UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): September 29, 2020
ADVAXIS, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant Specified in Charter)
Delaware | 001-36138 | 02-0563870 | ||
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
305 College Road East | ||
Princeton, NJ | 08540 | |
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (609) 452-9813
Not Applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class: | Trading Symbol | Name of each exchange on which registered: | ||
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share | ADXS | The Nasdaq Stock Market |
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
[ ] | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) | |
[ ] | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) | |
[ ] | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) | |
[ ] | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company [ ]
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. [ ]
Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On September 29, 2020, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Advaxis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), approved and adopted a Rights Agreement, dated as of September 29, 2020 (the “Rights Agreement”), by and between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”). Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, the Board declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (each, a “Right”) for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.001, of the Company (each, a “Common Share” and, collectively, the “Common Shares”). The Rights are distributable to stockholders of record as of the close of business on October 12, 2020 (the “Record Date”). One Right also will be issued together with each Common Share issued by the Company after October 12, 2020, but before the Distribution Date (as defined below) (or the earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights) and, in certain circumstances, after the Distribution Date.
Generally, the Rights Agreement works by causing substantial dilution to any person or group that acquires beneficial ownership of ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Shares without the approval of the Board. As a result, the overall effect of the Rights Agreement and the issuance of the Rights may be to render more difficult or discourage a merger, tender or exchange offer or other business combination involving the Company that is not approved by the Board. The Rights Agreement is not intended to interfere with any merger, tender or exchange offer or other business combination approved by the Board. The Rights Agreement also does not prevent the Board from considering any offer that it considers to be in the best interest of its stockholders.
The following is a summary description of the Rights and material terms and conditions of the Rights Agreement. This summary is intended to provide a general description only, does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the Rights Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 4.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference. All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Rights Agreement.
The Rights
Subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, if the Rights become exercisable, each Right would initially represent the right to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of a newly-designated series of preferred stock, Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (each, a “Series C Preferred Share” and, collectively, the “Series C Preferred Shares”), at an exercise price of $1.95 per one one-thousandth of a Series C Preferred Share, subject to adjustment (the “Exercise Price”). If issued, each one one-thousandth of a Series C Preferred Share would give the stockholder approximately the same dividend, voting and liquidation rights as does one Common Share. However, prior to exercise, a Right does not give its holder any rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, any dividend, voting or liquidation rights. A copy of the Certificate of Designation of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the “Series C Certificate of Designation”) that the Company intends to file with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on September 29, 2020 to designate the Series C Preferred Shares is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Initial Exercisability
Initially, the Rights will not be exercisable, certificates will not be sent to stockholders and the Rights will automatically trade with the Common Shares. Until the Rights separate from the Common Shares and become exercisable (or the earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be evidenced by Common Share certificates, Rights relating to any uncertificated Common Shares that are registered in book entry form will be represented by a notation in book entry on the records of the Company, and the surrender for transfer of any Common Shares will also constitute the transfer of the associated Rights.
Subject to certain exceptions specified in the Rights Agreement, the Rights will separate from the Common Shares and become exercisable following the earlier to occur of (i) the tenth (10th) business day (or such later date as may be determined by the Board) after the day on which a public announcement or filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) is made indicating that a person has become an Acquiring Person (as defined below) or that discloses information that reveals the existence of an Acquiring Person (the “Shares Acquisition Date”), or (ii) the tenth (10th) business day (or such later date as may be determined by the Board) after the commencement by any person (other than certain exempted persons) of, or the first public announcement of the intent of any person (other than certain exempted persons) to commence, a tender or exchange offer by or on behalf of a person, the successful consummation of which would result in any person (other than certain exempted persons) becoming an Acquiring Person, irrespective of whether any shares are actually purchased or exchanged pursuant to such offer (the earlier of these dates is called the “Distribution Date”).
After the Distribution Date, separate rights certificates will be issued and the Rights may be transferred other than in connection with the transfer of the underlying Common Shares unless and until the Board has determined to effect an exchange pursuant to the Rights Agreement (as described below).
Acquiring Person
Under the Rights Agreement, an Acquiring Person is any person who or that, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as defined in the Rights Agreement) of such person, from and after the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of the Rights Agreement, is or becomes the beneficial owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Shares outstanding, subject to various exceptions. For purposes of the Rights Agreement, beneficial ownership is defined to include the ownership of derivative securities.
The Rights Agreement provides that an Acquiring Person does not include the Company, any subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, or any person organized, appointed, or established to hold Common Shares pursuant to any employee benefit plan of the Company or for the purpose of funding any such plan.
The Rights Agreement also provides that the following persons shall not be deemed an Acquiring Person thereunder: (i) any person who becomes the beneficial owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding solely as a result of the initial grant or vesting of any options, warrants, rights or similar interests (including restricted shares and restricted stock units) by the Company to its directors, officers and employees pursuant to any employee benefit or stock ownership plan of the Company, or the acquisition of shares of Common Stock of the Company upon the exercise or conversion of any such securities so granted; (ii) any person who as the result of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Company (or any subsidiary of the Company, or any person organized, appointed, established or holding shares of Common Stock of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) that, by reducing the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares of Common Stock of the Company beneficially owned by such person to ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Shares then outstanding; (iii) any person who or that became the beneficial owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Shares then outstanding as a result of the acquisition of Common Shares directly from the Company; or (iv) any person who or that would otherwise be an Acquiring Person who or that the Board determines had become such inadvertently (including, without limitation, because (A) such person was unaware that it beneficially owned a percentage of the Common Shares that would otherwise cause such person to be an “Acquiring Person,” or (B) such person was aware of the extent of its beneficial ownership of Common Shares but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of such beneficial ownership under the Rights Agreement), and who or that thereafter within five (5) business days of being requested by the Company, reduces such person’s beneficial ownership to less than ten percent (10%) of the Common Shares then outstanding.
“Grandfathering” of Existing Holders
The Rights Agreement also provides that any person who beneficially owned ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Shares immediately prior to the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of the Rights Agreement (each a “Grandfathered Person”), shall not be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person” for purposes of the Rights Agreement unless and until a Grandfathered Person becomes the beneficial owner of one or more additional Common Shares after the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of the Rights Agreement (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Shares, pursuant to a split, reclassification or subdivision of the outstanding Common Shares or pursuant to the acquisition of beneficial ownership of Common Shares upon the vesting or exercise of any option, warrants or other rights, or upon the initial grant or vesting of restricted stock, granted or issued by the Company to its directors, officers and employees, pursuant to a compensation or benefits plan or arrangement adopted by the Board). However, if upon acquiring beneficial ownership of one or more additional Common Shares at any time after the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of the Rights Agreement, the Grandfathered Person does not, at such time, beneficially own ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, the Grandfathered Person will not be treated as an “Acquiring Person” for purposes of the Rights Agreement.
Flip-In Trigger
If a person becomes an Acquiring Person, then, following the occurrence of the Distribution Date and subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, each Right will entitle the holder thereof to purchase from the Company, upon payment of the Exercise Price, in lieu of a number of one one-thousandths of a Series C Preferred Share, a number of Common Shares (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a then-current market value of twice the Exercise Price. However, the Rights are not exercisable until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company, as further described below.
Following the occurrence of an event set forth in the preceding paragraph, all Rights that are or, under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, were beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or certain of its transferees will become null and void and nontransferable.
Flip-Over Trigger
If, after an Acquiring Person obtains beneficial ownership of ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Shares, (i) the Company merges into another entity, (ii) an acquiring entity merges into the Company, or (iii) the Company sells or transfers more than fifty percent (50%) of its assets, cash flow or earning power, then each Right (except for Rights that have previously been voided as set forth above) will entitle the holder thereof to purchase, upon payment of the Exercise Price, in accordance with the terms of the Rights Agreement, a number of shares of common stock of the person engaging in the transaction having a then-current market value of twice the Exercise Price.
Redemption of the Rights
At any time until the close of business on the tenth (10th) business day after the Shares Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth (10th) business day after the Shares Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business on the Record Date), or thereafter under certain circumstances, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (the “Redemption Price”). The Redemption Price may be paid in cash, Common Shares or other forms of consideration, as determined by the Board, in the exercise of its sole discretion. The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and subject to such conditions as the Board in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price without any interest thereon.
Exchange of the Rights
At any time after any person becomes an Acquiring Person, and prior to the acquisition by any person of beneficial ownership of fifty percent (50%) or more of the Common Shares, the Board may, at its option, cause the Company to exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (other than Rights held by the Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof, which would have become null and void and nontransferable in accordance with the terms of the Rights Agreement), in whole or in part, for Common Shares at an exchange ratio (subject to adjustment) of one Common Share for each Right.
In any exchange of the Rights pursuant to the Rights Agreement, the Company, at its option, may, and to the extent there are an insufficient number of authorized Common Shares not reserved for any other purpose to exchange for all of the outstanding Rights, shall, substitute preferred stock or other securities of the Company for some or all of the Common Shares exchangeable for Rights such that the aggregate value received by a holder of Rights in exchange for each Right is substantially the same value as one Common Share. The exchange of the Rights by the Board may be made effective at such time, on such basis, and subject to such conditions as the Board in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon the action of the Board authorizing the exchange of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate, and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Common Shares or other consideration issuable in connection with the exchange.
Expiration of the Rights
The Rights and the Rights Agreement will expire upon the earliest to occur of (i) the date on which all of the Rights are redeemed, (ii) the date on which the Rights are exchanged, and (iii) the close of business on September 28, 2021.
Amendment of Rights Agreement
Except as otherwise provided in the Rights Agreement, the Company, by action of the Board, may from time to time, in its sole and absolute discretion, supplement or amend any provision of the Rights Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders of Rights, including, without limitation, in order to (i) cure any ambiguity in the Rights Agreement, (ii) correct or supplement any provision contained in the Rights Agreement that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions contained therein, (iii) shorten or lengthen any time period in the Rights Agreement, or (iv) otherwise change, amend, or supplement any provisions in the Rights Agreement in any manner that the Company may deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that from and after such time as any person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Rights Agreement may not be supplemented or amended in any manner that would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights (other than Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the Rights Agreement) as such or cause the Rights Agreement to become amendable other than in accordance with the terms of the Rights Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company, by action of the Board, may at any time before any person becomes an Acquiring Person amend the Rights Agreement to make the provisions of the Rights Agreement inapplicable to a particular transaction by which a person might otherwise become an Acquiring Person or to otherwise alter the terms and conditions of the Rights Agreement as they may apply with respect to any such transaction.
Rights of Holders
Until a Right is exercised, a Right does not give its holder any rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, any dividend, voting or liquidation rights.
Anti-Dilution Provisions
The Board may adjust the Exercise Price, the number of Series C Preferred Shares issuable and the number of outstanding Rights to prevent dilution that may occur from a stock dividend, a stock split or a reclassification of the Series C Preferred Shares or Common Shares.
With certain exceptions, no adjustments to the Exercise Price will be made until the cumulative adjustments amount to at least one percent (1%) of the Exercise Price. No fractional Series C Preferred Shares will be issued other than fractions that are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the current market price of the Series C Preferred Shares.
Tax Consequences
The adoption of the Rights Agreement and the subsequent distribution of the Rights to stockholders should not be a taxable event for the Company or its stockholders under presently existing U.S. federal income tax laws. However, if the Rights become exercisable or if the Rights are redeemed, stockholders may recognize taxable income, depending on the circumstances then existing.
Accounting Treatment
The distribution of the Rights as a dividend to the Company’s stockholders is not expected to have any financial accounting or reporting impact. The fair value of the Rights is expected to be zero when they are distributed because the Rights will be “out of the money” when distributed and no value should be attributable to them. Additionally, the Rights do not meet the definition of a liability under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States and are therefore not accounted for as a long-term obligation.
Authority of the Board
When evaluating decisions relating to the redemption of the Rights or any amendment to the Rights Agreement to delay or prevent the Rights from detaching and becoming exercisable as a result of a particular transaction, pursuant to the Rights Agreement, the Board, or any future board of directors, would not be subject to restrictions such as those commonly known as “dead-hand,” “slow-hand,” “no-hand,” or similar provisions.
Certain Anti-Takeover Effects
The Rights are not intended to prevent a takeover of the Company and should not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the Board. However, the Rights may cause substantial dilution to a person or group that acquires beneficial ownership of ten percent (10%) or more of the issued and outstanding Common Shares (which includes for this purpose stock referenced in derivative transactions and securities) without the approval of the Board.
SEC Registration
Since the Rights are not exercisable immediately, registration with the SEC of the Series C Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights is not required until the Rights become exercisable.
Item 3.03. Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.
The information included in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.03.
Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.
In connection with the adoption of the Rights Agreement described in Item 1.01 above, on September 29, 2020, the Board approved the Series C Certificate of Designation. The Series C Certificate of Designation sets forth the rights, powers and preferences of the Series C Preferred Shares. The Company intends to file the Series C Certificate of Designation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on September 29, 2020.
The summary of the rights, powers and preferences of the Series C Preferred Shares set forth in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.03. A copy of the Series C Certificate of Designation is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
In addition, on September 29, 2020, the Board approved amendments to and the restatement of the Company’s bylaws (as amended and restated, the “By-laws”). The amendments to the By-laws fall into the following two categories:
Advance Notices of Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations
● | Provide deadlines by which stockholders need to submit stockholder proposals and director nominations for consideration at a meeting of stockholders. (Article I, Sections 9(b) and (c) of the By-laws.) | |
● | Specify the procedures that stockholders need to follow in submitting stockholder proposals and director nominations for consideration at a meeting of stockholders. (Article I, Sections 9(a), (b), and (c) of the By-laws.) | |
● | Specify the information that the Board of Directors has access to regarding business proposed by stockholders for consideration at stockholder meetings and/or proposed director nominations, and the proponents thereof, so as to facilitate the ability of the Board to make informed voting recommendations to stockholders on any matter that will come before the meeting. (Article I, Sections 9(b) and (c) of the By-laws.) | |
● | Provide procedural safeguards to ensure that only stockholder proposals and director nominations that comply with the language and intent of the advance notice provisions will be considered at meetings of stockholders. (Article I, Sections 9(b) and (c) of the By-laws.) | |
● | Provide that a stockholder proposed director nominee is required to submit to the Company a completed director questionnaire. (Article I, Section 9(d) of the By-laws.) |
Our 2020 annual meeting of stockholders took place on May 4, 2020. As a result, pursuant to the By-laws, stockholders must provide written notice of director nominations and stockholder proposals submitted outside of Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, intended to be brought before the 2021 annual meeting of stockholders, not earlier than January 4, 2021 nor later than February 3, 2021.
Provisions Relating to Stockholder Actions by Written Consent
● | Provide customary procedures for stockholders to request that the Board of Directors set a record date for determining the stockholders entitled to consent to corporate actions in writing without a meeting. (Article I, Section 6(b) and Article IV, Section 5 of the By-laws.) | |
● | Provide that the Company shall engage independent inspectors of elections for the purpose of promptly reviewing the validity of written consents of stockholders (and any revocations) delivered to the Company prior to the effectiveness of any such corporate actions by written consent. (Article I, Section 6(c) of the By-laws.) |
In addition to the foregoing, there were various other minor changes to the By-laws including, but not limited to, grammatical and other typographical corrections, formatting changes, revisions to headings, titles and captions, capitalization of defined terms, and changes to conform the By-laws to the provisions of the DGCL.
The foregoing description of the various amendments to the By-laws does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the By-laws that were adopted by the Board on September 29, 2020, a copy of which is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 3.2 and incorporated herein by reference.
Item 8.01 Other Events.
On September 29, 2020, the Company issued a press release announcing that the Board had approved and adopted the Rights Agreement and declared the dividend of the Rights. A copy of the press release is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
See the Exhibit Index below, which is incorporated by reference herein.
EXHIBIT INDEX
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.
ADVAXIS, INC. | ||
Date: September 29, 2020 | By: | /s/ Kenneth A. Berlin |
Kenneth A. Berlin | ||
President and Chief Executive Officer |
Exhibit 3.1
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
OF
SERIES C JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
OF
advaxis, inc.
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the Delaware General Corporation Law)
Advaxis, Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of the Delaware, as amended (the “DGCL”), hereby certifies that, pursuant to the authority granted by Article FOURTH of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended (the “Restated Certificate of Incorporation”), and in accordance with Section 151 of the DGCL, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (hereinafter being referred to as the “Board of Directors” or the “Board”), at a meeting duly called and held on September 29, 2020, has adopted the following resolution with respect to the designations, number of shares, preferences, voting powers and other rights and the restrictions and limitations thereof, of the Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock:
RESOLVED, that, pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the designations, number of shares, preferences, voting powers and other rights and the restrictions and limitations thereof of the Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock are as follows:
1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be designated as “Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock” (the “Series C Preferred Stock”) and the number of shares constituting the Series C Preferred Stock shall be 50,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors prior to issuance; provided, however, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of the Series C Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into the Series C Preferred Stock; provided, further, that if more than a total 50,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be issuable upon the exercise of Rights (the “Rights”) issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement, dated as of September 29, 2020, and as supplemented, restated or amended from time to time, by and between the Corporation and Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company, as rights agent (the “Rights Agreement”), the Board, pursuant to Section 151(g) of the DGCL, shall direct by resolution or resolutions that a certificate be properly executed, acknowledged, filed and recorded, in accordance with the provisions of Section 103 of the DGCL, providing for the total number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock authorized to be issued to be increased (to the extent that the Restated Certificate of Incorporation then permits) to the largest number of whole shares (rounded up to the nearest whole number) issuable upon exercise of such Rights.
2. Dividends and Distributions.
(a) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation (the “Preferred Stock”) (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the shares of Series C Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of the Series C Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Corporation (the “Common Stock”) and of any other stock of the Corporation ranking junior to the Series C Preferred Stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds of the Corporation legally available for the payment of dividends, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day of each fiscal quarter of the Corporation in each year, or such other dates as the Board of Directors shall approve (each such date being referred to herein as a “Quarterly Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of the Series C Preferred Stock (the “Issue Date”), in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (i) $1.00 or (ii) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series C Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Issue Date (A) declare and pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or (B) effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Series C Preferred Stock payable in shares of Series C Preferred Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Series C Preferred Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (ii) of the first sentence of this Section 2(a) shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding immediately after such event.
(b) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series C Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section 2 immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); and the Corporation shall pay such dividend or distribution on the Series C Preferred Stock before the dividend or distribution declared on the Common Stock is paid or set apart; provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1.00 per share on the Series C Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable, when, as and if declared, on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(c) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative, whether or not declared, on outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series C Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(a) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth and except as otherwise provided in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or required by law, each share of Series C Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters upon which the holders of the Common Stock of the Corporation are entitled to vote. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Issue Date (i) declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or (ii) effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Series C Preferred Stock payable in shares of Series C Preferred Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Series C Preferred Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding immediately after such event.
(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, and except as otherwise required by law, the holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(c) (i) If at any time dividends on any Series C Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six (6) quarterly dividends thereon, then and in such event the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock, voting as a separate series from all other series of Preferred Stock and classes of capital stock, shall be entitled to elect two (2) members of the Board in addition to any Directors elected by any other series, class or classes of securities and the authorized number of Directors will automatically be increased by two (2). Promptly thereafter, the Board of the Corporation shall, as soon as may be practicable, call a special meeting of holders of Series C Preferred Stock for the purpose of electing such members of the Board. Such special meeting shall in any event be held within forty-five (45) calendar days of the occurrence of such arrearage.
(ii) During any period when the holders of Series C Preferred Stock, voting as a separate series, shall be entitled and shall have exercised their right to elect two (2) Directors, then, and during such time as such right continues, (a) the then authorized number of Directors shall be increased by two (2), and the holders of Series C Preferred Stock, voting as a separate series, shall be entitled to elect the additional Directors so provided for, and (b) each such additional Director shall serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders for the election of Directors, or until his successor shall be elected and shall qualify, or until his right to hold such office terminates pursuant to the provisions of this Section 3(c).
(iii) A Director elected pursuant to the terms hereof may be removed with or without cause by the holders of Series C Preferred Stock entitled to vote in an election of such Director.
(iv) If, during any interval between annual meetings of stockholders for the election of Directors and while the holders of Series C Preferred Stock shall be entitled to elect two (2) Directors, there is no such Director in office by reason of resignation, death or removal, then, promptly thereafter, the Board shall call a special meeting of the holders of Series C Preferred Stock for the purpose of filling such vacancy and such vacancy shall be filled at such special meeting. Such special meeting shall in any event be held within forty-five (45) calendar days of the occurrence of such vacancy.
(v) At such time as the arrearage is fully cured, and all dividends accumulated and unpaid on any shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding are paid, and, in addition thereto, at least one regular dividend has been paid subsequent to curing such arrearage, the term of office of any Director elected pursuant to this Section 3(c), or his successor, shall automatically terminate, and the authorized number of Directors shall automatically decrease by two (2), the rights of the holders of the shares of the Series C Preferred Stock to vote as provided in this Section 3(c) shall cease, subject to renewal from time to time in the case of any such future dividend default or defaults upon the same terms and conditions, and the holders of shares of the Series C Preferred Stock shall have only the limited voting rights elsewhere herein set forth.
(d) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law, the holders of Series C Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
4. Certain Restrictions.
(a) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series C Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 hereof are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series C Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series C Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series C Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series C Preferred Stock, provided that, the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series C Preferred Stock or rights, warrants or options to acquire such junior stock; or
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series C Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series C Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.
(b) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (a) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series C Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued, without designation as to series until such shares are once more designated as part of a particular series of Preferred Stock by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law.
6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. (a) Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made (i) to the holders of the Common Stock or of shares of any other stock of the Corporation ranking junior, either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, to the Series C Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall have received $1,000 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, provided that, the holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (ii) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up with the Series C Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series C Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Series C Preferred Stock liquidation preference and the liquidation preferences of all other classes and series of stock of the Corporation, if any, that rank on a parity with the Series C Preferred Stock in respect thereof, then the assets available for such distribution shall be distributed ratably to the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock and the holders of such parity shares in the proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Issue Date (A) declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or (B) effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (i) of this Section 6(a) shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Series C Preferred Stock payable in shares of Series C Preferred Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Series C Preferred Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (1) of paragraph (A) of this Section 6 shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding immediately after such event.
(b) Neither the merger, consolidation or other business combination of the Corporation into or with another entity nor the merger, consolidation or other business combination of any other entity into or with the Corporation (nor the sale, lease, exchange or conveyance of all or substantially all of the property, assets or business of the Corporation) shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section 6.
7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are converted into, exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), then in any such case each share of Series C Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly converted into, exchanged for or changed into an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is converted or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Issue Date (i) declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or (ii) effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the conversion, exchange or change of shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Series C Preferred Stock payable in shares of Series C Preferred Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Series C Preferred Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the first sentence of this Section 7 with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding immediately after such event.
8. No Redemption. The shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable from any holder.
9. Rank. The Series C Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, junior to all series of any other class of the Preferred Stock issued either before or after the issuance of the Series C Preferred Stock, unless the terms of any such series shall provide otherwise, and shall rank senior to the Common Stock.
10. Amendment. At such time as any shares of Series C Preferred Stock are outstanding, if any proposed amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including this Certificate of Designation) would materially alter, change or repeal any of the preferences, powers or special rights given to the Series C Preferred Stock so as to affect the Series C Preferred Stock adversely, then the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock shall be entitled to vote separately as a class upon such amendment, and the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Series C Preferred Stock, voting separately as a single class, shall be necessary for the adoption thereof, in addition to such other vote as may be required by the DGCL.
11. Fractional Shares. Series C Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series C Preferred Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have signed and attested this Certificate of Designation on this 29th day of September 2020.
ADVAXIS, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Kenneth A. Berlin | |
Name: | Kenneth A. Berlin | |
Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer |
Attest: | ||
By: | /s/ Andres A. Gutierrez | |
Name: | Andres A. Gutierrez, M.D., PhD | |
Title: | Chief Medical Officer, Executive | |
Vice President |
Exhibit 3.2
ADVAXIS, INC.
________________________________
AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS
________________________________
Effective as of September 29, 2020
ARTICLE I
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1. Place of Meetings. Meetings of the stockholders of Advaxis, Inc. (the “Corporation”) for the election of directors (the “Directors”) or for any other purpose shall be held at such time and place, either within or without the State of Delaware as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) or the President and stated in the notice of the meeting or in a duly executed waiver of notice thereof.
Section 2. Annual Meetings. The Annual Meeting of Stockholders shall be held on such date and at such time as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting, at which meeting the stockholders shall elect a Board of Directors, and transact such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting pursuant to the requirements of Article I, Section 9 of these Amended and Restated By-Laws (as amended or amended and restated from time to time, the “By-Laws”). Written notice of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders stating the place, date and hour of the meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting.
Section 3. Special Meetings. Unless otherwise prescribed by law or by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended or amended and restated from time to time, the “Certificate of Incorporation”), Special Meetings of Stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, may be called at any time by the Board of Directors. Written notice of a Special Meeting stating the place, date and hour of the meeting and the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called shall be given not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting.
Section 4. Quorum. Except as otherwise provided by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, the holders of one-third of the capital stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders for the transaction of business. If, however, such quorum shall not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the stockholders entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed. If the adjournment is for more than thirty days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting.
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Section 5. Voting. Unless otherwise required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or the By-Laws, any question brought before any meeting of stockholders shall be decided by the vote of the holders of a majority of the stock represented and entitled to vote thereat. Each stockholder represented at a meeting of stockholders shall be entitled to cast one vote for each share of the capital stock entitled to vote thereat held by such stockholder. Such votes may be cast in person or by proxy but no proxy shall be voted on or after three years from its date, unless such proxy provides for a longer period. The Board of Directors, in its discretion, or the officer of the Corporation presiding at a meeting of stockholders, in his discretion, may require that any votes cast at such meeting shall be cast by written ballot.
Section 6. Consent of Stockholders in Lieu of Meeting.
(a) Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required or permitted to be taken at any Annual or Special Meeting of Stockholders of the Corporation, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, in a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted. Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing. In the event that the action which is consented to is such as would have required the filing of a certificate under the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), if such action had been voted on by stockholders at a meeting thereof, the certificate filed shall state, in lieu of any statement concerning any vote of stockholders, that written consent and written notice has been given as provided in this Section 6.
(b) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which date shall not be more than ten days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board. Any stockholder of record seeking to have the stockholders authorize or take corporate action by written consent shall, by written notice to the Secretary, request that the Board fix a record date. The Board shall promptly, but in all events within ten calendar days after the date on which such written notice is received, adopt a resolution fixing the record date (unless a record date has previously been fixed by the Board pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 6(b)). If no record date has been fixed by the Board pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 6(b) or otherwise within ten calendar days after the date on which such written notice is received, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board is required by applicable law, shall be the first date after the expiration of such ten day time period on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in Delaware, its principal place of business, or to any officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. If no record date has been fixed by the Board pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 6(b), the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting if prior action by the Board is required by applicable law shall be at the close of business on the date on which the Board adopts the resolution taking such prior action.
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(c) In the event of the delivery, in the manner provided by this Section 6 and applicable law, to the Corporation of a written consent or consents to take corporate action and/or any related revocation or revocations, the Corporation shall engage independent inspectors of elections for the purpose of performing promptly a ministerial review of the validity of the consents and revocations. For the purpose of permitting the inspectors to perform such review, no action by written consent and without a meeting shall be effective until such inspectors have completed their review, determined that the requisite number of valid and unrevoked consents delivered to the Corporation in accordance with this Section 6 and applicable law have been obtained to authorize or take the action specified in the consents, and certified such determination for entry in the records of the Corporation kept for the purpose of recording the proceedings of meetings of stockholders. Nothing contained in this Section 6(c) shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Board or any stockholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any consent or revocation thereof, whether before or after such certification by the independent inspectors, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution or defense of any litigation with respect thereto, and the seeking of injunctive relief in such litigation).
Section 7. List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote. The officer of the Corporation who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare and make, at least ten days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten days prior to the meeting, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or, if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held. The list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder of the Corporation who is present.
Section 8. Stock Ledger. The stock ledger of the Corporation shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the stock ledger, the list required by Section 7 of this Article I or the books of the Corporation, or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.
Section 9. Notice of Stockholder Business and Director Nominations.
(a) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting in accordance with these By-Laws, the Certificate of Incorporation, the DGCL, and other applicable law.
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(b) To be properly brought before an annual meeting of stockholders, business must be of a nature that is appropriate for consideration at an annual meeting and must be (i) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (ii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder Present in Person at the meeting who (A) is a record owner of shares of the Corporation’s capital stock at the time of giving the notice provided for in this paragraph (b), (B) is a record owner of shares of the Corporation’s capital stock as of the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting in question, (C) is a record owner of shares of the Corporation’s capital stock at the time of the meeting, (D) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (E) complies with the requirements set forth in this paragraph (b) in all applicable respects. Except with respect to proposed nominations of persons for election to the Board, which must be made in compliance with the provisions of Article I, Section 9, paragraph (c) of these By-Laws and except for stockholder proposals submitted for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to, and in compliance with, Rule 14a-8 (and the interpretations thereunder) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), which proposals are not excludable under Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act, whether pursuant to a no-action letter from the Staff of the Division of Corporation Finance of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or a determination of a federal court of competent jurisdiction, and which are included in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board and the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act, the foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders. In addition to the other requirements set forth in this paragraph (b), for any proposal of business to be considered at an annual meeting of stockholders, it (i) must be a proper subject for action by stockholders of the Corporation under these By-Laws, the Certificate of Incorporation, the DGCL and other applicable law, and (ii) must not relate to a matter that is expressly reserved for action by the Board under these By-Laws, the Certificate of Incorporation, the DGCL or other applicable law. For business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to this paragraph (b), the stockholder must have given (i) timely and proper notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation (the “Proposal Notice”) and (ii) provided any updates or supplements to the Proposal Notice at the times and in the forms required by this paragraph (b). To be timely, the Proposal Notice must be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred and twentieth calendar day and not later than the close of business on the ninetieth calendar day prior to the one-year anniversary date of the immediately preceding year’s annual meeting of stockholders or special meeting in lieu thereof (the “Anniversary Date”); provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting of stockholders is more than thirty calendar days before or more than sixty calendar days after the Anniversary Date, or if the Corporation did not hold an annual meeting of stockholders or special meeting in lieu thereof in the preceding fiscal year, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Corporation not later than the later of (i) the close of business on the ninetieth calendar day prior to such annual meeting or (ii) the close of business on the tenth calendar day following the day on which Public Announcement of the date of such annual meeting was first made by the Corporation. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a Proposal Notice as described above. For purposes of these By-Laws, “Notice Deadline” shall mean the last date for a stockholder to deliver a Proposal Notice or a Nominating Notice (as defined below) in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph (b). To be in proper written form, a Proposal Notice shall set forth: (i) the name and address, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, of the stockholder proposing to bring business before the Corporation’s annual meeting of stockholders (each such stockholder, a “Proponent”) and any Stockholder Associated Person; (ii) (A) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are owned, directly or indirectly, beneficially (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) and/or of record, by such Proponent or any Stockholder Associated Person, provided that such Proponent or Stockholder Associated Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of the Corporation’s equity securities as to which such Proponent or Stockholder Associated Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future, whether such right is exercisable immediately, only after the passage of time or only upon the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent, (B) any derivative positions held or beneficially held by the Proponent and any Stockholder Associated Person and whether and a description in reasonable detail of the extent to which any hedging or other transaction or series of transactions has been entered into by or on behalf of, or any other proxy, agreement, arrangement or understanding has been made or relationship exists, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or provide a right to vote or increase or decrease the voting power of, such Proponent or any Stockholder Associated Person with respect to the Corporation’s securities, and (C) a representation that the Proponent is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to be Present in Person at the meeting to propose such business; (iii) as to each matter the Proponent proposes to bring before the meeting, (A) a reasonably detailed description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, (B) the text of the proposed business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event such business includes a proposal to amend these By-Laws, the Certificate of Incorporation or any policy of the Corporation, the text of the proposed amendment), and (C) a reasonably detailed description of the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting; (iv) a reasonably detailed description of any interest, direct or indirect, monetary or non-monetary, of the Proponent or any Stockholder Associated Person in the proposed business described in the Proposal Notice, including any anticipated benefit therefrom to be received by the Proponent or any Stockholder Associated Person; (v) a description in reasonable detail of any pending, or to the knowledge of the Proponent or any Stockholder Associated Person, threatened, legal proceeding in which any Proponent or Stockholder Associated Person is a party or participant involving the Corporation or any officer, Director, affiliate, associate, or employee of the Corporation; (vi) a description in reasonable detail of any relationship (including any direct or indirect interest in any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral and whether formal or informal) between the Proponent or any Stockholder Associated Person and the Corporation or any Director, officer, affiliate, associate, or employee of the Corporation (naming such Director, officer, affiliate, associate, or employee); (vii) a description in reasonable detail of any contacts and discussions between the Proponent or any Stockholder Associated Person and any officer, Director, or employee of the Corporation (naming such officer, Director, or employee and listing the dates and describing the nature of such contacts and discussions); (viii) a reasonably detailed description of any relationship, agreement, arrangement or understanding, written or oral, direct or indirect, with respect to the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting by the Proponent, between or among any Proponent or any Stockholder Associated Person and any other person or entity (naming each such person or entity), including without limitation any agreements, arrangements and understandings that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 5 or Item 6 of Schedule 13D if a Schedule 13D relating to the Corporation was filed with the SEC by such Proponent or Stockholder Associated Person pursuant to the Exchange Act (regardless of whether the requirement to file a Schedule 13D is applicable to such Proponent or Stockholder Associated Person); (ix) a description in reasonable detail of any plans or proposals of the Proponent or any Stockholder Associated Person relating to the Corporation that would be required to be disclosed by such Proponent or Stockholder Associated Person pursuant to Item 4 of Schedule 13D if a Schedule 13D relating to the Corporation was filed with the SEC by such Proponent or Stockholder Associated Person pursuant to the Exchange Act (regardless of whether the requirement to file a Schedule 13D with the SEC is applicable to such Proponent or Stockholder Associated Person) together with a description of any agreements, arrangements or understandings (whether written or oral and whether formal or informal) that relate to such plans or proposals and naming all the parties to any such agreements, arrangements or understandings; (x) all other information relating to (A) the proposed business described in the Proposal Notice, (B) the Proponent, or (C) any Stockholder Associated Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be filed with the SEC in connection with a contested solicitation of proxies in which the Proponent or any Stockholder Associated Persons are participants in a solicitation subject to Section 14 of the Exchange Act; and (xi) a representation whether the Proponent or any Stockholder Associated Person intends or is part of a group which intends to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding shares required to approve or adopt the proposed business or otherwise to solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposed business.
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(i) A Proponent shall update and supplement its Proposal Notice as necessary, from time to time, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such Proposal Notice pursuant to this paragraph (b) shall be true, correct and complete in all respects not only prior to the Notice Deadline but also at all times thereafter and prior to the meeting, and such update and supplement shall be received by the Secretary of the Corporation not later than the earlier of (i) five business days following the occurrence of any event, development or occurrence that would cause the information provided in the Proposal Notice to be not true, correct and complete in all respects, or (ii) ten business days prior to the publicly disclosed date of the meeting at which such proposed business contained therein are to be considered; provided, however, that should any such event, development or occurrence take place within ten business days prior to such meeting, such update and supplement shall be received by the Secretary of the Corporation not later than one business day following any such event, development or occurrence. For the avoidance of doubt, the updates required pursuant to this paragraph (b) do not cause a Proposal Notice that was not true, correct and complete in all respects and in compliance with this paragraph (b) when first delivered to the Corporation prior to the Notice Deadline to thereafter be in proper form in accordance with this paragraph (b).
(ii) Upon written request by the Secretary of the Corporation, the Board or any duly authorized committee thereof, any Proponent who has submitted a Proposal Notice to the Corporation shall provide, within five business days of delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), written verification, in a form and manner, including, if requested, an executed and notarized affidavit, satisfactory in the reasonable discretion of the Board or any duly authorized committee thereof to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by such Proponent in the Proposal Notice delivered pursuant to this paragraph (b). If a Proponent fails to provide such written verification within such period and in the form requested, the information as to which written verification was requested shall be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this paragraph (b).
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(iii) Notwithstanding anything in these By-Laws to the contrary, no business (other than the election of Directors, the nomination of whom shall be governed by Article I, Section 9, paragraph (c) of these By-Laws) shall be conducted at any annual stockholders’ meeting except in accordance with the requirements set forth in this paragraph (b). The chairman of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine, in consultation with counsel (who may be the Corporation’s internal counsel), and declare to the meeting that business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with the requirements set forth in these By-Laws, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare to the meeting and any such proposed business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.
(iv) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (b), the disclosures required by this paragraph (b) shall not include any disclosures with respect to the ordinary course of business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, or trust company who is deemed a Proponent or Stockholder Associated Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit a Proposal Notice required by these By-Laws on behalf of a beneficial owner of the shares held of record by such broker, dealer, commercial bank, or trust company and who is not otherwise affiliated or associated with such beneficial owner.
(v) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (b), a Proponent shall also comply with any and all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act, the SEC, the DGCL and other applicable law with respect to the matters set forth in this paragraph (b), any solicitation of proxies contemplated by the Proponent in connection with its submission of a Proposal Notice to the Corporation, and any filings made with the SEC in connection therewith.
(vi) Nothing in these By-Laws shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to, and subject to the limitations and requirements of, Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and the SEC’s and the SEC Staff’s interpretations, guidance and no-action letter determinations relating thereto.
(vii) For a Proposal Notice to comply with the requirements of this paragraph (b), each of the requirements of this paragraph (b) shall be directly and expressly responded to and the Proposal Notice must clearly indicate and expressly reference which provisions of this paragraph (b) the information disclosed is intended to be responsive to. Any global cross-references shall be disregarded and information disclosed in the Proposal Notice in response to any provision of this paragraph (b) shall not be deemed responsive to any other provision hereof unless it is expressly cross-referenced to such other provision and it is clearly apparent how such information is responsive to such other provision.
(viii) For a Proposal Notice to comply with the requirements of this paragraph (b), it must set forth in writing directly within the body of the Proposal Notice, rather than being incorporated by reference from any pre-existing document or writing, including, but not limited to, any documents publicly filed with the SEC, all the information required to be included therein as set forth in this paragraph (b), and each of the requirements of this paragraph (b) shall be directly responded to in a manner that makes it clearly apparent how the information provided is specifically responsive to any requirements of this paragraph (b).
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(ix) A Proponent submitting a Proposal Notice, by its delivery to the Corporation, represents and warrants that all information contained therein, as of the Notice Deadline, is true, accurate and complete in all respects and contains no false or misleading statements, and such Proponent acknowledges that it intends for the Corporation and the Board to rely on such information as (i) being true, accurate and complete in all respects and (ii) not containing any false or misleading statements. If the information submitted pursuant to this paragraph (b) by such Proponent shall not be true, correct and complete in all respects prior to the Notice Deadline, such information shall be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this paragraph (b).
(x) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (b), unless otherwise required by applicable law, if the Proponent is not Present in Person at the annual meeting of stockholders to present the proposed business, such proposed business shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. In addition, business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting by a Proponent may not be brought before an annual meeting if such Proponent takes action contrary to the representations made in the Proposal Notice applicable to such business or if (i) when submitted to the Corporation prior to the Notice Deadline, the Proposal Notice applicable to such business contained an untrue statement of a fact or omitted to state a fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (ii) after being submitted to the Corporation, the Proposal Notice applicable to such business was not updated or supplemented by the Proponent in accordance with these By-Laws to cause the information provided in the Proposal Notice to be true, correct and complete in all respects.
(xi) A Proponent submitting a Proposal Notice pursuant to this paragraph (b), by its delivery to the Corporation, acknowledges that it understands that nothing contained therein shall be considered confidential or proprietary information and that neither the Corporation, the Board, nor any agents or representatives thereof shall be restricted, in any manner, from publicly disclosing or using any of the information contained in a Proposal Notice.
(xii) Nothing in this paragraph (b) shall be deemed to give any stockholder the right to have any proposal included in any proxy statement prepared by the Corporation, and, to the extent any such right exists under the Exchange Act or other applicable law or governmental regulation, such right shall be limited to the right expressly provided under such applicable law or governmental regulation. Notwithstanding any notice of the meeting or proxy statement sent to stockholders on behalf of the Corporation, a stockholder must separately comply with this paragraph (b) to propose business at any annual meeting. If a stockholder’s proposed business is the same or relates to business brought by the Corporation and included in the Corporation’s meeting notice, proxy statement or any supplement thereto, such stockholder is nevertheless still required to comply with this paragraph (b) and deliver its own separate and timely Proposal Notice to the Secretary of the Corporation that complies in all respects with the requirements of this paragraph (b).
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(c) Nominations of persons for election to the Board of the Corporation may be made at a meeting of stockholders only (i) by or at the direction of the Board or (ii) by any stockholder of the Corporation (a “Nominating Stockholder”) Present in Person at the meeting who (A) is a record owner of shares of the Corporation’s capital stock at the time of giving the notice provided for in this paragraph (c), (B) is a record owner of shares of the Corporation’s capital stock as of the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting in question, (C) is a record owner of shares of the Corporation’s capital stock at the time of the meeting, (D) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (E) complies with the notice procedures set forth in this paragraph (c) in all applicable respects. The foregoing clause (ii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at a stockholders’ meeting. Without qualification, for a stockholder to propose a nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at a stockholders’ meeting, the stockholder must (i) provide timely notice thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation containing the information with respect to such stockholder and its proposed candidates for nomination for election to the Board as required to be set forth by this paragraph (c) (collectively, the “Nominating Notice”) and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such Nominating Notice at the times and in the forms required by this paragraph (c). To be timely, a Nominating Notice must be delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation within the time periods specified by paragraph (b) of this Section 9 for timely delivery of a Proposal Notice and must be delivered no later than the Notice Deadline. To be in proper written form, a Nominating Notice shall set forth: (i) the name and address, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, of the Nominating Stockholder and any Stockholder Associated Person; (ii) all information as to the Nominating Stockholder, each person whom the Nominating Stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a Director (each, a “Stockholder Nominee”), and each Stockholder Associated Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be filed by the Nominating Stockholder with the SEC in connection with a contested solicitation of proxies for the election of Directors pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act, including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement of the Nominating Stockholder as a nominee of the Nominating Stockholder and to serving as a Director of the Corporation if elected; (iii) (A) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are owned, directly or indirectly, beneficially (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) and/or of record, by the Nominating Stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person, provided that such Nominating Stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of the Corporation’s equity securities as to which such Nominating Stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future, whether such right is exercisable immediately, only after the passage of time or only upon the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent, (B) any derivative positions held or beneficially held by such Nominating Stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person and whether and the extent to which any hedging or other transaction or series of transactions has been entered into by or on behalf of, or any other proxy, agreement, arrangement or understanding has been made or relationship exists, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or provide a right to vote or increase or decrease the voting power of, such Nominating Stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person with respect to the Corporation’s securities, and (C) a representation that such Nominating Stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to be Present in Person at the meeting to propose such nomination; (iv) a reasonably detailed description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, written or oral, or any direct or indirect relationship the Nominating Stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person may have with any Stockholder Nominee, including but not limited to, those pursuant to which the nomination is proposed to be made, or with any other person or persons (naming such person or persons) with respect to such nomination; (v) a description in reasonable detail of any relationship (including any direct or indirect interest in any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral and whether formal or informal) between the Nominating Stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person and the Corporation or any Director, officer, or other employee of the Corporation (naming such Director, officer, or other employee); (vi) a description in reasonable detail of any contacts and discussions between the Nominating Stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person and any officer, Director, or employee of the Corporation (naming such officer, Director, or employee and listing the dates and describing the nature of such contacts and discussions); (vii) a description in reasonable detail of any interest, direct or indirect, monetary or non-monetary, of the Nominating Stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person in having any Stockholder Nominee elected to the Board, including any anticipated benefit therefrom to be received by the Nominating Stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person; (viii) a description in reasonable detail of any pending, or to the knowledge of the Nominating Stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person, threatened, legal proceeding in which any Nominating Stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person is a party or participant involving the Corporation or any officer, Director, affiliate, associate, or employee of the Corporation; (ix) as to each Stockholder Nominee, (A) all information that would be required to be set forth in a Nominating Notice pursuant to this paragraph (c) if such Stockholder Nominee was a Nominating Stockholder, (B) a list of all other publicly-traded companies, whether or not currently publicly-traded or currently in existence, where such Stockholder Nominee had been proposed as a candidate for election to a board of directors (or similar governing body) by the Nominating Stockholder, (C) a description in reasonable detail of any and all agreements, arrangements and/or understandings (whether written or oral and formal or informal) between such Stockholder Nominee and any person or entity (naming such person or entity) in connection with such Stockholder Nominee’s service or action as a proposed candidate and, if elected, as a member of the Board, (D) to the extent that such Stockholder Nominee has been convicted of any past criminal offenses involving a felony, fraud, dishonesty or a breach of trust or duty, a description in reasonable detail of such offense and all legal proceedings relating thereto, (E) to the extent that such Stockholder Nominee has been determined by any governmental authority or self-regulatory organization to have violated any federal or state securities or commodities laws, including but not limited to, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act or the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936, as amended, a description in reasonable detail of such violation and all legal proceedings relating thereto, (F) to the extent that such Stockholder Nominee has ever been suspended or barred by any governmental authority or self-regulatory organization from engaging in any profession or participating in any industry, or has otherwise been subject to a disciplinary action by a governmental authority or self-regulatory organization that provides oversight over the Stockholder Nominee’s current or past profession or an industry that the Stockholder Nominee has participated in, a description in reasonable detail of such action and the reasons therefor, (G) a description in reasonable detail of any and all litigation, whether or not judicially resolved, settled or dismissed, relating to the Stockholder Nominee’s past or current service on the board of directors (or similar governing body) of any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust or any other entity where a legal complaint filed in any state or federal court located within the United States alleges that the Stockholder Nominee committed any act constituting (a) a breach of fiduciary duties, (b) misconduct, (c) fraud, (d) breaches of confidentiality obligations, and/or (e) a breach of the entity’s code of conduct applicable to directors, and (H) the amount of any equity securities beneficially owned by such Stockholder Nominee in any company that is a direct competitor of the Corporation or its operating subsidiaries if such beneficial ownership by such nominee, when aggregated with that of all other Stockholder Nominees, the Nominating Stockholder and all Stockholder Associated Persons, is five percent or more of the class of equity securities of such company; (x) a reasonably detailed description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, written or oral, or any direct or indirect relationship, with respect to the nomination proposed to be brought before the meeting by the Nominating Stockholder, between or among any Nominating Stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person and any other person or entity (naming each such person or entity), including without limitation any agreements, arrangements and understandings that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 5 or Item 6 of Schedule 13D if a Schedule 13D relating to the Corporation was filed with the SEC by such Nominating Stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person pursuant to the Exchange Act (regardless of whether the requirement to file a Schedule 13D is applicable to such Nominating Stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person); (xi) a description in reasonable detail of any plans or proposals of the Nominating Stockholder, any Stockholder Associated Person or any Stockholder Nominee relating to the Corporation that would be required to be disclosed by such Nominating Stockholder, Stockholder Associated Person or Stockholder Nominee pursuant to Item 4 of Schedule 13D if a Schedule 13D relating to the Corporation was filed with the SEC by such Nominating Stockholder, Stockholder Associated Person or Stockholder Nominee pursuant to the Exchange Act (regardless of whether the requirement to file a Schedule 13D with the SEC is applicable to such Nominating Stockholder, Stockholder Associated Person or Stockholder Nominee) together with a description of any agreements, arrangements or understandings (whether written or oral and whether formal or informal) that relate to such plans or proposals and naming all the parties to any such agreements, arrangements or understandings; (xii) a description in reasonable detail of all direct and indirect compensation, reimbursement, indemnification, benefits and other agreements, arrangements and understandings (whether written or oral, formal or informal and monetary or non-monetary) during the past three years, and any other relationships, between or among a Nominating Stockholder, a Stockholder Associated Person, if any, and a Stockholder Nominee, including all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Items 403 and 404 promulgated under Regulation S-K (or any such successor rule) if such Nominating Stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person was the “registrant” for purposes of such Items and the Stockholder Nominee was a director or executive of such registrant; (xiii) a representation as to whether the Nominating Stockholder and/or the Stockholder Associated Person, if any, intends or is part of a group which intends to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to elect the Stockholder Nominee or otherwise to solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such nomination; and (xiv) each Stockholder Nominee’s irrevocable and executed letter of resignation as a director of the Corporation, effective upon such person’s failure to receive, in accordance with Article II, Section 1 of these By-Laws, the required vote for re-election at the next meeting of stockholders at which such person would face re-election and upon acceptance of such resignation by the Board.
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(i) With respect to each Stockholder Nominee whom a Nominating Stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election to the Board, the Nominating Notice must, in addition to the matters set forth above, also include the completed and signed questionnaire required by paragraph (d) of this Section 9.
(ii) A Nominating Stockholder shall update and supplement its Nominating Notice as necessary, from time to time, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this paragraph (c) shall be true, correct and complete in all respects not only prior to the Notice Deadline but also at all times thereafter and prior to the meeting, and such update and supplement shall be received by the Secretary of the Corporation not later than the earlier of (i) five business days following the occurrence of any event, development or occurrence that would cause the information provided in the Nominating Notice to be not true, correct and complete in all respects, or (ii) ten business days prior to the publicly disclosed date of the meeting at which such nominations contained therein are to be considered; provided, however, that should any such event, development or occurrence take place within ten business days prior to such meeting, such update and supplement shall be received by the Secretary of the Corporation not later than one business day following any such event, development or occurrence. For the avoidance of doubt, the updates required pursuant to this paragraph (c) do not cause a Nominating Notice that was not true, correct and complete in all respects and in compliance with this paragraph (c) when first delivered to the Corporation prior to the Notice Deadline to thereafter be in proper form in accordance with this paragraph (c).
(iii) Upon written request by the Secretary of the Corporation, the Board or any duly authorized committee thereof, any Nominating Stockholder who has submitted a Nominating Notice to the Corporation shall provide, within five business days of delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), written verification, in a form and manner, including, if requested, an executed and notarized affidavit, satisfactory in the reasonable discretion of the Board or any duly authorized committee thereof to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by such stockholder in the Nominating Notice delivered pursuant to this paragraph (c). If a Nominating Stockholder fails to provide such written verification within such period and in the form requested, the information as to which written verification was requested shall be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this paragraph (c).
(iv) No person shall be eligible to serve as a Director of the Corporation unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this paragraph (c). The chairman of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine, in consultation with counsel (who may be the Corporation’s internal counsel), and declare to the meeting that the proposed nomination was not made in accordance with the requirements set forth in these By-Laws, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare to the meeting and the defective nomination shall be disregarded.
(v) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (c), the disclosures required by this paragraph (c) shall not include any disclosures with respect to the ordinary course of business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, or trust company who is deemed a Nominating Stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit a Nominating Notice required by these By-Laws on behalf of a beneficial owner of the shares held of record by such broker, dealer, commercial bank, or trust company and who is not otherwise affiliated or associated with such beneficial owner.
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(vi) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (c), a Nominating Stockholder shall also comply with any and all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act, the SEC, the DGCL and other applicable law with respect to the matters set forth in this paragraph (c), any solicitation of proxies contemplated by the Nominating Stockholder in connection with its submission of a Nominating Notice to the Corporation, and any filings made with the SEC in connection therewith.
(vii) For a Nominating Notice to comply with the requirements of this paragraph (c), each of the requirements of this paragraph (c) shall be directly and expressly responded to and the Nominating Notice must clearly indicate and expressly reference which provisions of this paragraph (c) the information disclosed is intended to be responsive to. Any global cross-references shall be disregarded and information disclosed in the Nominating Notice in response to any provision of this paragraph (c) shall not be deemed responsive to any other provision hereof unless it is expressly cross-referenced to such other provision and it is clearly apparent how such information is responsive to such other provision.
(viii) For a Nominating Notice to comply with the requirements of this paragraph (c), it must set forth in writing directly within the body of the Nominating Notice, rather than being incorporated by reference from any pre-existing document or writing, including, but not limited to, any documents publicly filed with the SEC, all the information required to be included therein as set forth in this paragraph (c), and each of the requirements of this paragraph (c) shall be directly responded to in a manner that makes it clearly apparent how the information provided is specifically responsive to any requirements of this paragraph (c).
(ix) A Nominating Stockholder submitting a Nominating Notice, by its delivery to the Corporation, represents and warrants that all information contained therein, as of the Notice Deadline, is true, accurate and complete in all respects and contains no false or misleading statements, and such Nominating Stockholder acknowledges that it intends for the Corporation and the Board to rely on such information as (i) being true, accurate and complete in all respects and (ii) not containing any false or misleading statements. If the information submitted pursuant to this paragraph (c) by such Nominating Stockholder shall not be true, correct and complete in all respects prior to the Notice Deadline, such information shall be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this paragraph (c).
(x) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (c), unless otherwise required by applicable law, if the Nominating Stockholder is not Present in Person at the stockholders’ meeting to present a nomination, such nomination shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. In addition, nominations proposed to be brought before a stockholders’ meeting by a Nominating Stockholder may not be brought before a meeting if such Nominating Stockholder takes action contrary to the representations made in the Nominating Notice applicable to such nominations or if (i) when submitted to the Corporation prior to the Notice Deadline, the Nominating Notice applicable to such nominations contained an untrue statement of a fact or omitted to state a fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (ii) after being submitted to the Corporation, the Nominating Notice applicable to such nominations was not updated or supplemented by the Nominating Stockholder in accordance with these By-Laws to cause the information provided in the Nominating Notice to be true, correct and complete in all respects.
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(xi) A Nominating Stockholder submitting a Nominating Notice pursuant to this paragraph (c), by its delivery to the Corporation, acknowledges that it understands that nothing contained therein shall be considered confidential or proprietary information and that neither the Corporation, the Board, nor any agents or representatives thereof shall be restricted, in any manner, from publicly disclosing or using any of the information contained in a Nominating Notice.
(xii) Nothing in this paragraph (c) shall be deemed to give any stockholder the right to have any nominations included in any proxy statement prepared by the Corporation. Notwithstanding any notice of the meeting, proxy statement or supplement thereto sent to stockholders on behalf of the Corporation, a stockholder must separately comply with this paragraph (c) to propose any nominations at any stockholders’ meeting, including delivering its own separate and timely Nominating Notice to the Secretary of the Corporation that complies in all respects with the requirements of this paragraph (c).
(d) To be eligible to be a nominee for election or re-election as a Director of the Corporation, a Stockholder Nominee must deliver (in accordance with the time periods prescribed for delivery of notice specified by paragraph (b) of this Section 9 for timely delivery of a Proposal Notice, and no later than the Notice Deadline) to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation a written questionnaire with respect to the background and qualifications of such Stockholder Nominee (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Secretary of the Corporation upon written request).
(e) Certain Definitions.
(i) A person shall be deemed to be “Acting in Concert” with another person if such person knowingly acts (whether or not pursuant to an express agreement, arrangement or understanding) in concert with, or towards a common goal relating to the leadership, management, governance, Board composition, strategic direction, value enhancement plans, or control of the Corporation in parallel with, such other person where (i) each person is conscious of the other person’s conduct or intent and this awareness is an element in their decision-making processes and (ii) at least two additional factors suggest that such persons knowingly intend to act in concert or in parallel towards a common goal relating to the management, governance or control of the Corporation, which such additional factors may include, without limitation, exchanging information (whether publicly or privately), attending meetings, conducting discussions, or making or soliciting invitations to act in concert or in parallel; provided, that a person shall not be deemed to be Acting in Concert with any other person solely as a result of the solicitation or receipt of revocable proxies or consents from such other person in response to a solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act by way of a proxy or consent solicitation statement filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A. A person Acting in Concert with another person shall be deemed to be Acting in Concert with any third party who is also Acting in Concert with such other person.
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(ii) “close of business” shall mean 5:00 p.m., local time, at the principal executive offices of the Corporation on any calendar day, whether or not such day is a business day.
(iii) “control” (including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
(iv) “Present in Person” shall mean that the Proponent or the Nominating Stockholder, as the case may be, or, if such person is not an individual, a qualified representative of such person, appears in person at such stockholders’ meeting.
(v) “Public Announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the SEC pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
(vi) A “qualified representative” of any stockholder means a person who is a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder (including, as applicable, a Proponent or a Nominating Stockholder) or has been authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy with respect to the specific matter to be considered at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction (to the reasonable satisfaction of the chairman of the meeting) of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders prior to the taking of action by such person on behalf of the stockholder.
(vii) “Stockholder Associated Person” means with respect to any Proponent or Nominating Stockholder, (i) any other beneficial owner of stock of the Corporation owned of record or beneficially by such Proponent or Nominating Stockholder, (ii) any Affiliate or Associate (within the meaning of Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act) of such Proponent or Nominating Stockholder or beneficial owner, (iii) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii)-(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A) with such Proponent or Nominating Stockholder in any solicitation contemplated by the Proposal Notice or the Nominating Notice, (iv) each person who may be deemed to be a member of a “group” (as such term is used in Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act) with any such Proponent or Nominating Stockholder or beneficial owner (or their respective Affiliates and Associates) relating to the equity securities of the Corporation, regardless of whether such person is disclosed as a member of a “group” in a Schedule 13D or an amendment thereto filed with the SEC relating to the Corporation, and (v) any person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, is under common control with, or is Acting in Concert with such Proponent or Nominating Stockholder or beneficial owner or a Stockholder Associated Person of such Proponent or Nominating Stockholder or beneficial owner.
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ARTICLE II
DIRECTORS
Section 1. Number, Election, Resignation and Removal of Directors.
(a) The Board of Directors shall consist of not less than one nor more than nine members, the exact number of which shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors. Except as provided in Section 2 of this Article II, directors shall be elected by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by stockholders with respect to that director’s election. Each director so elected shall hold office until the next Annual Meeting and until his successor is duly elected and qualified, or until his earlier resignation or removal. For purposes of this Section 1(a), a majority of the votes cast shall mean that the number of shares voted “for” a director’s election exceeds fifty percent (50%) of the number of votes cast with respect to that director’s election. Notwithstanding the foregoing, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders entitled to vote (and not by majority vote) at any meeting of stockholders where the election of directors is a “Contested Election” (as defined below). For purposes of these By-Laws, an election of directors shall be considered a “Contested Election” if (i) the number of nominees standing for election at any meeting of stockholders exceeds the number of directors to be elected, with the determination that an election is “contested” to be made by the Secretary of the Corporation. If directors are to be elected by a plurality of the votes cast, stockholders shall not be permitted to vote against a nominee. Subject to Section 1(b) of this Article, any director may resign at any time upon notice to the Corporation. Such resignation shall be effective upon receipt unless it is specified to be effective at some other time or upon the happening of some other event. A resignation that is conditioned upon such resigning director’s failing to receive a specified vote for re-election as a director may provide that such resignation is irrevocable by such director, but may be rejected by the Board of Directors. Any director may be removed at any time for cause or without cause by the vote of the holders of a majority of the common stock then entitled to vote at an election of directors. The vacancy on the Board of Directors caused by any such removal may be filled by the stockholders at such meeting or as provided in Section 2 of this Article II.
(b) Each person who is nominated to stand for election as director shall, as a condition to such nomination, tender an irrevocable and executed letter of resignation in advance of the meeting for the election of directors. If a nominee for director is not elected and the nominee is an incumbent director, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors will make a recommendation to the Board of Directors as to whether to accept or reject the tendered resignation, or whether other action should be taken. The Board of Directors will act on the tendered resignation, taking into account the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s recommendation, and make public disclosure of its decision regarding the tendered resignation and the rationale behind the decision within 90 calendar days from the date of the certification of the election results. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, in making its recommendation, and the Board of Directors, in making its decision, may each consider any factors or other information that they consider appropriate and relevant. The director who tenders his or her resignation will not participate in the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee or the decision of the Board of Directors with respect to his or her tender of resignation, but may participate in the recommendation or the decision regarding another director’s tender of resignation.
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Section 2. Vacancies. Vacancies, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, may be filled by vote of a majority of the directors then in office (even if such remaining directors constitute less than a quorum) or of the sole remaining director, and the directors so chosen shall hold office until the next annual election and until their successors are duly elected and qualified, or until their earlier resignation or removal.
Section 3. Duties and Powers. The business of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors which may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these By-Laws directed or required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.
Section 4. Meetings. The Board of Directors of the Corporation may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or without the State of Delaware. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such time and at such place as may from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President or any of the directors. Notice thereof stating the place, date and hour of the meeting and the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called shall be given to each director either by mail not less than forty-eight (48) hours before the date of the meeting, by telephone on twenty-four (24) hours’ notice, or on such shorter notice as the person or persons calling such meeting may deem necessary or appropriate in the circumstances.
Section 5. Quorum. Except as may be otherwise specifically provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, at all meetings of the Board of Directors, one-third of the entire Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board of Directors. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of Directors, the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.
Section 6. Actions of Board. Unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all the members of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or committee.
Section 7. Meeting by Means of Conference Telephone. Unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, members of the Board of Directors, or any committee designated by the Board of Directors, may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or such committee by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this Section 7 shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
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Section 8. Committees. The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the entire Board of Directors, designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of any such committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, and in the absence of a designation by the Board of Directors of an alternate member to replace the absent or disqualified member, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any absent or disqualified member. Any committee, to the extent allowed by law and provided in the resolutions establishing such committee, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be fixed to all papers which require it. Each committee shall keep regular minutes and report to the Board of Directors when required.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS
Section 1. General. The officers of the Corporation shall be chosen by the Board of Directors and shall be a President, Treasurer and a Secretary. The Board of Directors, in its discretion, may also choose a Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operations Officer and one or more Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers and other officers. Any number of offices may be held by the same person, unless otherwise prohibited by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws. The officers of the Corporation need not be stockholders of the Corporation nor need such officers be directors of the Corporation.
Section 2. Election. The Board of Directors at its first meeting held after each Annual Meeting of Stockholders shall elect the officers of the Corporation who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors; and all officers of the Corporation shall hold office until their successors are chosen and qualified, or until their earlier resignation or removal. Any officer elected by the Board of Directors may be removed with or without cause, at any time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board of Directors. The salaries of all officers of the Corporation shall be fixed by the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Voting Securities Owned by the Corporation. Powers of attorney, proxies, waivers of notice of meeting, consents and other instruments relating to securities owned by the Corporation may be executed in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation by any officer of the Corporation and any such officer may, in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, take all such action as any such officer may deem advisable to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of security holders of any corporation in which the Corporation may own securities and at any such meeting shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and power incident to the ownership of such securities and which, as the owner thereof, the Corporation might have exercised and possessed if present. The Board of Directors may, by resolution, from time to time confer like powers upon any other person or persons.
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Section 4. President. The President shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have general supervision of the business of the Corporation and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect. The President shall have the power and authority to execute all bonds, mortgages, contracts and other instruments of the Corporation requiring a seal, under the seal of the Corporation, except where required or permitted by law to be otherwise signed and executed without seal and except in such cases in which the other officers of the Corporation may sign and execute documents when so authorized by these By-Laws, the Board of Directors or the President. The President shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors. The President shall also perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as from time to time may be assigned to him by these By-Laws or by the Board of Directors.
Section 5. Secretary. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and all meetings of stockholders and record all the proceedings thereat in a book or books to be kept for that purpose; the Secretary shall also perform like duties for the standing committees when required. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or the President, under whose supervision he shall be. If the Secretary shall be unable or shall refuse to cause to be given notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, then either the Board of Directors or the President may choose another officer to cause such notice to be given. The Secretary shall have custody of the seal of the Corporation and the Secretary shall have authority to affix the same to any instrument requiring it and when so affixed, it may be attested by the signature of the Secretary. The Secretary shall have the power and authority to execute all bonds, mortgages, contracts and other instruments of the Corporation requiring a seal, under the seal of the Corporation, except where required or permitted by law to be otherwise signed and executed without seal. The Board of Directors may give general authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest the affixing by his signature. The Secretary shall see that all books, reports, statements, certificates and other documents and records required by law to be kept or filed are properly kept or filed, as the case may be.
Section 6. Other Officers. Such other officers as the Board of Directors may choose shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may delegate to any other officer of the Corporation the power to choose such other officers and to prescribe their respective duties and powers.
ARTICLE IV
STOCK
Section 1. Form of Certificates. Every holder of stock in the Corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed, in the name of the Corporation (i) by the President and (ii) by the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Corporation, certifying the number of shares owned by him in the Corporation.
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Section 2. Signatures. Where a certificate is countersigned by (i) a transfer agent other than the Corporation or its employee, or (ii) a registrar other than the Corporation or its employee, any other signature on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
Section 3. Lost Certificates. The Board of Directors may direct a new certificate to be issued in place of any certificate theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or his legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as the Board of Directors shall require and/or to give the Corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.
Section 4. Transfers. Stock of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law and in these By-Laws. Transfers of stock shall be made on the books of the Corporation only by the person named in the certificate or by his attorney lawfully constituted in writing and upon the surrender of the certificate therefor, which shall be canceled before a new certificate shall be issued.
Section 5. Record Date. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall be before the date of such meeting; in the case of consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the record date must not be more than ten days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 5 to the contrary, a record date for determining stockholders entitled to take action by written consent shall be fixed in accordance with Section 6(b) of Article I of these By-laws.
Section 6. Beneficial Owners. The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and to hold liable for calls and assessments a person registered on its books as the owner of shares, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law.
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ARTICLE V
NOTICES
Section 1. Notices. Whenever written notice is required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, to be given to any director, member of a committee or stockholder, such notice may be given by mail, addressed to such director, member of a committee or stockholder, at his address as it appears on the records of the Corporation, with postage thereon prepaid, and such notice shall be deemed to be given five days after the same shall be deposited in the United States mail. Written notice may also be given personally or by email, facsimile, telex or cable.
Section 2. Waivers of Notice. Whenever any notice is required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, to be given to any director, member of a committee or stockholder, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to said notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto.
ARTICLE VI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. Dividends. Dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting, and may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board of Directors from time to time, in its absolute discretion, deems proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or for any proper purpose, and the Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve.
Section 2. Disbursements. All checks or demands for money and notes of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers or such other person or persons as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.
Section 3. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by the resolution of the Board of Directors.
Section 4. Corporate Seal. The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its organization and the words “Corporate Seal, Delaware.” The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.
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ARTICLE VII
indemnification
Section 1. Power to Indemnify in Actions, Suits or Proceedings other Than Those by or in the Right of the Corporation. Subject to Section 3 of this Article VII, the Corporation shall indemnify any officer or director of the Corporation who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, have reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
Section 2. Power to Indemnify in Actions, Suits or Proceedings by or in the Right of the Corporation. Subject to Section 3 of this Article VII, the Corporation shall indemnify any officer or director of the Corporation who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation; except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matters as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
Section 3. Authorization of Indemnification. Any indemnification under this Article VII (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 1 or Section 2 of this Article VII, as the case may be. Such determination shall be made (i) by a majority vote of the directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding even though less than a quorum, or (ii) if there are no such directors, or, if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (iii) by the stockholders. To the extent, however, that a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding described above, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith, without the necessity of authorization in the specific case.
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Section 4. Good Faith Defined. For purposes of any determination under Section 3 of this Article VII, a person shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, or, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, to have had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful, if his action is based on the records or books of account of the Corporation or another enterprise, or on information supplied to him by the officers of the Corporation or another enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Corporation or another enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Corporation or another enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Corporation or another enterprise. The term “another enterprise” as used in this Section 4 shall mean any other corporation or any partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which such person is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent. The provisions of this Section 4 shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the circumstances in which a person may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 1 or 2 of this Article VII, as the case may be.
Section 5. Indemnification by a Court. Notwithstanding any contrary determination in the specific case under Section 3 of this Article VII, and notwithstanding the absence of any determination thereunder, any officer or director may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction in the State of Delaware for indemnification to the extent otherwise permissible under Sections 1 and 2 of this Article VII. The basis of such indemnification by a court shall be a determination by such court that indemnification of the officer or director is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standards of conduct set forth in Sections 1 or 2 of this Article VII, as the case may be. Neither a contrary determination in the specific case under Section 3 of this Article VII nor the absence of any determination thereunder shall be a defense to such application or create a presumption that the officer or director seeking indemnification has not met any applicable standard of conduct. Notice of any application for indemnification pursuant to this Section 5 shall be given to the Corporation promptly upon the filing of such application. If successful, in whole or in part, the officer or director seeking indemnification shall also be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such application.
Section 6. Expenses Payable in Advance. Expenses incurred in defending or investigating a threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such officer or director to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Article VII.
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Section 7. Nonexclusivity of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses. The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by or granted pursuant to this Article VII shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, contract, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or pursuant to the direction (howsoever embodied) of any court of competent jurisdiction or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, it being the policy of the Corporation that indemnification of the persons specified in Sections 1 and 2 of this Article VII shall be made to the fullest extent permitted by law. The provisions of this Article VII shall not be deemed to preclude the indemnification of any person who is not specified in Section 1 or 2 of this Article VII but whom the Corporation has the power or obligation to indemnify under the provisions of the DGCL, or otherwise.
Section 8. Insurance. The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power or the obligation to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of this Article VII.
Section 9. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Article VII, references to “the Corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its officers or directors, so that any such person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article VII with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued. For purposes of this Article VII, references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation” as referred to in this Article VII.
Section 10. Survival of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses. The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article VII shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, or by contract, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such person.
Section 11. Limitation of Indemnification. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Article VII to the contrary, except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification (which shall be governed by Section 5 of this Article VII), the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify any officer or director in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized or consented to by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
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Section 12. Repeal or Amendment. Any repeal or amendment of the indemnification provisions contained herein will not adversely affect any right or protection in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification.
ARTICLE VIII
AMENDMENTS
Section 1. These By-Laws may be altered, amended or repealed, in whole or in part, or new by-laws may be adopted by the stockholders or by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that notice of such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption of new by-laws be contained in the notice of such meeting of stockholders or Board of Directors, as the case may be. All such amendments must be approved by either of the holders of a majority of the outstanding capital stock entitled to vote thereon or by a majority of the entire Board of Directors then in office.
Section 2. Entire Board of Directors. As used in this Article VIII and in these By-Laws generally, the term “entire Board of Directors” means the total number of directors which the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies.
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Exhibit 4.1
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
by
and between
advaxis, inc.
and
continental stock transfer and trust company
as Rights Agent,
Dated as of September 29, 2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
|
||
Section 1. | Certain Definitions | 1 |
Section 2. | Appointment of the Rights Agent | 9 |
Section 3. | Issuance of Rights Certificates | 10 |
Section 4. | Form of Rights Certificates. | 12 |
Section 5. | Countersignature and Registration | 13 |
Section 6. | Transfer, Split-Up, Combination, and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates. | 14 |
Section 7. | Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights. | 15 |
Section 8. | Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates | 17 |
Section 9. | Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock | 17 |
Section 10. | Preferred Shares Record Date | 19 |
Section 11. | Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares, or Number of Rights | 19 |
Section 12. | Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares | 27 |
Section 13. | Consolidation, Merger, or Sale or Transfer of Assets, Cash Flow or Earning Power | 27 |
Section 14. | Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares | 30 |
Section 15. | Rights of Action | 31 |
Section 16. | Agreement of Rights Holders | 32 |
Section 17. | Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder | 32 |
Section 18. | Concerning the Rights Agent | 33 |
Section 19. | Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of the Rights Agent | 34 |
Section 20. | Duties of the Rights Agent | 34 |
Section 21. | Change of the Rights Agent | 38 |
Section 22. | Issuance of New Rights Certificates | 38 |
Section 23. | Redemption and Termination | 39 |
Section 24. | Exchange of Rights. | 39 |
Section 25. | Notice of Certain Events | 41 |
Section 26. | Notices | 42 |
Section 27. | Supplements and Amendments | 43 |
Section 28. | Successors | 43 |
Section 29. | Determinations and Actions by the Board | 44 |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Section 30. | Benefits of this Agreement | 44 |
Section 31. | Severability | 44 |
Section 32. | Governing Law | 44 |
Section 33. | Counterparts; Facsimiles and PDFs | 44 |
Section 34. | Descriptive Headings | 45 |
Section 35. | Force Majeure | 45 |
Section 36. | Further Assurance | 45 |
Exhibits | ||
Exhibit A: | Form of Certificate of Designation of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock | |
Exhibit B: | Form of Rights Certificate | |
Exhibit C: | Form of Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock |
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of September 29, 2020 (this “Agreement”), by and between Advaxis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company, as rights agent (the “Rights Agent”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, on September 29, 2020 (the “Rights Dividend Declaration Date”), the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) adopted this Agreement and authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one preferred share purchase right (each, a “Right” and, collectively, the “Rights”) for each Common Share (as hereinafter defined) outstanding at the Close of Business (as hereinafter defined) on October 12, 2020 (the “Record Date”), with each Right initially representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth (subject to adjustment in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement) of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined) and having the rights, preferences and privileges set forth in the form of Certificate of Designation of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, the Board further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right (subject to adjustment in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement) with respect to each Common Share that becomes outstanding between the Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined); provided, however, that Rights may be issued with respect to Common Shares that shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date in accordance with Section 22 hereof;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties, intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) “Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person who or which, together with all Related Persons of such Person, from and after the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of this Agreement, is or becomes the Beneficial Owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, whether or not such Person continues to be the Beneficial Owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, but shall not include an Exempt Person or a Grandfathered Person. Notwithstanding the foregoing: no Person shall become an Acquiring Person solely as a result of (i) (A) the grant or issuance by the Company to its directors, officers and/or employees of any options, warrants, rights or similar interests to acquire Common Shares by the Company pursuant to any employee benefit, stock incentive plan, stock option plan or stock ownership plan of the Company adopted by the Board, and the subsequent vesting, exercise or conversion of such options, warrants, rights or similar interests, (B) the grant or issuance by the Company to its directors, officers and/or employees of restricted Common Shares or restricted stock units, pursuant to a restricted stock or other compensation plan or arrangement adopted by the Board, and/or the subsequent vesting of such shares or stock units, (C) the acquisition of Common Shares by the Company or another Exempt Person which, by reducing the number of Common Shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of Common Shares Beneficially Owned by such Person, together with all Related Persons of such Person, to ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Shares then outstanding; provided, however, that, if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Shares then outstanding by reason of acquisition of shares by an Exempt Person and shall, after the first public announcement by the Company or other Exempt Person disclosing such share acquisitions by an Exempt Person, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares (other than pursuant to a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, reclassification or similar transaction effected by the Company) and immediately thereafter is the Beneficial Owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, then such Person shall be an Acquiring Person, (D) a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Shares or pursuant to a stock split, subdivision or similar transaction effected by the Company in which all registered holders of Common Shares are treated substantially equally, or (E) the acquisition of Common Shares directly from the Company; and (ii) (A) if the Board determines that a Person who would otherwise be an Acquiring Person has become such inadvertently (including, without limitation, because such Person was unaware that it Beneficially Owned a percentage of Common Shares that would otherwise cause such Person to be an Acquiring Person, or such Person was aware of the extent of its Beneficial Ownership of Common Shares, but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this Agreement and had no intention of changing or influencing control of the Company), and (B) such Person and/or its Related Persons divests as promptly as practicable (and in any event within five (5) Business Days after being so requested by the Company) a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person, together with its Related Persons, is no longer the Beneficial Owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Shares then outstanding or, in the case solely of Derivative Interests, such Person terminates as promptly as practicable (and in any event within five (5) Business Days after being so requested by the Company) the subject derivative transaction or transactions or disposes of the subject derivative security or securities as promptly as practicable (and in any event within five (5) Business Days after being so requested by the Company), or establishes to the satisfaction of the Board that such Derivative Interests are not held with any intention of changing or influencing control of the Company, then such Person shall not be deemed to be or ever to have been an Acquiring Person for any purposes of this Agreement as a result of such inadvertent acquisition.
(b) “Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(c) “Adjustment Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(d) “Affiliate” and “Associate” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that no director or officer of the Company shall be deemed an Affiliate or Associate of any other director or officer of the Company solely as a result of his or her being a director or officer of the Company.
(e) “Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of this Agreement, as it may from time to time be supplemented, amended, renewed, restated or extended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof.
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(f) A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, shall be deemed to have “Beneficial Ownership” of, and shall be deemed to “beneficially own,” any securities that:
(i) such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons beneficially owns, directly or indirectly (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act);
(ii) such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons, directly or indirectly, has the legal, equitable or contractual right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately, only after the passage of time, or upon the satisfaction of one or more conditions (whether or not within the control of such Person), compliance with regulatory requirements or otherwise) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing and other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities registered under the Securities Act) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, other rights (other than the Rights), warrants, or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, to have “Beneficial Ownership” of, or to “beneficially own,” (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer made in accordance with the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, (B) securities issuable upon the exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event, or (C) securities issuable upon the exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event, which Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the “Original Rights”) or pursuant to Section 11(i) or Section 11(p) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect to any Original Rights;
(iii) such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of, including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, or understanding (whether or not in writing); provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, to have “Beneficial Ownership” of, or to “beneficially own,” any security as a result of an agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent (as such terms are defined in Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act) given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the General Rules and Regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act to more than ten (10) holders of shares of a class of stock of the Company registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, (B) is not also then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or (C) arises solely because such security has been tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person or any Related Persons thereof until such tendered security is accepted for payment or exchange;
(iv) are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Related Person thereof) with which such Person (or any of such Person’s Related Persons) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent as described in the proviso to Section 1(f)(iii)), or disposing of any voting securities of the Company; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 1(f)(iv) shall cause a Person engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be the “Beneficial Owner” of, to have “Beneficial Ownership” of, or to “beneficially own,” any securities acquired, or which such Person has the right to acquire, as a result of customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members entered into in connection with a bona fide public offering of securities registered under the Securities Act; or
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(v) are the subject of, or the reference securities for, or that underlie, any Derivative Interest of such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons, with the number of Common Shares deemed beneficially owned being the notional or other number of Common Shares specified in the documentation evidencing the Derivative Interest as being subject to being acquired upon the exercise or settlement of the Derivative Interest or as the basis upon which the value or settlement amount of such Derivative Interest is to be calculated in whole or in part or, if no such number of Common Shares is specified in such documentation, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion to be the number of Common Shares to which the Derivative Interest relates.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the contrary, for all purposes of this Agreement, the phrase “then outstanding,” when used with reference to a Person’s Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding that such Person, together with all Related Persons, would be deemed to Beneficially Own hereunder. The number of Common Shares not actually issued and outstanding that such Person, together with all Related Persons of such Person, is otherwise deemed to Beneficially Own for purposes of this Agreement shall be deemed to be issued and outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage of the outstanding number of Common Shares owned by such Person, together with all Related Persons of such Person, but shall not be deemed to be issued and outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage of outstanding Common Shares owned by any other Person.
No Person who is an officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person shall be deemed, solely by reason of such Person’s status or authority as such, to be the “Beneficial Owner” of, to have “Beneficial Ownership” of or to “Beneficially Own” any securities that are “Beneficially Owned” (as defined in this Section 1(f)), including, without limitation, in a fiduciary capacity, by an Exempt Person or by any other such officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, no Person shall be deemed to be the “Beneficial Owner” of, to have “Beneficial Ownership” of or to “Beneficially Own” any securities which such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons would otherwise be deemed to “Beneficially Own” pursuant to this Section 1(f) solely as a result of any merger or other acquisition agreement between the Company and such Person (or one or more of such Person’s Related Persons), or any tender, voting or support agreement entered into by such Person (or one or more of such Person’s Related Persons) in connection therewith, if, prior to such Person becoming an Acquiring Person, the Board has approved such merger or other acquisition agreement, or such tender, voting or support agreement.
(g) “Board” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement and also includes any duly authorized committee thereof.
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(h) “Book Entry” shall mean an uncertificated book entry for any Common Share or Preferred Share.
(i) “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(j) “Bylaws” shall mean the Company’s Amended and Restated By-laws, as in effect on the date hereof, and as such may be amended, modified or restated from time to time.
(k) “Close of Business” on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(l) “Closing Price” of any security on any given day shall be the last sale price, regular way, of such security or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, on the principal trading market on which such security is then traded.
(m) “Common Shares” shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company or any other shares of capital stock of the Company into which such shares shall be reclassified or exchanged, except that “Common Shares” when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity interests having power to control or direct the management of such Person.
(n) “Common Stock Equivalents” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(o) “Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto, except as otherwise provided in Section 13(a) hereof.
(p) “Current Market Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d) hereof.
(q) “Current Value” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(r) [Reserved.]
(s) “Derivative Interest” shall mean any derivative securities (as defined under Rule 16a-1 under the Exchange Act) that increase in value as the value of the underlying equity increases, including, but not limited to, a long convertible security, a long call option and a short put option position, in each case, regardless of whether (i) such interest conveys any voting rights in such security, (ii) such interest is required to be, or is capable of being, settled through delivery of such security or (iii) transactions hedging the economic effect of such interest.
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(t) “Distribution Date” shall mean the Close of Business on the earlier to occur of (i) the tenth (10th) Business Day (or such later date as may be determined from time to time by action of a majority of the Board prior to the Distribution Date that would otherwise have occurred) after the Shares Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth (10th) Business Day after the Shares Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, then the Close of Business on the Record Date), or (ii) the tenth (10th) Business Day (or such later date as may be determined from time to time by action of a majority of the Board prior to the Distribution Date that would otherwise have occurred) after the date of the commencement of, or first public announcement of the intent of any Person (other than an Exempt Person) to commence (within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act), following the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of this Agreement, a tender or exchange offer, the successful consummation of which would result in any Person (other than an Exempt Person) becoming an Acquiring Person, irrespective of whether any shares are actually purchased or exchanged pursuant to such offer; provided, however, that if a tender or exchange offer is terminated prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date, then no Distribution Date shall occur as a result of such tender or exchange offer. The Board may, if deferral is allowed in clause (i) or (ii) of the preceding sentence, defer the date set forth in such clause, as applicable, to a specified later date or an unspecified later date to be determined by a subsequent action or event.
(u) “Equivalent Preferred Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(b) hereof.
(v) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(w) “Exchange Property” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(f) hereof.
(x) “Exchange Ratio” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof.
(y) “Exchange Recipients” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(f) hereof.
(z) “Exempt Person” shall mean (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee stock ownership plan, employee benefit plan or other compensation program or arrangement of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, program or arrangement or for the purpose of funding any such plan, program or arrangement, and (iv) any Person organized, appointed or established by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, program or arrangement during the time such Person acts in such capacity.
(aa) [Reserved.]
(bb) “Expiration Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(cc) “Final Expiration Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
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(dd) “General Rules and Regulations” shall mean Part 240, Subpart A —Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(ee) “Grandfathered Person” shall mean any Person who or which, together with all Related Persons of such Person, would, as of the time immediately prior to the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of this Agreement, be deemed an “Acquiring Person;” provided, however, that such Person, together with all Related Persons, shall cease to be a Grandfathered Person and shall become an Acquiring Person if, following the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of this Agreement, such Person, together with all Related Persons, shall acquire, without the prior approval of the Board, Beneficial Ownership of any additional Common Shares (other than as a result of (i) the acquisition of Common Shares on the date of such announcement pursuant to orders placed prior to such announcement, (ii) a stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, subdivision or similar transaction effected by the Company in which all registered holders of Common Shares are treated substantially equally, (iii) the grant or issuance by the Company to its directors, officers and/or employees of options, warrants, rights or similar interests to acquire Common Shares by the Company pursuant to any employee benefit, stock incentive plan, stock option plan or stock ownership plan of the Company adopted by the Board, and the subsequent vesting, exercise or conversion of such options, warrants, rights or similar interests, (iv) the grant or issuance by the Company to its directors, officers and/or employees of restricted Common Shares or restricted stock units pursuant to a restricted stock or other compensation plan or arrangement adopted by the Board and/or the subsequent vesting of such shares or stock units, or (v) the acquisition of Common Shares directly from the Company) while such Person (together with all Related Persons) is the Beneficial Owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.
(ff) [Reserved.]
(gg) “Nasdaq” shall mean The Nasdaq Stock Market.
(hh) “NYSE” shall mean the New York Stock Exchange.
(ii) “Original Rights” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1(f)(ii) hereof.
(jj) [Reserved.]
(kk) [Reserved.]
(ll) “Ownership Statements” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
(mm) “Person” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, trust, association, syndicate or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(nn) “Preferred Shares” shall mean shares of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company having the relative rights, preferences and limitations set forth in the form of Certificate of Designation attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A, and, to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the Rights, any other series of preferred stock of the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
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(oo) “Principal Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(b) hereof.
(pp) “Purchase Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b) hereof.
(qq) [Reserved.]
(rr) [Reserved.]
(ss) “Record Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.
(tt) “Redemption Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(uu) “Redemption Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a) hereof.
(vv) “Redemption Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a) hereof.
(ww) “Related Person” shall mean, as to any Person, any Affiliates or Associates of such Person.
(xx) “Restated Certificate of Incorporation” shall mean the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as such may be further amended, modified or restated from time to time.
(yy) “Right” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
(zz) “Rights Agent” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of this Agreement, except as otherwise provided in Section 19 and Section 21 hereof.
(aaa) “Rights Certificate” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
(bbb) “Rights Dividend Declaration Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
(ccc) “SEC” shall mean the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and any successor agency or instrumentality of the United States government.
(ddd) “Section 11(a)(ii) Event” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(eee) “Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
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(fff) “Section 13 Event” shall mean any event described in Section 13(a)(i), Section 13(a)(ii) or Section 13(a)(iii) hereof.
(ggg) “Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(hhh) “Shares Acquisition Date” shall mean the first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without limitation, the filing of a report or an amendment thereto with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act or pursuant to a comparable successor statute) by the Company or an Acquiring Person indicating that an Acquiring Person has become such or that discloses information which reveals the existence of an Acquiring Person; provided, however, that if a Person is determined by the Board, in its sole discretion, not to have become an Acquiring Person pursuant to Section 1(a)(ii), then no Shares Acquisition Date shall be deemed to have occurred.
(iii) [Reserved.]
(jjj) [Reserved.]
(kkk) [Reserved.]
(lll) “Spread” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(mmm) “Subsidiary” shall mean, with reference to any Person, any corporation or other Person of which an amount of voting securities (or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power) sufficient to elect at least a majority of the directors (or other Persons performing similar functions) of such corporation or other Person is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such first mentioned Person, or otherwise controlled by such first mentioned Person.
(nnn) “Substitution Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(ooo) “Summary of Rights” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b) hereof.
(ppp) “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Shares are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Common Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day; provided, that if such security is not listed or quoted on the NYSE or the Nasdaq and the principal market for such security is a non-U.S. securities exchange, then “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which such non-U.S. securities exchange is open for the transaction of business.
(qqq) “Triggering Event” shall mean a Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of the Rights Agent . The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as rights agent for the Company in accordance with the express terms and conditions hereof (and not implied terms and conditions), and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-rights agents as it may deem necessary or desirable, upon ten (10) calendar days’ prior written notice to the Rights Agent. In the event the Company appoints one or more co-rights agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agent and any co-rights agents under the provisions of this Agreement shall be as the Company reasonably determines, and the Company shall notify, in writing, the Rights Agent and any co-rights agents of such duties. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and shall in no event be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such co-rights agent.
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Section 3. Issuance of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the Distribution Date (i) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to Section 3(b) and Section 3(c) hereof) by the certificates for the Common Shares registered in the names of the holders of the Common Shares (which certificates for Common Shares shall be deemed also to be certificates for Rights) or by the Book Entry Common Shares registered in the name of the holders, evidenced by notation in accounts reflecting current ownership statements issued with respect to uncertificated Common Shares in lieu of such certificates (“Ownership Statements”) (which Book Entry Common Shares, including any Ownership Statements, shall be deemed also to be certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and the registered holders of the Common Shares shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and (ii) the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying Common Shares (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company shall prepare and execute, and upon the written request of the Company, the Rights Agent shall countersign and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if so requested and provided with all necessary information and documents will, at the expense of the Company, send), in accordance with Section 26 hereof, to each record holder of the Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date (other than an Acquiring Person or any Related Person of an Acquiring Person), one or more rights certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit B attached hereto (the “Rights Certificates”), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per Common Share has been made pursuant to Section 11(i) or Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the Company shall not be required to issue Rights Certificates evidencing fractional Rights but may, in lieu thereof, make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates evidencing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates. The Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing upon the occurrence of the Distribution Date. Until such written notice is received by the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent may presume conclusively for all purposes that the Distribution Date has not occurred.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Company shall make available a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the “Summary of Rights”), to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the Record Date who may so request from the Company (in accordance with Section 26 hereof) a copy from time to time prior to the Expiration Date. With respect to Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, or issued subsequent to the Record Date, until the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date, the Rights associated with such Common Shares will be evidenced by the certificate or Book Entry Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof, in each case together with the Summary of Rights. Until the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date, the surrender for transfer of any certificate or the transfer of any Book Entry Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares evidenced thereby.
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(c) Rights shall without any further action, be issued in respect of all Common Shares that are issued (whether originally issued or from the Company’s treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date and, to the extent provided in Section 22 hereof, in respect of Common Shares issued after the Distribution Date. Certificates and Book Entry Common Shares evidencing such Common Shares shall have printed or otherwise affixed to them a legend in substantially the following form:
“This [certificate/statement] also evidences and entitles the registered holder hereof to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Advaxis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company, as rights agent (or any successor rights agent) (the “Rights Agent”), dated as of September 29, 2020, as the same may be amended, extended or renewed from time to time (the “Rights Agreement”), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this [certificate/statement]. The Company will mail to the registered holder of this [certificate/statement], without charge, a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, promptly after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights which are issued or transferred to, which are or have been beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or any Related Person thereof (as such capitalized terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) or any purported subsequent holder of such Rights will become null and void and will no longer be transferable. The Rights shall not be exercisable, and shall be void so long as held, by a holder in any jurisdiction where the requisite qualification to the issuance to such holder, or the exercise by such holder, of the Rights in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained or be obtainable.”
With respect to any Book Entry Common Share, such legend shall be included in the Ownership Statement in respect of such Common Share or in a notice to the record holder of such Common Share in accordance with applicable law. With respect to such certificates or Ownership Statements containing the foregoing legend, until the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares evidenced by such certificates or Book Entry Common Shares shall be evidenced by such certificates or such Book Entry Common Shares (including any Ownership Statements) alone and the surrender for transfer of any certificate or transfer of any Book Entry Common Share shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares evidenced thereby. Notwithstanding this Section 3(c) or anything to the contrary that may be contained elsewhere in this Agreement, neither the failure to print the foregoing legend on any certificates representing Common Shares or any defect that may be contained in the legend that is so printed, nor the failure to provide the notice thereof to the holder of any Book Entry Shares, shall affect the enforceability of any part of this Agreement or the rights of any holder of the Rights. In the event the Company purchases or otherwise acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with such Common Shares that are no longer outstanding. In the event that any Common Shares are not represented by certificates, references in this Agreement to certificates shall be deemed to refer to the notations in the book entry accounts reflecting ownership of such shares.
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After the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date, if new certificate(s) representing Common Shares are issued in connection with the transfer, split-up, combination or exchange of certificate(s) representing Common Shares or if new certificate(s) representing Common Shares are issued to replace any certificate(s) that have been mutilated, destroyed, lost, or stolen, then such new certificate(s) shall bear a legend in substantially the form of the foregoing.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and of assignment and the certificates contained therein to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B and may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate (but which do not affect the rights, duties, liabilities or responsibilities of the Rights Agent) and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any law, rule or regulation of any national securities exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record Date and on their face shall entitle the registered holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the Purchase Price, but the amount and type of securities, cash or other assets that may be acquired upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided in this Agreement.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant hereto that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or any Related Person of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Related Person) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Related Person) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person (or any such Related Person) to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) regarding the transferred Rights, or (B) a transfer which the Board, in its sole discretion, has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible, and only if the Company has provided specific written instructions to the Rights Agent) a legend in substantially the following form:
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“The Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are or were Beneficially Owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of an Acquiring Person (as such capitalized terms are defined in the Rights Agreement by and between Advaxis, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company, as Rights Agent (or any successor rights agent), dated as of September 29, 2020, as the same may be amended, extended or renewed from time to time (the “Rights Agreement”)). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights evidenced hereby may become null and void in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of the Rights Agreement and may no longer be transferable.”
The Company shall give written notice to the Rights Agent promptly after it becomes aware of the existence and identity of any Acquiring Person or any Related Person thereof. Until such notice is received by the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent may presume conclusively for all purposes that no Person has become an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of an Acquiring Person. The Company shall instruct the Rights Agent in writing of the Rights which should be so legended.
Notwithstanding this Section 4(b) or anything to the contrary that may be contained elsewhere in this Agreement, the omission of the foregoing legend or any legend substantially similar thereto shall not affect the enforceability of any part of this Agreement or the rights of any registered holder of Rights Certificates.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be duly executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board and Principal Executive Officer, or any Vice President and the Principal Financial Officer, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, either manually or by facsimile or portable document format signature. The Rights Certificates shall be countersigned by an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent, either manually or by facsimile or portable document format signature, and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the Person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the Company by any Person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such Person was not such an officer.
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(b) Following the Distribution Date, and receipt by the Rights Agent of written notice to that effect and all other relevant and necessary information and documents referred to in Section 3(a), the Rights Agent will keep, or cause to be kept, at its office or offices designated as the appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights Certificates, and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination, and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates (other than Rights Certificates representing Rights that have become null and void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof, or evidencing Rights that have been redeemed or exchanged pursuant to Section 23 or Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split-up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered then entitles such holder (or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split-up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender, together with any required form of assignment duly executed and properly completed, the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates to be transferred, split-up, combined, or exchanged, with the form of assignment and certificate contained therein properly completed and duly executed and with all signatures guaranteed and any other such documentation that the Rights Agent shall reasonably request, at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. The Rights Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have: (i) properly completed and duly executed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate; (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) of the Rights represented by such Rights Certificate or Related Persons thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request; and (iii) paid a sum sufficient to cover any tax or charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates as required by Section 9(e) hereof. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e), Section 14 and Section 24 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment from a registered holder of a Rights Certificate of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split-up, combination, or exchange of Rights Certificates. If and to the extent the Company does require payment of any such taxes or charges, the Company shall give the Rights Agent prompt written notice thereof and the Rights Agent shall not deliver any Rights Certificate unless and until it is satisfied that all such payments have been made, and the Rights Agent shall forward any such sum collected by it to the Company or to such Persons as the Company specifies by written notice. The Rights Agent shall have no duty or obligation to take any action with respect to a holder of a Rights Certificate under any Section of this Agreement which requires the payment by such holder of a Rights Certificate of applicable taxes and/or charges unless and until it is satisfied that all such taxes and/or charges have been paid.
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(b) Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, at any time after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate, if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof or as otherwise provided in this Agreement, at any time after the Distribution Date the registered holder of any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii), and Section 23(a) hereof) in whole or in part upon surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate contained therein properly completed and duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, accompanied by a signature guarantee and such other documentation as the Rights Agent may reasonably request, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to the total number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on September 28, 2021 (the “Final Expiration Date”), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the “Redemption Date”), and (iii) the time at which the Rights are exchanged in full as provided in Section 24 hereof (the earliest of (i), (ii), and (iii) being herein referred to as the “Expiration Date”). Except for those provisions herein that expressly survive the termination of this Agreement, this Agreement shall terminate at such time as the Rights are no longer exercisable hereunder.
(b) The purchase price for each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share pursuant to the exercise of a Right initially shall be $1.95, shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 and Section 13(a) hereof, and shall be payable in accordance with Section 7(c) hereof (such purchase price, as so adjusted, the “Purchase Price”).
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(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate evidencing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate contained therein properly completed and duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be adjusted as provided herein) per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable tax or charge, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 7(f) and Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the total number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if, subject to Section 14 hereof, the Company shall have elected to deposit the total number of Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent of depositary receipts evidencing such number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares evidenced by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) if necessary to comply with this Agreement, requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, subject to Section 7(f) below, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) if necessary to comply with this Agreement, after receipt thereof, subject to Section 7(f) below, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified bank check or bank draft payable to the order of the Company. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common Shares) of the Company, pay cash or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash or other property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when necessary to comply with this Agreement, and until so received, the Rights Agent shall have no duties or obligations with respect to such securities, cash and/or other property. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole Preferred Shares would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate evidencing the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 6 and Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Related Person thereof) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Related Person thereof) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person (or any such Related Person) to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person (or any such Related Person) or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person (or any such Related Person) has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer that the Board, in its sole discretion, has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) that has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement, the Rights Certificates or otherwise. The Company shall notify the Rights Agent when this Section 7(e) applies and shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or any other Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or any of its Related Persons or transferees hereunder.
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(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any Rights Certificate to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with respect to a registered holder of a Rights Certificate upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) properly completed and duly executed the certificate contained in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or Related Persons thereof) or former Beneficial Owner (or Related Persons thereof) of the Rights represented by the Rights Certificate as the Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates. All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split-up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy or cause to be destroyed such cancelled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that at all times prior to the Expiration Date it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and unissued Common Shares or other securities as may be issuable upon exercise of the Rights and/or out of its securities held in treasury, as the case may be), the number of Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, to the extent reasonably practicable, Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be) that, as provided in this Agreement, including, but not limited to, Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all of the outstanding Rights. Upon the occurrence of any events resulting in an increase in the aggregate number of Preferred Shares (or other equity securities of the Company) issuable upon exercise of all outstanding Rights above the number then reserved, the Company shall make appropriate increases in the number of shares so reserved.
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(b) So long as the Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be) issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange or quoted on a quotation system, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable through the Expiration Date, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange or quoted on such quotation system, as the case may be, upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with Section 11(a) hereof, a registration statement on an appropriate form under the Act, with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the Expiration Date. The Company will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or “blue sky” laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) calendar days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement (with prompt written notice thereof to the Rights Agent; and until such written notice is received by the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent may presume conclusively that no such suspension has occurred) stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect (with prompt written notice thereof to the Rights Agent; and until such written notice is received by the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent may presume conclusively that such suspension is still in effect). In addition, if the Company shall determine that a registration statement is required following the Distribution Date, the Company similarly may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights until such time as a registration statement has been declared effective. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law, or a registration statement shall not have been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be) delivered upon exercise of the Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates or depositary receipts for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
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(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all federal and state taxes and charges that may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of any certificates, entries in the book entry account system of the transfer agent, or depositary receipts for a number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any tax or charge that may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates or depositary receipts or entries in the book entry account system of the transfer agent to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates or depositary receipts or entries in the book entry account system of the transfer agent for a number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities, cash or other assets as the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax or charge shall have been paid (any such tax or charge being payable by the registered holder of such Rights Certificates at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company’s or to the Rights Agent’s satisfaction that no such tax or charge is due.
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name any certificate or entry in the book entry account system of the transfer agent for a number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such fractional Preferred Shares (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities, cash, or other assets as the case may be) evidenced thereby on, and such certificate or entry shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and all applicable taxes and governmental charges) was made; provided, however, that, if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate or entry shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares or other securities, cash, or other assets as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are open and, provided, further, that if delivery of the Preferred Shares is delayed pursuant to Section 9(c), when such Preferred Shares first become deliverable. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the registered holder of a Rights Certificate, as such, shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions, or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares, or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares, or fractions thereof, purchasable upon exercise of each Right, and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
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(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of this Agreement (A) declare or pay a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide or split the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine or consolidate the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, split, combination, consolidation, or reclassification, and the number and kind of Preferred Shares or fractions thereof (or other capital stock, as the case may be), issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the registered holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of Preferred Shares or fractions thereof (or other capital stock, as the case may be), which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date (whether or not such Right was then exercisable) and at a time when the Preferred Share (or other capital stock, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company were open, such holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, split, combination, consolidation, or reclassification. If an event occurs that would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event any Person shall become an Acquiring Person (a “Section 11(a)(ii) Event”), then, promptly following the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event, proper provision shall be made so that, upon expiration of the Redemption Period and subject to Section 23 hereof, each registered holder of a Right (except as provided below in Section 11(a)(iii) and in Sections 7(e), 13 and 24 hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of a number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share, such number of Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (B) dividing that product (which, following such first occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the “Purchase Price” for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by fifty percent (50%) of the Current Market Price per Common Share on the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares, the “Adjustment Shares”).
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(iii) In the event that (A) the number of Common Shares authorized by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights, is not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or (B) the Board otherwise shall determine to do so in its sole discretion, the Company, acting by resolution of the Board, shall (1) determine the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the “Current Value”), and (2) with respect to each Right (subject to Section 7(e) hereof), make adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon the exercise of such Right and payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (u) cash, (v) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (w) Common Shares or other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred stock, such as the Preferred Shares, which the Board has deemed to have essentially the same value or economic rights as Common Shares (such shares of preferred stock being referred to as “Common Stock Equivalents”)), (x) debt securities of the Company, (y) other assets, or (z) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board; provided, however, that, if, under the circumstances set forth in clause (A) above, the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (2) above within thirty (30) calendar days following the later of (I) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (II) the date on which the Company’s right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) hereof expires (the later of (I) and (II) being referred to herein as the “Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date”), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, Common Shares (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “Spread” shall mean the excess of the Current Value over the Purchase Price. If the Board determines in good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional Common Shares could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) calendar day period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) calendar days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such thirty (30) calendar day period, as it may be extended, is herein called the “Substitution Period”). To the extent that action is to be taken pursuant to the first or third sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and the Company may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek such stockholder approval for such authorization of additional shares or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement (with prompt written notice thereof to the Rights Agent) stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement (with prompt written notice thereof to the Rights Agent) at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of each Adjustment Share shall be the Current Market Price per Common Share on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or per unit value of any Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to equal the Current Market Price per Common Share on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options, or warrants to all registered holders of Preferred Shares entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares (“Equivalent Preferred Shares”)) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or Equivalent Preferred Shares at a price per Preferred Share or Equivalent Preferred Share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Shares or Equivalent Preferred Shares) less than the Current Market Price per Preferred Share on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date, plus the number of Preferred Shares that the aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares or Equivalent Preferred Shares so to be offered (or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such Current Market Price, and the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Preferred Shares or Equivalent Preferred Shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration, part or all of which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding and conclusive for all purposes on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights, options, or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
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(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to all registered holders of Preferred Shares (including any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of cash (other than a regular cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred Shares, but including any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Shares) or evidences of indebtedness, or of subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Current Market Price per Preferred Share on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding and conclusive for all purposes) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed, or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a Preferred Share, and the denominator of which shall be such Current Market Price per Preferred Share. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the “Current Market Price” per Common Share on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily Closing Prices per Common Share for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the “Current Market Price” per Common Share on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily Closing Prices per Common Share for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the Current Market Price per Common Share is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Share of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Shares payable in Common Shares or securities convertible into such Common Shares (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination, consolidation, reverse stock split or reclassification of such Common Shares, and the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination, consolidation, reverse stock split or reclassification shall not have occurred prior to the commencement of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth above, then, and in each such case, the Current Market Price shall be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. The Closing Price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq or, if the Common Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Shares are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Common Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported on a quotation system then in use, or, if on any such date the Common Shares are not so quoted, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Common Shares selected by the Board. If on any such date the Common Shares are not publicly held and are not so listed, admitted to trading, or quoted, and no market maker is making a market in the Common Shares, the “Current Market Price” per Common Share shall mean the fair value per share on such date as determined in good faith by the Board, which determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding and conclusive for all purposes on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights.
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(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “Current Market Price” per Preferred Share shall be determined in the same manner as set forth above for the Common Shares in Section 11(d)(i) hereof (other than the penultimate sentence thereof). If the Current Market Price per Preferred Share cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if the Preferred Shares are not publicly held or listed, admitted to trading, or quoted in a manner described in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, the Current Market Price per Preferred Share shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 1,000 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Shares occurring after the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of this Agreement) multiplied by the Current Market Price per Common Share. If neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or listed, admitted to trading, or quoted, the “Current Market Price” per Preferred Share shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by a majority of the Board, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding and conclusive for all purposes on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. For all purposes of this Agreement, the Current Market Price of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share shall be equal to the Current Market Price of one Preferred Share divided by 1,000.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest thousandth of a Common Share or other share or one-millionth of a Preferred Share, as the case may be.
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(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the registered holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Shares contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l) and (m), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or other securities or amount of cash or combination thereof) purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in Section 11(i) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made in Section 11(b) and Section 11(c) hereof, each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one-millionth) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-thousandths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable upon the exercise of a Right pursuant to Section 11(h) hereof. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one one-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public announcement, and notify the Rights Agent in writing, of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) calendar days later than the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and delivered by the Company, and countersigned and delivered by the Rights Agent, in the manner provided for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
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(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one one-thousandth of a share and the number of one one-thousandths of a share that were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action that may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue, fully paid and nonassessable, such number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer (and shall notify the Rights Agent in writing of any such election) until the occurrence of such event the issuance to the registered holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive such additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that the Board, in its good faith judgment, shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the Current Market Price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities that by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, (iv) stock dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to registered holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders or shall reduce the taxes payable by such holders.
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(n) The Company covenants and agrees that in the event that a Section 11(a)(ii) Event occurs and the Rights shall then be outstanding, it shall not, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii) sell or otherwise transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets, cash flow or earning power aggregating fifty percent (50%) or more of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole and calculated on the basis of the Company’s most recent regularly prepared financial statements) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer there are any charter or bylaw provisions, rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect that would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the “Principal Party” for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Related Persons; provided, however, that this Section 11(n) shall not affect the ability of any Subsidiary of the Company to consolidate with, merge with or into, or sell or transfer assets or earning power to, any other Subsidiary of the Company.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that after the Distribution Date and so long as any Rights shall then be outstanding (other than Rights that have become null and void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof), it will not, except as permitted by Section 23, Section 24, or Section 27 hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that the Company shall at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare or pay a dividend on the outstanding Common Shares payable in Common Shares, (ii) subdivide or split the outstanding Common Shares, (iii) combine or consolidate the outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of Common Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is a continuing or surviving corporation), the number of Rights associated with each Common Share then outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date (or issued or delivered on or after the Distribution Date pursuant to Section 22 hereof), shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with each Common Share following any such event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each Common Share immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(p) shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or reclassification is effected. If an event occurs that would require an adjustment under Section 11(a)(ii) and this Section 11(p), the adjustments provided for in this Section 11(p) shall be in addition and prior to any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii).
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Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or Section 13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief reasonably detailed statement of the facts, computations and methodology accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the Preferred Shares and the Common Shares, a copy of such certificate and (c) if a Distribution Date has occurred, mail a brief summary thereof to each registered holder of a Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 26 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment or statement therein contained and shall have no duty or liability with respect to, and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of, any adjustment or any such event unless and until it shall have received such a certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger, or Sale or Transfer of Assets, Cash Flow or Earning Power
(a) In the event that, at any time on or following the Shares Acquisition Date, directly or indirectly,
(i) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation or other entity of such consolidation or merger;
(ii) any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any other property; or
(iii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets, cash flow or earning power aggregating fifty percent (50%) or more of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole and calculated on the basis of the Company’s most recent regularly prepared financial statements) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof);
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then, and in each such case (except as may be contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof), proper provision shall be made so that: (A) each registered holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Shares for which a Right is then exercisable in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, nonassessable and freely tradeable Common Shares of the Principal Party, not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal, transfer restrictions, preemptive rights or other adverse claims of any nature whatsoever, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (2) dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the “Purchase Price” for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by fifty percent (50%) of the Current Market Price per Common Share of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event; (B) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (C) the term “Company” shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (D) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of Common Shares) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; provided, however, that upon the subsequent occurrence of any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all assets, recapitalization, reclassification of shares, reorganization or other extraordinary transaction in respect of such Principal Party, each holder of a Right shall thereupon be entitled to receive, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the Purchase Price, such cash, shares, rights, options warrants and other property which such holder would have been entitled to receive had he, she or it at the time of such transaction, owned the Common Shares of the Principal Party purchasable upon the exercise of a Right, and such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, reservation of shares of stock) as may be necessary to permit the subsequent exercise of the Rights in accordance with the terms hereof for such cash, shares, rights, warrants, options and other property; and (E) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect with respect to events occurring at any time following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event, and the Rights that have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in this Section 13.
(b) “Principal Party” shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in Section 13(a)(i) or Section 13(a)(ii) hereof, the Person (including the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving entity) that is the issuer of any securities into which Common Shares of the Company are converted, changed, or exchanged in such merger or consolidation or, if there is more than one such issuer, the issuer of Common Shares of such issuer that has the highest aggregate current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) and if no securities or other equity interests are so issued, the Person (including the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving entity) that is the other party to such merger or consolidation, or, if there is more than one such Person, the Person that is a constituent party to such merger or consolidation, the Common Shares of such Person of which has the highest aggregate current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof); and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in Section 13(a)(iii) hereof, the Person that is the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets, cash flow or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or if each Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions receives the same portion of the assets, cash flow or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or if the Person receiving the largest portion of the assets, cash flow or earning power cannot be determined, whichever of such Persons is the issuer of Common Shares having the greatest aggregate value of shares outstanding (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof); provided, however, that in any such case, (A) if the Common Shares of such Person (who, but for this proviso, would be the Principal Party) are not at such time and have not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Shares of which are and have been so registered, “Principal Party” shall refer to such other Person; and (B) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Shares of two or more of which are and have been so registered, “Principal Party” shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market value.
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(c) The Company shall not consummate a Section 13 Event unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of authorized Common Shares that have not been issued or reserved or that are held in treasury for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement confirming that the requirements of Section 13(a) and Section 13(b) hereof shall promptly be performed in accordance with their terms and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any such Section 13 Event, the Principal Party, as soon as practicable after the execution of such agreement, will:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date;
(ii) take all such other action as may be necessary to enable the Principal Party to issue the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, including, but not limited to, the registration or qualification of such securities under all requisite securities laws of jurisdictions of the various states and the listing of such securities on such exchanges and trading markets as may be necessary or appropriate; and
(iii) deliver to registered holders of the Rights historical financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates that comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under the Exchange Act.
(d) The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights that have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a) hereof.
(e) In case the Principal Party that is to be a party to a transaction referred to in this Section 13 has at the time of such transaction, or immediately following such transaction will have, a provision in any of its authorized securities or in its certificate of incorporation or bylaws or other instrument governing its affairs, or any other agreements or arrangements, which provision would have the effect of (i) causing such Principal Party to issue, in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section 13, of Common Shares of such Principal Party at less than such then current market price (other than to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 13); (ii) providing for any special payment, tax, or similar provisions in connection with the issuance of the Common Shares of such Principal Party pursuant to the provisions of Section 13; or (iii) otherwise eliminating or substantially diminishing the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section 13; then, in such event, the Company shall not consummate any such transaction unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing that the provision in question of such Principal Party shall have been cancelled, waived, or amended, or that the authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that the applicable provision will have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of the proposed transaction.
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Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to distribute Rights Certificates that evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market price of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market price of a whole Right shall be the Closing Price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The Closing Price of the Rights for any Trading Day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by a quotation system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not so quoted, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights, selected by the Board. If on any such date the Rights are not publicly held and are not so listed, admitted to trading, or quoted, and no market maker is making a market in the Rights, the current market value of a Right shall mean the fair value of a Right on such date as determined in good faith by the Board, which determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and delivered to the holders of the Rights and shall be binding and conclusive for all purposes.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred Shares (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates or make any entries in the book entry account system of the transfer agent that evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share). In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market price of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market price of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share shall be one one-thousandth of the Closing Price of a Preferred Share or, if unavailable, the appropriate alternative price (in each case, as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
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(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates or make Book Entry Common Share notations that evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of fractional Common Shares, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one Common Share. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value of one Common Share shall be the Closing Price of one Common Share or, if unavailable, the appropriate alternative price (in each case, as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) on the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(d) The registered holder of a Right by the acceptance of that Right expressly waives such holder’s right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
(e) Whenever a payment for fractional Rights or fractional shares is to be made by the Rights Agent under this Agreement, the Company shall (i) promptly prepare and deliver to the Rights Agent a certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the facts related to such payments and the prices and formulas utilized in calculating such payments; and (ii) provide sufficient funds to the Rights Agent in the form of fully collected funds to make such payments. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying upon such a certificate and has no duty with respect to, and will not be deemed to have knowledge of, any payment for fractional Rights or fractional shares under any Section of this Agreement relating to the payment of fractional Rights or fractional shares unless and until the Rights Agent has received such a certificate and sufficient monies.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent hereunder, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (and, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the registered holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, on such holder’s own behalf and for such holder’s own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, such holder’s right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the registered holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the registered holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and, accordingly, shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
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Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every registered holder of a Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other registered holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights shall be evidenced by Book Entry Common Shares (which Book Entry Common Shares shall also be deemed to represent certificates for Rights) or, in the case of certificated shares, the certificates for the Common Shares registered in the names of the holders of the Common Shares (which certificates for Common Shares also constitute certificates for Rights) and each Right will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates contained therein properly completed and duly executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, a Common Share certificate or Book Entry Common Share) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Rights Certificates or the Common Share certificate or Ownership Statement or other notices provided to holders of Book Entry Common Shares made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or a beneficial interest in a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree, judgment or ruling (whether interlocutory or final) issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided, however, that the Company must use its best efforts to have any such injunction, order, decree, judgment or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No registered holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the registered holder of the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share or any other securities of the Company that may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the registered holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
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Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, reimbursement for its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the preparation, delivery, negotiation, amendment, administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder.
(b) The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent and its Affiliates and their respective employees, officers, and directors for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability, damage, judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost, or expense that may be paid, incurred or suffered by it, or which it may become subject, without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (each as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction) on the part of the Rights Agent, for any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the execution, acceptance, administration, exercise and performance of its duties under this Agreement, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses and the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises. The costs and expenses incurred in enforcing this right of indemnification shall be paid by the Company. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, punitive, indirect, consequential or incidental loss or damage of any kind whatsoever even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage. Any liability of the Rights Agent under this Agreement (other than by reason of the Rights Agent’s gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct, as is determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction) will be limited to the amount of fees paid by the Company to the Rights Agent.
(c) The Rights Agent may conclusively rely upon and shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in connection with its acceptance and administration of this Agreement or the exercise or performance of its duties hereunder in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for Common Shares, Preferred Shares or for other securities of the Company (including in the case of uncertificated securities, by notation in book entry accounts reflecting ownership), instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, executed and, where expressly required hereunder, guaranteed, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth herein. The Rights Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any event of which it was supposed to receive notice thereof hereunder, and the Rights Agent shall be fully protected and shall incur no liability for failing to take any action in connection therewith, unless and until it has received such notice.
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(d) The provisions of this Section 18, Section 20 and Section 29 hereof shall survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement, the exercise or expiration of the Rights and the resignation, replacement or removal of the Rights Agent.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of the Rights Agent
(a) Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor rights agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor rights agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the corporate trust, stock transfer or other stockholder services business of the Rights Agent or any successor rights agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; but only if such Person would be eligible for appointment as a successor rights agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. The purchase of all or substantially all of the Rights Agent’s assets employed in the performance of transfer agent activities shall be deemed a merger or consolidation for purposes of this Section 19. In case at the time such successor rights agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor rights agent may adopt the countersignature of an authorized signatory of a predecessor rights agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, an authorized signatory of any successor rights agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in the name of the successor rights agent; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of an authorized signatory under the Rights Agent’s prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the prior name of the Rights Agent or in the changed name of the Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes to perform only the duties and obligations expressly imposed by this Agreement (and no implied duties or obligations) upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the registered holders of Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company or an employee or legal counsel of the Rights Agent), and the advice or opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in accordance with such advice or opinion.
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(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person or Affiliate or Associate thereof, and the determination of Current Market Price) be proved or established by the Company prior to the Rights Agent taking, suffering or omitting to take any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by a person believed by the Rights Agent to be any one of the Principal Executive Officer (including a Person acting in such capacity on an interim basis), , the Principal Financial Officer, any Executive Vice President, any Senior Vice President, the General Counsel, or the Corporate Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent, and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability, for or in respect of any action taken or suffered or omitted to be taken by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction).
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be assumed to have knowledge of and shall not be required to take note of or act upon any fact or circumstance including the occurrence of facts or circumstances leading to the Shares Acquisition Date or the Distribution Date, facts or circumstances relating to whether any Person may be an Affiliate or an Associate of any other Person, facts or circumstances relevant to an adjustment to the Purchase Price, facts or circumstances relevant to events described in Section 13, Section 23 and Section 24, which may be relevant to performance by the Rights Agent under this Agreement unless the Company has provided written notice thereof to the Rights Agent; and the Company agrees that it will (i) promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing of the occurrence of the Shares Acquisition Date (including the identity of the Acquiring Person and the date on which the Shares Acquisition Date occurred), the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date, and of any events described in Section 13, and (ii) promptly provide the Rights Agent with such other information as the Rights Agent may reasonably request in connection with the performance of its duties under this Agreement.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, any liability of the Rights Agent under this Agreement will be limited to the amount of annual fees paid by the Company to the Rights Agent during the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event for which recovery from the Rights Agent is being sought. Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event will the Rights Agent be liable for special, punitive, indirect, incidental or consequential damage or loss of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.
(f) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights Certificates and it shall not be required to verify the same (except as to a countersignature by one of its authorized signatories on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
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(g) The Rights Agent shall not have any liability for or be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except a countersignature by one of its authorized signatories on any such Rights Certificate); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or failure by the Company to satisfy any condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming null and void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof) or any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11, Section 13, Section 23 or Section 24 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such change or adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after receipt by the Rights Agent of a certificate describing any such adjustment, delivered pursuant to Section 12); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Common Shares or Preferred Shares or any other securities to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any Common Shares or Preferred Shares will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(h) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge, and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments, and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(i) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the Chairman of the Board, the Principal Executive Officer, the Principal Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and such instructions shall be full authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered, or omitted to be taken by it in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions. The Rights Agent shall be fully authorized and protected in relying upon the most recent instructions received by any such officer. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights Agent shall not be required to take any instruction of the Company that the Rights Agent believes, in its sole discretion, would cause the Rights Agent to take action that is illegal.
(j) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, Affiliate, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell, or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not the Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent or any such stockholder, Affiliate, director, officer or employee from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other Person.
(k) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself (through its directors, officers, and employees) or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company or any other Person resulting from any such act, default, neglect, or misconduct, absent gross negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction) of the Rights Agent in the selection and continued employment thereof.
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(l) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder (other than internal costs incurred by the Rights Agent in providing services to the Company in the ordinary course of its business as Rights Agent) or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(m) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate contained in the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not been properly completed or duly executed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
(n) The Rights Agent shall have no responsibility to the Company, any holders of Rights or any holders of Common Shares for interest or earnings on any monies held by the Rights Agent pursuant to this Agreement.
(o) The Rights Agent shall not be required to take notice or be deemed to have notice of any event or condition hereunder, including any event or condition that may require action by the Rights Agent, unless the Rights Agent shall be specifically notified in writing of such event or condition by the Company, and all notices or other instruments required by this Agreement to be delivered to the Rights Agent must, in order to be effective, be received by the Rights Agent as specified in Section 26 hereof, and in the absence of such notice so delivered, the Rights Agent may conclusively assume no such event or condition exists.
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Section 21. Change of the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor rights agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon thirty (30) calendar days’ prior written notice given to the Company (or such lesser notice as is acceptable to the Company in its sole discretion) in accordance with Section 26 hereof, and to the extent that the Rights Agent or one of its Affiliates is not also the transfer agent for the Company, to each transfer agent of the Common Shares and Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail. In the event the transfer agency relationship in effect between the Company and the Rights Agent terminates, the Rights Agent will be deemed to have resigned automatically and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement as of the effective date of such termination, and the Company shall be responsible for sending any required notice. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor rights agent upon thirty (30) calendar days’ notice given to the Rights Agent or successor rights agent, as the case may be, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares and Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and, if such removal occurs after the Distribution Date, to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates in accordance with Section 26 of this Agreement. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) calendar days after giving proper notice of such removal or after it has been properly notified of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the registered holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit such holder’s Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new rights agent. Any successor rights agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a legal business entity organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any State thereof, in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise stockholder service powers and which has, along with its Affiliates, at the time of its appointment as rights agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000.00 or (b) an Affiliate of a legal business entity described in clause (a) of this sentence. After appointment, the successor rights agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties, and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as rights agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor rights agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor rights agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for that purpose, but such predecessor rights agent shall not be required to make any additional expenditure or assume any additional liability in connection with the foregoing; and, except as the context herein otherwise requires, such successor rights agent shall be deemed to be the “Rights Agent” for all purposes of this Agreement. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor rights agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares and the Preferred Shares, and, if such appointment occurs after the Distribution Date, the Company shall give notice thereof to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates in accordance with Section 26 hereof. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor rights agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by the Board to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares following the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the redemption of the Rights, the exchange of the Rights, and the Final Expiration Date, the Company (a) shall, with respect to Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee benefit plan or arrangement, granted or awarded as of the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion, or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board, issue Rights Certificates evidencing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
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Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board may, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth (10th) Business Day following the Shares Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth (10th) Business Day following the Shares Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the Close of Business on the Record Date) and (ii) the Final Expiration Date (the “Redemption Period”), direct the Company to, and if directed the Company shall, redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend, or similar transaction occurring after the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of this Agreement (such redemption price, as adjusted, being hereinafter referred to as the “Redemption Price”). Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until the expiration of the Redemption Period. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, Common Shares (based on the Current Market Price of the Common Shares at the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration determined by the Board, in the exercise of its sole discretion, to be at least equal to the Redemption Price.
(b) Immediately upon the time of the effectiveness of the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 23 or such earlier time as may be determined by the Board in the action ordering such redemption (although not earlier than the time of such action), evidence of which shall be filed with the Rights Agent, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights shall terminate, whether or not previously exercised, and each Right, whether or not previously exercised, will thereafter represent only the right to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held. Promptly after the action of the Board directing the Company to make the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the then outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 26 hereof. Any notice given in accordance with Section 26 hereof shall be deemed given whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 23 to the contrary, the redemption of the Rights as directed by the Board may be made effective at such time, on such basis and subject to such conditions as the Board, in its sole discretion, may establish.
Section 24. Exchange of Rights.
(a) The Board may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, authorize and direct the Company to, and if directed the Company shall, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of this Agreement (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the “Exchange Ratio”). The exchange of the Rights by the Board may be made effective at such time, on such basis, and with such conditions as the Board in its sole discretion may establish. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board shall not be empowered to direct the Company to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than an Exempt Person), together with all Related Persons of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of fifty percent (50%) or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.
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(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board directing the Company to exchange any Rights pursuant to Section 24(a) hereof and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a registered holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange (with prompt written notice thereof to the Rights Agent); provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall give notice of any such exchange to all of the registered holders of such Rights in accordance with Section 26 hereof. Any notice given in accordance with Section 26 hereof shall be deemed given whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights that will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each registered holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its option, may substitute Preferred Shares (or Equivalent Preferred Shares) for Common Shares exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or Equivalent Preferred Shares) for each Common Share, as appropriately adjusted to reflect stock splits, stock dividends, and other similar transactions after the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of this Agreement.
(d) In the event the number of Common Shares authorized by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, but which are not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights, is not sufficient to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company may either take such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights or alternatively, at the option of the Board, substitute to the extent of such insufficiency for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a Right, cash, debt securities of the Company, other assets, or any combination of the foregoing, in any event having an aggregate value, as determined in good faith by the Board (whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding and conclusive for all purposes on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights), equal to the Current Market Price per Common Share (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i)) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares or to distribute certificates or make Book Entry Common Share notations that evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market price of a whole Common Share. For the purposes of this Section 24(e), the current market price of a whole Common Share shall be the Closing Price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
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(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 24 to the contrary, the exchange of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board in its sole discretion may establish. Without limiting the preceding sentence, the Board may (i) in lieu of issuing Common Shares or any other securities contemplated by this Section 24 to the Persons entitled thereto in connection with the exchange (such Persons, the “Exchange Recipients,” and such shares and other securities, together with any dividends or distributions made on such shares or other securities, the “Exchange Property”) issue, transfer or deposit the Exchange Property to or into a trust or other entity that may hold such Exchange Property for the benefit of the Exchange Recipients (provided that such trust or other entity may not be controlled by the Company or any of its Related Persons and provided further that the trustee or similar fiduciary of the trust or other entity will attempt to distribute the Exchange Property to the Exchange Recipients as promptly as practicable), (ii) permit such trust or other entity to exercise all of the rights that a stockholder of record would possess with respect to any shares deposited in such trust or entity and (iii) impose such procedures as are necessary to verify that the Exchange Recipients are not Acquiring Persons or Related Persons of Acquiring Persons as of any time periods established by such trust or entity.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the registered holders of Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the registered holders of Preferred Shares (other than a regular periodic cash dividend out of earnings or retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the registered holders of Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred Shares), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)), or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of fifty percent (50%) or more of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole and calculated on the basis of the Company’s most recent regularly prepared financial statements) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each registered holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the registered holders of the Preferred Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) calendar days prior to the record date for determining registered holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least twenty (20) calendar days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the registered holders of the Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier; provided, however, that no such action shall be taken pursuant to this Section 25(a) that will or would conflict with any provision of the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation; provided, further, that no such notice shall be required pursuant to this Section 25, if any Subsidiary of the Company effects a consolidation or merger with or into, or effects a sale or other transfer of assets or earning power to, any other Subsidiary of the Company.
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(b) In case a Section 11(a)(ii) Event shall occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to the Rights Agent, and, to the extent feasible, each registered holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the consequences of the event to registered holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all references in Section 25(a) to Preferred Shares shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common Shares and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary that may be contained in this Section 25 or elsewhere in this Agreement, the failure to give, or any defect in, any notice required to be given pursuant to this Section 25 shall not affect the legality or validity of the transaction or event to which the notice requirement was applicable.
In case any Section 13 Event shall occur, then the Company shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, give to each registered holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible, and to the Rights Agent in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a written notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of such event to the holders of Rights under Section 13(a) hereof.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to or on the Company will be sufficiently given or made if in writing and sent by a recognized national overnight delivery service, or first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent by the Company) as follows:
Advaxis, Inc.
305 College Road East
Princeton, NJ 08540
Attention: General Counsel
with copies (which will not constitute notice) to:
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
502 Carnegie Center
Princeton, NJ 08540
Attention: David C. Schwartz, Esq.
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Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company, or by the registered holder of any Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by (i) first-class mail, postage prepaid, (ii) a recognized national overnight delivery service, prepaid, or (iii) courier or messenger service, in each case addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Rights Agent with the Company) as follows:
Continental Stock Transfer
1 State Street
30th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Attention: General Counsel
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the registered holder of any Rights Certificate or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to the registered holder of the Common Shares shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Rights Agent or, if prior to the Distribution Date, as shown on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 27, the Company, by action of the Board, may from time to time and in its sole and absolute discretion, and the Rights Agent shall if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders of Rights, including, without limitation, in order to (a) cure any ambiguity contained herein, (b) correct or supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions contained herein, (c) shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or (d) otherwise change, amend, or supplement any provisions hereunder in any manner that the Company may deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that from and after such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be supplemented or amended in any manner that would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights (other than Rights that have become null and void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof) as such or cause this Agreement to become amendable other than in accordance with this Section 27. Any such supplement or amendment shall be evidenced by a writing executed by the Company and the Rights Agent. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company, by action of the Board, may at any time before any Person becomes an Acquiring Person amend this Agreement to make the provisions of this Agreement inapplicable to a particular transaction by which a Person might otherwise become an Acquiring Person or to otherwise alter the terms and conditions of this Agreement as they may apply with respect to any such transaction. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an authorized officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment; provided that the Rights Agent shall not be obligated to enter into any supplement or amendment that adversely affects the rights, duties, obligations or immunities of the Rights Agent under this Agreement. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of the Common Shares.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
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Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board. The Board shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including, without limitation, a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend or supplement this Agreement and whether any proposed amendment adversely affects the interests of the holders of Right Certificates). For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of Common Shares or other securities outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding Common Shares or any other securities of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that are done or made by the Board in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the registered holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board, or any member thereof, to any liability to the registered holders of the Rights. The Rights Agent is entitled always to assume the Company’s Board acted in good faith and shall be fully protected and incur no liability in reliance thereon.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such jurisdiction applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such jurisdiction; provided, however, that all provisions regarding the rights, duties, and obligations of the Rights Agent shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such State.
Section 33. Counterparts; Facsimiles and PDFs. This Agreement and any supplements or amendments hereto may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts will for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts will together constitute one and the same instrument, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart. A signature to this Agreement executed or transmitted electronically (including by facsimile and a portable document format signature) will have the same authority, effect and enforceability as an original signature. No party hereto may raise the use of such electronic execution or transmission to deliver a signature, or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through such electronic transmission, as a defense to the formation of a contract, and each party forever waives any such defense, except to the extent such defense relates to lack of authenticity.
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Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 35. Force Majeure. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Rights Agent shall not be liable for any delays or failures in performance resulting from acts beyond its reasonable control including, without limitation, acts of God, terrorist acts, shortage of supply, breakdowns or malfunctions, interruptions or malfunction of computer facilities, or loss of data due to power failures or mechanical difficulties with information storage or retrieval systems, labor difficulties, war, or civil unrest.
Section 36. Further Assurance. The Company shall perform, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, documents, instruments and assurances as may be reasonably required by the Rights Agent for its carrying out or performing the provisions of this Agreement.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
ADVAXIS, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Kenneth A. Berlin | |
Name: | Kenneth A. Berlin | |
Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer |
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER AND TRUST COMPANY, AS RIGHTS AGENT | ||
By: | /s/ Stacy Aqui | |
Name: | Stacy Aqui | |
Title: | Vice President |
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT]
EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
OF
SERIES C JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
OF
advaxis, inc.
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the Delaware General Corporation Law)
Advaxis, Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of the Delaware, as amended (the “DGCL”), hereby certifies that, pursuant to the authority granted by Article FOURTH of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended (the “Restated Certificate of Incorporation”), and in accordance with Section 151 of the DGCL, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (hereinafter being referred to as the “Board of Directors” or the “Board”), at a meeting duly called and held on September 29, 2020, has adopted the following resolution with respect to the designations, number of shares, preferences, voting powers and other rights and the restrictions and limitations thereof, of the Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock:
RESOLVED, that, pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the designations, number of shares, preferences, voting powers and other rights and the restrictions and limitations thereof of the Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock are as follows:
1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be designated as “Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock” (the “Series C Preferred Stock”) and the number of shares constituting the Series C Preferred Stock shall be 50,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors prior to issuance; provided, however, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of the Series C Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into the Series C Preferred Stock; provided, further, that if more than a total 50,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be issuable upon the exercise of Rights (the “Rights”) issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement, dated as of September 29, 2020, and as supplemented, restated or amended from time to time, by and between the Corporation and Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company, as rights agent (the “Rights Agreement”), the Board, pursuant to Section 151(g) of the DGCL, shall direct by resolution or resolutions that a certificate be properly executed, acknowledged, filed and recorded, in accordance with the provisions of Section 103 of the DGCL, providing for the total number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock authorized to be issued to be increased (to the extent that the Restated Certificate of Incorporation then permits) to the largest number of whole shares (rounded up to the nearest whole number) issuable upon exercise of such Rights.
2. Dividends and Distributions.
(a) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation (the “Preferred Stock”) (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the shares of Series C Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of the Series C Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Corporation (the “Common Stock”) and of any other stock of the Corporation ranking junior to the Series C Preferred Stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds of the Corporation legally available for the payment of dividends, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day of each fiscal quarter of the Corporation in each year, or such other dates as the Board of Directors shall approve (each such date being referred to herein as a “Quarterly Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of the Series C Preferred Stock (the “Issue Date”), in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (i) $1.00 or (ii) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series C Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Issue Date (A) declare and pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or (B) effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Series C Preferred Stock payable in shares of Series C Preferred Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Series C Preferred Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (ii) of the first sentence of this Section 2(a) shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding immediately after such event.
(b) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series C Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section 2 immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); and the Corporation shall pay such dividend or distribution on the Series C Preferred Stock before the dividend or distribution declared on the Common Stock is paid or set apart; provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1.00 per share on the Series C Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable, when, as and if declared, on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(c) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative, whether or not declared, on outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series C Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(a) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth and except as otherwise provided in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or required by law, each share of Series C Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters upon which the holders of the Common Stock of the Corporation are entitled to vote. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Issue Date (i) declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or (ii) effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Series C Preferred Stock payable in shares of Series C Preferred Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Series C Preferred Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding immediately after such event.
(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, and except as otherwise required by law, the holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(c) (i) If at any time dividends on any Series C Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six (6) quarterly dividends thereon, then and in such event the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock, voting as a separate series from all other series of Preferred Stock and classes of capital stock, shall be entitled to elect two (2) members of the Board in addition to any Directors elected by any other series, class or classes of securities and the authorized number of Directors will automatically be increased by two (2). Promptly thereafter, the Board of the Corporation shall, as soon as may be practicable, call a special meeting of holders of Series C Preferred Stock for the purpose of electing such members of the Board. Such special meeting shall in any event be held within forty-five (45) calendar days of the occurrence of such arrearage.
(ii) During any period when the holders of Series C Preferred Stock, voting as a separate series, shall be entitled and shall have exercised their right to elect two (2) Directors, then, and during such time as such right continues, (a) the then authorized number of Directors shall be increased by two (2), and the holders of Series C Preferred Stock, voting as a separate series, shall be entitled to elect the additional Directors so provided for, and (b) each such additional Director shall serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders for the election of Directors, or until his successor shall be elected and shall qualify, or until his right to hold such office terminates pursuant to the provisions of this Section 3(c).
(iii) A Director elected pursuant to the terms hereof may be removed with or without cause by the holders of Series C Preferred Stock entitled to vote in an election of such Director.
(iv) If, during any interval between annual meetings of stockholders for the election of Directors and while the holders of Series C Preferred Stock shall be entitled to elect two (2) Directors, there is no such Director in office by reason of resignation, death or removal, then, promptly thereafter, the Board shall call a special meeting of the holders of Series C Preferred Stock for the purpose of filling such vacancy and such vacancy shall be filled at such special meeting. Such special meeting shall in any event be held within forty-five (45) calendar days of the occurrence of such vacancy.
(v) At such time as the arrearage is fully cured, and all dividends accumulated and unpaid on any shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding are paid, and, in addition thereto, at least one regular dividend has been paid subsequent to curing such arrearage, the term of office of any Director elected pursuant to this Section 3(c), or his successor, shall automatically terminate, and the authorized number of Directors shall automatically decrease by two (2), the rights of the holders of the shares of the Series C Preferred Stock to vote as provided in this Section 3(c) shall cease, subject to renewal from time to time in the case of any such future dividend default or defaults upon the same terms and conditions, and the holders of shares of the Series C Preferred Stock shall have only the limited voting rights elsewhere herein set forth.
(d) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law, the holders of Series C Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
4. Certain Restrictions.
(a) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series C Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 hereof are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series C Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series C Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series C Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series C Preferred Stock, provided that, the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series C Preferred Stock or rights, warrants or options to acquire such junior stock; or
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series C Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series C Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.
(b) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (a) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series C Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued, without designation as to series until such shares are once more designated as part of a particular series of Preferred Stock by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law.
6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. (a) Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made (i) to the holders of the Common Stock or of shares of any other stock of the Corporation ranking junior, either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, to the Series C Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall have received $1,000 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, provided that, the holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (ii) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up with the Series C Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series C Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Series C Preferred Stock liquidation preference and the liquidation preferences of all other classes and series of stock of the Corporation, if any, that rank on a parity with the Series C Preferred Stock in respect thereof, then the assets available for such distribution shall be distributed ratably to the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock and the holders of such parity shares in the proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Issue Date (A) declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or (B) effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (i) of this Section 6(a) shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Series C Preferred Stock payable in shares of Series C Preferred Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Series C Preferred Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (1) of paragraph (A) of this Section 6 shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding immediately after such event.
(b) Neither the merger, consolidation or other business combination of the Corporation into or with another entity nor the merger, consolidation or other business combination of any other entity into or with the Corporation (nor the sale, lease, exchange or conveyance of all or substantially all of the property, assets or business of the Corporation) shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section 6.
7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are converted into, exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), then in any such case each share of Series C Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly converted into, exchanged for or changed into an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is converted or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Issue Date (i) declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or (ii) effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the conversion, exchange or change of shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Series C Preferred Stock payable in shares of Series C Preferred Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Series C Preferred Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the first sentence of this Section 7 with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding immediately after such event.
8. No Redemption. The shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable from any holder.
9. Rank. The Series C Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, junior to all series of any other class of the Preferred Stock issued either before or after the issuance of the Series C Preferred Stock, unless the terms of any such series shall provide otherwise, and shall rank senior to the Common Stock.
10. Amendment. At such time as any shares of Series C Preferred Stock are outstanding, if any proposed amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including this Certificate of Designation) would materially alter, change or repeal any of the preferences, powers or special rights given to the Series C Preferred Stock so as to affect the Series C Preferred Stock adversely, then the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock shall be entitled to vote separately as a class upon such amendment, and the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Series C Preferred Stock, voting separately as a single class, shall be necessary for the adoption thereof, in addition to such other vote as may be required by the DGCL.
11. Fractional Shares. Series C Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series C Preferred Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have signed and attested this Certificate of Designation on this 29th day of September 2020.
ADVAXIS, INC. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Attest:
__________________________________
______________, Secretary
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
Certificate No. R- | __________Rights |
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2021 UNLESS THE RIGHTS ARE EARLIER REDEEMED OR EXCHANGED. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $0.001 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE, IN EACH CASE, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. THE RIGHTS EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE SHALL NOT BE EXERCISABLE, AND SHALL BE VOID SO LONG AS HELD BY A HOLDER IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE REQUISITE QUALIFICATION FOR THE ISSUANCE TO SUCH HOLDER, OR THE EXERCISE BY SUCH HOLDER, OF THE RIGHTS IN SUCH JURISDICTION SHALL NOT HAVE BEEN OBTAINED OR BE OBTAINABLE. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ANY RELATED PERSON THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT), WHETHER CURRENTLY BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OR ON BEHALF OF SUCH PERSON OR BY ANY SUBSEQUENT BENEFICIAL OWNER, MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID AND NO LONGER TRANSFERABLE. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OR ON BEHALF OF A PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR A RELATED PERSON OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]1
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
ADVAXIS, INC.
This certifies that ___________, or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of September 29, 2020, and as supplemented, restated or amended from time to time (the “Rights Agreement”), by and between Advaxis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company, as rights agent (the “Rights Agent”), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 28, 2021, unless the Rights are previously redeemed or exchanged, at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid, nonassessable share of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (a “Preferred Share”), at a purchase price of $1.95 in cash per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (such purchase price, as may be adjusted, the “Purchase Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related certificate duly executed. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) that a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole Preferred Shares will be issued. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Rights Agreement.
1 The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable and shall replace the preceding sentence.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, covenants, and restrictions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, covenants, and restrictions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the Company and the office or offices of the Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights Agent.
In certain circumstances described in the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced thereby may entitle the registered holder thereof to purchase capital stock of an entity other than the Company or receive capital stock, cash, or other assets of an entity other than the Company, all as provided in the Rights Agreement. Upon the occurrence (whether prior to, on or after the date of this Rights Certificate) of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person or of any such Related Person thereof who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes an Acquiring Person, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a person who, concurrently with or prior to such transfer, became an Acquiring Person, or a Related Person of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become null and void and will no longer be transferable and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price, and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share or other securities issuable upon exercise of a Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, with the Form of Election and Certificate set forth on the reverse side properly completed and duly executed, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate may be redeemed by the Company under certain circumstances, at its option, at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right, payable in cash, or other securities or property of the Company, as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company, in the exercise of its sole discretion, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth (10th) Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by the Board pursuant to clause (i) of the first sentence of Section 3(a) of the Rights Agreement with respect to the Distribution Date) following the Shares Acquisition Date (or, if the Shares Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the Close of Business on the tenth (10th) Business Day following the Record Date), and (ii) the Final Expiration Date. The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis, and subject to such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
In addition, subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, under certain circumstances following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, but before any person acquires beneficial ownership of fifty percent (50%) or more of the Common Shares (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement), the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights held by the Acquiring Person that shall have become null and void and nontransferable pursuant to the provisions of the Rights Agreement) may be exchanged, in whole or in part, for Common Shares at an exchange rate of one Common Share for each Right (subject to adjustment for certain events as provided in the Rights Agreement).
In any such exchange, the Company, at its option, may, and to the extent there are an insufficient number of authorized Common Shares not reserved for any other purpose to exchange for all of the outstanding Rights, shall, substitute Preferred Shares or other securities of the Company for some or all of the Common Shares exchangeable for Rights such that the aggregate value received by a holder of Rights in exchange for each Right is substantially the same value as one Common Share. The exchange of the Rights by the Company may be made effective at such time, on such basis, and subject to such conditions as the Board in its sole discretion may establish.
Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing any such redemption or exchange, and without any further action or any notice, the Rights (other than Rights that are not subject to such redemption or exchange) will terminate and the Rights will only enable holders to receive the redemption price without any interest thereon or the shares issuable upon such exchange, as applicable.
No fractional Preferred Shares or fractional shares of other securities will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment may be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Preferred Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as may otherwise be provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive or subscription rights, or otherwise, unless and until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature or portable document format of the proper officers of the Company.
Dated as of __, 20__.
ADVAXIS, INC. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Countersigned: | ||
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER AND TRUST COMPANY, as Rights Agent | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED __________________________________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto _________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
(Please spell out and include in numerals the
number of Rights being transferred by this Agreement)
of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _____ Attorney, to transfer the number of Rights indicated on the books of the within named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated as of: __________ ___, 20__
SIGNATURE
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Medallion Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (a bank, stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), at a guarantee level reasonably satisfactory to the Rights Agent. A notary public is not sufficient guarantee of a signature.
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not being sold, assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement); and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, he, she or it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of an Acquiring Person.
Dated as of: __________ ___, 20__
SIGNATURE
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Medallion Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (a bank, stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), at a guarantee level reasonably satisfactory to the Rights Agent. A notary public is not sufficient guarantee of a signature.
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate – Continued]
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to
exercise any or all Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate.)
To: advaxis, inc.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________ (_______) Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of and delivered to or that such shares be credited to the book entry account of:
(Please print name, address and social security,
tax identification or other identifying number.)
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
(Please print name, address and social security,
tax identification or other identifying number.)
Dated: __________ ___, ____
SIGNATURE
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Medallion Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (a bank, stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), at a guarantee level reasonably satisfactory to the Rights Agent. A notary public is not sufficient guarantee of a signature.
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement); and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, he, she or it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: __________ ___, ____
SIGNATURE
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Medallion Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (a bank, stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), at a guarantee level reasonably satisfactory to the Rights Agent. A notary public is not sufficient guarantee of a signature.
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
EXHIBIT C
ADVAXIS, INC.
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS
TO PURCHASE PREFERRED STOCK
On September 29, 2020, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Advaxis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), declared a dividend distribution of one preferred share purchase right (each, a “Right”) for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Common Shares”). The dividend was payable to holders of record as of the close of business on October 12, 2020 (the “Record Date”) and with respect to Common Shares issued thereafter until the Distribution Date (as defined below) and, in certain circumstances, with respect to Common Shares issued after the Distribution Date.
The following is a summary description of the Rights. This summary is intended to provide a general description only and is subject to the detailed terms and conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of September 29, 2020 (the “Rights Agreement”), by and between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company, as rights agent (the “Rights Agent”).
1. Issuance of Rights
Each holder of Common Shares as of the Record Date will receive a dividend of one Right per Common Share. One Right will also be issued together with each Common Share issued by the Company after the Record Date and prior to the Distribution Date (as defined in Section 2 below), and in certain circumstances, after the Distribution Date. New certificates (or, if uncertificated, the book entry account that evidences record ownership of such shares) for Common Shares issued after the Record Date will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference.
Until the Distribution Date:
● | the Rights will not be exercisable; | |
● | the Rights will be evidenced by the certificates for Common Shares (or, if uncertificated, by the book entry account that evidences record ownership of such shares) and not by separate rights certificates; and | |
● | the Rights will be transferable by, and only in connection with, the transfer of Common Shares. |
2. Distribution Date; Exercise of Rights; Beneficial Ownership
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will separate from the Common Shares and each Right will become exercisable to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (each whole share, a “Preferred Share”) at a purchase price of $1.95 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (such purchase price, as may be adjusted from time to time, the “Purchase Price”). This portion of a Preferred Share would give the holder thereof approximately the same dividend, voting, and liquidation rights as would one Common Share.
The “Distribution Date” is the earlier of:
● | the close of business on the tenth (10th) business day (or such later date as may be determined from time to time by action of a majority of the Board prior to the Distribution Date that would otherwise have occurred) following the first date of public announcement that any person, together with such person’s Related Persons (as defined below) (other than the Company or certain related entities), has become the beneficial owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the then outstanding Common Shares (other than as a result of repurchases of Common Shares by the Company, certain stock option or restricted stock grants by the Company or the exercise or conversion thereof, certain inadvertent acquisitions or purchases of Common Shares directly from the Company) (such person, an “Acquiring Person”) or that discloses information which reveals the existence of an Acquiring Person; provided, however, that stockholders who beneficially own ten percent (10%) or more of the outstanding Common Shares as of the time immediately prior to the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of the Rights Agreement (including any Common Shares beneficial ownership of which is acquired on the date of such announcement pursuant to orders placed prior to such announcement), will not be considered an Acquiring Person unless and until such stockholder or any of its Related Persons acquires, without the prior approval of the Board, beneficial ownership of any additional Common Shares, subject to certain exceptions (such date being the “Shares Acquisition Date”); and | |
● | the close of business on the tenth (10th) business day (or such later date as a majority of the Board shall determine prior to the Distribution Date that would otherwise have occurred) after the date of the commencement of, or first public announcement of the intent of any person (other than the Company or certain related entities) to commence (within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), a tender or exchange offer that, if successfully completed, would result in such person becoming an Acquiring Person; provided, however, that if a tender or exchange offer is terminated prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date, then no Distribution Date shall occur as a result of such tender or exchange offer. |
A person will be deemed to “beneficially own” any Common Shares if such person or any Related Person:
● | is considered a “beneficial owner” of the Common Shares under Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act; | |
● | has the right to acquire the Common Shares, either immediately or in the future, pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, or understanding (other than a customary underwriting agreement relating to a bona fide public offering of the Common Shares) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options, or otherwise, except that a person will not be deemed to be a beneficial owner of (a) Common Shares tendered pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer by or on behalf of such person or any affiliated or associated persons of such person until the tendered Common Shares are accepted for purchase or exchange, (b) securities issuable upon exercise of a Right before the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as defined in Section 5 below), or (c) securities issuable upon exercise of a Right after the occurrence of a Triggering Event if the Rights are originally issued Rights or were issued in connection with an adjustment to originally issued Rights; | |
● | has the right to vote or dispose of the Common Shares pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, or understanding (other than a right to vote arising from the granting of a revocable proxy or consent); or | |
● | has an agreement, arrangement, or understanding with another person who beneficially owns Common Shares and the agreement, arrangement, or understanding is for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting, or disposing of any securities of the Company (other than customary underwriting agreements relating to a bona fide public offering of Common Shares or a right to vote arising from the granting of a revocable proxy or consent). |
For purposes of the Rights Agreement, a “Related Person” means, as to any person, any Affiliates or Associates of such person. For purposes of the Rights Agreement, “Affiliate” and “Associate” have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.
Certain synthetic interests in securities created by derivative positions — whether or not such interests are considered to be ownership of the underlying Common Shares or are reportable for purposes of Regulation 13D of the Securities Exchange Act — are treated as beneficial ownership of the number of Common Shares specified in the documentation evidencing the derivative position as being subject to being acquired upon the exercise or settlement of the derivative position or as the basis upon which the value or settlement amount of such derivative position is to be calculated in whole or in part.
3. Issuance of Rights Certificates
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will mail rights certificates to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate rights certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
4. Expiration of Rights
The Rights will expire on the earliest of (a) 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 28, 2021, (b) the time at which the Rights are redeemed (as described in Section 6 below), and (c) the time at which the Rights are exchanged in full (as described in Section 7 below).
5. Change of Exercise of Rights Following Certain Events
The following described events are referred to as “Triggering Events.”
(a) “Flip-In” Event. In the event that a person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, Common Shares (or, in certain circumstances, other securities, cash, or other assets of the Company) having a value equal to two times the Purchase Price. Notwithstanding the foregoing, following the occurrence of a person becoming an Acquiring Person, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) will be null and void. However, Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of a person becoming an Acquiring Person until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth in Section 6 below.
(b) “Flip-Over” Events. In the event that, at any time after a person has become an Acquiring Person, (i) the Company engages in a merger or other business combination transaction in which the Company is not the continuing or surviving corporation or other entity, (ii) the Company engages in a merger or other business combination transaction in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation and the Common Shares of the Company are changed or exchanged, or (iii) fifty percent (50%) or more of the Company’s assets or earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights that have previously become null and void as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common shares of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the Purchase Price.
6. Redemption
At any time until ten (10) business days following the Shares Acquisition Date (as defined in Section 2 above), the Board may direct the Company to redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (payable in cash, Common Shares, or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board). Immediately upon the action of the Board directing the Company to redeem the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the $0.001 redemption price.
7. Exchange of Rights
At any time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person, but before such person acquires beneficial ownership of fifty percent (50%) or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board may direct the Company to exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or certain related parties, which will have become null and void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right (subject to adjustment). The Company may substitute Preferred Shares (or shares of a class or series of the Company’s preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences, and privileges) for Common Shares at an initial rate of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or series of the Company’s preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences, and privileges) per Common Share. Immediately upon the action of the Board directing the Company to exchange the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the number of Common Shares (or one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share or of a share of a class or series of the Company’s preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences, and privileges) equal to the number of Rights held by such holder multiplied by the exchange ratio.
8. Adjustments to Prevent Dilution; Fractional Shares
The Board may adjust the Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares or other securities or assets issuable upon exercise of a Right, and the number of Rights outstanding to prevent dilution that may occur (a) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination, or reclassification of, the Preferred Shares, (b) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision or combination of, the Common Shares, (c) if holders of the Preferred Shares are granted certain rights, options, or warrants to subscribe for Preferred Shares or convertible securities at less than the current market price of the Preferred Shares, or (d) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least one percent (1%) of the Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share), and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash may be made based on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
9. No Stockholder Rights Prior to Exercise; Tax Considerations
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights should not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon the circumstances then existing, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become exercisable for Common Shares (or other consideration) of the Company or for common shares of the acquiring company or in the event of the redemption of the Rights as set forth in Section 6 above.
10. Amendment of the Rights Agreement
The Company (by action of the Board) may supplement or amend any provision of the Rights Agreement in order to (a) cure any ambiguity, (b) correct or supplement any provision contained in the Rights Agreement that may be defective or inconsistent with other provisions of the Rights Agreement, (c) shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement, or (d) make any other provisions with respect to the Rights that the Company deems necessary or desirable; provided, however, that no supplement or amendment made after the time any person becomes an Acquiring Person may adversely affect the interests of the registered holders of rights certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or any affiliates or associates of an Acquiring Person). Without limiting the foregoing, the Company may at any time before any person becomes an Acquiring Person amend the Rights Agreement to make the provisions of the Rights Agreement inapplicable to a particular transaction by which a person might otherwise become an Acquiring Person or to otherwise alter the terms and conditions of the Rights Agreement as they may apply with respect to any such provision.
11. Availability of Rights Agreement
The Company intends to file, on September 29, 2020, a copy of the Rights Agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K. In addition, a copy of the Rights Agreement will be available free of charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the Rights Agreement, which is incorporated by reference in this summary description.
Exhibit 99.1
ADVAXIS, INC. ADOPTS
LIMITED DURATION STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN
Princeton, N.J. – September 29, 2020 – Advaxis, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADXS), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of immunotherapy products, today announced that its Board of Directors has approved the adoption of a limited duration stockholder rights plan and declared a dividend distribution of one right for each outstanding share of common stock. The record date for such dividend distribution is October 12, 2020. The rights plan expires, without any further action being required to be taken by the Company’s Board of Directors, on September 28, 2021.
The adoption of the rights plan is intended to protect Advaxis and its stockholders from the actions of third parties that Advaxis’ Board of Directors determines are not in the best interests of Advaxis and its stockholders, and to enable all stockholders to realize the full potential value of their investment in Advaxis. The rights plan was not adopted in response to any specific takeover proposal or any currently threatened or pending effort to acquire control of Advaxis of which the Board of Directors is aware. The rights plan was adopted to provide the Board of Directors with time to make informed decisions that are in the best long-term interests of Advaxis and its stockholders and does not prevent Advaxis’ Board of Directors from considering any offer to acquire Advaxis that it considers to be in the best interest of Advaxis’ stockholders.
The rights plan is similar to stockholder rights plans adopted by other publicly-traded companies. Under the rights plan, the rights generally would become exercisable only if a person or group acquires beneficial ownership of 10% or more of Advaxis’ common stock in a transaction not approved by Advaxis’ Board of Directors. In that situation, each holder of a right (other than the acquiring person or group, whose rights will become void and will not be exercisable) will have the right to purchase, upon payment of the exercise price and in accordance with the terms of the rights plan, a number of shares of Advaxis’ common stock having a market value of twice such price. In addition, if Advaxis is acquired in a merger or other business combination after an acquiring person acquires 10% or more of Advaxis’ common stock, each holder of the right would thereafter have the right to purchase, upon payment of the exercise price and in accordance with the terms of the rights plan, a number of shares of common stock of the acquiring person having a market value of twice such price. The acquiring person or group would not be entitled to exercise these rights. In the rights plan, the definition of “beneficial ownership” includes derivative securities.
Stockholders who beneficially owned 10% or more of Advaxis’ outstanding common stock prior to the first public announcement by Advaxis of the adoption of the rights plan will not trigger any penalties under the rights plan so long as they do not acquire beneficial ownership of any additional shares of common stock at a time when they still beneficially own 10% or more of such common stock, subject to certain exceptions as described in the rights plan.
Further details of the rights plan will be contained in a Current Report on Form 8-K and in a Registration Statement on Form 8-A that ADXS will be filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These filings will be available on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. Copies will also be available at no charge on the Investors section of ADXS’s corporate website at www.advaxis.com.
About Advaxis, Inc.
Advaxis, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of proprietary Lm-based antigen delivery products. These immunotherapies are based on a platform technology that utilizes live attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) bioengineered to secrete antigen/adjuvant fusion proteins. These Lm-based strains are believed to be a significant advancement in immunotherapy as they integrate multiple functions into a single immunotherapy and are designed to access and direct antigen presenting cells to stimulate anti-tumor T cell immunity, activate the immune system with the equivalent of multiple adjuvants, and simultaneously reduce tumor protection in the tumor microenvironment to enable T cells to eliminate tumors. For more information, visit www.advaxis.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements regarding the anticipated benefits and expected consequences of the rights plan that ADXS has adopted. Such statements are identified by use of the words “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “should,” and similar expressions. Any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on current expectations, but are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated, including, but not limited to, the effectiveness of the rights plan in providing the Board of Directors with time to make informed decisions that are in the best long-term interests of ADXS and its stockholders, and other risk factors discussed from time to time in our filings with the SEC, including those factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on December 20, 2019, as amended on January 21, 2020 and February 28, 2020, and in subsequent reports filed with or furnished to the SEC. ADXS assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law, to reflect events or circumstances occurring after today’s date.
Contact
Tim McCarthy, LifeSci Advisors, LLC
tim@lifesciadvisors.com
T: (212) 915-2564