MDMDMDfalse00019712130000912752--12-31 0000912752 2023-06-01 2023-06-01 0000912752 sbgi:SinclairIncMember 2023-06-01 2023-06-01
 
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
 
Form
8-K
 
 
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
June 1,
2023
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
 
 
SINCLAIR, INC.
SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP, LLC
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
 
 
 
Sinclair, Inc.
 
Maryland
 
333-271072
 
92-1076143
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
 
(Commission
File Number)
 
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
 
 
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC
 
Maryland
 
000-26076
 
52-1494660
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
 
(Commission
File Number)
 
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
10706 Beaver Dam Road
Hunt Valley, MD 21030
(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)
(410)
568-1500
(Registrants’ telephone number, including area code)
 
 
Check the appropriate box below if the Form
8-K
filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
 
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
 
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule
14a-12
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
 
Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule
14d-2(b)
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14d-2(b))
 
Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule
13e-4(c)
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Sinclair, Inc.
 
Title of each class
 
Trading
Symbol
 
Name of each exchange
on which registered
Class A Common Stock, par value $ 0.01 per share   SBGI   The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC
 
Title of each class
 
Trading
Symbol
 
Name of each exchange
on which registered
None   N/A   N/A
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule
12b-2
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR
§240.12b-2).
Sinclair, Inc.  ☐
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC  ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐
 
 
 

EXPLANATORY NOTE
As previously disclosed, on April 3, 2023, the company formerly known as Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“
SBG
”), entered into an Agreement of Share Exchange and Plan of Reorganization (the “
Share Exchange Agreement
”) with Sinclair, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“
New Sinclair
”), and Sinclair Holdings, LLC, a Maryland limited liability company (“
Sinclair Holdings
”). The purpose of the transactions contemplated by the Share Exchange Agreement was to effect a holding company reorganization in which New Sinclair would become the publicly-traded parent company of SBG.
Effective at 12:00 am Eastern U.S. time on June 1, 2023 (the “
Share Exchange Effective Time
”), pursuant to the Share Exchange Agreement and Articles of Share Exchange filed with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, the share exchange between New Sinclair and SBG was completed (the “
Share Exchange
”). In the Share Exchange, (i) each share or fraction of a share of SBG’s Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“
SBG Class
 A Common Shares
”), outstanding immediately prior to the Share Exchange Effective Time was exchanged on a
one-for-one
basis for an equivalent share of New Sinclair’s Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“
New Sinclair Class
 A Common Shares
”), and (ii) each share or fraction of a share of SBG’s Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“
SBG Class
 B Common Shares
” and, together with the SBG Class A Common Shares, collectively the “
SBG Common Shares
”), outstanding immediately prior to the Share Exchange Effective Time was exchanged on a
one-for-one
basis for an equivalent share of New Sinclair’s Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“
New Sinclair Class
 B Common Shares
”).
Immediately following the Share Exchange Effective Time, SBG converted from a Maryland corporation to a Maryland limited liability company named Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC. On the day following the Share Exchange Effective Time (June 2, 2023), Sinclair Holdings will become the intermediate holding company between New Sinclair and SBG, and SBG will transfer certain of its assets (the “
Other Assets
”) to a new indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of New Sinclair named Sinclair Ventures, LLC, a Maryland limited liability company. We refer to the Share Exchange and the related steps described above collectively as the “
Reorganization
.” The Other Assets included technical and software services companies, intellectual property for the advancement of broadcast technology, and other media
and non-media related
businesses and assets including real estate, venture capital, private equity and direct investments, as well as Compulse, a marketing technology and managed services company, and Tennis Channel and related assets.
At the Share Exchange Effective Time, New Sinclair’s articles of incorporation and bylaws were amended and restated to be the same in all material respects as the existing articles of incorporation and bylaws of SBG immediately prior to the Share Exchange. As a result, the New Sinclair Class A Common Shares confer upon the holders thereof the same rights with respect to New Sinclair that the holders of the SBG Class A Common Shares had with respect to SBG, and the New Sinclair Class B Common Shares confer upon the holders thereof the same rights with respect to New Sinclair that the holders of the SBG Class B Common Shares had with respect to SBG. New Sinclair’s Board of Directors, including its committees, and senior management team immediately after the Share Exchange were the same as SBG’s immediately before the Share Exchange.
The purpose of this Current Report on
Form 8-K is
to disclose matters in connection with the completion of the Reorganization and to provide notice pursuant to
Rule 12g-3(f) under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “
Exchange Act
”) that, following the Share Exchange, New Sinclair became the successor issuer to SBG. More specifically, pursuant to Exchange Act
Rule 12g-3(a), the
New Sinclair Class A Common Shares issued in connection with the Share Exchange are deemed registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act.
 
Item 1.01
Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
The information set forth above under Explanatory Note is incorporated hereunder by reference.
Outstanding Equity Plans, Awards and Related Arrangements
At the Share Exchange Effective Time, pursuant to an Omnibus Assignment, Assumption and Amendment Agreement entered into between SBG and New Sinclair (the “
Omnibus Assignment
”), SBG assigned to New Sinclair, and New Sinclair assumed from SBG, all of SBG’s rights and obligations under any plans, policies,

agreements and commitments in effect immediately before the Share Exchange Effective Time with respect to the issuance of capital shares of SBG, as compensation or otherwise, to employees, directors or other persons, including SBG’s 2022 Stock Incentive Plan, 1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, 1996 Long-Term Incentive Plan, and Executive Performance Formula and Incentive Plan, together with all awards and award agreements thereunder and any other obligations to issue securities in connection therewith, as well as any obligations to issue securities in connection with the stock fund of the Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan. In addition, SBG assigned to New Sinclair, and New Sinclair assumed from SBG, all of SBG’s rights and obligations under SBG’s health and welfare plans, the Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan, and the Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. Amended and Restated Post-2004 Executive Deferred Compensation Plan II and related trust agreement. The Omnibus Assignment is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1.
 
Item 3.01
Notice of Delisting or Failure to Satisfy a Continued Listing Rule or Standard; Transfer of Listing.
In connection with the Reorganization, SBG notified the NASDAQ Stock Market that the Share Exchange had been completed. The New Sinclair Class A Common Shares will trade on the NASDAQ Stock Market’s Global Select Market on an uninterrupted basis under the symbol “SBGI,” which is the same symbol formerly used for the SBG Class A Common Shares, and under the new CUSIP number of 829242106. The NASDAQ Stock Market is expected to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “
Commission
”) an application on Form 25 to delist the SBG Class A Common Shares from the NASDAQ Stock Market and to deregister the SBG Class A Common Shares under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act.
Following the Reorganization, New Sinclair expects to make future filings with the Commission under its own CIK (0001971213), and SBG expects to make future filings with the Commission, as required by the indenture governing Sinclair Television Group, Inc.’s 5.125% Notes due 2027, under the CIK it has used historically (0000912752).
 
Item 3.03
Material Modification of Rights of Securityholders.
The information set forth under and/or incorporated by reference into Items 1.01 and 3.01 above is incorporated hereunder by reference.
 
Item 5.01
Changes in Control of the Registrant.
The information set forth under and/or incorporated by reference into Items 1.01 and 3.01 above is incorporated hereunder by reference.
 
Item 5.02
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
The information set forth under and/or incorporated by reference into Items 1.01 and 3.01 above is incorporated hereunder by reference.
 
Item 5.03
Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.
The information set forth under and/or incorporated by reference into Items 1.01 and 3.01 above is incorporated hereunder by reference.
 
Item 8.01
Other Events.
Dividends
As previously disclosed on May 3, 2023, the Board of Directors of SBG declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per share on the SBG Common Shares (the “Common Dividend”) payable on June 15, 2023 (the “Dividend Payment Date”) to the holders of record at the close of business on May 30, 2023 (the “Common Dividend Record Date”). New Sinclair will pay the Common Dividend on the Dividend Payment Date to common shareholders of New Sinclair who were holders of record of SBG Common Shares on the Dividend Record Date.

Stockholders’ Agreement
In connection with the Reorganization, David D. Smith, Dr. Frederick G. Smith, J. Duncan Smith and Robert E. Smith (the “
Controlling Stockholders
”) entered into a stockholders’ agreement with respect to New Sinclair (the “
New Sinclair Stockholders’ Agreement
”) that was the same in all material respects as the stockholders’ agreement among them with respect to SBG. Pursuant to the New Sinclair Stockholders’ Agreement, the Controlling Stockholders agreed to vote for each other as candidates for election to New Sinclair’s Board of Directors until December 31, 2025. The New Sinclair Stockholders’ Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
 
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
 
Exhibit
No.
  
Description
  2.1    Agreement of Share Exchange and Plan of Reorganization, dated as of April 3, 2023, by and among SBG, New Sinclair and Sinclair Holdings (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 2.1 to SBG’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed April 3, 2023).
  3.1    Articles of Amendment and Restatement of Sinclair, Inc., effective June 1, 2023.
  3.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws of Sinclair, Inc., effective June 1, 2023.
  3.3    Articles of Share Exchange
10.1    Omnibus Assignment, Assumption and Amendment Agreement, by and between SBG and New Sinclair, effective as of June 1, 2023.
99.1    Stockholders’ Agreement, dated as of June 1, 2023, by and among the Controlling Stockholders.
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL).

SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 
SINCLAIR, INC.
SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP, LLC
By:  
/s/ David R. Bochenek
Name:   David R. Bochenek
Title:   Senior Vice President / Chief Accounting Officer
Date:   June 1, 2023

Exhibit 3.1

SINCLAIR, INC.

ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT:

FIRST: Sinclair, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Corporation”), desires to amend and restate its Charter as currently in effect and as hereinafter amended.

SECOND: These Articles of Amendment and Restatement shall be effective as of 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time on June 1, 2023.

THIRD: The following provisions are all of the provisions of the Charter currently in effect and as hereinafter amended:

ARTICLE FIRST: Name. The name of the Corporation is:

Sinclair, Inc.

ARTICLE SECOND: Purpose. The purpose for which the Corporation is formed and the business or object to be carried on and promoted by it are as follows: to engage in any lawful business or other activity for which corporations may be organized under the laws of the State of Maryland, including to do anything permitted by Section 2-103 of the Maryland General Corporation Law.

ARTICLE THIRD: Capital Structure. The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation has authority to issue is six hundred and ninety million (690,000,000) shares, having an aggregate par value of six million nine hundred thousand dollars ($6,900,000.00), consisting of five hundred million (500,000,000) shares of Class A Common Stock with a par value of one cent ($.01) per share (the “Class A Common Stock”), one hundred and forty million (140,000,000) shares of Class B Common Stock with a par value of one cent ($.01) per share (the “Class B Common Stock”), and fifty million (50,000,000) shares of Preferred Stock with a par value of one cent ($.01) per share (the “Preferred Stock”). Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock are hereinafter collectively referred to as “Common Shares”.

ARTICLE FOURTH: Voting Rights.

(a) Holders of Class A Common Stock are entitled to one (1) vote per share of such stock held and, except as provided below, holders of Class B Common Stock are entitled to ten (10) votes per share of such stock held with respect to matters properly submitted for the vote of holders of Common Shares at any duly constituted meeting of stockholders. The holders of Common Shares will vote together as a single class on all matters properly presented to the stockholders for their vote unless otherwise required by law. The holders of the Common Shares are not entitled to cumulate votes in the election of any directors.


(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, holders of Class B Common Stock shall be entitled to one (1) vote per share with respect to: (i) any proposed “Rule 13e-3 transaction,” as that term is defined in Rule 13e-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, between the Corporation and any of David D. Smith, Frederick G. Smith, J. Duncan Smith and Robert E. Smith (the “Controlling Stockholders”), any Affiliate (as such term is defined below) of the Controlling Stockholders, or any group which the Controlling Stockholders are an Affiliate or which the Controlling Stockholders are a member; (ii) any disposition of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets; (iii) any sale or transfer or other disposition of assets which would cause a fundamental change in the nature of the Corporation’s business; and (iv) a merger or a consolidation of the Corporation subsequent to which the holders of the Common Shares will own less than 50% of the common stock of the Corporation following such transaction.

For the purpose of paragraph (b) above, an “Affiliate” is defined as: (i) any individual or entity that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under the common control of the Controlling Stockholders; (ii) any corporation or organization (other than the Corporation or a majority owned subsidiary of the Corporation) of which any of the Controlling Stockholders is an owner or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the beneficial owner of ten percent (10%) or more of any class of voting securities or in which any of the Controlling Stockholders has a substantial beneficial interest; (iii) a voting trust or similar arrangement pursuant to which any of the Controlling Stockholders serves as a trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; or (v) any relative or spouse of the Controlling Stockholders or any relative of such spouse provided such spouse has the same residence as the Controlling Stockholder.

ARTICLE FIFTH: Conversion of Class B Common Stock.

(a) In the event that the number of shares of the Corporation’s Common Shares held in the aggregate by Controlling Stockholders falls to below ten percent (10%) of the total number of Common Shares outstanding, each outstanding share of Class B Common Stock shall at that time be automatically converted to one (1) fully paid and non-assessable share of Class A Common Stock.

(b) Upon the sale or other transfer by a holder of Class B Common Stock to a person or entity other than a Permitted Transferee (as such term is defined below), such shares of Class B Common Stock shall be automatically converted into an equal number of shares of Class A Common Stock. Promptly upon such sale or other transfer, the holder of Class B Common Stock shall surrender the certificate or certificates therefor, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer, at the office of the Corporation or of any transfer agent for the Class A Common Stock, and shall give written notice to the Corporation at such office: (i) stating that the shares are being converted pursuant to this paragraph, (ii) identifying the number of shares of Class B Common Stock being converted, and (iii) setting out the name or names (with addresses) and denominations in which the certificate or certificates for Class A Common Stock shall be issued and shall include instructions for delivery thereof. Delivery of such notice together

 

2


with the certificates representing the Class B Common Stock shall obligate the Corporation or its transfer agent to issue and deliver at such stated address to such stated transferee a certificate or certificates for the number of Class A Common Stock to which such transferee is entitled, registered in the name of such transferee. In the event of a sale or other transfer of less than all of the Class B Common Stock evidenced by a certificate surrendered to the Corporation in the accordance with the above procedures, the Corporation shall execute and deliver to the transferor, without charge, a new certificate evidencing the number of shares of Class B Common Stock not sold or otherwise transferred.

For the purpose of paragraph (b) above, a “Permitted Transferee” is defined as:

 

  (i)

(A) any Controlling Stockholder; (B) the estate of a Controlling Stockholder; (C) the spouse or former spouse of a Controlling Stockholder; (D) any lineal descendent of a Controlling Stockholder, any spouse of such lineal descendent, a Controlling Stockholder’s grandparent, parent, brother or sister or a Controlling Stockholder’s spouse’s brother or sister; (E) any guardian or custodian (including a custodian for purposes of the Uniform Gift to Minors Act or Uniform Transfers to Minors Act) for, or any conservator or other legal representative of, one or more Permitted Transferees; or (F) any trust or savings or retirement account, including an individual retirement account for purposes of federal income tax laws, whether or not involving a trust, principally for the benefit of one or more Permitted Transferees, including any trust in respect of which a Permitted Transferee has any general or special testamentary power of appointment or general or special non-testamentary power of appointment which is limited to any other Permitted Transferee;

 

  (ii)

the Corporation;

 

  (iii)

any employee benefit plan or trust thereunder sponsored by the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries;

 

  (iv)

any trust principally for the benefit of one or more of the individuals, persons, firms or entities (“Persons”) referred to in (i) through (iii) above;

 

  (v)

any corporation, partnership, or other entity if all of the beneficial ownership is held by one or more of the Persons referred to in (i) through (iv) above;

 

  (vi)

any voting trust for the benefit of one or more of the Persons referred to in (i) through (iv) above; and

 

  (vii)

any broker or dealer in securities, clearing house, bank, trust company, savings and loan association or other financial institution which holds the Class B Common Stock for the benefit of a Controlling Stockholder or Permitted Transferee thereof.

 

3


(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, any holder of Class B Common Stock may pledge his shares of Class B Common Stock to a pledgee pursuant to a bona fide pledge of such shares as collateral security for indebtedness due to the pledgee without causing an automatic conversion of such shares into Class A Common Stock, provided that such shares may not be transferred to or registered in the name of the pledgee unless such pledgee is a Permitted Transferee. In the event of foreclosure or other similar action by a pledgee who is not a Permitted Transferee, such pledged shares of Class B Common Stock shall be converted automatically, without any act or deed on the part of the Corporation or any other person, into shares of Class A Common Stock as provided above.

(d) Each share of Class B Common Stock shall be convertible, at the option of its holder, into one fully paid and non-assessable share of Class A Common Stock at any time. In the event of such voluntary conversion, the procedures set forth in paragraph (a) above shall be followed.

(e) Shares of Class B Common Stock that are converted into shares of Class A Common Stock due to a sale, transfer, or voluntary conversion shall continue to be authorized shares of Class B Common Stock and available for reissue by the Corporation as determined by the Board of Directors.

(f) The Corporation hereby reserves and shall at all times reserve and keep available, out of its authorized and unissued Class A Common Stock, for the purpose of effecting the conversions provided for herein, a sufficient number of shares of Class A Common stock to effect the conversion of all Class B Common Stock. All of the Common Stock so issuable shall, when issued, be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and free from liens and charges with respect to the issue. The Corporation will take such action as may be necessary to ensure that all such Common Stock may be so issued without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of any stock exchange or market on which any of the Common Shares are listed or quoted.

(g) In any merger, consolidation, or business combination, the consideration to be received per share by the holders of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock must be identical for each class of stock, except that in any such transaction in which shares of common stock are to be distributed, such shares may differ as to voting rights to the extent that voting rights differ among Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock as provided herein.

ARTICLE SIXTH: Preferred Stock.

The Board of Directors shall have authority to classify and reclassify any of the unissued shares of Preferred Stock from time to time by setting or changing in any one or more respects the liquidation or dividend preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of the Preferred Stock; provided, however, that the Board of Directors shall not classify or reclassify any such shares into Common Shares, or into any class or series of

 

4


stock which has the same or lower liquidation priority as the Common Shares. Any and all shares issued and for which full consideration has been paid or delivered shall be deemed fully paid stock, and the holder thereof shall not be liable for any further payment thereon. Notwithstanding anything in these Articles to the contrary, as long as any of the Common Shares shall be listed and quoted on the NASDAQ National Market System, no Preferred Stock may be issued pursuant to the provisions of this Article SIXTH which would violate the applicable Voting Rights Policy of the NASDAQ National Market System, as the same may be amended from time to time.

ARTICLE SEVENTH: Other Stock Rights.

(a) Except as provided hereinabove, each of the Common Shares issued and outstanding shall be identical in all respects, and no dividends shall be paid on any of the Common Shares unless the same dividend is paid on all of the Common Shares at the time of such payment. Except for and subject to those special voting rights expressly granted herein to the holders of the Class B Common Stock, the holders of the Common Shares shall have exclusively all other rights of stockholders including, but not limited to, (i) the right to receive dividends, when and as declared by the Board of Directors out of assets lawfully available therefor, and (ii) in the event of any distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation or otherwise, the right to receive ratably all of the assets and funds of the Corporation remaining after the payment to the creditors of the Corporation.

(b) Stock Splits and Combinations. If the Corporation shall in any manner subdivide (by stock split, reclassification, stock dividend, recapitalization, or otherwise) or combine (by reverse stock split or otherwise) the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, then the outstanding shares of each other class of Common Shares shall be subdivided or combined, as the case may be, to the same extent, share and share alike.

(c) As long as any of the Common Shares shall be listed and quoted on the NASDAQ National Market, the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall ensure, and shall have all powers necessary to ensure, that the membership of the Board of Directors shall at all times include such number of “Independent Directors” (as such term is defined in Part III, Section 6(c) of Schedule D to the By-Laws of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. “NASD”), as the same may be amended from time to time) as shall be required by the By-Laws of the NASD for the Common Shares to be eligible for listing and quotation of the NASDAQ National Market. In the event that the Common Shares shall cease to be listed and quoted on the NASDAQ National Market, and subsequently are listed and quoted on an exchange or other trading system, the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall ensure, and shall have all powers necessary to ensure, that the membership of the Board of Directors shall at all times be consistent with the applicable rules and regulations, if any, for the Common Shares to be eligible for listing and quotation on such exchange or other trading system.

 

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(d) No holder of Common Shares or Preferred Shares shall be entitled to preemptive or subscription rights.

ARTICLE EIGHTH: Principal Office & Resident Agent. The post office address of the principal office of the Corporation in this State is 10706 Beaver Dam Road, Hunt Valley, MD 21030. The name and post office address of the resident agent of the Corporation in this State is The Corporation Trust Incorporated and its address is 2405 York Rd., Suite 201, Baltimore County, Lutherville Timonium, Maryland 21093-2264.

ARTICLE NINTH: Participation of Non-Citizens. The following provisions are included for the purpose of ensuring that control and management of the Corporation remains with citizens of the United States and/or corporations formed under the laws of the United States or any of the states of the United States, as required by the Communications Act of 1934, as the same may be amended from time to time:

(a) The Corporation shall not issue to (i) a person who is a citizen of a country other than the United States; (ii) any entity organized under the laws of a government other than the government of the United States or any state, territory, or possession of the United States; (iii) a government other than the government of the United States or of any state, territory, or possession of the United States; or (iv) a representative of, or an individual or entity controlled by, any of the foregoing (individually, an “Alien”; collectively, “Aliens”) any shares of capital stock of the Corporation if such issuance would result in the total number of shares of such capital stock held or voted by Aliens exceeding 25% of (i) the total number of all shares of such capital stock outstanding at any time and from time to time, or (ii) the total voting power of all shares of such capital stock outstanding and entitled to vote at any time and from time to time and shall not permit the transfer on the books of the Corporation of any capital stock to any Alien that would result in the total number of shares of such capital stock held or voted by Aliens exceeding such 25% limits as such limits greater or lesser than 25% may subsequently be imposed by statute or regulation.

(b) No Alien or Aliens, individually or collectively, shall be entitled to vote or direct or control the vote of more than 25% of (i) the total number of all shares of capital stock of the Corporation outstanding at any time and from time to time, or (ii) the total voting power of all shares of capital stock of the Corporation outstanding and entitled to vote at any time and from time to time as such limits greater or lesser than 25% may subsequently be imposed by statute or regulation.

(c) No Alien shall be qualified to act as an officer of the Corporation and no more than one-fourth of the total number of directors of the Corporation at any time may be Aliens except as may be permitted by law or regulation.

(d) The Board of Directors shall have all powers necessary to implement the provisions of this ARTICLE NINTH and to ensure compliance with the alien ownership restrictions (the “Alien Ownership Restrictions”) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as the same may be amended from time to time (collectively, the “Communications Act”), including, without limitation, the power to prohibit the transfer of any shares of capital stock of the Corporation to any Alien and to take or cause to be taken such action as it deems appropriate to implement such prohibition.

 

6


(e) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing and notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter to the contrary, any shares of capital stock of the Corporation determined by the Board of Directors to be owned beneficially by an Alien or Aliens shall always be subject to redemption by the Corporation by action of the Board of Directors, pursuant to Section 2-310 of the Maryland General Corporation Law, or any other applicable provision of law, to the extent necessary in the judgment of the Board of Directors to comply with the Alien Ownership Restrictions. The terms and conditions of such redemption shall be as follows:

 

  (i)

the redemption price of the shares to be redeemed pursuant to this ARTICLE NINTH shall be equal to the fair market value of the shares to be redeemed, as determined by reference to the closing price of such shares on the last business day before the date of redemption if the shares are traded on a national exchange or as determined by the Board of Directors in good faith if the shares are not then being traded on a national exchange;

 

  (ii)

the redemption price of such shares may be paid in cash, securities or any combination thereof;

 

  (iii)

if less than all the shares held by Aliens are to be redeemed, the shares to be redeemed shall be selected in any manner determined by the Board of Directors to be fair and equitable;

 

  (iv)

at least 10 days’ written notice of the redemption date shall be given to the record holders of the shares selected to be redeemed (unless waived in writing by any such holder), provided that the redemption date may be the date on which written notice shall be given to record holders if the cash or securities necessary to effect the redemption shall have been deposited in trust for the benefit of such record holders and subject to immediate withdrawal by them upon surrender of the stock certificates for their shares to be redeemed;

 

  (v)

from and after the redemption date, the shares to be redeemed shall cease to be regarded as outstanding and any and all rights of the holders in respect of the shares to be redeemed or attaching to such shares of whatever nature including, without limitation, any rights to vote or participate in dividends declared on stock of the same class or series as such shares) shall cease and terminate, and the holders thereof thenceforth shall be entitled only to receive the cash or securities payable upon redemption; and

 

  (vi)

such other terms and conditions as the Board of Directors shall determine.

 

7


For purposes of this ARTICLE NINTH, the determination of beneficial ownership of shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be made pursuant to Rule 13d-3, 17 C.F.R. ss. 240.13d-3, as amended from time to time, promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

ARTICLE TENTH: Directors.

(a) The number of directors of the Corporation which shall constitute the whole Board shall be not less than three (3) nor more than thirteen (13) directors. The exact number of directors shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors pursuant to a Resolution adopted by a majority of the entire Board of Directors. Directors shall hold office for a term of one (1) year or until the first annual meeting of stockholders following their election. Each director elected shall hold office until his successor shall be elected and shall qualify.

(b) Newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies in the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office, or other cause shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining directors, though less than a quorum, and the directors so chosen shall hold office for a term expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders at which the successors shall be elected and shall qualify.

(c) At any meeting of the stockholders called for the purpose, any director may, by a majority vote of all of the shares of stock outstanding and entitled to vote, be removed from office, but only for cause.

(d) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Charter to the contrary, the affirmative vote of stockholders holding a majority of the votes entitled to be cast for election of directors shall be required to amend or repeal or adopt any provision inconsistent with this ARTICLE TENTH.

ARTICLE ELEVENTH: Indemnification. The Corporation shall indemnify (a) its directors and officers, whether serving the Corporation or at the request of another entity, and advance expenses to a director or officer of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by and in accordance with Section 2-418 of the Maryland General Corporation Law, and (b) its other employees and agents to such extent as shall be authorized by the Board of Directors and permitted by law. No amendment of the Charter of the Corporation shall limit or eliminate the right to indemnification provided hereunder with respect to acts or omissions occurring prior to such amendment or repeal.

ARTICLE TWELFTH: Duration. The duration of the Corporation shall be perpetual.

 

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ARTICLE THIRTEENTH: Limitation of Director and Officer Liability. To the maximum extent that Maryland law in effect from time to time permits limitation of the liability of directors and officers of a corporation, no director or officer of the Corporation shall be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for money damages. Neither the amendment nor repeal of this ARTICLE THIRTEENTH, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the Charter or bylaws inconsistent with this ARTICLE THIRTEENTH, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding sentence with respect to any act or failure to act that occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption.

FOURTH: The amendment to and restatement of the Charter of the Corporation, as hereinabove set forth, has been duly advised by the Board of Directors and approved by the stockholders of the Corporation as required by law.

FIFTH: The address of the principal office of the Corporation is 10706 Beaver Dam Road, Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030.

SIXTH: The name and address of the Corporation’s current resident agent is as set forth in ARTICLE EIGHTH.

SEVENTH: The number of directors of the Corporation are as set forth in ARTICLE TENTH. The names of the nine (9) directors who currently hold office are David D. Smith, Frederick G. Smith, J. Duncan Smith, Robert E. Smith, Laurie R. Beyer, Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., Howard E. Friedman, Daniel C. Keith and Benson E. Legg.

EIGHTH: The undersigned President acknowledges these Articles of Amendment and Restatement to be the corporate act of the Corporation; and as to all matters or facts required to be verified under oath, the undersigned President acknowledges that, to the best of his knowledge, information, and belief, these matters and facts are true in all material respects, and that this statement is made under the penalties for perjury.

NINTH: Prior to this amendment the total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation had authority to issue was one hundred shares (100) of a single Class of Common Stock having a par value of one cent ($.01) per share for a total aggregate par value of one dollar ($1.00).

[Remainder of page intentionally blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused these Articles to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its President and Chief Executive Officer and attested to by its Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer on this 22nd day of May, 2023.

 

WITNESS/ATTEST:     SINCLAIR, INC.
  /s/ Lucy A. Rutishauser     By:   /s/ Christopher S. Ripley
  Name: Lucy A. Rutishauser     Name:   Christopher S. Ripley
  Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer     Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

Sinclair, Inc. Articles of Amendment and Restatement

Exhibit 3.2

AMENDED & RESTATED BY-LAWS

OF

SINCLAIR, INC.

(the “Corporation”)

Effective as of the 1st day of June, 2023

ARTICLE I

Stockholders

SECTION 1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation for the purpose of electing directors to succeed those whose terms shall have expired as of the date of such annual meeting, and for the transaction of such other corporate business as may come before the meeting, shall be held on the date and at the time fixed, from time to time, by the directors.

SECTION 2. Special Meetings.

(a) General. The chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Directors may call a special meeting of stockholders. Except as provided in Subsection (b)(4) of this Section 2, a special meeting of stockholders shall be held on the date and at the time and place set by the chairman of the board, chief executive officer, president or Board of Directors, by whoever has called the meeting. Subject to Subsection (b) of this Section 2, a special meeting of stockholders shall also be called by the secretary of the Corporation to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting. (the “Special Meeting Percentage”).

(b) Stockholder-Requested Special Meetings.

(1) Any stockholder of record seeking to have stockholders request a special meeting shall, by sending written notice to the secretary (the “Record Date Request Notice”) by registered mail, return receipt requested, request the Board of Directors to fix a record date (the “Request Record Date”) to determine the stockholders entitled to request a special meeting. The Record Date Request Notice shall set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at such meeting, shall be signed by one or more stockholders of record as of the date of signature (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the Record Date Request Notice), shall bear the date of signature of each such stockholder (or such agent) and shall set forth all information relating to each such stockholder and each matter proposed to be acted on at the meeting that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for


the election of directors, in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such a solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”). Upon receiving the Record Date Request Notice, the Board of Directors may fix a Request Record Date. The Request Record Date shall not precede and shall not be more than ten (10) days after the close of business on the date on which the resolution fixing the Request Record Date is adopted by the Board of Directors. If the Board of Directors, within ten days (10) after the date on which a valid Record Date Request Notice is received, fails to adopt a resolution fixing the Request Record Date, the Request Record Date shall be the close of business on the tenth (10th) day after the first (1st) date on which a Record Date Request Notice is received by the secretary.

(2) In order for any stockholder to request a special meeting to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders, one or more written requests for a special meeting (collectively, the “Special Meeting Request”) signed by stockholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the request) as of the Request Record Date entitled to cast equal votes to the Special Meeting Percentage shall be delivered to the secretary. In addition, the Special Meeting Request shall (a) set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it (which shall be limited to those lawful matters set forth in the Record Date Request Notice received by the secretary), (b) bear the date of signature of each such stockholder (or such agent) signing the Special Meeting Request, (c) set forth (i) the name and address, as they appear in the Corporation’s books, of each stockholder signing such request (or on whose behalf the Special Meeting Request is signed), (ii) the class, series and number of all shares of stock of the Corporation which are owned (beneficially or of record) by each such stockholder and (iii) the nominee holder for, and number of, shares of stock of the Corporation owned beneficially but not of record by such stockholder, (d) be sent to the secretary by registered mail, return receipt requested, and (e) be received by the secretary within sixty (60) days after the Request Record Date. Any requesting stockholder (or agent duly authorized in a writing accompanying the revocation of the Special Meeting Request) may revoke his/her or its request for a special meeting at any time by written revocation delivered to the secretary.

(3) The secretary shall inform the requesting stockholders of the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and mailing or delivering the notice of the meeting (including the Corporation’s proxy materials). The secretary shall not be required to call a special meeting upon stockholder request and such meeting shall not be held unless, in addition to the documents required by paragraph (2) of this Section 2(b), the secretary receives payment of such reasonably estimated cost prior to the preparation and mailing or delivery of such notice of the meeting.

(4) In the case of any special meeting called by the secretary upon the request of stockholders (a “Stockholder-Requested Meeting”), such meeting shall be held at such place, date and time as may be designated by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that the date of any Stockholder-Requested Meeting shall be not more than ninety (90) days after the record date for such meeting (the “Meeting Record Date”); and provided further that if the Board of Directors fails to designate, within ten (10) days after the date that a valid Special Meeting Request is actually received by the secretary (the “Delivery Date”), a date and time for a Stockholder- Requested Meeting, then such meeting shall be held at 2:00 p.m., local time, on the ninetieth (90th) day after

 

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the Meeting Record Date or, if such ninetieth (90th) day is not a Business Day (as defined below), on the first preceding Business Day; and provided further that in the event that the Board of Directors fails to designate a place for a Stockholder-Requested Meeting within ten (10) days after the Delivery Date, then such meeting shall be held at the principal executive office of the Corporation. In fixing a date for a Stockholder-Requested Meeting, the Board of Directors may consider such factors as it deems relevant, including, without limitation, the nature of the matters to be considered, the facts and circumstances surrounding any request for the meeting and any plan of the Board of Directors to call an annual meeting or a special meeting. In the case of any Stockholder-Requested Meeting, if the Board of Directors fails to fix a Meeting Record Date that is a date within thirty (30) days after the Delivery Date, then the close of business on the thirtieth (30th) day after the Delivery Date shall be the Meeting Record Date. The Board of Directors may revoke the notice of any Stockholder-Requested Meeting in the event that the requesting stockholders fail to comply with the provision of paragraph (3) of this Section 2(b).

(5) If the secretary receives written revocations of the Special Meeting Request and the result is the Special Meeting Percentage falls below the required number of stockholders of record as of the Request Record Date to request a special meeting then: (i) as long as the notice of meeting has not already been delivered, the secretary shall refrain from delivering the notice of the meeting and send to all requesting stockholders, who have not revoked such requests, written notice of any revocation of a request for a special meeting on the matter, or (ii) if notice of the meeting has been delivered and the secretary sends to all requesting stockholders, who have not revoked requests for a special meeting on the matter, written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting and written notice of the Corporation’s intention to revoke the notice of the meeting or for the chairman of the meeting to adjourn the meeting without action on the matter, then (A) the secretary may revoke the notice of the meeting at any time before ten (10) days before the commencement of the meeting or (B) the chairman of the meeting may call the meeting to order and adjourn the meeting without acting on the matter. Any request for a special meeting received after a revocation by the secretary of a notice of a meeting shall be considered a request for a new special meeting.

(6) The chairman of the board, chief executive officer, president or Board of Directors may appoint regionally or nationally recognized independent inspectors of elections to act as the agent of the Corporation for the purpose of promptly performing a ministerial review of the validity of any purported Special Meeting Request received by the secretary. For the purpose of permitting the inspections to perform such review, no such purported Special Meeting Request shall be deemed to have been delivered to the secretary until the earlier of (i) five (5) Business Days after receipt by the secretary of such purported request and (ii) such date as the independent inspectors certify to the Corporation that the valid requests received by the secretary represent, as of the Request Record Date, stockholders of record entitled to cast not less than the Special Meeting Percentage. Nothing contained in this paragraph (6) shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Corporation or any stockholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any request, whether during or after such five (5) Business Day period, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution or defense of any litigation with respect thereto, and the seeking of injunctive relief in such litigation).

 

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(7) For purposes of these By-Laws, “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of Maryland are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

SECTION 3. Place of Holding Meetings. All meetings of stockholders shall be held at the principal office of the Corporation or elsewhere, inside or outside of Maryland, as designated by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 4. Notice of Meetings; Waiver of Notice. Not less than ten (10) nor more than ninety (90) days before each stockholders’ meeting, the Secretary shall give written notice of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting and each other stockholder entitled to notice of the meeting. The notice shall state the time and place of the meeting and, if the meeting is a special meeting or notice of the purpose is required by statute, the purpose of the meeting. Notice is given to a stockholder when it is personally delivered to him/her, left at his/her residence or usual place of business, or mailed to him/her at his/her address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, each person who is entitled to notice waives notice if such person before or after the meeting signs a waiver of the notice which is filed with the records of stockholders meetings, or is present at the meeting in person or by proxy. Any meeting of stockholders, annual or special, may adjourn from time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place, and no notice need be given of any such adjourned meeting other than by announcement.

SECTION 5. Quorum; Voting.

(a) Unless statute or the Charter provides otherwise, at a meeting of stockholders the presence in person or by proxy of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting constitutes a quorum and a majority of all the votes cast at a meeting at which a quorum is present is sufficient to approve any matter which properly comes before the meeting. In the absence of a quorum, the stockholders present in person or by proxy, by majority of the votes present and entitled to be cast and without notice other than by announcement, may adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum shall attend. At any such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified. In the event that at any meeting a quorum exists for the transaction of some business but does not exist for the transaction of other business, the business as to which a quorum is present may be transacted by the holders of stock present in person or by proxy who are entitled to vote thereon.

(b) Shares registered in the name of another corporation, if entitled to vote, may be voted by the president or a vice-president of that corporation, or by a proxy appointed by the president or a vice-president of that corporation. Any fiduciary may vote shares registered in such fiduciary’s name, either in person or by proxy.

(c) Shares of stock of the Corporation owned either directly or indirectly by the Corporation shall not be voted unless held in a fiduciary capacity. The President or a Vice- President of the Corporation is authorized to vote any shares of another corporation held by the Corporation.

 

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SECTION 6. General Right to Vote; Proxies. Unless the Charter provides for a greater or lesser number of votes per share or limits or denies voting rights, each outstanding share of stock, regardless of class, is entitled to one (1) vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of stockholders. In all elections for directors, each share of stock may be voted for as many individuals as there are directors to be elected and for whose election the share is entitled to be voted, but in no event shall a single share be entitled to cast multiple votes for the same individual. A stockholder may vote the stock he/she owns of record either in person or by written proxy signed by the stockholder or by his/her duly authorized attorney in fact. Such proxy shall be filed with the Secretary of the Corporation before the meeting. Unless a proxy provides otherwise, it is not valid more than eleven (11) months after its date.

SECTION 7. List of Stockholders. At each meeting of stockholders, a full, true and complete list of all stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting, showing the number and class of shares held by each and certified by the transfer agent for such class or by the Secretary, shall be furnished by the Secretary.

SECTION 8. Conduct of Voting. At all meetings of stockholders, unless the voting is conducted by inspectors, the proxies and ballots shall be received, and all questions touching the qualification of voters and the validity of proxies and the acceptance or rejection of votes shall be decided by the chairman of the meeting. If demanded by stockholders, present in person or by proxy, entitled to cast ten per cent (10%) in number of votes entitled to be cast, or if ordered by the chairman, the vote upon any election or question shall be taken by ballot and, upon like demand or order, the voting shall be conducted by two inspectors, in which event the proxies and ballots shall be received, and all questions touching the qualification of voters and the validity of proxies and the acceptance or rejection of votes, shall be decided by such inspectors. Unless so demanded or ordered, no vote need be by ballot and voting need not be conducted by inspectors. The stockholders at any meeting may choose an inspector or inspectors to act at such meeting, and in default of such election the chairman of the meeting may appoint an inspector or inspectors. No candidate for election as a director at a meeting shall serve as an inspector thereat.

SECTION 9. Conduct of Stockholders Meetings. Every meeting of stockholders shall be conducted by an individual appointed by the Board of Directors to be chairman of the meeting or, in the absence of such appointment or appointed individual, by the chairman of the board or, in the case of a vacancy in the office or absence of the chairman of the board, by one of the following officers present at the meeting in the following order: the vice chairman of the board, if there is one, the chief executive officer, the president, the vice presidents in their order of rank and seniority, the secretary, or, in the absence of such officers, a chairman chosen by the stockholders by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by stockholders present in person or by proxy. The secretary, or, in the secretary’s absence, an assistant secretary, or, in the absence of both the secretary and assistant secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Directors or, in the absence of such appointment, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting shall act as secretary. In the event that the secretary presides at a meeting of stockholders, an assistant secretary, or, in the absence of all assistant secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Directors or

 

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the chairman of the meeting, shall record the minutes of the meeting. The order of business and all other matters of procedure at any meeting of stockholders shall be determined by the chairman of the meeting. The chairman of the meeting may prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and take such action as, in the discretion of the chairman and without any action by the stockholders, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, (a) restricting admission to the time set for the commencement of the meeting; (b) limiting attendance at the meeting to the stockholders of the record of the Corporation, their duly authorized proxies and such other individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (c) limiting participation at the meeting on any matter to stockholders of the record of the Corporation entitled to vote on such matter, their duly authorized proxies and other such individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (d) limiting the time allotted to questions or comments; (e) determining when and for how long the polls should be opened and when the polls should be closed; (f) maintaining order and security at the meeting; (g) removing any stockholder or any other individual who refuses to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as set forth by the chairman of the meeting; (h) concluding a meeting or recessing or adjourning the meeting to a later date and time and at a place announced at the meeting; and (i) complying with any state and local laws and regulations concerning safety and security. Unless otherwise determined by the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

SECTION 10. Advance Notice of Stockholder Nominees for Director and Other Stockholder Proposals.

(a) Annual Meetings of Stockholders. 

(1) Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of other business to be considered by the stockholder s may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (i) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (iii) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record both at the time of giving of notice by the stockholder as provided for in this Section 10(a) and at the time of the annual meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated or on any such other business, and who has complied with this Section 10(a).

(2) For any nomination or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 10, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the secretary of the Corporation and any such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for action by the stockholders. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall set forth all information required under this Section 10 and shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not earlier than the one hundred fiftieth (150th) day nor later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement (as defined in Section 10(c)(3) of this Article I) for the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than thirty (30) days from the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the one hundred fiftieth (150th) day

 

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prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the later of the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to the date of such annual meeting, as originally convened, or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. The public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of an annual meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

(3) Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth:

(i) as to each individual who the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director (each, a “Proposed Nominee”), all information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a director in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act;

(ii) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a description of such business, the stockholder’s reasons for proposing such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person (as defined below), individually or in the aggregate, including any anticipated benefit to the stockholder or the Stockholder Associated Person therefrom;

(iii) as to the stockholder giving the notice, any Proposed Nominee and any Stockholder Associated Person,

(A) the class, series, and number of all shares of stock or other securities of the Corporation (collectively, the “Company Securities”), if any, which are owned (beneficially or of record) by such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, the date on which each such Company Security was acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition, and any short interest (including any opportunity to profit or share in any benefit from any decrease in the price of such stock or other security) in any Company Securities of any such person,

(B) the nominee holder for, and number of, any Company Securities owned beneficially but not of record by such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, and

(C) whether and the extent to which such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, directly or indirectly (through brokers, nominees or otherwise), is subject to or during the last six (6) months has engaged in any hedging, derivative or other transaction or series of transactions or entered into any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short interest, any borrowing or lending of securities or any proxy or voting agreement), the effect or intent of which is to (I) manage risk or benefit of changes in the price of Company Securities for such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person or (II) increase or decrease the voting power of such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person in the Corporation disproportionately to such person’s economic interest in the Company Securities, and

 

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(D) any substantial interest, direct or indirect (including, without limitation, any existing or prospective commercial, business or contractual relationship with the Corporation), by security holdings or otherwise, of such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, in the Corporation or any affiliate thereof, other than an interest arising from the ownership of Company Securities where such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person receives no extra or special benefit not shared on a pro rata basis by all other holders of the same class or series.

(iv) as to the stockholder giving the notice, any Stockholder Associated Person with an interest of ownership referred to in clauses (ii) or (iii) of this paragraph (3) of this Section 10(a) and any Proposed Nominee:

(A) the name and address of such stockholder, as appearing on the Corporation’s stock ledger, and the current name and business address, if different, or each such Stockholder Associated Person and any Propose Nominee; and

(B) the investment strategy or objective, if any, of such stockholder and each such Stockholder Associated Person, who is not an individual, and a copy of the prospectus, offering memorandum or similar document, if any, provided to investors or potential investors in such stockholder and each such Stockholder Associated Person; and

(v) to the extent known by the stockholder giving the notice, the name and address of any other stockholder supporting the nominee for election or reelection as a director or the proposal of other business on the date of such stockholder’s notice.

(4) Such stockholder’s notice shall, with respect to any Proposed Nominee, be accompanied by a certificate executed by the Proposed Nominee: (i) certifying that such Proposed Nominee (a) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation in connection with service or action as a director that has not been disclosed to the Corporation, and (b) will serve as a director of the Corporation if elected; and (ii) attaching a completed Proposed Nominee questionnaire (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Corporation, upon request, to the stockholder providing the notice and shall include all information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a director in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, or would be required pursuant to the rules of any national securities exchange or over-the-counter market).

(5) Notwithstanding anything in this Subsection (a) of this Section 10 to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased, and there is no public announcement of such action at least one hundred thirty (130) days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement (as defined in Section 10(c)(3)

 

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of this Article I) for the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 10(a) shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the (10th) tenth day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

(6) For purposes of this Section 10, “Stockholder Associated Person” of any stockholder shall mean: (i) any person acting in concert with such stockholder; (ii) any beneficial owner of the share of stock of the Corporation owned of record or beneficially by such stockholder (other than a stockholder that is depositary); and (iii) any person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such stockholder or such Stockholder Associated Person.

(b) Special Meetings of Stockholders. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting. Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected only by or at the direction of the Board of Directors.

(c) General. 

(1) If information submitted pursuant to this Section 10 by any stockholder proposing a nominee for election as a director or any proposal for other business at a meeting of stockholders shall be inaccurate in any material respect, such information may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 10. Any such stockholder shall notify the Corporation of any inaccuracy or change (within two (2) Business Days of becoming aware of such inaccuracy or change) in any such information. Upon written request by the secretary or the Board of Directors, any such stockholder shall provide, within five (5) Business Days of delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request): (A) written verification, satisfactory, in the discretion of the Board of Directors or any authorized officer of the Corporation, to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 10; and (B) a written update of any information (including, if requested by the Corporation, written confirmation by such stockholder that it continues to intend to bring such nomination or other business proposal before the meeting) submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 10 as of an earlier date. If a stockholder fails to provide such written verification or written update within such period, the information as to which written verification or a written update was requested may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 10.

(2) Only such individuals who are nominated in accordance with this Section 10 shall be eligible for election by stockholders as directors, and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 10. The chairman of the meeting shall have the power to determine whether a nomination or any other business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with this Section 10.

 

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(3) For purposes of this Section 10, “the date of the proxy statement” shall have the same meaning as “the date of the company’s proxy statement released to shareholders” as used in Rule 14a-8(e) promulgated under the Exchange Act, as interpreted by the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. “Public announcement: shall mean disclosure (A) in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press, Business Wire, PR Newswire or other widely circulated news or wire service or (B) in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act.

(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 10, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of state law and of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 10. Nothing in this Section 10 shall be deemed to affect any right of a stockholder to request inclusion of a proposal in, or the right of the Corporation to omit a proposal from, the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act. Nothing in this Section 10 shall require disclosure of revocable proxies received by the stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person pursuant to a solicitation of proxies after the filing of an effective Schedule 14A by such stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person under Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act.

ARTICLE II

Board of Directors

SECTION 1. Function of Directors. The Corporation shall be managed under the direction of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may exercise all the powers of the Corporation, except those conferred on or reserved to the stockholders by statute or by the Charter or By-Laws.

SECTION 2. Number of Directors. The Corporation shall have at least three (3) directors at all times. The Corporation shall have the number of directors provided by a resolution passed by the Board of Directors. A majority of the entire Board of Directors may alter the number of directors not to exceed thirteen (13) directors, but the action may not affect the tenure of office of any director.

SECTION 3. Election and Tenure of Directors. The Directors shall hold office for a term of one (1) year or until the first annual meeting of stockholders following their election. Each director elected shall hold office until his/her successor shall be elected and shall qualify. Notwithstanding anything contained in these By-Laws to the contrary, the affirmative vote of stockholders holding a majority of the votes entitled to be cast for the election of Directors shall be required to amend or repeal or to adopt any provisions inconsistent with this Section 3.

SECTION 4. Removal of Director. At any meeting of the stockholders held for that purpose, any director may, by a majority vote of all votes entitled to be cast, be removed from office, but only for cause. Cause is defined as; (i) conviction of a crime effecting the Company’s reputation or which precludes the Director from performing his/her duties and responsibilities to the shareholders of the Corporation; (ii) a breach of fiduciary duty to the corporation and the shareholders; and (iii) repeated failure to exercise and/or undertake his/her duties as a Director.

 

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SECTION 5. Filling of Vacancies. In the case of any vacancy in the Board of Directors through (i) an increase in the size of the board of directors; or (ii) death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other cause, the remaining directors, by affirmative vote of the majority thereof, may elect a successor to hold office for the unexpired portion of the term of the director whose place shall be vacant, and until the election of his/her successor, or until he/she shall be removed, prior thereto, by an affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by stockholders.

Similarly and in the event of the number of directors being increased as provided in these By- Laws, the additional directors so provided for shall be elected by a majority of the entire Board of Directors already in office and shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders and thereafter until his/her or their successors shall be elected and duly qualified.

SECTION 6. Regular Meetings. After each meeting of stockholders at which a member of the Board of Directors shall have been elected, the Board of Directors so elected shall meet as soon as practicable for the purpose of organization and the transaction of other business; and in the event that no other time is designated by the stockholders, the Board of Directors shall meet within two (2) hours after the time for such stockholders’ meeting or immediately following the close of such meeting, whichever is later, on the day of such meeting. Such first regular meeting shall be held at any place in or out of the State of Maryland as may be designated by the stockholders, or in default of such designation at the place designated by the Board of Directors for such first regular meeting, or in default of such designation at the place of the holding of the immediately preceding meeting of stockholders. No notice of such first meeting shall be necessary if held as hereinabove provided. Any other regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held on such date and at any place in or out of the State of Maryland as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 7. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called at any time by the Chairman of the Board or the President or by a majority of the Board of Directors by vote at a meeting, or in writing with or without a meeting. A special meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held on such date and at any place in or out of the State of Maryland as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. In the absence of such designation such meeting shall be held at such place as may be designated in the call.

SECTION 8. Notice of Meeting. Except as provided in Article II, Section 6, the Secretary shall give notice to each director of each regular and special meeting of the Board of Directors. The notice shall state the time and place of the meeting. Notice is given to a director when it is delivered personally to him/her, left at his/her residence or usual place of business, or sent by telegraph, at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the meeting or, in the alternative by mail to his/her address as it shall appear on the records of the Corporation, at least seventy-two (72) hours before the time of the meeting. Unless the By-Laws or a resolution of the board of Directors provide otherwise, the notice need not state the business to be transacted at or the purposes of any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors. No notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors need be given to any director who attends, or to any director who, in writing

 

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executed and filed with the records of the meeting either before or after the holding thereof, waives such notice. Any meeting of the Board of Directors, regular or special, may adjourn from time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place, and no notice need be given of any such adjourned meeting other than by announcement.

SECTION 9. Action by Directors. Unless statute or the Charter or By-Laws require a greater proportion, the action of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present is action of the Board of Directors. A three-fifths (3/5) majority of the entire Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the absence of a quorum, the directors present by majority vote and without notice other than by announcement may adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum shall attend. At any such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified. Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Board of Directors or of a committee of the Board may be taken without a meeting, if an unanimous written consent which sets forth the action is signed by each member of the Board or committee and filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee.

SECTION 10. Meeting by Conference Telephone. Members of the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear and speak to each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means constitutes presence in person at a meeting.

SECTION 11. Compensation. By resolution of the Board of Directors a fixed sum and expenses, if any, for attendance at each regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors or of committees thereof, and other compensation for their services as such or on committees of the Board of Directors, may be paid to directors. A director who serves the Corporation in any other capacity also may receive compensation for such other services, pursuant to a resolution of the Directors.

SECTION 12. Liability of Directors. A director shall perform his/her duties as a director, including his/her duties as a member of any Committee of the Board upon which he/she may serve, in good faith, in a manner he/she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the Corporation, and with such care as an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. In performing his/her duties, a director shall be entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports, or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, in each case prepared or presented by:

(a) one or more officers or employees of the Corporation whom the director reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented;

(b) counsel, certified public accountants, or other persons as to matters which the director reasonably believes to be within such person’s professional or expert competence; or

(c) a Committee of the Board upon which he/she does not serve, duly designated in accordance with a provision of the Articles of Incorporation or the By-Laws, as to matters within its designated authority, which Committee the director reasonably believes to merit confidence.

 

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A director shall not be considered to be acting in good faith if he/she has knowledge concerning the matter in question that would cause such reliance described above to be unwarranted. A person, who performs his/her duties in compliance with this Section 12 shall have no liability by reason of being or having been a director of the Corporation.

ARTICLE III

Committees

The Board of Directors may appoint from among its members an Executive Committee and other committees composed of one (1) or more directors and delegate to these committees in the intervals between meetings of the Board of Directors any of the powers of the Board of Directors, except as may be required by Maryland Corporations and Association Article of the Maryland Annotated Code. Each committee may fix rules of procedure for its business. A majority of the members of a committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of those present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee. The members of a committee present at any meeting, whether or not they constitute a quorum, may appoint a director to act in place of an absent member. The members of a committee may conduct any meeting thereof by conference telephone or similar communications equipment in accordance with the provisions of Article II, Section 10. The Board of Directors has appointed an Executive Committee consisting of David D. Smith, Robert E. Smith, Frederick G. Smith, and J. Duncan Smith.

ARTICLE IV

Officers

SECTION 1. Executive Officers. The Corporation shall have a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. It may also have a Chairman of the Board (who may also be referred to as an Executive Chairman), who shall be a director of the Corporation, and one or more Vice-Presidents, one or more Assistant Vice-Presidents, one or more Assistant Secretaries and one or more Assistant Treasurers. A person may hold more than one office in the Corporation but may not serve concurrently as both President and Vice-President or both President and Secretary of the Corporation.

SECTION 2. Chairman of the Board/Executive Chairman. The Chairman of the Board (who may also be referred to as an Executive Chairman) if one be elected, shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the stockholders at which he/she shall be present. He shall have and may exercise such powers as are, from time to time, assigned to him/her by the Board of Directors.

 

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SECTION 3. Chief Executive Officer. The Board of Directors may elect a chief executive officer. The chief executive officer shall have the responsibility for implementing the policies of the Corporation, as determined by the Board of Directors, and for administering the business affairs of the Corporation.

SECTION 4. Chief Operating Officer. The Board of Directors may elect a chief operating officer. The chief operating officer will have the duties as set forth by the Board of Directors or by the chief executive officer.

SECTION 5. Chief Financial Officer. The Board of Directors may elect a chief financial officer. The chief financial officer will have duties as set forth by the Board of Directors or by the chief executive officer.

SECTION 6. President. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board, the President shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors at which he/she shall be present; under the direction of the chief executive officer, the president shall have general charge and supervision of the assets and affairs of the Corporation; he/she may sign and execute, in the name of the Corporation, all authorized deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts or other instruments, except in cases in which the signing and execution thereof shall have been expressly delegated to some other officer or agent of the Corporation; and, in general, he/she shall perform all duties incident to the office of a president of a corporation, and such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him/her by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 7. Vice-Presidents. A Vice-President or Vice-Presidents, at the request of the President or in his/her absence or during his/her inability to act, shall perform the duties and exercise the functions of the President, and when so acting shall have the powers of the President. If there be more than one Vice-President, the Board of Directors may determine which one or more of the Vice-Presidents shall perform any of such duties or exercise any of such functions, or if such determination is not made by the Board of Directors, the President may make such determination; otherwise, the most senior (in terms of years of service with the Corporation) of the Vice-Presidents may perform any of such duties or exercise any of such functions. The Vice-President or Vice- Presidents shall have such other powers and perform such other duties, and have such additional descriptive designations in their titles (if any), as may be assigned by the Board of Directors or the President.

SECTION 8. Secretary. The Secretary, or his or her designee, shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the stockholders, of the Board of Directors and of any committees, in books provided for the purpose; he/she shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of the By-Laws or as required by law; he/she shall be custodian of the records of the Corporation; he/she shall witness all documents on behalf of the Corporation, the execution of which is duly authorized, see that the corporate seal is affixed where such document is required to be under its seal, and, when so affixed, may attest the same; and, in general, he/she shall perform all duties incident to the office of a secretary of a corporation, and such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him/her by the Board of Directors or the President.

 

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SECTION 9. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have charge of and be responsible for all funds, securities, receipts and disbursements of the Corporation, and shall deposit, or cause to be deposited, in the name of the Corporation, all moneys or other valuable effects in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as shall, from time to time, be selected by the Board of Directors; he/she shall render to the President and to the Board of Directors, whenever requested, an account of the financial condition of the Corporation; and, in general, he/she shall perform all the duties incident to the office of a treasurer of a corporation, and such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him/her by the Board of Directors or the President.

SECTION 10. Assistant Officers. The Assistant Vice-Presidents shall have such duties as may from time to time be assigned to them by the Board of Directors or the President. The Assistant Secretaries shall have such duties as may from time to time be assigned to them by the Board of Directors or the Secretary. The Assistant Treasurers shall have such duties as may from time to time be assigned to them by the Board of Directors or the Treasurer.

SECTION 11. Subordinate Officers. The Corporation may have such subordinate officers as the Board of Directors may from time to time deem desirable. Each such officer shall hold office for such period and perform such duties as the Board of Directors, the President or the committee or officer designated pursuant to Article IV, Section 10 may prescribe.

SECTION 12. Compensation. The Board of Directors shall have power to fix the salaries and other compensation and remuneration, of whatever kind, of all officers of the Corporation. It may authorize any committee or officer, upon whom the power of appointing subordinate officers may have been conferred, to fix the salaries, compensation and remuneration of such subordinate officers.

SECTION 13. Election, Tenure and Removal of Officers. The Board of Directors shall elect the officers. The Board of Directors may from time to time authorize any committee or officer to appoint subordinate officers. Unless otherwise specified in an employment agreement with such officer, an officer serves for one (1) year, or for such longer term as the Board of Directors or its designee may fix, and until his/her successor is elected and qualifies. The Board of Directors may remove any officer or agent of the Corporation, subject to the terms of any employment agreement with such officer (if applicable). The removal of an officer or agent from such position does not prejudice any of such person’s contract rights. The Board of Directors (or any committee or officer authorized by the Board of Directors) may fill a vacancy which occurs in any office for the unexpired portion of the term of that office, or for any shorter period if such unexpired term is greater than one (1) year.

ARTICLE V

Stock

SECTION 1. Stock Certificates; Uncertificated Shares. The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of its stock shall be uncertificated shares, provided that such uncertificated shares are consistent with law and with the Charter. Every holder

 

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of stock of the Corporation represented by certificates shall be entitled to have a certificate representing the number of shares held by such holder registered in certificate form. Each stock certificate shall include on its face the name of the Corporation, the name of the stockholder and the class of stock and number of shares represented by the certificate and be in such form, consistent with law and with the Charter, as shall be approved by the Board of Directors. Each stock certificate shall be signed by the President, a Vice President, or the Chairman of the Board and countersigned by the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer, or an Assistant Treasurer. Each certificate may be sealed with the actual corporate seal or a facsimile of it or in any other form and the signatures may be either manual or facsimile signatures. A certificate is valid and may be issued whether or not an officer who signed it is still an officer when it is issued.

If the Corporation is authorized to issue more than one class of stock, the designations and any preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, and terms and conditions of redemption of the stock of each class which the Corporation is authorized to issue, shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or back of each certificate representing shares of such class. In lieu of a full statement or summary of the foregoing requirements, the certificate may state that the Corporation will furnish a full statement of the required information to any stockholder on request and without charge.

Each certificate for shares of stock which are subject to any restriction on transfer shall contain a full statement of the restriction or state that the Corporation will furnish information about the restriction to the stockholder on request and without charge. The fact that a stock certificate does not contain or refer to a restriction on transferability that is adopted after the date of issuance of the stock certificate does not mean that the restriction is invalid or unenforceable.

At the time of issue or transfer of uncertificated stock, the Corporation shall send to the registered owner thereof a written notice containing the information required to be set forth or stated on certificates pursuant to Section 2-211 of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

SECTION 2. Transfers. The Board of Directors shall have power and authority to make such rules and regulations as it may deem expedient concerning the issue, transfer and registration of certificates of stock; and may appoint transfer agents and registrars thereof. The duties of transfer agent and registrar may be combined.

SECTION 3. Record Date and Closing of Transfer Books. The Board of Directors may set a record date or direct that the stock transfer books be closed for a stated period for the purpose of making any proper determination with respect to stockholders, including which stockholders are entitled to notice of a meeting, vote at a meeting, receive a dividend, or be allotted other rights. The record date may not be more than ninety (90) days before the date on which the action requiring the determination will be taken; the transfer books may not be closed for a period longer than twenty (20) days; and, in the case of a meeting of stockholders, the record date of the closing of the transfer books shall be at least ten (10) days before the date of the meeting.

 

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SECTION 4. Stock Ledger. The Corporation shall maintain a stock ledger which contains the name and address of each stockholder and the number of shares of stock of each class which the stockholder holds. The stock ledger may be in written form or in any other form which can be converted within a reasonable time into written form for visual inspection. The original or a duplicate of the stock ledger shall be kept at the offices of a transfer agent for the particular class of stock, within or without the State of Maryland, or, if none, at the principal office or the principal executive offices of the Corporation in the State of Maryland.

SECTION 5. Lost Stock Certificates. The Board of Directors of the Corporation may determine the conditions for issuing a new stock certificate in place of one which is alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, or the Board of Directors may delegate such power to any officer or officers of the Corporation. In its discretion, the Board of Directors or such officer or officers may refuse to issue such new certificate save upon the order of some court having jurisdiction in the premises.

ARTICLE VI

Finance

SECTION 1. Checks, Drafts, Etc. All checks, drafts and orders for the payment of money, notes and other evidences of indebtedness, issued in the name of the Corporation, shall, unless otherwise provided by resolution of the Board of Directors, be signed by the President, a Vice- President or an Assistant Vice-President and countersigned by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary.

SECTION 2. Annual Statement of Affairs. There shall be prepared annually a full and correct statement of the affairs of the Corporation, to include a balance sheet and a financial statement of operations for the preceding fiscal year. The statement of affairs shall be submitted at the annual meeting of the stockholders and, within twenty (20) days after the meeting, placed on file at the Corporation’s principal office. Such statement shall be prepared or caused to be prepared by such executive officer of the Corporation as may be designated in an additional or supplementary by-law adopted by the Board of Directors. If no other executive officer is so designated, it shall be the duty of the President to prepare or cause to be prepared such statement.

SECTION 3. Fiscal Year. The Board of Directors shall have the power, from time to time, to fix the fiscal year of the Corporation by a duly adopted resolution. In the absence of any such resolution, the fiscal year of the Corporation shall end on the last day of December in each year.

ARTICLE VII

Sundry Provisions

SECTION 1. Books and Records. The Corporation shall keep correct and complete books and records of its accounts and transactions and minutes of the proceedings of its stockholders and Board of Directors and of any executive or other committee when exercising any of the powers of the Board of Directors. The books and records of the Corporation may be in written form or in any other form which can be converted within a reasonable time into written form for visual inspection. Minutes shall be recorded in written form but may be maintained in the form of a reproduction.

 

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SECTION 2. Corporate Seal. The Board of Directors shall provide a suitable seal, bearing the name of the Corporation, which shall be in the charge of the Secretary. The Board of Directors may authorize one or more duplicate seals and provide for the custody thereof.

SECTION 3. Bonds. The Board of Directors may require any officer, agent or employee of the Corporation to give a bond to the Corporation, conditioned upon the faithful discharge of his/her duties, with one or more sureties and in such amount as may be satisfactory to the Board of Directors.

SECTION 4. Voting Upon Shares in Other Corporations. Stock of other corporations or associations, registered in the name of the Corporation, may be voted by the President, a Vice- President, or a proxy appointed by either of them. The Board of Directors, however, may by resolution appoint some other person to vote such shares, in which case such person shall be entitled to vote such shares upon the production of a certified copy of such resolution.

SECTION 5. Mail. Any notice or other document which is required by these By-Laws to be mailed shall be deposited in the United States mails, postage prepaid.

SECTION 6. Execution of Documents. A person who holds more than one office in the Corporation may not act in more than one capacity to execute, acknowledge, or verify an instrument required by law to be executed, acknowledged, or verified by more than one officer.

SECTION 7. Amendment of By-Laws. Except as otherwise herein provided, the Board of Directors shall have the power and authority to amend, alter or repeal these By-Laws or any provision thereof, and may from time to time make additional By-Laws without the approval or consent of the stockholders, but subject to the limitation that any modification to the By-Laws made by the directors shall be subject to repeal by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast at any duly constituted meeting of stockholders. The stockholders shall also have the power to adopt, alter, or repeal any By-Laws of the Corporation and to make new By-Laws by the affirmative vote of a majority of votes entitled to be cast at any duly constituted meeting of stockholders.

ARTICLE VIII

Indemnification

SECTION 1. Definitions. As used in this Article VIII, any word or words that are defined in Section 2-418 of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, as amended from time to time, (the “Indemnification Section”) shall have the same meaning as provided in the Indemnification Section.

 

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SECTION 2. Indemnification. The Corporation shall indemnity and advance expenses to a director or officer of the Corporation in connection with a proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by and in accordance with the Indemnification Section. With respect to other employees or agents of the Corporation, the Corporation may, as determined in the discretion of the Board of Directors, indemnify and advance expenses to such employees or agents in connection with a proceeding to the extent permitted by and in accordance with the Indemnification Section.

SECTION 3. Immediate Vesting. The rights to indemnification and advance of expenses provided by the charter of the Corporation and these By-laws shall vest immediately upon election of a director or officer.

ARTICLE IX

Exclusive Forum Selection

SECTION 1. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Maryland Corporations and Association Article of the Maryland Annotated Code, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be a state or federal court located within the State of Maryland, in all cases subject to the court’s having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Section 1.

 

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Exhibit 3.3

ARTICLES OF SHARE EXCHANGE

between

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.

(a Maryland corporation)

and

Sinclair, Inc.

(a Maryland corporation)

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT:

FIRST: The share exchange described in these Articles of Share Exchange (the “Share Exchange”) shall become effective at 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time on June 1, 2023 (the “Effective Time”).

SECOND: The parties to the Share Exchange are Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“SBG”), and Sinclair, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“New Sinclair”). New Sinclair agrees to acquire the stock of SBG, and SBG agrees to have its stock acquired, in a share exchange. New Sinclair will be the successor corporation in the Share Exchange. Each of SBG and New Sinclair has its principal office in Baltimore County, Maryland.

THIRD: The terms and conditions of the transaction set forth in these Articles of Share Exchange were advised, authorized and approved by each of SBG and New Sinclair in the manner required by its charter and the laws of the place where it is organized, which is the State of Maryland. The manner of such approval was as follows:

(a) At a meeting held on February 21, 2023, the board of directors of SBG adopted a resolution declaring the Share Exchange to be advisable on substantially the terms and conditions set forth in the resolution and directed that the Share Exchange be submitted for consideration at a special meeting of the shareholders of SBG, pursuant to Section 3-105(b) of the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”). Such special meeting of the shareholders of SBG was held on May 24, 2023. At such special meeting of the shareholders of SBG, the Share Exchange was approved by the affirmative vote of more than two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, pursuant to Section 3-105(e) of the MGCL.

(b) At a meeting held on February 21, 2023, the board of directors of New Sinclair approved the Share Exchange, pursuant to Section 3-105(a)(3) of the MGCL. No approval of the shareholders of New Sinclair was required under applicable law or New Sinclair’s charter.


FOURTH: SBG is the corporation the shares of which are to be acquired in the Share Exchange. The total number of shares of stock of all classes that SBG has the authority to issue is six hundred ninety million (690,000,000) shares, consisting of five hundred million (500,000,000) authorized shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (“SBG Class A Common Stock”), one hundred forty million (140,000,000) authorized shares of Class B Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (“SBG Class B Common Stock”), and fifty million (50,000,000) authorized shares of preferred stock, par value $.01 per share. The aggregate par value of all the authorized shares of all classes is six million nine hundred thousand dollars ($6,900,000).

FIFTH: The manner and basis of exchanging the stock to be acquired shall be as follows. At the Effective Time:

 

  (a)

Each outstanding share or fraction of a share of SBG Class A Common Stock shall, without any further action on the part of the holder thereof, automatically and by operation of law be exchanged for a share or fraction of a share of New Sinclair’s Class A common stock, par value $.01 per share, on a one-for-one basis.

 

  (b)

Each outstanding share or fraction of a share of SBG Class B Common Stock shall, without any further action on the part of the holder thereof, automatically and by operation of law be exchanged for a share or fraction of a share of New Sinclair’s Class B common stock, par value $.01 per share, on a one-for-one basis.

 

  (c)

New Sinclair shall, without any further action on its part, automatically and by operation of law acquire and become the owner for all purposes of all of the shares of SBG Class A Common Stock and SBG Class B Common Stock that were issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time.

 

  (d)

The one hundred (100) shares of stock of New Sinclair that were issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be cancelled for no consideration and shall cease to be issued or outstanding.

SIXTH: At the Effective Time, New Sinclair, as the successor in the Share Exchange, shall have nine directors, who shall be the following persons: David D. Smith, Frederick G. Smith, J. Duncan Smith, Robert E. Smith, Laurie R. Beyer, Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., Howard E. Friedman, Daniel C. Keith and Benson E. Legg.

[Signature page follows.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have signed these Articles of Share Exchange on this 25th day of May, 2023.

 

ATTEST:     Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
/s/ Lucy Rutishauser     /s/ Christopher S. Ripley
Name: Lucy Rutishauser     Name: Christopher S. Ripley

Title:  Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

    Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
ATTEST:     Sinclair, Inc.
/s/ Lucy Rutishauser     /s/ Christopher S. Ripley
Name: Lucy Rutishauser     Name: Christopher S. Ripley
Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer     Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

Articles of Share Exchange


THE UNDERSIGNED officer of Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. hereby acknowledges in the name and on behalf of said corporation the foregoing Articles of Share Exchange to be the act of said corporation and hereby certifies that to the best of her knowledge, information and belief the matters and facts set forth therein with respect to the authorization and approval thereof are true in all material respects under penalties of perjury.

 

/s/ Lucy Rutishauser
Lucy Rutishauser, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

THE UNDERSIGNED officer of Sinclair, Inc. hereby acknowledges in the name and on behalf of said corporation the foregoing Articles of Share Exchange to be the act of said corporation and hereby certifies that to the best of her knowledge, information and belief the matters and facts set forth therein with respect to the authorization and approval thereof are true in all material respects under penalties of perjury.

 

/s/ Lucy Rutishauser
Lucy Rutishauser, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

Articles of Share Exchange – Certification

Exhibit 10.1

OMNIBUS ASSIGNMENT, ASSUMPTION AND AMENDMENT AGREEMENT

This OMNIBUS ASSIGNMENT, ASSUMPTION AND AMENDMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made by and between Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“Assignor”), and Sinclair, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“Assignee”), effective as of the Share Exchange Effective Time (as defined in the Reorganization Agreement (as defined below)).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Agreement of Share Exchange and Plan of Reorganization, dated as of April 3, 2023 (the “Reorganization Agreement”), by and among Assignor, Assignee and Sinclair Holdings, LLC, a Maryland limited liability company, each outstanding share of Assignor’s common stock shall be exchanged automatically on a one-for-one basis with an equivalent share of Assignee’s common stock of the same class and with the same rights and privileges relative to Assignee that such share had relative to Assignor prior to the exchange, and Assignee shall become the publicly-traded parent of Assignor (the “Reorganization”);

WHEREAS, in connection with the Reorganization, Assignor has agreed to assign (including sponsorship of) to Assignee, and Assignee has agreed to assume (including sponsorship of) from Assignor and modify as necessary, all of the agreements, plans, policies and other commitments listed in Section 1 below;

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Assignor (“Assignor Board”) has determined that it is in the best interest of Assignor for Assignor to enter into this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Assignee (“Assignee Board”) has determined that it is in the best interest of Assignee for Assignee to enter into this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants and agreements set forth herein, the receipt and sufficiency of which are acknowledged by the parties hereto, the parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

1. Assignment. Assignor hereby assigns to Assignee all of its rights and obligations under the following (collectively, the “Assumed Obligations”):

(a) the equity and benefit plans, policies, agreements and commitments listed on Exhibit A attached hereto;

(b) any other plans, policies, agreements and commitments of Assignor in effect as of immediately before the Share Exchange Effective Time with respect to the issuance of capital shares of Assignor, as compensation or otherwise, to employees, directors or other persons; and

(c) in accordance with Section 1.5 of the Reorganization Agreement and for the avoidance of doubt, all of Assignor’s obligations with respect to any dividends or other distributions to Assignor’s shareholders that have been declared by Assignor but not paid prior to the Share Exchange Effective Time.

For the avoidance of doubt, all awards and award agreements under the 2022 Plan, the 1998 ESPP, the 1996 LTIP and the Formula Plan shall be assigned to Assignee on the same terms and conditions (including any applicable vesting schedule and exercise price per share) as applied to such awards and award agreements immediately prior to the Reorganization, except to the extent such terms and conditions are rendered inoperative by the Reorganization in accordance with the terms of the applicable award or award agreement.


2. Assumption.

(a) Effective as of the Share Exchange Effective Time, Assignee hereby assumes all of the rights and obligations of Assignor under the Assumed Obligations, and agrees to abide by and perform all terms, covenants and conditions of Assignor under the Assumed Obligations.

(b) Assignor’s role as plan sponsor of the Assumed Obligations is terminated effective as of immediately prior to the Share Exchange Effective Time, and Assignee is designated as plan sponsor of the Assumed Obligations effective as of the Share Exchange Effective Time.

(c) Assignee hereby makes, with respect to the Deferred Compensation Plan Trust and the 401(k) Plan Trust, the same representations and warranties that Assignor made in executing the Deferred Compensation Plan Trust Agreement and the 401(k) Plan Trust Agreement, as applicable.

(d) In consideration of the assumption by Assignee of all of the rights and obligations of Assignor under the Assumed Obligations, Assignor agrees to pay: (i) all expenses incurred by Assignee in connection with the assumption of the Assumed Obligations; and (ii) all expenses incurred by Assignee in connection with the registration on Form S-8 of the common shares of Assignee, including, without limitation, registration fees imposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”).

3. Amendments. Effective as of the Share Exchange Effective Time, the Assignor Board approved certain amendments and/or restatements of certain Assumed Obligations. Except to the extent inconsistent with such amendments and/or restatements, from and after the Share Exchange Effective Time, all documentation pertaining to the Assumed Obligations shall deemed amended as necessary to provide that references to Assignor in such agreements shall be read to refer to Assignee. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each of the Assumed Obligations shall be deemed amended as follows:

(a) All references to the “Company,” “Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.,” “Sinclair,” “SBG” or “SBGI” shall mean and refer to Assignee or any successor thereto.

(b) All references to the “Board” or “Board of Directors” shall mean and refer to the Board of Directors of Assignee or any successor thereto, and all references to “director” shall mean and refer to any member of the Board of Directors of Assignee or any successor thereto.

(c) All references to the “Committee” or “Compensation Committee” shall mean and refer to the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Assignee or any successor thereto.

(d) All references to any shares of capital stock, or to any class or series of capital stock, of Assignor shall mean and refer to the equivalent shares of capital stock, or the equivalent class or series of capital stock, as applicable, of Assignee.

In addition, to the extent applicable, the Assumed Obligations shall be deemed amended to add Assignor as a participating employer. For purposes hereunder, the Assumed Obligations refers to the Assumed Obligations as amended and/or restated by the Assignor Board or as so herein amended, restated and updated, as applicable.

4. Settlor, Administrative and Fiduciary Duties. From and after the Share Exchange Effective Time, (a) the Assignee shall have all settlor powers with respect to the Deferred Compensation Plan, the Employee Benefit Plan, the 401(k) Plan and the Health Plan and (b) the Assignee or its designee(s) shall be responsible for all administrative and fiduciary duties with respect to the Deferred Compensation Plan, the Employee Benefit Plan, the 401(k) Plan and the Health Plan.

 

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5. Further Assurances. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the parties hereto shall take all reasonable and lawful action as may be necessary or appropriate to cause the intent of this Agreement to be carried out, including, without limitation, and in their discretion, entering into amendments to the Assumed Obligations, notifying the other parties thereto of such assignment and assumption and submitting any required filings with the Commission in connection with same.

6. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon Assignor and Assignee, and their respective successors and assigns. The terms and conditions of this Agreement shall survive the consummation of the Reorganization.

7. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland, without giving effect to conflicts of laws principles.

8. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the Reorganization Agreement, constitute the entire agreement and supersede all other agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may not be modified or amended except by a writing executed by the parties hereto.

9. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are severable, and in the event any provision hereof is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not in any way affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof.

10. Third Party Beneficiaries. Except as amended by this Agreement or by any amendment and/or restatement expressly approved by the Assignor Board in connection with the Reorganization, all of the Assumed Obligations shall remain in full force and effect. Further, participants in the Assumed Obligations are intended to be third party beneficiaries to this Agreement.

11. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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This Agreement is signed and effective as of the Share Exchange Effective Time.

 

ASSIGNOR:     ASSIGNEE:
SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP, INC.,     SINCLAIR, INC.,
a Maryland corporation     a Maryland corporation
By:   /s/ Christopher S. Ripley     By:   /s/ Christopher S. Ripley
Name:   Christopher S. Ripley     Name:   Christopher S. Ripley
Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer     Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer


EXHIBIT A

ASSUMED OBLIGATIONS

 

1.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. 2022 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan”), together with all awards and award agreements thereunder and any other obligations to issue securities in connection therewith

 

2.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. 1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended and restated on November 3, 2020 (the “1998 ESPP”), together with all options and election forms thereunder and any other obligations to issue securities in connection therewith

 

3.

1996 Long-Term Incentive Plan of Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., as amended by the following amendments (collectively, the “1996 LTIP”), together with all awards and award agreements thereunder and any other obligations to issue securities in connection therewith:

 

  a.

Amendment to the 1996 Long 1996 Long-Term Incentive Plan of Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., effective as of February 1, 1998

 

  b.

Amendment to the 1996 Long-Term Incentive Plan of Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., effective as of January 1, 2005

 

4.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. Executive Performance Formula and Incentive Plan (the “Formula Plan”), together with any obligations to issue securities in connection therewith

 

5.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. Amended and Restated Post-2004 Executive Deferred Compensation Plan II, as amended by the following amendments (collectively, the “Deferred Compensation Plan”), together with all title in, and interest to, the related trust thereunder (the “Deferred Compensation Plan Trust”) pursuant to the Trust Agreement, dated as of November 27, 2013 (the “Deferred Compensation Trust Agreement”), between Assignee and Reliance Trust Company:

 

  a.

Amendment No. 1 to Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. Amended and Restated Post-2004 Executive Deferred Compensation Plan II, effective as of October 1, 2014

 

  b.

Amendment No. 2 to Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. Amended and Restated Post-2004 Executive Deferred Compensation Plan II, effective as of August 30, 2017

 

6.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. & Its Subsidiaries Employee Benefit Plan, as amended and restated on January 1, 2013, as further amended by the following amendments (collectively, the “Employee Benefit Plan”):

 

  a.

Amendment No. 1 to Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. & Its Subsidiaries Employee Benefit Plan, executed on February 25, 2014

 

  b.

Amendment No. 2 to Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. & Its Subsidiaries Employee Benefit Plan, executed on July 11, 2014

 

  c.

Amendment No. 3 to Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. & Its Subsidiaries Employee Benefit Plan, executed on January 1, 2015

 

  d.

Amendment No. 4 to Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. & Its Subsidiaries Employee Benefit Plan, executed on July 28, 2018

 

A-1


  e.

Amendment No. 5 to Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. & Its Subsidiaries Employee Benefit Plan, executed on January 2, 2019

 

  f.

Amendment No. 6 to Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. & Its Subsidiaries Employee Benefit Plan, executed on November 26, 2020

 

  g.

Amendment No. 7 to Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. & Its Subsidiaries Employee Benefit Plan, executed on June 20, 2021

 

7.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan (the “401(k) Plan”), together with all title in, and interest to, the related trust thereunder (the “401(k) Plan Trust”) pursuant to the Trust Agreement with Great-West Trust Company, LLC, effective as of May 3, 2022 (the “401(k) Plan Trust Agreement”), and any obligations to issue securities in connection with the stock fund of the 401(k) Plan

 

8.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Employee Health Plan (the “Health Plan”)

 

9.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. Employees’ Short Term Disability Plan for All Full-Time Employees

 

10.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. Long-Term Disability Insurance

 

11.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, and Dependent Life Insurance

 

A-2

Exhibit 99.1

SINCLAIR, INC.

STOCKHOLDERS’ AGREEMENT

THIS STOCKHOLDERS’ AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made this 1st day of June 2023, by and among David D. Smith (“David”), Frederick G. Smith (“Fred”), the Frederick G. Smith, Inter Vivos Declaration of Trust (the “FGS Trust”), J. Duncan Smith (“Duncan”), and Robert E. Smith (“Rob”). David, Fred, and Duncan, are all residents of the State of Maryland, Rob is a resident of the State of Montana (together with David, Fred, and Duncan referred to as the “Smith Brothers”), and the FGS Trust is domiciled in the State of Maryland (together with the Smith Brothers, collectively the “Stockholders”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Smith Brothers entered into that certain Stockholders’ Agreement dated April 2, 2015 (the “Old Agreement”), pursuant to which each the Smith Brothers covenanted and agreed to take all actions necessary to vote all shares (owned or held of record by the Smith Brothers) of capital stock of Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“SBG”), at any annual or special meeting at which directors are elected to cause the election of each of the other Smith Brothers as a director of SBG or to take all actions by written consent (in lieu of any such meeting) necessary to cause the election of each of the other Smith Brothers as a director of SBG;

WHEREAS, effective as of April 3, 2023, SBG entered into an Agreement of Share Exchange and Plan of Reorganization with Sinclair, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and Sinclair Holdings, LLC, a Maryland limited liability company (the “Reorganization Agreement”). Pursuant to the Reorganization Agreement, effective as of 12:00 a.m. on the date of this Agreement (the “Share Exchange Effective Time”), each outstanding share of SBG’s capital stock was exchanged for an equivalent share of capital stock of the Company, and SBG became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Share Exchange”);

WHEREAS, the Old Agreement terminated pursuant to its terms at the Share Exchange Effective Time, because, as a result of the Share Exchange, SBG ceased being “nationally traded” (as defined in the Old Agreement);

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Articles of Amendment and Restatement of SBG (the “Articles”), the Smith Brothers may transfer shares of SBG to Permitted Transferees (as defined in the Articles);

WHEREAS, Fred transferred his Class B Common Stock to the FGS Trust, which is a Permitted Transferee as defined in the Articles;

WHEREAS, the Stockholders desire and agree that the FGS Trust to be bound by this Agreement;


WHEREAS, as a result of the Share Exchange, each of the Stockholders owns shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock in the Company;

WHEREAS, the Stockholders believe it to be in their mutual best interests and in the best interests of the Company to agree to certain provisions as hereinafter set forth as to the voting of their respective shares in the Company; and

WHEREAS, in recognition of the Company’s growth and successful operations under its current management and in order to provide for the orderly administration of the Company’s affairs and continuity of management, the Stockholders desire to enter into this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION OF the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth and in consideration of the contributions of each of the Stockholders and the Company in the form of management and stewardship, the parties do hereby covenant and agree as follows:

AGREEMENT

1. This Agreement shall become effective as of the Share Exchange Effective Time so long as the Company’s stock is “nationally traded” on such date. If the Company’s stock is not “nationally traded”, then this Agreement shall not take effect. For purposes of this Agreement, a class or series of the Company’s capital stock is nationally traded if it is (i) registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), and (ii) listed for trading on any national securities exchange registered under Section 7 of the Exchange Act or on the Nasdaq National Market (including the Nasdaq Global Market and the Nasdaq Global Select Market).

2. The rights and obligations under this Agreement shall terminate as to any Stockholder at the earlier of (a) December 31, 2025, or (b) the date on which no class or series of the Company’s capital stock is “nationally traded”, as defined above.

3. Subject to the limitations otherwise contained in this Agreement, each Stockholder covenants and agrees with each other Stockholder to take all actions necessary to vote all shares of capital stock of the Company (owned or held of record by such Stockholder at any annual or special meeting at which directors are elected to cause the election of the Smith Brothers as directors of the Company or to take all actions by written consent (in lieu of any such meeting) necessary to cause the election of each of the other Smith Brothers as a director of the Company. Each Stockholder further covenants and agrees hereby to take any and all other actions which are reasonably necessary and appropriate and consistent with the implementation of this Agreement.

4. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to require any Stockholder to vote in concert with any other Stockholder on any issue requiring Stockholder approval other than the election of directors as set forth in Section 3 above, nor shall anything contained herein be deemed to require a Stockholder to vote for any other Stockholder as a director of the Company if such other Stockholder, who is an employee of the Company, has been terminated from employment by the Company for cause. Furthermore, nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to require or imply that the Stockholders must act in concert when discharging their duties as directors of the Company.

 

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5. It is recognized by the Stockholders that the provisions herein contained are of particular importance for the protection and promotion of the Company and their existing and future interests in the Company, and that the relationships of the parties to one another are and will be such that, in the event of any breach of this Agreement, a claim for monetary damages may not constitute an adequate remedy; and that it may, therefore, be necessary for the protection of the parties hereto and for the effectuation of the provisions herein contemplated, in the event of a breach of this Agreement, to apply for specific performance hereof. It is, accordingly, hereby agreed that no objection to the form the action, or the relief prayed for, in any proceeding for specific performance of this Agreement, will be raised by any of the Stockholders.

6. This Agreement is made and will be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland.

7. This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed by all of the parties to this Agreement.

8. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts, each of which may be deemed an original and shall become effective when the separate counterparts have been exchanged by the Stockholders.

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SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement under seal with the intention of making it a sealed instrument as of the day and year first above written.

 

WITNESS:     STOCKHOLDER

/s/ Vicky D. Evans

   

/s/ David D. Smith

Vicky D. Evans     David D. Smith

/s/ Vicky D. Evans

   

/s/ Frederick G. Smith

Vicky D. Evans     Frederick G. Smith Inter Vivos Declaration of Trust, Frederick G. Smith, Trustee

/s/ Vicky D. Evans

   

/s/ Frederick G. Smith

Vicky D. Evans     Frederick G. Smith

/s/ Vicky D. Evans

   

/s/ J. Duncan Smith

Vicky D. Evans     J. Duncan Smith

/s/ Vicky D. Evans

   

/s/ Robert E. Smith

Vicky D. Evans     Robert E. Smith

 

 

Amended and Restated Stockholders’ Agreement