee designating the subcommittee, if applicable), a majority of the directors then serving on a committee or subcommittee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the vote of a majority of the members of the committee or subcommittee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee or subcommittee. Meetings of any committee of the Board of Directors may be held at any time or place, if any, within or without the State of Delaware whenever called by the Chairperson of such committee or a majority of the members of such committee.

Section 3.02 Committee Minutes. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board of Directors when required.

Section 3.03 Committee Rules. Unless the Board of Directors otherwise provides, each committee designated by the Board of Directors may make, alter and repeal rules for the conduct of its business. In the absence of such rules each committee shall conduct its business in the same manner as the Board of Directors conducts its business pursuant to Article II of these Bylaws.

ARTICLE IV.

OFFICERS

Section 4.01 Officers. The officers of the Corporation shall be a Chief Executive Officer and a Secretary. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, a President, a Chairperson of the Board of Directors (subject to the provisions of the Stockholders Agreement), a Vice Chairperson of the Board of Directors, a Chief Financial Officer, a Treasurer, one (1) or more Assistant Secretaries, and any such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws. Each officer of the Corporation shall hold office for such term as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. No officer need be a stockholder or director of the Corporation.

Section 4.02 Appointment of Officers. The Board of Directors shall appoint the officers of the Corporation, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.03 of these Bylaws.

 

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Section 4.03 Subordinate Officer. The Board of Directors 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 of Directors may from time to time determine.

Section 4.04 Removal and Resignation of Officers. Any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by the Whole Board of Directors or, except in the case of an officer chosen by the Board of Directors, by any officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the Board of Directors. Any officer may resign at any time by giving notice in writing or by electronic transmission 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. If a resignation is made effective at a later date and the Corporation accepts the future effective date, the Board of Directors may fill the pending vacancy before the effective date if the Board of Directors provides that the successor shall not take office until the effective date. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.

Section 4.05 Vacancies in Offices. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board of Directors or as provided in Section 4.03.

Section 4.06 Chief Executive Officer. Subject to such supervisory powers, if any, as may be given by the Board of Directors to the Chairperson, if any, the Chief Executive Officer (the “CEO”) (if such an officer is appointed) shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have general supervision, direction, and control of the business and the officers of the Corporation. In the absence or nonexistence of a Chairperson, he or she shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and, if the CEO is also a director, at all meetings of the Board of Directors at which he or she is present and shall have the general powers and duties of management usually vested in the office of chief executive officer of a corporation and shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or these Bylaws.

Section 4.07 President. The Board of Directors may, but is not obligated to, appoint a President. Subject to such supervisory powers, if any, as may be given by the Board of Directors to the Chairperson (if any) or the CEO, the President, if appointed, shall have general supervision, direction, and control of the business and other officers of the Corporation. He or she shall have the general powers and duties of management usually vested in the office of president of a corporation and such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or these Bylaws.

Section 4.08 Secretary. The Secretary shall keep or cause to be kept, at the principal executive office of the Corporation or such other place as the Board of Directors may direct, a book of minutes of all meetings and actions of directors, committees of directors, and stockholders. The minutes shall show the time and place of each meeting, the names of those present at directors’ meetings or committee meetings, the number of shares present or represented at stockholders’ meetings, and the proceedings thereof. The Secretary shall keep, or cause to be kept, at the

 

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principal executive office of the Corporation or at the office of the Corporation’s transfer agent or registrar, as determined by resolution of the Board of Directors, a share register, or a duplicate share register, showing the names of all stockholders and their addresses, the number and classes of shares held by each, the number and date of certificates evidencing such shares, and the number and date of cancellation of every certificate surrendered for cancellation. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors required to be given by law or by these Bylaws. He or she shall keep the seal of the Corporation, if one be adopted, in safe custody and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or by these Bylaws.

Section 4.09 Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer (the “CFO”) shall be the treasurer and shall keep and maintain, or cause to be kept and maintained, adequate and correct books and records of accounts of the properties and business transactions of the Corporation, including accounts of its assets, liabilities, receipts, disbursements, gains, losses, capital retained earnings, and shares. The books of account shall at all reasonable times be open to inspection by any director. The CFO shall deposit all moneys and other valuables in the name and to the credit of the Corporation with such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors. He or she shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, shall render to the President, if any is appointed, the CEO, or the directors, upon request, an account of all his or her transactions as CFO and of the financial condition of the Corporation, and shall have other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or these Bylaws.

Section 4.10 Representation of Shares of Other Entities. Unless otherwise directed by the Board of Directors, the CEO, the President or any other person authorized by the Board of Directors, the CEO or the President is authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of the Corporation all rights incident to any and all shares, securities or interests of any other corporation or entity standing in the name of the 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.

Section 4.11 Authority and Duties of Officers. All officers of the Corporation shall respectively have such powers and authority and shall 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 of Directors and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board of Directors.

Section 4.12 Compensation. The compensation of the officers of the Corporation for their services as such shall be fixed from time to time by or at the direction of the Board of Directors. An officer of the Corporation shall not be prevented from receiving compensation by reason of the fact that he or she is also a director of the Corporation.

 

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ARTICLE V.

STOCK

Section 5.01 Certificates. The shares of Stock shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of Stock shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation. Every holder of stock represented by 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, the Vice Chairperson of the Board, if any, CEO, the President, a Vice President, the CFO, if any, 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.

Section 5.02 Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Stock Certificates; Issuance of New Certificates. The Corporation may issue a new certificate for shares of Stock 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 owner’s 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. The Board of Directors may establish regulations, rules or procedures concerning the proof required for adequately alleging the loss, theft or destruction of any Stock certificate and concerning the giving of a satisfactory bond or bonds of indemnity.

ARTICLE VI.

INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCEMENT OF EXPENSES

Section 6.01 Right to Indemnification. The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law (including as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, substituted or replaced but, in the case of any such amendment, substitution or replacement only to the extent that such amendment, substitution or replacement permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than such law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), any person (a “Covered Person”) 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 (any such action, suit or proceeding, 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 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, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, enterprise or nonprofit 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 Covered Person.

 

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Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as otherwise provided in Section 6.04 of these Bylaws, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify a Covered Person in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) commenced by such Covered Person only if the commencement of such proceeding (or part thereof) by the Covered Person was authorized in the specific case by the Board of Directors.

Section 6.02 Indemnification of Others. The Corporation shall have the power (but not the obligation) 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, limited liability company, 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.

Section 6.03 Advancement of Expenses. The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a Covered Person 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 Covered Person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined that the Covered Person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VI or otherwise.

Section 6.04 Claims. If a claim for indemnification under this Article VI (following the final disposition of such proceeding) is not paid in full within sixty (60) days after the Corporation has received a written claim therefor by the Covered Person, or if a claim for any advancement of expenses under this Article VI is not paid in full within thirty (30) days after the Corporation has received a written statement or statements requesting such amounts to be advanced, the Covered Person shall thereupon (but not before) be entitled to file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim. If successful in whole or in part, the Covered Person shall be entitled to be reimbursed by the Corporation for 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 Covered Person is not entitled to the requested indemnification or advancement of expenses under applicable law.

Section 6.05 Non-exclusivity of Rights. The rights conferred on any Covered Person by this Article VI shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such Covered Person may have or hereafter acquires under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, agreement, vote of Stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

Section 6.06 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, limited liability company, 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.

 

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Section 6.07 Other Sources. The Corporation’s obligation, if any, to indemnify or to advance expenses to any Covered Person who was or is serving at its request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity shall be reduced by any amount such Covered Person may collect as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit enterprise.

Section 6.08 Continuation of Indemnification. The rights to indemnification and to advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article VI shall continue as to a Person who 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.

Section 6.09 Amendment or Repeal. Any right to indemnification or to advancement of expenses of any Covered Person arising hereunder shall not be eliminated or impaired by an amendment to or repeal of these Bylaws or an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation after the occurrence of the act or omission that is the subject of the proceeding for which indemnification or advancement of expenses is sought.

Section 6.10 Other Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses. This Article VI shall not limit the right of the Corporation, to the extent and in the manner permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than Covered Persons when and as authorized by appropriate corporate action.

ARTICLE VII.

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 7.01 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.

Section 7.02 Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments. The Board of Directors, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, 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 of Directors 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. Any document, including, without limitation, any consent, contract, certificate or instrument, required by the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws to be executed by any officer, director, stockholder, employee or agent of the Corporation may be executed using a facsimile or other form of electronic signature to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. All other contracts, agreements, certificates or instruments to be executed on behalf of the Corporation may be executed using a facsimile or other form of electronic signature to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

 

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Section 7.03 Dividends. The Board of Directors, subject to any restrictions contained in either (a) the DGCL or (b) 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 Corporation’s capital Stock. The Board of Directors 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.

Section 7.04 Registered Stockholders. The Corporation (a) 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 (b) 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.

Section 7.05 Corporate Seal. The Corporation may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be adopted and which may be altered by the Board of Directors. 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.

Section 7.06 Construction; Definitions. Unless the context requires otherwise, the general provisions, rules of construction and definitions in the DGCL shall govern the construction of these Bylaws. Without limiting the generality of this provision, the singular number includes the plural and the plural number includes the singular.

Section 7.07 Manner of Notice.

(a) 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 to the extent permitted by law.

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; (ii) if by electronic mail, when directed to such Stockholder’s electronic mail address unless the Stockholder has notified the Corporation in writing or by electronic transmission of an objection to receiving notice by electronic mail; (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. A notice by electronic mail must include a prominent legend that the communication is an important notice regarding the Corporation.

An affidavit of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

 

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For the purposes of these Bylaws, an “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.

(b) Notice to Stockholders Sharing an Address. Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to Stockholders, and except as prohibited by applicable law, any notice to Stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws shall be effective if given by a single written notice to Stockholders who share an address if consented to by the Stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the Stockholder by written notice to the Corporation. Any Stockholder who fails to object in writing to the Corporation, within sixty (60) days of having been given written notice by the Corporation of its intention to send the single notice permitted under this Section 7.07, shall be deemed to have consented to receiving such single written notice.

(c) Notice to Directors. Except as otherwise provided herein or permitted by applicable law, notices to any director may be in writing and delivered personally or mailed to such director at such director’s address appearing on the books of the Corporation, or may be given by telephone or by any means of electronic transmission (including, without limitation, electronic mail) directed to an address for receipt by such director of electronic transmissions appearing on the books of the Corporation.

Section 7.08 Waiver of Notice of Meetings of Stockholders, Directors and Committees. A written waiver of any notice, signed by the person entitled to notice, or waiver by electronic transmission by such person, whether given before or after the time stated therein, 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, Board of Directors, or committee or subcommittee of the Board of Directors need be specified in a waiver of notice.

Section 7.09 Form of Records. Any records maintained 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, 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 the stock ledger is maintained in accordance with applicable law.

Section 7.10 Amendment of Bylaws. These Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed, and new bylaws made, only by the affirmative vote of (a) a majority of the Whole Board of Directors or (b) the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the voting power of all of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, voting together as a single class, shall be required in order for the stockholders of the Corporation to alter, amend, repeal or rescind, in whole or in part, any provision of these Bylaws.

*     *     *

 

23

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO      

1271 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10020-1401

Tel: +1.212.906.1200 Fax: +1.212.751.4864

www.lw.com

 

FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES

 

November 5, 2021

 

Solo Brands, Inc.

1070 S. Kimball Ave. Suite 121
Southlake, TX 76092

 

Re: Registration Statement on Form S-8 with respect to 28,163,451 shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share

 

To the addressees set forth above:

        Austin
Beijing
Boston
Brussels
Century City
Chicago
Dubai
Düsseldorf
Frankfurt
Hamburg
Hong Kong
Houston
London
Los Angeles Madrid
  Milan
Moscow
Munich
New York
Orange County
Paris
Riyadh
San Diego
San Francisco
Seoul
Shanghai
Silicon Valley
Singapore
Tokyo
Washington, D.C.

We have acted as special counsel to Solo Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation and filing by the Company on the date hereof with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) of a Registration Statement (the “Registration Statement”) on Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), relating to the issuance of up to 28,163,451 shares of Class A common stock of the Company, $0.001 par value per share (the “Shares”), which may be issued pursuant to the Company’s 2021 Incentive Award Plan and 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, collectively (together, the “Plans”). This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement or related prospectus, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issuance of the Shares.

As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), and we express no opinion with respect to any other laws.

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that as of the date hereof, when the Shares shall have been duly registered on the books of the transfer agent and registrar therefor in the name or on behalf of the purchasers, and have been issued by the Company for legal consideration in excess of par value in the circumstances contemplated by the Plans, assuming in each case that the individual issuances, grants or awards under the Plans are duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and duly issued, granted or awarded and exercised in accordance with the requirements of law and the Plans (and the agreements duly adopted thereunder and in accordance therewith), the issue and sale of the Shares will have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and such Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. In rendering the foregoing opinion, we have assumed that the Company will comply with all applicable notice requirements regarding uncertificated shares provided in the DGCL.


November 5, 2021

Page 2

 

LOGO

 

This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

Sincerely,

/s/ Latham & Watkins LLP

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8 filed November 5, 2021) pertaining to the 2021 Incentive Award Plan and 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan of Solo Brands, Inc. of our reports dated July 2, 2021, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Solo Stove Holdings, LLC and the consolidated balance sheet of Solo Brands, Inc. included in its Registration Statement (Form S-1 No. 333-260026) of Solo Brands, Inc. for the registration of shares of its common stock, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Dallas, Texas

November 5, 2021

Exhibit 23.2

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of Solo Brands, Inc. of our report dated June 11, 2021, relating to the financial statements of Chubbies, Inc. appearing in the Form S-1 (No. 333-260026) of Solo Brands, Inc as of January 30, 2021 and for the year then ended, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

/s/ Moss Adams LLP

Los Angeles, California

November 5, 2021

Exhibit 99.1

SOLO BRANDS, INC.

2021 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

ARTICLE I.

PURPOSE

The Plan’s purpose is to enhance the Company’s ability to attract, retain and motivate persons who make (or are expected to make) important contributions to the Company by providing these individuals with equity ownership opportunities. Capitalized terms used in the Plan are defined in Article XI..

ARTICLE II.

ELIGIBILITY

Service Providers are eligible to be granted Awards under the Plan, subject to the limitations described herein.

ARTICLE III.

ADMINISTRATION AND DELEGATION

3.1 Administration. The Plan is administered by the Administrator. The Administrator has authority to determine which Service Providers receive Awards, grant Awards and set Award terms and conditions, subject to the conditions and limitations in the Plan. The Administrator also has the authority to take all actions and make all determinations under the Plan, to interpret the Plan and Award Agreements and to adopt, amend and repeal Plan administrative rules, guidelines and practices as it deems advisable. The Administrator may correct defects and ambiguities, supply omissions and reconcile inconsistencies in the Plan or any Award as it deems necessary or appropriate to administer the Plan and any Awards. The Administrator’s determinations under the Plan are in its sole discretion and will be final and binding on all persons having or claiming any interest in the Plan or any Award.

3.2 Appointment of Committees. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, the Board may delegate any or all of its powers under the Plan to one or more Committees. The Board may abolish any Committee or re-vest in itself any previously delegated authority at any time.

ARTICLE IV.

STOCK AVAILABLE FOR AWARDS

4.1 Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment under ARTICLE VIII and the terms of this Article IV, Awards may be made under the Plan covering up to the Overall Share Limit. Shares issued under the Plan may consist of authorized but unissued Shares, Shares purchased on the open market or treasury Shares.

4.2 Share Recycling. If all or any part of an Award expires, lapses or is terminated, exchanged for cash, surrendered, repurchased, canceled without having been fully exercised or forfeited, in any case, in a manner that results in the Company acquiring Shares at a price not greater than the price (as adjusted to reflect any Equity Restructuring) paid by the Participant for such Shares or not issuing any Shares covered by the Award, the unused Shares covered by the Award will, as applicable, become or again be available for Award grants under the Plan. Further, Shares delivered (either by actual delivery or attestation) to the Company by a Participant to satisfy the applicable exercise or purchase price of an Award and/or to satisfy any applicable tax withholding obligation (including Shares retained by the Company from the Award being exercised or purchased and/or creating the tax obligation) will, as applicable, become or again be available for Award grants under the Plan. The payment of Dividend Equivalents in cash in conjunction with any outstanding Awards shall not count against the Overall Share Limit.


4.3 Incentive Stock Option Limitations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no more than 10,789,561 Shares may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options.

4.4 Substitute Awards. In connection with an entity’s merger or consolidation with the Company or the Company’s acquisition of an entity’s property or stock, the Administrator may grant Substitute Awards in respect of any options or other stock or stock-based awards granted before such merger or consolidation by such entity or its affiliate in accordance with Applicable Laws. Substitute Awards may be granted on such terms as the Administrator deems appropriate, notwithstanding limitations on Awards in the Plan. Substitute Awards will not count against the Overall Share Limit (nor shall Shares subject to a Substitute Award be added back to the Shares available for Awards under the Plan as provided in Section 4.2 above), except that Shares acquired by exercise of substitute Incentive Stock Options will count against the maximum number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options under the Plan. Additionally, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by stockholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not count against the Overall Share Limit (and Shares subject to such Awards shall not be added to the Shares available for Awards under the Plan as provided in Section 4.2 above); provided that Awards using such available shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not Service Providers prior to such acquisition or combination.

4.5 Non-Employee Director Compensation. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Plan, the Administrator may establish compensation for non-employee Directors from time to time, subject to the limitations in the Plan. The Administrator will from time to time determine the terms, conditions and amounts of all such non-employee Director compensation in its discretion and pursuant to the exercise of its business judgment, taking into account such factors, circumstances and considerations as it shall deem relevant from time to time, provided that the sum of any cash compensation, or other compensation, and the value (determined as of the grant date in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or any successor thereto) of Awards granted to a non-employee Director as compensation for services as a non-employee Director during any fiscal year of the Company may not exceed $750,000, increased to $1,000,000 of a non-employee Director’s initial service as a non-employee Director. The Administrator may make exceptions to these limits for individual non-employee Directors in extraordinary circumstances, as the Administrator may determine in its discretion, provided that the non-employee Director receiving such additional compensation may not participate in the decision to award such compensation or in other contemporaneous compensation decisions involving non-employee Directors.

ARTICLE V.

STOCK OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

5.1 General. The Administrator may grant Options or Stock Appreciation Rights to Service Providers subject to the limitations in the Plan, including any limitations in the Plan that apply to Incentive Stock Options. The Administrator will determine the number of Shares covered by each Option and Stock Appreciation Right, the exercise price of each Option and Stock Appreciation Right and the conditions and

 

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limitations applicable to the exercise of each Option and Stock Appreciation Right. A Stock Appreciation Right will entitle the Participant (or other person entitled to exercise the Stock Appreciation Right) to receive from the Company upon exercise of the exercisable portion of the Stock Appreciation Right an amount determined by multiplying the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of exercise over the exercise price per Share of the Stock Appreciation Right by the number of Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised, subject to any limitations of the Plan or that the Administrator may impose and payable in cash, Shares valued at such Fair Market Value or a combination of the two as the Administrator may determine or provide in the Award Agreement.

5.2 Exercise Price. The Administrator will establish each Option’s and Stock Appreciation Right’s exercise price and specify the exercise price in the Award Agreement. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, the exercise price will not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the grant date of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right.

5.3 Duration. Each Option or Stock Appreciation Right will be exercisable at such times and as specified in the Award Agreement, provided that, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator in accordance with Applicable Laws, the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right will not exceed ten years. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Participant, prior to the end of the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, violates the non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality or other similar restrictive covenant provisions of any employment contract, confidentiality and nondisclosure agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the right of the Participant and the Participant’s transferees to exercise any Option or Stock Appreciation Right issued to the Participant shall terminate immediately upon such violation unless the Administrator otherwise determines.

5.4 Exercise. Options and Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised by delivering to the Company a written notice of exercise, in a form the Administrator approves (which may be electronic), signed by the person authorized to exercise the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, together with, as applicable, payment in full (a) as specified in Section 5.5 for the number of Shares for which the Award is exercised and (b) as specified in Section 9.5 for any applicable taxes. Unless the Administrator otherwise determines, an Option or Stock Appreciation Right may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.

5.5 Payment Upon Exercise. Subject to Section 10.8, any Company insider trading policy (including blackout periods) and Applicable Laws, the exercise price of an Option must be paid by:

(a) cash, wire transfer of immediately available funds or by check payable to the order of the Company, provided that the Company may limit the use of one of the foregoing payment forms if one or more of the payment forms below is permitted;

(b) if there is a public market for Shares at the time of exercise, unless the Company otherwise determines, (i) delivery (including telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a broker acceptable to the Company to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to pay the exercise price, or (ii) the Participant’s delivery to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a broker acceptable to the Company to deliver promptly to the Company cash or a check sufficient to pay the exercise price; provided that such amount is paid to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator;

(c) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, delivery (either by actual delivery or attestation) of Shares owned by the Participant valued at their Fair Market Value;

 

3


(d) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, surrendering Shares then issuable upon the Option’s exercise valued at their Fair Market Value on the exercise date;

(e) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, delivery of any other property that the Administrator determines is good and valuable consideration; or

(f) to the extent permitted by the Company, any combination of the above payment forms approved by the Administrator.

ARTICLE VI.

RESTRICTED STOCK; RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

6.1 General. The Administrator may grant Restricted Stock, or the right to purchase Restricted Stock, to any Service Provider, subject to the Company’s right to repurchase all or part of such shares at their issue price or other stated or formula price from the Participant (or to require forfeiture of such shares) if conditions the Administrator specifies in the Award Agreement are not satisfied before the end of the applicable restriction period or periods that the Administrator establishes for such Award. In addition, the Administrator may grant to Service Providers Restricted Stock Units, which may be subject to vesting and forfeiture conditions during the applicable restriction period or periods, as set forth in an Award Agreement. The Administrator will determine and set forth in the Award Agreement the terms and conditions for each Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit Award, subject to the conditions and limitations contained in the Plan.

6.2 Restricted Stock.

(a) Dividends. Participants holding shares of Restricted Stock will be entitled to all ordinary cash dividends paid with respect to such Shares, unless the Administrator provides otherwise in the Award Agreement. In addition, unless the Administrator provides otherwise, if any dividends or distributions are paid in Shares, or consist of a dividend or distribution to holders of Common Stock of property other than an ordinary cash dividend, the Shares or other property will be subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the shares of Restricted Stock with respect to which they were paid.

(b) Stock Certificates. The Company may require that the Participant deposit in escrow with the Company (or its designee) any stock certificates issued in respect of shares of Restricted Stock, together with a stock power endorsed in blank.

(c) Section 83(b) Election. If a Participant makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Code to be taxed with respect to the Restricted Stock as of the date of transfer of the Restricted Stock rather than as of the date or dates upon which such Participant would otherwise be taxable under Section 83(a) of the Code, such Participant shall be required to deliver a copy of such election to the Company promptly after filing such election with the Internal Revenue Service along with proof of the timely filing thereof.

6.3 Restricted Stock Units.

(a) Settlement. The Administrator may provide that settlement of Restricted Stock Units will occur upon or as soon as reasonably practicable after the Restricted Stock Units vest or will instead be deferred, on a mandatory basis or at the Participant’s election, in a manner intended to comply with Section 409A.

 

4


(b) Stockholder Rights. A Participant will have no rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares subject to any Restricted Stock Unit unless and until the Shares are delivered in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit.

(c) Dividend Equivalents. If the Administrator provides, a grant of Restricted Stock Units may provide a Participant with the right to receive Dividend Equivalents. Dividend Equivalents may be paid currently or credited to an account for the Participant, settled in cash or Shares and subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the Restricted Stock Units with respect to which the Dividend Equivalents are granted and subject to other terms and conditions as set forth in the Award Agreement.

ARTICLE VII.

OTHER STOCK OR CASH BASED AWARDS

7.1 Other Stock or Cash Based Awards may be granted to Participants, including Awards entitling Participants to receive Shares to be delivered in the future and including annual or other periodic or long-term cash bonus awards (whether based on specified Performance Criteria or otherwise), in each case subject to any conditions and limitations in the Plan. Such Other Stock or Cash Based Awards will also be available as a payment form in the settlement of other Awards, as standalone payments and as payment in lieu of compensation to which a Participant is otherwise entitled. Other Stock or Cash Based Awards may be paid in Shares, cash or other property, as the Administrator determines. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Administrator will determine the terms and conditions of each Other Stock or Cash Based Award, including any purchase price, performance goal (which may be based on the Performance Criteria), transfer restrictions, and vesting conditions, which will be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

ARTICLE VIII.

ADJUSTMENTS FOR CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK

AND CERTAIN OTHER EVENTS

8.1 Equity Restructuring. In connection with any Equity Restructuring, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article VIII, the Administrator will equitably adjust each outstanding Award as it deems appropriate to reflect the Equity Restructuring, which may include adjusting the number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and/or the Award’s exercise price or grant price (if applicable), granting new Awards to Participants, and making a cash payment to Participants. The adjustments provided under this Section 8.1 will be nondiscretionary and final and binding on the affected Participant and the Company; provided that the Administrator will determine whether an adjustment is equitable.

8.2 Corporate Transactions. In the event of any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Common Stock, other securities, or other property), reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination, amalgamation, repurchase, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution, or sale, transfer, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or sale or exchange of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, Change in Control, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock or other securities of the Company, other similar corporate transaction or event, other unusual or nonrecurring transaction or event affecting the Company or its financial statements or any change in any Applicable Laws or accounting principles, the Administrator, on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event (except that action to give effect to a change in Applicable Law or accounting principles may be made within a reasonable period of time after such change) and either automatically or upon the Participant’s request, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the

 

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following actions whenever the Administrator determines that such action is appropriate in order to (x) prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended by the Company to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award granted or issued under the Plan, (y) to facilitate such transaction or event or (z) give effect to such changes in Applicable Laws or accounting principles:

(a) To provide for the cancellation of any such Award in exchange for either an amount of cash or other property with a value equal to the amount that could have been obtained upon the exercise or settlement of the vested portion of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights under the vested portion of such Award, as applicable; provided that, if the amount that could have been obtained upon the exercise or settlement of the vested portion of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights, in any case, is equal to or less than zero, then the Award may be terminated without payment;

(b) To provide that such Award shall vest and, to the extent applicable, be exercisable as to all shares covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the provisions of such Award;

(c) To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and/or applicable exercise or purchase price, in all cases, as determined by the Administrator;

(d) To make adjustments in the number and type of shares of Common Stock (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards and/or with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Article IV hereof on the maximum number and kind of shares which may be issued) and/or in the terms and conditions of (including the grant or exercise price), and the criteria included in, outstanding Awards;

(e) To replace such Award with other rights or property selected by the Administrator; and/or

(f) To provide that the Award will terminate and cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after the applicable event.

8.3 Administrative Stand Still. In the event of any pending stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other extraordinary transaction or change affecting the Shares or the share price of Common Stock, including any Equity Restructuring or any securities offering or other similar transaction, for administrative convenience, the Administrator may refuse to permit the exercise of any Award for up to sixty days before or after such transaction.

8.4 General. Except as expressly provided in the Plan or the Administrator’s action under the Plan, no Participant will have any rights due to any subdivision or consolidation of Shares of any class, dividend payment, increase or decrease in the number of Shares of any class or dissolution, liquidation, merger, or consolidation of the Company or other corporation. Except as expressly provided with respect to an Equity Restructuring under Section 8.1 above or the Administrator’s action under the Plan, no issuance by the Company of Shares of any class, or securities convertible into Shares of any class, will affect, and no adjustment will be made regarding, the number of Shares subject to an Award or the Award’s grant price or exercise price (if applicable). The existence of the Plan, any Award Agreements and the Awards granted hereunder will not affect or restrict in any way the Company’s right or power to make or authorize (a) any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s capital

 

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structure or its business, (b) any merger, consolidation dissolution or liquidation of the Company or sale of Company assets or (c) any sale or issuance of securities, including securities with rights superior to those of the Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Shares. The Administrator may treat Participants and Awards (or portions thereof) differently under this Article VIII.

ARTICLE IX.

GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS

9.1 Transferability. Except as the Administrator may determine or provide in an Award Agreement or otherwise for Awards other than Incentive Stock Options, Awards may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered, either voluntarily or by operation of law, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or, subject to the Administrator’s consent, pursuant to a domestic relations order, and, during the life of the Participant, will be exercisable only by the Participant. References to a Participant, to the extent relevant in the context, will include references to a Participant’s authorized transferee that the Administrator specifically approves.

9.2 Documentation. Each Award will be evidenced in an Award Agreement, which may be written or electronic, as the Administrator determines. Each Award may contain terms and conditions in addition to those set forth in the Plan.

9.3 Discretion. Except as the Plan otherwise provides, each Award may be made alone or in addition or in relation to any other Award. The terms of each Award to a Participant need not be identical, and the Administrator need not treat Participants or Awards (or portions thereof) uniformly.

9.4 Termination of Service; Change in Status. The Administrator will determine, in its sole discretion, the effect of all matters and questions relating to any Termination of Service, including, without limitation, whether a Termination of Service has occurred, whether a Termination of Service resulted from a discharge for Cause and all questions of whether a particular leave of absence constitutes a Termination of Service or whether any other change or purported change in a Participant’s Service Provider status affects an Award and the extent to which, and the period during which, the Participant, the Participant’s legal representative, conservator, guardian or Designated Beneficiary may exercise rights under the Award, if applicable.

9.5 Withholding. Each Participant must pay the Company, or make provision satisfactory to the Administrator for payment of, any taxes required by Applicable Law to be withheld in connection with such Participant’s Awards by the date of the event creating the tax liability. The Company may deduct an amount sufficient to satisfy such tax obligations based on the applicable statutory withholding rates (or such other rate as may be determined by the Company after considering any accounting consequences or costs) from any payment of any kind otherwise due to a Participant. Subject to Section 10.8 and any Company insider trading policy (including blackout periods), Participants may satisfy such tax obligations (a) in cash, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, or by check made payable to the order of the Company, provided that the Company may limit the use of one of the foregoing payment forms if one or more of the payment forms below is permitted, (b) to the extent permitted by the Administrator, in whole or in part by delivery of Shares, including Shares retained from the Award creating the tax obligation, valued at their Fair Market Value, (c) if there is a public market for Shares at the time the tax obligations are to be satisfied, unless the Company otherwise determines, (i) delivery (including telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a broker acceptable to the Company to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to satisfy the tax obligations, or (ii) delivery by the Participant to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a broker acceptable to the Company to deliver promptly to the Company cash or a check sufficient to satisfy the tax withholding; provided that such amount is paid to the Company at such time as may be required by the Administrator,

 

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or (d) to the extent permitted by the Company, any combination of the foregoing payment forms approved by the Administrator. If any tax withholding obligation will be satisfied under clause (b) of the immediately preceding sentence by the Company’s retention of Shares from the Award creating the tax obligation and there is a public market for Shares at the time the tax obligation is satisfied, the Company may elect to instruct any brokerage firm determined acceptable to the Company for such purpose to sell on the applicable Participant’s behalf some or all of the Shares retained and to remit the proceeds of the sale to the Company or its designee, and each Participant’s acceptance of an Award under the Plan will constitute the Participant’s authorization to the Company and instruction and authorization to such brokerage firm to complete the transactions described in this sentence.

9.6 Amendment of Award. The Administrator may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Award, including by substituting another Award of the same or a different type, changing the exercise or settlement date, and converting an Incentive Stock Option to a Non-Qualified Stock Option. The Participant’s consent to such action will be required unless (a) the action, taking into account any related action, does not materially and adversely affect the Participant’s rights under the Award, or (b) the change is permitted under Article VIII or pursuant to Section 10.6.

9.7 Conditions on Delivery of Stock. The Company will not be obligated to deliver any Shares under the Plan or remove restrictions from Shares previously delivered under the Plan until (a) all Award conditions have been met or removed to the Company’s satisfaction, (b) as determined by the Company, all other legal matters regarding the issuance and delivery of such Shares have been satisfied, including any applicable securities laws and stock exchange or stock market rules and regulations, and (c) the Participant has executed and delivered to the Company such representations or agreements as the Administrator deems necessary or appropriate to satisfy any Applicable Laws. The Company’s inability to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which the Administrator determines is necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any securities, will relieve the Company of any liability for failing to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority has not been obtained.

9.8 Acceleration. The Administrator may at any time provide that any Award will become immediately vested and fully or partially exercisable, free of some or all restrictions or conditions, or otherwise fully or partially realizable.

9.9 Additional Terms of Incentive Stock Options. The Administrator may grant Incentive Stock Options only to employees of the Company, any of its present or future parent or subsidiary corporations, as defined in Sections 424(e) or (f) of the Code, respectively, and any other entities the employees of which are eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options under the Code. If an Incentive Stock Option is granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder, the exercise price will not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Option’s grant date, and the term of the Option will not exceed five years. All Incentive Stock Options will be subject to and construed consistently with Section 422 of the Code. By accepting an Incentive Stock Option, the Participant agrees if requested by the Company to give prompt notice to the Company of dispositions or other transfers (other than in connection with a Change in Control) of Shares acquired under the Option made within (a) two years from the grant date of the Option or (b) one year after the transfer of such Shares to the Participant, specifying the date of the disposition or other transfer and the amount the Participant realized, in cash, other property, assumption of indebtedness or other consideration, in such disposition or other transfer. Neither the Company nor the Administrator will be liable to a Participant, or any other party, if an Incentive Stock Option fails or ceases to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code. Any Incentive Stock Option or portion thereof that fails to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code for any reason, including becoming exercisable with respect to Shares having a fair market value exceeding the $100,000 limitation under Treasury Regulation Section 1.422-4, will be a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

 

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9.10 Prohibition on Repricing . Subject to Article VIII, the Administrator shall not, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, (a) authorize the amendment of any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right to reduce its price per Share, or (b) cancel any Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award when the Option or Stock Appreciation Right price per Share exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares. Furthermore, for purposes of this Section 9.10, except in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Company as described in Section 8.1 or 8.2, the terms of outstanding Awards may not be amended to reduce the exercise price per Share of outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights or cancel outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights in exchange for cash, other Awards or Options or Stock Appreciation Rights with an exercise price per Share that is less than the exercise price per Share of the original Options or Stock Appreciation Rights without the approval of the stockholders of the Company.

ARTICLE X.

MISCELLANEOUS

10.1 No Right to Employment or Other Status. No person will have any claim or right to be granted an Award, and the grant of an Award will not be construed as giving a Participant the right to continued employment or any other relationship with the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective affiliates. The Company expressly reserves the right at any time to dismiss or otherwise terminate its relationship with a Participant free from any liability or claim under the Plan or any Award, except as expressly provided in an Award Agreement.

10.2 No Rights as Stockholder; Certificates. Subject to the Award Agreement, no Participant or Designated Beneficiary will have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any Shares to be distributed under an Award until becoming the record holder of such Shares. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, unless the Administrator otherwise determines or Applicable Laws require, the Company will not be required to deliver to any Participant certificates evidencing Shares issued in connection with any Award and instead such Shares may be recorded in the books of the Company (or, as applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator). The Company may place legends on stock certificates issued under the Plan that the Administrator deems necessary or appropriate to comply with Applicable Laws.

10.3 Effective Date and Term of Plan. The Plan will become effective on the Effective Date and, unless earlier terminated by the Board, will remain in effect until the earlier of (a) the earliest date as of which all Awards granted under the Plan have been satisfied in full or terminated and no Shares approved for issuance under the Plan remain available to be granted under new Awards or (b) the tenth anniversary of the date the Board adopted the Plan, but Awards previously granted may extend beyond that date in accordance with the Plan. If the Plan is not approved by the Company’s stockholders, the Plan will not become effective and no Awards will be granted under the Plan.

10.4 Amendment of Plan. The Administrator may amend, suspend or terminate the Plan at any time; provided that no amendment, other than an increase to the Overall Share Limit, may materially and adversely affect any Award outstanding at the time of such amendment in a manner disproportionate to other similarly situated Awards without the affected Participant’s consent. No Awards may be granted under the Plan during any suspension period or after Plan termination. Awards outstanding at the time of any Plan suspension or termination will continue to be governed by the Plan and the Award Agreement, as in effect before such suspension or termination. The Company will obtain stockholder approval of any Plan amendment to the extent necessary to comply with Applicable Laws, including, but not limited to, in connection with any action prohibited under Section 9.10 or any action to cancel any Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award in violation of Section 9.10.

 

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10.5 Provisions for Foreign Participants. The Administrator may modify Awards granted to Participants who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States or establish subplans or procedures under the Plan to address differences in laws, rules, regulations or customs of such foreign jurisdictions with respect to tax, securities, currency, employee benefit or other matters.

10.6 Section 409A.

(a) General. The Company intends that all Awards be structured to comply with, or be exempt from, Section 409A, such that no adverse tax consequences, interest, or penalties under Section 409A apply. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, the Administrator may, without a Participant’s consent, amend this Plan or Awards, adopt policies and procedures, or take any other actions (including amendments, policies, procedures and retroactive actions) as are necessary or appropriate to preserve the intended tax treatment of Awards, including any such actions intended to (i) exempt this Plan or any Award from Section 409A, or (ii) comply with Section 409A, including regulations, guidance, compliance programs and other interpretative authority that may be issued after an Award’s grant date. The Company makes no representations or warranties as to an Award’s tax treatment under Section 409A or otherwise. The Company will have no obligation under this Section 10.6 or otherwise to avoid the taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A with respect to any Award and will have no liability to any Participant or any other person if any Award, compensation or other benefits under the Plan are determined to constitute noncompliant “nonqualified deferred compensation” subject to taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A.

(b) Separation from Service. If an Award constitutes “nonqualified deferred compensation” under Section 409A, any payment or settlement of such Award upon a termination of a Participant’s Service Provider relationship will, to the extent necessary to avoid taxes under Section 409A, be made only upon the Participant’s “separation from service” (within the meaning of Section 409A), whether such “separation from service” occurs upon or after the Termination of Service of a Participant. For purposes of this Plan or any Award Agreement relating to any such payments or benefits, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment,” Termination of Service or like terms means a “separation from service.”

(c) Payments to Specified Employees. Notwithstanding any contrary provision in the Plan or any Award Agreement, any payment(s) of “nonqualified deferred compensation” required to be made under an Award to a “specified employee” (as defined under Section 409A and as the Administrator determines) due to his or her “separation from service” will, to the extent necessary to avoid taxes under Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, be delayed for the six-month period immediately following such “separation from service” (or, if earlier, until the specified employee’s death) and will instead be paid (as set forth in the Award Agreement) on the day immediately following such six-month period or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter (without interest). Any payments of “nonqualified deferred compensation” under such Award payable more than six months following the Participant’s “separation from service” will be paid at the time or times the payments are otherwise scheduled to be made.

10.7 Limitations on Liability. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Plan, no individual acting as a director, officer, other employee or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary will be liable to any Participant, former Participant, spouse, beneficiary, or any other person for any claim, loss, liability, or expense incurred in connection with the Plan or any Award, and such individual will not be personally liable with respect to the Plan because of any contract or other instrument executed in his or her capacity as an Administrator, director, officer, other employee or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each director, officer, other employee and agent of the Company or any Subsidiary that has been or will be granted or delegated any duty or power relating to the Plan’s administration or interpretation, against any cost or expense (including attorneys’ fees) or liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim with the Administrator’s approval) arising from any act or omission concerning this Plan unless arising from such person’s own fraud or bad faith.

 

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10.8 Lock-Up Period. The Company may, at the request of any underwriter representative or otherwise, in connection with registering the offering of any Company securities under the Securities Act, prohibit Participants from, directly or indirectly, selling or otherwise transferring any Shares or other Company securities during a period of up to one hundred eighty days following the effective date of a Company registration statement filed under the Securities Act, or such longer period as determined by the underwriter.

10.9 Data Privacy. As a condition for receiving any Award, each Participant explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of personal data as described in this section by and among the Company and its Subsidiaries and affiliates exclusively for implementing, administering and managing the Participant’s participation in the Plan. The Company and its Subsidiaries and affiliates may hold certain personal information about a Participant, including the Participant’s name, address and telephone number; birthdate; social security, insurance number or other identification number; salary; nationality; job title(s); any Shares held in the Company or its Subsidiaries and affiliates; and Award details, to implement, manage and administer the Plan and Awards (the “Data”). The Company and its Subsidiaries and affiliates may transfer the Data amongst themselves as necessary to implement, administer and manage a Participant’s participation in the Plan, and the Company and its Subsidiaries and affiliates may transfer the Data to third parties assisting the Company with Plan implementation, administration and management. These recipients may be located in the Participant’s country, or elsewhere, and the Participant’s country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the recipients’ country. By accepting an Award, each Participant authorizes such recipients to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, to implement, administer and manage the Participant’s participation in the Plan, including any required Data transfer to a broker or other third party with whom the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or the Participant may elect to deposit any Shares. The Data related to a Participant will be held only as long as necessary to implement, administer, and manage the Participant’s participation in the Plan. A Participant may, at any time, view the Data that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds regarding such Participant, request additional information about the storage and processing of the Data regarding such Participant, recommend any necessary corrections to the Data regarding the Participant or refuse or withdraw the consents in this Section 10.9 in writing, without cost, by contacting the local human resources representative. The Company may cancel Participant’s ability to participate in the Plan and, in the Administrator’s discretion, the Participant may forfeit any outstanding Awards if the Participant refuses or withdraws the consents in this Section 10.9. For more information on the consequences of refusing or withdrawing consent, Participants may contact their local human resources representative.

10.10 Severability. If any portion of the Plan or any action taken under it is held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity will not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan will be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provisions had been excluded, and the illegal or invalid action will be null and void.

10.11 Governing Documents. If any contradiction occurs between the Plan and any Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company (or any Subsidiary) that the Administrator has approved, the Plan will govern, unless it is expressly specified in such Award Agreement or other written agreement that a specific provision of the Plan will not apply.

10.12 Governing Law. The Plan and all Awards will be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, disregarding any state’s choice-of-law principles requiring the application of a jurisdiction’s laws other than the State of Delaware.

 

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10.13 Claw-back Provisions. All Awards (including any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit the Participant actually or constructively receives upon receipt or exercise of any Award or the receipt or resale of any Shares underlying the Award) will be subject to any Company claw-back policy as in effect from time to time, including any claw-back policy adopted to comply with Applicable Laws (including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder) as set forth in such claw-back policy or the Award Agreement.

10.14 Titles and Headings. The titles and headings in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, if any conflict, the Plan’s text, rather than such titles or headings, will control.

10.15 Conformity to Securities Laws. Participant acknowledges that the Plan is intended to conform to the extent necessary with Applicable Laws. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan and all Awards will be administered only in conformance with Applicable Laws. To the extent Applicable Laws permit, the Plan and all Award Agreements will be deemed amended as necessary to conform to Applicable Laws.

10.16 Relationship to Other Benefits. No payment under the Plan will be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary except as expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.

10.17 Broker-Assisted Sales. In the event of a broker-assisted sale of Shares in connection with the payment of amounts owed by a Participant under or with respect to the Plan or Awards, including amounts to be paid under the final sentence of Section 9.5: (a) any Shares to be sold through the broker-assisted sale will be sold on the day the payment first becomes due, or as soon thereafter as practicable; (b) such Shares may be sold as part of a block trade with other Participants in the Plan in which all participants receive an average price; (c) the applicable Participant will be responsible for all broker’s fees and other costs of sale, and by accepting an Award, each Participant agrees to indemnify and hold the Company harmless from any losses, costs, damages, or expenses relating to any such sale; (d) to the extent the Company or its designee receives proceeds of such sale that exceed the amount owed, the Company will pay such excess in cash to the applicable Participant as soon as reasonably practicable; (e) the Company and its designees are under no obligation to arrange for such sale at any particular price; and (f) in the event the proceeds of such sale are insufficient to satisfy the Participant’s applicable obligation, the Participant may be required to pay immediately upon demand to the Company or its designee an amount in cash sufficient to satisfy any remaining portion of the Participant’s obligation.

10.18 Grant of Awards to Certain Eligible Service Providers. The Company may provide through the establishment of a formal written policy (which shall be deemed a part of this Plan) or otherwise for the method by which Common Stock or other securities of the Company may be issued and by which such Common Stock or other securities and/or payment therefor may be exchanged or contributed among such entities, or may be returned upon any forfeiture of Common Stock or other securities by the eligible Service Provider.

ARTICLE XI.

DEFINITIONS

As used in the Plan, the following words and phrases will have the following meanings:

11.1 “Administrator” means the Board or a Committee to the extent that the Board’s powers or authority under the Plan have been delegated to such Committee.

 

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11.2 “Applicable Laws” means the requirements relating to the administration of equity incentive plans under U.S. federal and state securities, tax and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, the applicable rules of any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and the applicable laws and rules of any foreign country or other jurisdiction where Awards are granted.

11.3 “Award” means, individually or collectively, a grant under the Plan of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Other Stock or Cash Based Awards.

11.4 “Award Agreement” means a written agreement evidencing an Award, which may be electronic, that contains such terms and conditions as the Administrator determines, consistent with and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

11.5 “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

11.6 “Cause” means (i) if a Participant is a party to a written employment, severance or consulting agreement with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or an Award Agreement in which the term “cause” is defined (a “Relevant Agreement”), “Cause” as defined in the Relevant Agreement, and (ii) if no Relevant Agreement exists, (A) failure to substantially perform Participant’s duties (other than any such failure resulting from Participant’s incapacity due to physical or mental illness), after written notice of such performance has been given to Participant; (B) use of illegal drugs by Participant or abuse of alcohol by Participant that impairs Participant’s ability to perform Participant’s duties to the Company and its Subsidiaries; (C) commission of a felony, a crime of moral turpitude or a misdemeanor involving fraud or dishonesty (for avoidance of doubt, a single driving while intoxicated (or other similar charge) shall not be considered a felony or crime of moral turpitude); (D) the perpetration of any act of fraud or material dishonesty against or affecting the Company, any of its affiliates, or any customer, agent or employee thereof; (E) material breach of fiduciary duty or material breach of Participant’s obligations under a written agreement between the Company and Participant; (F) Participant’s commission of an act of moral turpitude, including, without limitation, Participant engaging in any act of sexual misconduct at or in connection with work, including without limitation sexual harassment or sexual relations with subordinates; (G) taking any action which is intended to harm or disparage the Company, its Subsidiaries and their respective affiliates, or their reputations, or which would reasonably be expected to lead to unwanted or unfavorable publicity to the Company, its Subsidiaries or their respective affiliates; (H) Participant’s failure to cooperate in any audit or investigation of the business or financial practices of the Company and its Subsidiaries (other than as a result of death or Disability) that is not cured to the satisfaction of the Board within five (5) days after written notice to Participant specifying the failure; or (I) engaging in any act of material self-dealing without prior notice to and consent by the Board.

11.7 “Change in Control” means and includes each of the following:

(a) A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Common Stock to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or a transaction or series of transactions that meets the requirements of clauses (i) and (ii) of subsection (c) below) whereby any “person” or related “group” of “persons” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or a “person” that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than 50 % of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; or

 

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(b) During any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new Director(s) (other than a Director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in subsections (a) or (c) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Directors then still in office who either were Directors at the beginning of the two-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or

(c) The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination or (y) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (z) the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case other than a transaction:

(i) which results in the Company’s voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such person, the “Successor Entity”)) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity’s outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and

(ii) after which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no person or group shall be treated for purposes of this clause (ii) as beneficially owning 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award (or portion of any Award) that provides for the deferral of compensation that is subject to Section 409A, to the extent required to avoid the imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A, the transaction or event described in subsection (a), (b) or (c) with respect to such Award (or portion thereof) shall only constitute a Change in Control for purposes of the payment timing of such Award if such transaction also constitutes a “change in control event,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).

The Administrator shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control has occurred pursuant to the above definition, the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto; provided that any exercise of authority in conjunction with a determination of whether a Change in Control is a “change in control event” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) shall be consistent with such regulation.

11.8 “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations issued thereunder.

11.9 “Committee” means one or more committees or subcommittees of the Board, which may include one or more Directors or executive officers of the Company, or one or more committees consisting of executive officers of the Company, in each ase, to the extent Applicable Laws permit. To the extent required to comply with the provisions of Rule 16b-3, it is intended that each member of the Committee will be, at the time the Committee takes any action with respect to an Award that is subject to Rule 16b-3, a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3; however, a Committee member’s failure to qualify as a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 will not invalidate any Award granted by the Committee that is otherwise validly granted under the Plan.

 

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11.10 “Common Stock” means the Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company.

11.11 “Company” means Solo Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor.

11.12 “Consultant” means any person, including any adviser, engaged by the Company or its parent or Subsidiary to render services to such entity if the consultant or adviser: (a) renders bona fide services to the Company or any Subsidiary; (b) renders services not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and does not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities; and (c) is a natural person.

11.13 “Designated Beneficiary” means the beneficiary or beneficiaries the Participant designates, in a manner the Administrator determines, to receive amounts due or exercise the Participant’s rights if the Participant dies or becomes incapacitated. Without a Participant’s effective designation, “Designated Beneficiary” will mean the Participant’s estate.

11.14 “Director” means a Board member.

11.15 “Disability” means a permanent and total disability under Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, as amended.

11.16 “Dividend Equivalents” means a right granted to a Participant under the Plan to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Shares) of dividends paid on Shares.

11.17 “Effective Date” means the date prior to the Public Trading Date.

11.18 “Employee” means any employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries.

11.19 “Equity Restructuring” means a nonreciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off or recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend, that affects the number or kind of Shares (or other Company securities) or the share price of Common Stock (or other Company securities) and causes a change in the per share value of the Common Stock underlying outstanding Awards.

11.20 “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

11.21 “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of Common Stock determined as follows: (a) if the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange, its Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for such Common Stock as quoted on such exchange for such date, or if no sale occurred on such date, the last day preceding such date during which a sale occurred, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable; (b) if the Common Stock is not traded on a stock exchange but is quoted on a national market or other quotation system, the closing sales price on such date, or if no sales occurred on such date, then on the last date preceding such date during which a sale occurred, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable; or (c) in any case the Administrator may determine the Fair Market Value in its discretion to the extent such determination does not constitute a “material revision” to the Plan under applicable stock exchange or stock market rules and regulations (or otherwise require stockholder approval).

 

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11.22 “Greater Than 10% Stockholder” means an individual then owning (within the meaning of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or its parent or subsidiary corporation, as defined in Section 424(e) and (f) of the Code, respectively.

11.23 “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” as defined in Section 422 of the Code.

11.24 “Non-Qualified Stock Option” means an Option not intended or not qualifying as an Incentive Stock Option.

11.25 “Option” means an option to purchase Shares.

11.26 “Other Stock or Cash Based Awards” means cash awards, awards of Shares, and other awards valued wholly or partially by referring to, or are otherwise based on, Shares or other property.

11.27 “Overall Share Limit” means the sum of (i) 10,789,561 Shares; and (ii) an annual increase on the first day of each calendar year beginning January 1, 2023 and ending on and including January 1, 2031, equal to the lesser of (A) 5% of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock and Class B Common Stock of the Company outstanding on the final day of the immediately preceding calendar year and (B) such smaller number of Shares as is determined by the Board.

11.28 “Participant” means a Service Provider who has been granted an Award.

11.29 “Performance Criteria” mean the criteria (and adjustments) that the Administrator may select for an Award to establish performance goals for a performance period, which may include the following: net earnings or losses (either before or after one or more of interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and non-cash equity-based compensation expense); gross or net sales or revenue or sales or revenue growth; net income (either before or after taxes) or adjusted net income; profits (including but not limited to gross profits, net profits, profit growth, net operation profit or economic profit), profit return ratios or operating margin; budget or operating earnings (either before or after taxes or before or after allocation of corporate overhead and bonus); cash flow (including operating cash flow and free cash flow or cash flow return on capital); return on assets; return on capital or invested capital; cost of capital; return on stockholders’ equity; total stockholder return; return on sales; costs, reductions in costs and cost control measures; expenses; working capital; earnings or loss per share; adjusted earnings or loss per share; price per share or dividends per share (or appreciation in or maintenance of such price or dividends); regulatory achievements or compliance; implementation, completion or attainment of objectives relating to research, development, regulatory, commercial, or strategic milestones or developments; market share; economic value or economic value added models; division, group or corporate financial goals; customer satisfaction/growth; customer service; employee satisfaction; recruitment and maintenance of personnel; human resources management; supervision of litigation and other legal matters; strategic partnerships and transactions; financial ratios (including those measuring liquidity, activity, profitability or leverage); debt levels or reductions; sales-related goals; business development goals; financing and other capital raising transactions; cash on hand; acquisition activity; investment sourcing activity; marketing initiatives; and other measures of performance selected by the Board or Committee whether or not listed herein, any of which may be measured in absolute terms, as compared to any incremental increase or decrease or qualitatively in the Board or Committee’s sole discretion. Such performance goals also may be based solely by reference to the Company’s performance or the performance of a Subsidiary, division, business segment or business unit of the Company or a Subsidiary, or based upon performance relative to performance of other companies or upon comparisons of any of the indicators of performance relative to performance of other companies. The Committee may provide for exclusion of the impact of an event or occurrence which

 

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the Committee determines should appropriately be excluded, including (a) restructurings, discontinued operations, extraordinary items, and other unusual, infrequently occurring or non-recurring charges or events, (b) asset write-downs, (c) litigation or claim judgments or settlements, (d) acquisitions or divestitures, (e) reorganization or change in the corporate structure or capital structure of the Company, (f) an event either not directly related to the operations of the Company, a Subsidiary, division, business segment or business unit or not within the reasonable control of management, (g) foreign exchange gains and losses, (h) a change in the fiscal year of the Company, (i) the refinancing or repurchase of bank loans or debt securities, (j) unbudgeted capital expenditures, (k) the issuance or repurchase of equity securities and other changes in the number of outstanding shares, (l) conversion of some or all of convertible securities to Common Stock, (m) any business interruption event, (n) the cumulative effects of tax or accounting changes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or (o) the effect of changes in other laws or regulatory rules affecting reported results.

11.30 “Plan” means this 2021 Incentive Award Plan, as may be amended from time to time.

11.31 “Public Trading Date” means the first date upon which Common Stock is listed (or approved for listing) upon notice of issuance on any securities exchange or designated (or approved for designation) upon notice of issuance as a national market security on an interdealer quotation system.

11.32 “Restricted Stock” means Shares awarded to a Participant under Article VI subject to certain vesting conditions and other restrictions.

11.33 “Restricted Stock Unit” means an unfunded, unsecured right to receive, on the applicable settlement date, one or more Shares or an amount in cash or other consideration determined by the Administrator to be of equal value as of such settlement date, subject to certain vesting conditions and other restrictions.

11.34 “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

11.35 “Section 409A” means Section 409A of the Code and all regulations, guidance, compliance programs and other interpretative authority thereunder.

11.36 “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

11.37 “Service Provider” means an Employee, Consultant or Director.

11.38 “Shares” means shares of Common Stock.

11.39 “Stock Appreciation Right” means a stock appreciation right granted under Article V.

11.40 “Subsidiary” means any entity (other than the Company), whether domestic or foreign, in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Company if each of the entities other than the last entity in the unbroken chain beneficially owns, at the time of the determination, securities or interests representing at least 50% of the total combined voting power of all classes of securities or interests in one of the other entities in such chain.

11.41 “Substitute Awards” shall mean Awards granted or Shares issued by the Company in assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for, awards previously granted, or the right or obligation to make future awards, in each case by a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines.

11.42 “Termination of Service” means the date the Participant ceases to be a Service Provider.

* * * * *

 

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Exhibit 99.2

SOLO BRANDS, INC.

2021 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

ARTICLE I.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Plan is to assist Eligible Employees of the Company and its Designated Subsidiaries in acquiring a stock ownership interest in the Company.

The Plan consists of two components: (i) the Section 423 Component and (ii) the Non-Section 423 Component. The Section 423 Component is intended to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code and shall be administered, interpreted and construed in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code. The Non-Section 423 Component authorizes the grant of rights which need not qualify as rights granted pursuant to an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code. Rights granted under the Non-Section 423 Component shall be granted pursuant to separate Offerings containing such sub-plans, appendices, rules or procedures as may be adopted by the Administrator and designed to achieve tax, securities laws or other objectives for Eligible Employees and Designated Subsidiaries but shall not be intended to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code. Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator or provided herein, the Non-Section 423 Component will operate and be administered in the same manner as the Section 423 Component. Offerings intended to be made under the Non-Section 423 Component will be designated as such by the Administrator at or prior to the time of such Offering.

For purposes of this Plan, the Administrator may designate separate Offerings under the Plan in which Eligible Employees will participate. The terms of these Offerings need not be identical, even if the dates of the applicable Offering Period(s) in each such Offering are identical, provided that the terms of participation are the same within each separate Offering under the Section 423 Component (as determined under Section 423 of the Code). Solely by way of example and without limiting the foregoing, the Company could, but shall not be required to, provide for simultaneous Offerings under the Section 423 Component and the Non-Section 423 Component of the Plan.

ARTICLE II.

DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION

Wherever the following terms are used in the Plan they shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The singular pronoun shall include the plural where the context so indicates. Masculine, feminine and neuter pronouns are used interchangeably and each comprehends the others.

2.1 “Administrator” shall mean the entity that conducts the general administration of the Plan as provided in Article XI.


2.2 Agent” means the brokerage firm, bank or other financial institution, entity or person(s), if any, engaged, retained, appointed or authorized to act as the agent of the Company or an Employee with regard to the Plan.

2.3 “Applicable Law” shall mean the requirements relating to the administration of equity incentive plans under U.S. federal and state securities, tax and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, the applicable rules of any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Shares are listed or quoted and the applicable laws and rules of any foreign country or other jurisdiction where rights under this Plan are granted.

2.4 “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

2.5 “Code” shall mean the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and the regulations issued thereunder.

2.6 “Common Stock” shall mean the Class A common stock of the Company and such other securities of the Company that may be substituted therefor pursuant to Article VIII.

2.7 “Company” shall mean Solo Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor.

2.8 “Compensation” of an Eligible Employee means, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, the gross base compensation received by such Eligible Employee as compensation for services to the Company or any Designated Subsidiary.

2.9 “Designated Subsidiary” shall mean any Subsidiary designated by the Administrator in accordance with Section 11.2(b), such designation to specify whether such participation is in the Section 423 Component or Non-Section 423 Component. A Designated Subsidiary may participate in either the Section 423 Component or Non-Section 423 Component, but not both; provided that a Subsidiary that, for U.S. tax purposes, is disregarded from the Company or any Subsidiary that participates in the Section 423 Component shall automatically constitute a Designated Subsidiary that participates in the Section 423 Component.

2.10 “Effective Date” shall mean the day prior to the Public Trading Date.

2.11 “Eligible Employee” shall mean:

(a) an Employee who does not, immediately after any rights under this Plan are granted, own (directly or through attribution) stock possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of Shares and other securities of the Company, a Parent or a Subsidiary (as determined under Section 423(b)(3) of the Code). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code with regard to the attribution of stock ownership shall apply in determining the stock ownership of an individual, and stock that an Employee may purchase under outstanding options shall be treated as stock owned by the Employee.

 

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(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may provide in an Offering Document that an Employee shall not be eligible to participate in an Offering Period under the Section 423 Component if: (i) such Employee is a highly compensated employee within the meaning of Section 423(b)(4)(D) of the Code, (ii) such Employee has not met a service requirement designated by the Administrator pursuant to Section 423(b)(4)(A) of the Code (which service requirement may not exceed two years), (iii) such Employee’s customary employment is for twenty hours per week or less, (iv) such Employee’s customary employment is for less than five months in any calendar year and/or (v) such Employee is a citizen or resident of a foreign jurisdiction and the grant of a right to purchase Shares under the Plan to such Employee would be prohibited under the laws of such foreign jurisdiction or the grant of a right to purchase Shares under the Plan to such Employee in compliance with the laws of such foreign jurisdiction would cause the Plan to violate the requirements of Section 423 of the Code, as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion; provided, further, that any exclusion in clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) shall be applied in an identical manner under each Offering Period to all Employees, in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(e).

(c) Further notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to the Non-Section 423 Component, the first sentence of Section 2.11(a) above shall not apply in determining who is an “Eligible Employee,” except (i) the Administrator may limit eligibility further within the Company or a Designated Subsidiary so as to only designate some Employees of the Company or a Designated Subsidiary as Eligible Employees, and (ii) to the extent the restrictions in the first sentence in this definition are not consistent with applicable local laws, the applicable local laws shall control.

2.12 “Employee” shall mean any individual who renders services to the Company or any Designated Subsidiary in the status of an employee, and, with respect to the Section 423 Component, a person who is an employee within the meaning of Section 3401(c) of the Code. For purposes of an individual’s participation in, or other rights under the Plan, all determinations by the Company shall be final, binding and conclusive, notwithstanding that any court of law or governmental agency subsequently makes a contrary determination. For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship shall be treated as continuing intact while the individual is on sick leave or other leave of absence approved by the Company or Designated Subsidiary and meeting the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-1(h)(2). Where the period of leave exceeds three (3) months and the individual’s right to reemployment is not guaranteed either by statute or by contract, the employment relationship shall be deemed to have terminated on the first day immediately following such three (3) month period.

2.13 “Enrollment Date” shall mean the first Trading Day of each Offering Period.

2.14 “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of a Share determined as follows: (i) if the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange, its Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for such Shares as quoted on such exchange for such date, or if no sale occurred on such date, the last day preceding such date during which a sale occurred, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable; (ii) if the Common Stock is not traded on a stock exchange but is quoted on a national market or other quotation system, the closing sales price on such date, or if no sales occurred on such date, then on the last date preceding such date during which a sale occurred, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable; or (iii) without an established market for the Common Stock, the Administrator will determine the Fair Market Value in its discretion.

 

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2.15 “Non-Section 423 Component” shall mean those Offerings under the Plan, together with the sub-plans, appendices, rules or procedures, if any, adopted by the Administrator as a part of this Plan, in each case, pursuant to which rights to purchase Shares during an Offering Period may be granted to Eligible Employees that need not satisfy the requirements for rights to purchase Shares granted pursuant to an “employee stock purchase plan” that are set forth under Section 423 of the Code.

2.16 “Offering” shall mean an offer under the Plan of a right to purchase Shares that may be exercised during an Offering Period as further described in Article IV hereof. Unless otherwise specified by the Administrator, each Offering to the Eligible Employees of the Company or a Designated Subsidiary shall be deemed a separate Offering, even if the dates and other terms of the applicable Offering Periods of each such Offering are identical, and the provisions of the Plan will separately apply to each Offering. To the extent permitted by Treas. Reg. § 1.423-2(a)(1), the terms of each separate Offering under the Section 423 Component need not be identical, provided that the terms of the Section 423 Component and an Offering thereunder together satisfy Treas. Reg. § 1.423-2(a)(2) and (a)(3).

2.17 “Offering Document” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 4.1.

2.18 “Offering Period” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 4.1.

2.19 “Parent” shall mean any corporation, other than the Company, in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Company if, at the time of the determination, each of the corporations other than the Company owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.

2.20 “Participant” shall mean any Eligible Employee who has executed a subscription agreement and been granted rights to purchase Shares pursuant to the Plan.

2.21 “Payday” means the regular or recurring established day for payment of Compensation to an Employee of the Company or any Designated Subsidiary.

2.22 “Plan” shall mean this 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, including both the Section 423 Component and Non-Section 423 Component and any other sub-plans or appendices hereto, as may be amended from time to time.

2.23 “Public Trading Date” means the first date upon which the Class A Common Stock is listed (or approved for listing) upon notice of issuance on any securities exchange or designated (or approved for designation) upon notice of issuance as a national market security on an interdealer quotation system.

2.24 “Purchase Date” shall mean the last Trading Day of each Purchase Period or such other date as determined by the Administrator and set forth in the Offering Document.

2.25 “Purchase Period” shall refer to one or more periods within an Offering Period, as designated in the applicable Offering Document; provided, however, that, in the event no purchase period is designated by the Administrator in the applicable Offering Document, the purchase period for each Offering Period covered by such Offering Document shall be the same as the applicable Offering Period.

 

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2.26 “Purchase Price” shall mean the purchase price designated by the Administrator in the applicable Offering Document (which purchase price, for purposes of the Section 423 Component, shall not be less than 85% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Enrollment Date or on the Purchase Date, whichever is lower); provided, however, that, in the event no purchase price is designated by the Administrator in the applicable Offering Document, the purchase price for the Offering Periods covered by such Offering Document shall be 85 % of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Enrollment Date or on the Purchase Date, whichever is lower; provided, further, that the Purchase Price may be adjusted by the Administrator pursuant to Article VIII and shall not be less than the par value of a Share.

2.27 “Section 423 Component” shall mean those Offerings under the Plan, together with the sub-plans, appendices, rules or procedures, if any, adopted by the Administrator as a part of this Plan, in each case, pursuant to which rights to purchase Shares during an Offering Period may be granted to Eligible Employees that are intended to satisfy the requirements for rights to purchase Shares granted pursuant to an “employee stock purchase plan” that are set forth under Section 423 of the Code.

2.28 “Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

2.29 “Share” shall mean a share of Common Stock.

2.30 “Subsidiary” shall mean any corporation, other than the Company, in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if, at the time of the determination, each of the corporations other than the last corporation in an unbroken chain owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain; provided, however, that a limited liability company or partnership may be treated as a Subsidiary to the extent either (a) such entity is treated as a disregarded entity under Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-3(a) by reason of the Company or any other Subsidiary that is a corporation being the sole owner of such entity, or (b) such entity elects to be classified as a corporation under Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-3(a) and such entity would otherwise qualify as a Subsidiary. In addition, with respect to the Non-Section 423 Component, Subsidiary shall include any corporate or non-corporate entity in which the Company has a direct or indirect equity interest or significant business relationship.

2.31 “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which national stock exchanges in the United States are open for trading.

2.32 “Treas. Reg.” means U.S. Department of the Treasury regulations.

 

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ARTICLE III.

SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

3.1 Number of Shares. Subject to Article VIII, the aggregate number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to rights granted under the Plan shall be 1,618,434 Shares. In addition to the foregoing, subject to Article VIII, on the first day of each calendar year beginning on January 1, 2023 and ending on and including January 1, 2031, the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan shall be increased by that number of Shares equal to the least of (a) 0.5% of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock and Class B Common Stock of the Company outstanding on the final day of the immediately preceding calendar year and (b) such smaller number of Shares as determined by the Board. If any right granted under the Plan shall for any reason terminate without having been exercised, the Shares not purchased under such right shall again become available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3.1 to the contrary, the number of Shares that may be issued or transferred pursuant to the rights granted under the Section 423 Component of the Plan shall not exceed an aggregate of 6,473,736 Shares, subject to Article VIII.

3.2 Shares Distributed. Any Shares distributed pursuant to the Plan may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Shares, treasury shares or Shares purchased on the open market.

ARTICLE IV.

OFFERING PERIODS; OFFERING DOCUMENTS; PURCHASE DATES

4.1 Offering Periods. The Administrator may from time to time grant or provide for the grant of rights to purchase Shares under the Plan to Eligible Employees during one or more periods (each, an “Offering Period”) selected by the Administrator. The terms and conditions applicable to each Offering Period shall be set forth in an “Offering Document” adopted by the Administrator, which Offering Document shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall deem appropriate and shall be incorporated by reference into and made part of the Plan and shall be attached hereto as part of the Plan. The Administrator shall establish in each Offering Document one or more Purchase Periods during such Offering Period during which rights granted under the Plan shall be exercised and purchases of Shares carried out during such Offering Period in accordance with such Offering Document and the Plan. The provisions of separate Offering or Offering Periods under the Plan need not be identical.

4.2 Offering Documents. Each Offering Document with respect to an Offering Period shall specify (through incorporation of the provisions of this Plan by reference or otherwise):

(a) the length of the Offering Period, which period shall not exceed twenty-seven months;

(b) the length of the Purchase Period(s) within the Offering Period;

(c) in connection with each Offering Period that contains only one Purchase Period, the maximum number of Shares that may be purchased by any Eligible Employee during such Offering Period, which, in the absence of a contrary designation by the Administrator, shall be 25,000 Shares;

(d) in connection with each Offering Period that contains more than one Purchase Period, the maximum aggregate number of Shares which may be purchased by any Eligible Employee during each Purchase Period, which, in the absence of a contrary designation by the Administrator, shall be 25,000 Shares; and

(e) such other provisions as the Administrator determines are appropriate, subject to the Plan.

 

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ARTICLE V.

ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

5.1 Eligibility. Any Eligible Employee who shall be employed by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary on a given Enrollment Date for an Offering Period shall be eligible to participate in the Plan during such Offering Period, subject to the requirements of this Article V and, for the Section 423 Component the limitations imposed by Section 423(b) of the Code.

5.2 Enrollment in Plan.

(a) Except as otherwise set forth in an Offering Document or determined by the Administrator, an Eligible Employee may become a Participant in the Plan for an Offering Period by delivering a subscription agreement to the Company by such time prior to the Enrollment Date for such Offering Period (or such other date specified in the Offering Document) designated by the Administrator and in such form as the Company provides.

(b) Each subscription agreement shall designate either (i) a whole percentage of such Eligible Employee’s Compensation or (ii) or a fixed dollar amount, in either case, to be withheld by the Company or the Designated Subsidiary employing such Eligible Employee on each Payday during the Offering Period as payroll deductions under the Plan. In either event, the designated percentage or fixed dollar amount may not be less than 1% and may not be more than the maximum percentage specified by the Administrator in the applicable Offering Document (which percentage shall be 20% in the absence of any such designation) as payroll deductions. The payroll deductions made for each Participant shall be credited to an account for such Participant under the Plan and shall be deposited with the general funds of the Company.

(c) A Participant may increase or decrease the percentage of Compensation or the fixed dollar amount designated in his or her subscription agreement, subject to the limits of this Section 5.2, or may suspend his or her payroll deductions, at any time during an Offering Period; provided, however, that the Administrator may limit the number of changes a Participant may make to his or her payroll deduction elections during each Offering Period in the applicable Offering Document (and in the absence of any specific designation by the Administrator, a Participant shall be allowed to decrease (but not increase) his or her payroll deduction elections one time during each Offering Period). Any such change or suspension of payroll deductions shall be effective with the first full payroll period following ten business days after the Company’s receipt of the new subscription agreement (or such shorter or longer period as may be specified by the Administrator in the applicable Offering Document). In the event a Participant suspends his or her payroll deductions, such Participant’s cumulative payroll deductions prior to the suspension shall remain in his or her account and shall be applied to the purchase of Shares on the next occurring Purchase Date and shall not be paid to such Participant unless he or she withdraws from participation in the Plan pursuant to Article VII.

 

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(d) Except as otherwise set forth in an Offering Document or determined by the Administrator, a Participant may participate in the Plan only by means of payroll deduction and may not make contributions by lump sum payment for any Offering Period.

5.3 Payroll Deductions. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Offering Document, payroll deductions for a Participant shall commence on the first Payday following the Enrollment Date and shall end on the last Payday in the Offering Period to which the Participant’s authorization is applicable, unless sooner terminated by the Participant as provided in Article VII or suspended by the Participant or the Administrator as provided in Section 5.2 and Section 5.6, respectively. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Plan to the contrary, in non-U.S. jurisdictions where participation in the Plan through payroll deductions is prohibited, the Administrator may provide that an Eligible Employee may elect to participate through contributions to the Participant’s account under the Plan in a form acceptable to the Administrator in lieu of or in addition to payroll deductions; provided, however, that, for any Offering under the Section 423 Component, the Administrator shall take into consideration any limitations under Section 423 of the Code when applying an alternative method of contribution.

5.4 Effect of Enrollment. A Participant’s completion of a subscription agreement will enroll such Participant in the Plan for each subsequent Offering Period on the terms contained therein until the Participant either submits a new subscription agreement, withdraws from participation under the Plan as provided in Article VII or otherwise becomes ineligible to participate in the Plan.

5.5 Limitation on Purchase of Shares. An Eligible Employee may be granted rights under the Section 423 Component only if such rights, together with any other rights granted to such Eligible Employee under “employee stock purchase plans” of the Company, any Parent or any Subsidiary, as specified by Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, do not permit such employee’s rights to purchase stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary to accrue at a rate that exceeds $25,000 of the Fair Market Value of the Shares (determined as of the first day of the Offering Period during which such rights are granted) for each calendar year in which such rights are outstanding at any time. This limitation shall be applied in accordance with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code.

5.6 Suspension of Payroll Deductions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Section 5.5 (with respect to the Section 423 Component) or the other limitations set forth in this Plan, a Participant’s payroll deductions may be suspended by the Administrator at any time during an Offering Period. The balance of the amount credited to the account of each Participant that has not been applied to the purchase of Shares by reason of Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, Section 5.5 or the other limitations set forth in this Plan shall be paid to such Participant in one lump sum in cash as soon as reasonably practicable after the Purchase Date.

5.7 Foreign Employees. In order to facilitate participation in the Plan, the Administrator may provide for such special terms applicable to Participants who are citizens or residents of a foreign jurisdiction, or who are employed by a Designated Subsidiary outside of the United States, as the Administrator may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom. Except as permitted by Section 423 of the Code, with respect to the

 

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Section 423 Component, such special terms may not be more favorable than the terms of rights granted under the Section 423 Component to Eligible Employees who are residents of the United States. Such special terms may be set forth in an addendum to the Plan in the form of an appendix or sub-plan (which appendix or sub-plan may be designed to govern Offerings under the Section 423 Component or the Non-Section 423 Component, as determined by the Administrator). To the extent that the terms and conditions set forth in an appendix or sub-plan conflict with any provisions of the Plan, the provisions of the appendix or sub-plan shall govern. The adoption of any such appendix or sub-plan shall be pursuant to Section 11.2(g). Without limiting the foregoing, the Administrator is specifically authorized to adopt rules and procedures, with respect to Participants who are foreign nationals or employed in non-U.S. jurisdictions, regarding the exclusion of particular Subsidiaries from participation in the Plan, eligibility to participate, the definition of Compensation, handling of payroll deductions or other contributions by Participants, payment of interest, conversion of local currency, data privacy security, payroll tax, withholding procedures, establishment of bank or trust accounts to hold payroll deductions or contributions.

5.8 Leave of Absence. During leaves of absence approved by the Company meeting the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-1(h)(2) under the Code, a Participant may continue participation in the Plan by making cash payments to the Company on his or her normal Payday equal to his or her authorized payroll deduction.

ARTICLE VI.

GRANT AND EXERCISE OF RIGHTS

6.1 Grant of Rights. On the Enrollment Date of each Offering Period, each Eligible Employee participating in such Offering Period shall be granted a right to purchase the maximum number of Shares specified under Section 4.2, subject to the limits in Section 5.5, and shall have the right to buy, on each Purchase Date during such Offering Period (at the applicable Purchase Price), such number of whole Shares as is determined by dividing (a) such Participant’s payroll deductions accumulated prior to such Purchase Date and retained in the Participant’s account as of the Purchase Date, by (b) the applicable Purchase Price (rounded down to the nearest Share). The right shall expire on the earliest of: (x) the last Purchase Date of the Offering Period, (y) the last day of the Offering Period and (z) the date on which the Participant withdraws in accordance with Section 7.1 or Section 7.3.

6.2 Exercise of Rights. On each Purchase Date, each Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions and any other additional payments specifically provided for in the applicable Offering Document will be applied to the purchase of whole Shares, up to the maximum number of Shares permitted pursuant to the terms of the Plan and the applicable Offering Document, at the Purchase Price. No fractional Shares shall be issued upon the exercise of rights granted under the Plan, unless the Offering Document specifically provides otherwise. Any cash in lieu of fractional Shares remaining after the purchase of whole Shares upon exercise of a purchase right will be credited to a Participant’s account and carried forward and applied toward the purchase of whole Shares for the next following Offering Period. Shares issued pursuant to the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Administrator may determine and may be issued in certificated form or issued pursuant to book-entry procedures.

 

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6.3 Pro Rata Allocation of Shares. If the Administrator determines that, on a given Purchase Date, the number of Shares with respect to which rights are to be exercised may exceed (a) the number of Shares that were available for issuance under the Plan on the Enrollment Date of the applicable Offering Period, or (b) the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan on such Purchase Date, the Administrator may in its sole discretion provide that the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the Shares available for purchase on such Enrollment Date or Purchase Date, as applicable, in as uniform a manner as shall be practicable and as it shall determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all Participants for whom rights to purchase Shares are to be exercised pursuant to this Article VI on such Purchase Date, and shall either (i) continue all Offering Periods then in effect, or (ii) terminate any or all Offering Periods then in effect pursuant to Article IX. The Company may make pro rata allocation of the Shares available on the Enrollment Date of any applicable Offering Period pursuant to the preceding sentence, notwithstanding any authorization of additional Shares for issuance under the Plan by the Company’s stockholders subsequent to such Enrollment Date. The balance of the amount credited to the account of each Participant that has not been applied to the purchase of Shares shall be paid to such Participant in one lump sum in cash as soon as reasonably practicable after the Purchase Date or such earlier date as determined by the Administrator.

6.4 Withholding. At the time a Participant’s rights under the Plan are exercised, in whole or in part, or at the time some or all of the Shares issued under the Plan is disposed of, the Participant must make adequate provision for the Company’s federal, state, or other tax withholding obligations, if any, that arise upon the exercise of the right or the disposition of the Shares. At any time, the Company may, but shall not be obligated to, withhold from the Participant’s Compensation or Shares received pursuant to the Plan the amount necessary for the Company to meet applicable withholding obligations, including any withholding required to make available to the Company any tax deductions or benefits attributable to sale or early disposition of Shares by the Participant.

6.5 Conditions to Issuance of Shares. The Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificate or certificates for, or make any book entries evidencing, Shares purchased upon the exercise of rights under the Plan prior to fulfillment of all of the following conditions:

(a) The admission of such Shares to listing on all stock exchanges, if any, on which the Shares are then listed;

(b) The completion of any registration or other qualification of such Shares under any state or federal law or under the rulings or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other governmental regulatory body, that the Administrator shall, in its absolute discretion, deem necessary or advisable;

(c) The obtaining of any approval or other clearance from any state or federal governmental agency that the Administrator shall, in its absolute discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable;

(d) The payment to the Company of all amounts that it is required to withhold under federal, state or local law upon exercise of the rights, if any; and

(e) The lapse of such reasonable period of time following the exercise of the rights as the Administrator may from time to time establish for reasons of administrative convenience.

 

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ARTICLE VII.

WITHDRAWAL; CESSATION OF ELIGIBILITY

7.1 Withdrawal. A Participant may withdraw all but not less than all of the payroll deductions credited to his or her account and not yet used to exercise his or her rights under the Plan at any time by giving written notice to the Company in a form acceptable to the Company no later than one week prior to the end of the Offering Period or, if earlier, the end of the Purchase Period (or such shorter or longer period as may be specified by the Administrator in the applicable Offering Document). All of the Participant’s payroll deductions credited to his or her account during an Offering Period shall be paid to such Participant as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of notice of withdrawal without any interest thereon (except as may be required by applicable local laws) and such Participant’s rights for the Offering Period shall be automatically terminated, and no further payroll deductions for the purchase of Shares shall be made for such Offering Period. If a Participant withdraws from an Offering Period, payroll deductions shall not resume at the beginning of the next Offering Period unless the Participant timely delivers to the Company a new subscription agreement.

7.2 Future Participation. A Participant’s withdrawal from an Offering Period shall not have any effect upon his or her eligibility to participate in any similar plan that may hereafter be adopted by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary or in subsequent Offering Periods that commence after the termination of the Offering Period from which the Participant withdraws.

7.3 Cessation of Eligibility. Upon a Participant’s ceasing to be an Eligible Employee for any reason, he or she shall be deemed to have elected to withdraw from the Plan pursuant to this Article VII and the payroll deductions credited to such Participant’s account during the Offering Period shall be paid to such Participant or, in the case of his or her death, to the person or persons entitled thereto under Section 12.4, as soon as reasonably practicable without any interest thereon (except as may be required by applicable local laws), and such Participant’s rights for the Offering Period shall be automatically terminated. If a Participant transfers employment from the Company or any Designated Subsidiary participating in the Section 423 Component to any Designated Subsidiary participating in the Non-Section 423 Component, such transfer shall not be treated as a termination of employment, but the Participant shall immediately cease to participate in the Section 423 Component; however, any contributions made for the Offering Period in which such transfer occurs shall be transferred to the Non-Section 423 Component, and such Participant shall immediately join the then-current Offering under the Non-Section 423 Component upon the same terms and conditions in effect for the Participant’s participation in the Section 423 Component, except for such modifications otherwise applicable for Participants in such Offering. A Participant who transfers employment from any Designated Subsidiary participating in the Non-Section 423 Component to the Company or any Designated Subsidiary participating in the Section 423 Component shall not be treated as terminating the Participant’s employment and shall remain a Participant in the Non-Section 423 Component until the earlier of (i) the end of the current Offering Period under the Non-Section 423 Component or (ii) the Enrollment Date of the first Offering Period in which the Participant is eligible to participate following such transfer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may establish different rules to govern transfers of employment between entities participating in the Section 423 Component and the Non-Section 423 Component, consistent with the applicable requirements of Section 423 of the Code.

 

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ARTICLE VIII.

ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN SHARES

8.1 Changes in Capitalization. Subject to Section 8.3, in the event that the Administrator determines that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities, or other property), change in control, reorganization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, combination, repurchase, redemption, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution, or sale, transfer, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or sale or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Shares or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event, as determined by the Administrator, affects the Shares such that an adjustment is determined by the Administrator to be appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended by the Company to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any outstanding purchase rights under the Plan, the Administrator shall make equitable adjustments, if any, to reflect such change with respect to (a) the aggregate number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Section 3.1 and the limitations established in each Offering Document pursuant to Section 4.2 on the maximum number of Shares that may be purchased); (b) the class(es) and number of Shares and price per Share subject to outstanding rights; and (c) the Purchase Price with respect to any outstanding rights.

8.2 Other Adjustments. Subject to Section 8.3, in the event of any transaction or event described in Section 8.1 or any unusual or nonrecurring transactions or events affecting the Company, any affiliate of the Company, or the financial statements of the Company or any affiliate (including without limitation any change in control), or of changes in Applicable Law or accounting principles, the Administrator, in its discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Administrator determines that such action is appropriate in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any right under the Plan, to facilitate such transactions or events or to give effect to such changes in laws, regulations or principles:

(a) To provide for either (i) termination of any outstanding right in exchange for an amount of cash, if any, equal to the amount that would have been obtained upon the exercise of such right had such right been currently exercisable or (ii) the replacement of such outstanding right with other rights or property selected by the Administrator in its sole discretion;

(b) To provide that the outstanding rights under the Plan shall be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar rights covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and prices;

 

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(c) To make adjustments in the number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding rights under the Plan and/or in the terms and conditions of outstanding rights and rights that may be granted in the future;

(d) To provide that Participants’ accumulated payroll deductions may be used to purchase Shares prior to the next occurring Purchase Date on such date as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion and the Participants’ rights under the ongoing Offering Period(s) shall be terminated; and

(e) To provide that all outstanding rights shall terminate without being exercised.

8.3 No Adjustment Under Certain Circumstances. Unless determined otherwise by the Administrator, no adjustment or action described in this Article VIII or in any other provision of the Plan shall be authorized to the extent that such adjustment or action would cause the Section 423 Component of the Plan to fail to satisfy the requirements of Section 423 of the Code.

8.4 No Other Rights. Except as expressly provided in the Plan, no Participant shall have any rights by reason of any subdivision or consolidation of shares of stock of any class, the payment of any dividend, any increase or decrease in the number of shares of stock of any class or any dissolution, liquidation, merger, or consolidation of the Company or any other corporation. Except as expressly provided in the Plan or pursuant to action of the Administrator under the Plan, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number of Shares subject to outstanding rights under the Plan or the Purchase Price with respect to any outstanding rights.

ARTICLE IX.

AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION

9.1 Amendment, Modification and Termination. The Administrator may amend, suspend or terminate the Plan at any time and from time to time; provided, however, that approval of the Company’s stockholders shall be required to amend the Plan to: (a) increase the aggregate number, or change the type, of shares that may be sold pursuant to rights under the Plan under Section 3.1 (other than an adjustment as provided by Article VIII); or (b) change the corporations or classes of corporations whose employees may be granted rights under the Plan.

9.2 Certain Changes to Plan. Without stockholder consent and without regard to whether any Participant rights may be considered to have been adversely affected (and, with respect to the Section 423 Component of the Plan, after taking into account Section 423 of the Code), the Administrator shall be entitled to change or terminate the Offering Periods, add or revise Offering Period share limits, limit the frequency and/or number of changes in the amount withheld from Compensation during an Offering Period, establish the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars, permit payroll withholding in excess of the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the Company’s processing

 

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of payroll withholding elections, establish reasonable waiting and adjustment periods and/or accounting and crediting procedures to ensure that amounts applied toward the purchase of Shares for each Participant properly correspond with amounts withheld from the Participant’s Compensation, and establish such other limitations or procedures as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion to be advisable that are consistent with the Plan.

9.3 Actions In the Event of Unfavorable Financial Accounting Consequences. In the event the Administrator determines that the ongoing operation of the Plan may result in unfavorable financial accounting consequences, the Administrator may, in its discretion and, to the extent necessary or desirable, modify or amend the Plan to reduce or eliminate such accounting consequence including, but not limited to:

(a) altering the Purchase Price for any Offering Period including an Offering Period underway at the time of the change in Purchase Price;

(b) shortening any Offering Period so that the Offering Period ends on a new Purchase Date, including an Offering Period underway at the time of the Administrator action; and

(c) allocating Shares.

Such modifications or amendments shall not require stockholder approval or the consent of any Participant.

9.4 Payments Upon Termination of Plan. Upon termination of the Plan, the balance in each Participant’s Plan account shall be refunded as soon as practicable after such termination, without any interest thereon, or the Offering Period may be shortened so that the purchase of Shares occurs prior to the termination of the Plan.

ARTICLE X.

TERM OF PLAN

The Plan shall become effective on the Effective Date. The effectiveness of the Section 423 Component of the Plan shall be subject to approval of the Plan by the stockholders of the Company within twelve months following the date the Plan is first approved by the Board. No right may be granted under the Section 423 Component of the Plan prior to such stockholder approval. The Plan shall remain in effect until terminated under Section 9.1. No rights may be granted under the Plan during any period of suspension of the Plan or after termination of the Plan.

ARTICLE XI.

ADMINISTRATION

11.1 Administrator. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, the Administrator of the Plan shall be the Compensation Committee of the Board (or another committee or a subcommittee of the Board to which the Board delegates administration of the Plan). The Board may at any time vest in the Board any authority or duties for administration of the Plan. The Administrator may delegate administrative tasks under the Plan to the services of an Agent or Employees to assist in the administration of the Plan, including establishing and maintaining an individual securities account under the Plan for each Participant.

 

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11.2 Authority of Administrator. The Administrator shall have the power, subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:

(a) To determine when and how rights to purchase Shares shall be granted and the provisions of each offering of such rights (which need not be identical).

(b) To designate from time to time which Subsidiaries of the Company shall be Designated Subsidiaries, which designation may be made without the approval of the stockholders of the Company.

(c) To impose a mandatory holding period pursuant to which Employees may not dispose of or transfer Shares purchased under the Plan for a period of time determined by the Administrator in its discretion.

(d) To construe and interpret the Plan and rights granted under it, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for its administration. The Administrator, in the exercise of this power, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan, in a manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or expedient to make the Plan fully effective.

(e) To amend, suspend or terminate the Plan as provided in Article IX.

(f) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as the Administrator deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company and its Subsidiaries and to carry out the intent that the Plan be treated as an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code for the Section 423 Component.

(g) The Administrator may adopt sub-plans applicable to particular Designated Subsidiaries or locations, which sub-plans may be designed to be outside the scope of Section 423 of the Code. The rules of such sub-plans may take precedence over other provisions of this Plan, with the exception of Section 3.1 hereof, but unless otherwise superseded by the terms of such sub-plan, the provisions of this Plan shall govern the operation of such sub-plan.

11.3 Decisions Binding. The Administrator’s interpretation of the Plan, any rights granted pursuant to the Plan, any subscription agreement and all decisions and determinations by the Administrator with respect to the Plan are final, binding, and conclusive on all parties.

 

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ARTICLE XII.

MISCELLANEOUS

12.1 Restriction upon Assignment. A right granted under the Plan shall not be transferable other than by will or the applicable laws of descent and distribution, and is exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant. Except as provided in Section 12.4 hereof, a right under the Plan may not be exercised to any extent except by the Participant. The Company shall not recognize and shall be under no duty to recognize any assignment or alienation of the Participant’s interest in the Plan, the Participant’s rights under the Plan or any rights thereunder.

12.2 Rights as a Stockholder. With respect to Shares subject to a right granted under the Plan, a Participant shall not be deemed to be a stockholder of the Company, and the Participant shall not have any of the rights or privileges of a stockholder, until such Shares have been issued to the Participant or his or her nominee following exercise of the Participant’s rights under the Plan. No adjustments shall be made for dividends (ordinary or extraordinary, whether in cash securities, or other property) or distribution or other rights for which the record date occurs prior to the date of such issuance, except as otherwise expressly provided herein or as determined by the Administrator.

12.3 Interest. No interest shall accrue on the payroll deductions or contributions of a Participant under the Plan.

12.4 Designation of Beneficiary.

(a) A Participant may, in the manner determined by the Administrator, file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any Shares and/or cash, if any, from the Participant’s account under the Plan in the event of such Participant’s death subsequent to a Purchase Date on which the Participant’s rights are exercised but prior to delivery to such Participant of such Shares and cash. In addition, a Participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any cash from the Participant’s account under the Plan in the event of such Participant’s death prior to exercise of the Participant’s rights under the Plan. If the Participant is married and resides in a community property state, a designation of a person other than the Participant’s spouse as his or her beneficiary shall not be effective without the prior written consent of the Participant’s spouse.

(b) Such designation of beneficiary may be changed by the Participant at any time by written notice to the Company. In the event of the death of a Participant and in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living at the time of such Participant’s death, the Company shall deliver such Shares and/or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant, or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company), the Company, in its discretion, may deliver such Shares and/or cash to the spouse or to any one or more dependents or relatives of the Participant, or if no spouse, dependent or relative is known to the Company, then to such other person as the Company may designate.

12.5 Notices. All notices or other communications by a Participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.

 

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12.6 Equal Rights and Privileges. Subject to Section 5.7, all Eligible Employees will have equal rights and privileges under the Section 423 Component so that the Section 423 Component of this Plan qualifies as an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code. Subject to Section 5.7, any provision of the Section 423 Component that is inconsistent with Section 423 of the Code will, without further act or amendment by the Company, the Board or the Administrator, be reformed to comply with the equal rights and privileges requirement of Section 423 of the Code. Eligible Employees participating in the Non-Section 423 Component need not have the same rights and privileges as other Eligible Employees participating in the Non-Section 423 Component or as Eligible Employees participating in the Section 423 Component.

12.7 Use of Funds. All payroll deductions received or held by the Company under the Plan may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate such payroll deductions.

12.8 Reports. Statements of account shall be given to Participants at least annually, which statements shall set forth the amounts of payroll deductions, the Purchase Price, the number of Shares purchased and the remaining cash balance, if any.

12.9 No Employment Rights. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to give any person (including any Eligible Employee or Participant) the right to remain in the employ of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary or affect the right of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary to terminate the employment of any person (including any Eligible Employee or Participant) at any time, with or without cause.

12.10 Notice of Disposition of Shares. Each Participant shall give prompt notice to the Company of any disposition or other transfer of any Shares purchased upon exercise of a right under the Section 423 Component of the Plan if such disposition or transfer is made: (a) within two years from the Enrollment Date of the Offering Period in which the Shares were purchased or (b) within one year after the Purchase Date on which such Shares were purchased. Such notice shall specify the date of such disposition or other transfer and the amount realized, in cash, other property, assumption of indebtedness or other consideration, by the Participant in such disposition or other transfer.

12.11 Governing Law. The Plan and any agreements hereunder shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the internal laws of the State of Delaware, disregarding any state’s choice of law principles requiring the application of a jurisdiction’s laws other than the State of Delaware.

12.12 Electronic Forms. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law and in the discretion of the Administrator, an Eligible Employee may submit any form or notice as set forth herein by means of an electronic form approved by the Administrator. Before the commencement of an Offering Period, the Administrator shall prescribe the time limits within which any such electronic form shall be submitted to the Administrator with respect to such Offering Period in order to be a valid election.

12.13 Grant of Rights to Certain Eligible Employees. The Company may provide through the establishment of a formal written policy (which shall be deemed a part of this Plan) or otherwise for the method by which Common Stock or other securities of the Company may be issued and by which such Common Stock or other securities and/or payment therefor may be exchanged or contributed among such entities, or may be returned upon any forfeiture of Common Stock or other securities by the Eligible Employee.

 

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