8-K

 

 

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): November 2, 2020

 

 

ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-39675   46-2405937

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation or organization)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

955 Perimeter Road

Manchester, New Hampshire 03103

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(603) 626-2300

(Registrant’s telephone number, include area code)

N/A

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock,
$0.01 par value per share

  ALGM   The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

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 November 2, 2020, Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. (the “Company”) closed its initial public offering (“IPO”) of 28,750,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), at a public offering price of $14.00 per share, pursuant to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-249348) (as amended, the “Registration Statement”). The shares of Common Stock sold in the IPO consisted of 25,000,000 shares sold by the Company and 3,750,000 shares sold by certain existing stockholders of the Company pursuant to the full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of Common Stock in the IPO.

In connection with the closing of the IPO, the Company entered into an amended and restated registration rights agreement, dated as of November 2, 2020, by and among the Company, Sanken Electric Co., Ltd. (“Sanken”) and OEP SKNA, L.P. (the “OEP Investor”) (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), which grants to Sanken and the OEP Investor certain rights with respect to the registration for public resale under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of any “registrable securities” held by such parties from time to time. The terms of the Registration Rights Agreement are substantially the same as the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement. Such description is qualified by reference to the full text of the Registration Rights Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K (this “Current Report”) and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.03.

Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

On November 2, 2020, the Company filed a third amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Amended and Restated Certificate”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in connection with the closing of the IPO. The Company’s board of directors and stockholders previously approved the Amended and Restated Certificate to be effective subject to and effective upon the closing of the IPO.

The Amended and Restated Certificate amends and restates the Company’s certificate of incorporation in its entirety to, among other things: (i) fix the authorized number of shares of Common Stock to 1,000,000,000 shares, (ii) authorize 20,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock that may be issued from time to time by the Company’s board of directors in one or more series; (iii) establish a classified board of directors, divided into three classes, each of whose members will serve for staggered three-year terms; (iv) provide that directors may be removed from office only for cause and only upon the affirmative vote of holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting stock of the Company entitled to vote at an election of directors (other than any directors originally designated for nomination in accordance with the stockholders agreement, dated as of September 30, 2020, by and among the Company and the stockholders party thereto (the “Stockholders Agreement”), which directors may be removed from office with or without cause, but only in accordance with, and to the extent provided by, the terms of the Stockholders Agreement); (v) eliminate the ability of the Company’s stockholders to take action by written consent in lieu of a meeting; (vi) designate the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware to be the sole and exclusive forum for certain actions, including, but not limited to, derivative actions or proceedings brought on behalf of the Company or actions asserting claims of breach of a fiduciary duty owned by any of the Company’s directors, officers, employees or agents to the Company or the Company’s stockholders, provided that such exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction; and (vii) designate the federal district courts of the United States of America to be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act.

The foregoing description of the amendments made by the Amended and Restated Certificate is qualified by reference to the full text of the Amended and Restated Certificate, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report and is incorporated herein by reference.

On November 2, 2020, in connection with the closing of the IPO, the amended and restated bylaws of the Company (the “Amended and Restated Bylaws”), previously approved by the Company’s board of directors to become effective upon the effectiveness of the Amended and Restated Certificate, became effective. The Amended and Restated Bylaws amend and restate the Company’s bylaws in their entirety to, among other things: (i) establish procedures relating to the presentation of stockholder proposals at stockholder meetings; (ii) establish procedures relating to the nomination of directors; and (iii) conform to the amended provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate.

The foregoing description of the amendments made in the Amended and Restated Bylaws is qualified by reference to the full text of the Amended and Restated Bylaws, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 3.2 to this Current Report and is incorporated herein by reference.


Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit
No.

  

Description

3.1    Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Allegro MicroSystems, Inc.
3.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws of Allegro MicroSystems, Inc.
10.1    Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 2, 2020, by and among Allegro MicroSystems, Inc., Sanken Electric Co., Ltd. and OEP SKNA, L.P.


SIGNATURES

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

 

    ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
Date: November 2, 2020     By:  

/s/ Ravi Vig

      Ravi Vig
      President and Chief Executive Officer
EX-3.1

Exhibit 3.1

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, INC.

Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), does hereby certify as follows:

1.    The name of the Corporation is Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. The Corporation was incorporated under the name “Sanken North America, Inc.” by the filing of its original Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on March 26, 2013, which was subsequently amended and restated by the filing of the Corporation’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation on October 2, 2017, which was further amended and restated by the filing of the Corporation’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation on September 21, 2020.

2.    This Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Restated Certificate”), which amends, restates and further integrates the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation as heretofore in effect, has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the DGCL, and has been adopted by the written consent of the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.

3.    The text of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, as heretofore amended, is hereby amended and restated by this Restated Certificate to read in its entirety as set forth in EXHIBIT A attached hereto.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. has caused this Restated Certificate to be signed by a duly authorized officer of the Corporation, on November 2, 2020.

 

Allegro MicroSystems, Inc., a Delaware corporation
            By:  

/s/ Ravi Vig

            Name:   Ravi Vig
            Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

 

[Signature Page to Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. Certificate of Incorporation]


EXHIBIT A

ARTICLE I

The name of the corporation is Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. (the “Corporation”).

ARTICLE II

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

ARTICLE III

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) as it now exists or may hereafter be amended and supplemented.

ARTICLE IV

The Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, “Common Stock” and “Preferred Stock.” The total number of shares of capital stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is one billion twenty million (1,020,000,000). The total number of shares of Common Stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is one billion (1,000,000,000), having a par value of $0.01 per share, and the total number of shares of Preferred Stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is twenty million (20,000,000), having a par value of $0.01 per share.

ARTICLE V

The designations and the powers, privileges and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof in respect of each class of capital stock of the Corporation are as follows:

A. COMMON STOCK.

1.    Reclassification of IPO Common Stock. Upon the filing and effectiveness of this Restated Certificate with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Effective Time”), each share of IPO Common Stock (as defined the Corporation’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation) issued and outstanding or held in treasury immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be automatically reclassified into one share of Common Stock without any further action by the Corporation or the holder of any such share.

2.    General. The voting, dividend, liquidation, and other rights and powers of the Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers and preferences of any series of Preferred Stock as may be designated by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) and outstanding from time to time.


3.    Voting. Except as otherwise provided herein or expressly required by law, each holder of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to vote on each matter submitted to a vote of stockholders and shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of Common Stock held of record by such holder as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote on such matter. Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation (as defined below)) that relates solely to the rights, powers, preferences (or the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof) or other terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation) or pursuant to the DGCL.

Subject to the rights of any holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.

4.    Dividends. Subject to applicable law and the rights and preferences of any holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the holders of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to the payment of dividends on the Common Stock when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors in accordance with applicable law.

5.    Liquidation. Subject to the rights and preferences of any holders of any shares of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the funds and assets of the Corporation that may be legally distributed to the Corporation’s stockholders shall be distributed among the holders of the then outstanding Common Stock pro rata in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock held by each such holder.

B. PREFERRED STOCK

Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each of such series to have such terms as stated or expressed herein and in the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of such series adopted by the Board of Directors as hereinafter provided.

Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors from time to time to issue the Preferred Stock in one or more series, and in connection with the creation of any such series, by adopting a resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of the shares thereof and by filing a certificate of designation relating thereto in accordance with the DGCL (a “Certificate of Designation”), to determine and fix the number of shares of such series and such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including without limitation thereof, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, and to increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding) the number of shares of any series as shall be stated and expressed in such resolutions, all to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the DGCL. Without


limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior or rank equally or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by law and this Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation). Except as otherwise required by law, holders of any series of Preferred Stock shall be entitled only to such voting rights, if any, as shall expressly be granted thereto by this Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation).

The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.

ARTICLE VI

For the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation it is further provided that:

A. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the directors of the Corporation shall be classified with respect to the time for which they severally hold office into three classes, designated as Class I, Class II and Class III. The initial Class I directors shall serve for a term expiring at the first annual meeting of the stockholders following the initial registration of the Corporation’s Common Stock pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; the initial Class II directors shall serve for a term expiring at the second annual meeting of the stockholders following such registration; and the initial Class III directors shall serve for a term expiring at the third annual meeting following such registration. At each annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation beginning with the first annual meeting of stockholders following the Effective Time, subject to any special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the successors of the class of directors whose term expires at that meeting shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders held in the third year following the year of their election. Each director shall hold office until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. No decrease in the number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director. The Board of Directors is authorized to assign members of the Board of Directors already in office to Class I, Class II and Class III.

B. Except as otherwise expressly provided by the DGCL or this Restated Certificate, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. The number of directors which shall constitute the whole Board of Directors shall be fixed exclusively by one or more resolutions adopted from time to time by the Board of Directors.

C. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the Board of Directors or any individual director may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting


stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at an election of directors; provided, however, that the directors who were originally designated for nomination in accordance with that certain Stockholders Agreement dated as of September 30, 2020 among the Corporation and its stockholders party thereto (as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time the “Stockholders Agreement”) may be removed with or without cause, but only in accordance with, and to the extent provided by, the terms of the Stockholders Agreement.

D. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, and subject to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, except as otherwise provided by law, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, retirement, removal or other causes (including any vacancy that exists at the Effective Time) and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors shall be filled exclusively by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (other than any directors elected by the separate vote of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock), and shall not be filled by the stockholders. Any director appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office until the expiration of the term of the class to which such director shall have been appointed or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, or removal.

E. Whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more such other series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, removal and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article VI, the number of directors that may be elected by the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock shall be in addition to the number fixed pursuant to paragraph B of this Article VI, and the total number of directors constituting the whole Board of Directors shall be automatically adjusted accordingly. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Designation(s) in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock, whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having such right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to the provisions of such Certificate of Designation(s), the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such series of Preferred Stock, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate (in which case each such director thereupon shall cease to be qualified as, and shall cease to be, a director) and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be reduced accordingly.

F. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to adopt, amend or repeal Bylaws of the Corporation. In addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by applicable law, or by this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock) or the Bylaws of the Corporation, the adoption, amendment or repeal of the Bylaws of the Corporation by the stockholders of the Corporation shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in an election of directors.


G. The directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.

ARTICLE VII

A. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, and shall not be taken by written consent in lieu of a meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, to the extent expressly so provided by the applicable Certificate of Designation relating to such series of Preferred Stock, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding shares of the relevant series of Preferred Stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation in accordance with the applicable provisions of the DGCL.

B. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called, for any purpose or purposes, at any time only by or at the direction of a majority of the Board of Directors and shall not be called by any other person or persons.

C. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of other business proposed to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation.

ARTICLE VIII

No director of the Corporation shall have any personal liability to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or hereafter may be amended. Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article VIII, or the adoption of any provision of the Restated Certificate inconsistent with this Article VIII, shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, repeal, modification or adoption. If the DGCL is amended after approval by the stockholders of this Article VIII to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as so amended.


ARTICLE IX

A. The Corporation shall have the power to provide rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses to its current and former officers, directors, employees and agents and to any person (each such person, a “Covered Person”) who is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

B. The Covered Persons may have or may, in the future, have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance provided by other entities and/or organizations (collectively, the “Other Indemnitors” and, individually, an “Other Indemnitor”). With respect to any advancement or indemnification obligation owed, at any time, to a Covered Person (in their capacities as Covered Persons) by the Corporation or any Other Indemnitor, whether pursuant to any certificate of incorporation, by-laws, partnership agreement, operating agreement, indemnification agreement or other document or agreement and/or pursuant to this Article IX (any of the foregoing is herein an “Indemnification Agreement”), the Corporation (i) shall at all times, be the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., its obligations to the Covered Person shall be primary and any obligation of the Other Indemnitors to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the same expenses or liabilities incurred by a Covered Person shall be secondary), (ii) shall at all times be required to advance the full amount of expenses incurred by a Covered Person and shall be liable for the full amount of all expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement (to the extent legally permitted and as required by the terms of this Restated Certificate or any Indemnification Agreement), without regard to any rights that a Covered Person may have against the Other Indemnitors, and (iii) waives, relinquishes and releases the Other Indemnitors from any and all claims that the Covered Person must seek expense advancement or reimbursement, or indemnification, from any Other Indemnitor before the Corporation must perform its expense advancement and reimbursement, and indemnification obligations, under this Restated Certificate. No advancement, indemnification or other payment by the Other Indemnitors on behalf of a Covered Person with respect to any claim for which a Covered Person has sought indemnification from the Corporation shall affect the foregoing.

ARTICLE X

A. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or this Restated Certificate or the Bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time) or as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction to the Chancery Court, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each such case subject to said Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein; provided that, if and only if the Chancery Court dismisses any such action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, such action may be brought in another state or federal court sitting in the State of Delaware. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternate forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any security of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to this Article X. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions


of this Article X shall not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.

B. CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY.

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

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

ARTICLE XI

A. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Restated Certificate to the contrary, in addition to any vote required by applicable law and any consent required under the Stockholders Agreement, this Restated Certificate may be amended, altered, repealed or rescinded, in whole or in part, or any provision inconsistent herewith may be adopted, only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the total voting power of all the then outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class.


B. If any provision or provisions of this Restated Certificate shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Restated Certificate (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Restated Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the provisions of this Restated Certificate (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Restated Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service to or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

ARTICLE XII

A.    SECTION 203 OF THE DGCL.

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

B.    INTERESTED STOCKHOLDER TRANSACTIONS.

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

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

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

(iii) at or subsequent to such time that such stockholder became an Interested Stockholder, the Business Combination is approved by the Board of Directors


and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation which is not owned by such Interested Stockholder.

C. DEFINITIONS.

(1) As used in this Certificate of Incorporation, the following terms shall have the following meaning:

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

Interested Stockholder” means any person (other than the Corporation and any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation) that (i) is the beneficial owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are entitled to vote, or (ii) is an affiliate of the Corporation and was the beneficial owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are entitled to vote at any time within the three-year period immediately prior to the date on which it is sought to be determined whether such person is an Interested Stockholder, and the Affiliates and Associates of such person. Notwithstanding anything in this Article XII to the contrary, the term “Interested Stockholder” shall not include: (x) OEP or any of its affiliates or associates, including any investment funds managed, directly or indirectly, by OEP or any other person with whom any of the foregoing are acting as a group or in concert for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of shares of capital stock of the Corporation or (y) any other person who acquires voting stock of the Corporation directly from OEP with prior approval of the Board of Directors, and excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any person who acquires voting stock of the Corporation through a broker’s transaction executed on any securities exchange or other over-the-counter market or pursuant to an underwritten public offering.

EX-3.2

Exhibit 3.2

Amended and Restated Bylaws of

ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, INC.

(a Delaware corporation)


Table of Contents

 

         Page  

Article I - Corporate Offices

     1  

1.1

 

Registered Office

     1  

1.2

 

Other Offices

     1  

Article II - Meetings of Stockholders

     1  

2.1

 

Place of Meetings

     1  

2.2

 

Annual Meeting

     1  

2.3

 

Special Meeting

     1  

2.4

 

Advance Notice Procedures for Business Brought before a Meeting

     2  

2.5

 

Advance Notice Procedures for Nominations of Directors

     5  

2.6

 

Additional Requirements for Valid Nomination

     7  

2.7

 

Notice of Stockholders’ Meetings

     8  

2.8

 

Quorum

     9  

2.9

 

Adjourned Meeting; Notice

     9  

2.10

 

Conduct of Business

     9  

2.11

 

Voting

     10  

2.12

 

Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes

     10  

2.13

 

Proxies

     11  

2.14

 

List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote

     11  

2.15

 

Inspectors of Election

     11  

2.16

 

Delivery to the Corporation

     12  

Article III - Directors

     12  

3.1

 

Powers

     12  

3.2

 

Number of Directors

     13  

3.3

 

Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors

     13  

3.4

 

Resignation and Vacancies

     13  

3.5

 

Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone

     13  

3.6

 

Regular Meetings

     13  

3.7

 

Special Meetings; Notice

     14  

3.8

 

Quorum

     14  

3.9

 

Board Action without a Meeting

     14  

3.10

 

Fees and Compensation of Directors

     15  

Article IV - Committees

     15  

4.1

 

Committees of Directors

     15  

4.2

 

Committee Minutes

     15  

4.3

 

Meetings and Actions of Committees

     15  

4.4

 

Subcommittees

     16  

Article V - Officers

     16  

5.1

 

Officers

     16  

5.2

 

Appointment of Officers

     16  

5.3

 

Subordinate Officers

     16  

 

i


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  

5.4

 

Removal and Resignation of Officers

     16  

5.5

 

Vacancies in Offices

     17  

5.6

 

Representation of Shares of Other Corporations

     17  

5.7

 

Authority and Duties of Officers

     17  

5.8

 

Compensation

     17  

Article VI - Records

     17  

Article VII - General Matters

     18  

7.1

 

Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments

     18  

7.2

 

Stock Certificates

     18  

7.3

 

Special Designation of Certificates

     18  

7.4

 

Lost Certificates

     19  

7.5

 

Shares Without Certificates

     19  

7.6

 

Construction; Definitions

     19  

7.7

 

Dividends

     19  

7.8

 

Fiscal Year

     19  

7.9

 

Seal

     19  

7.10

 

Transfer of Stock

     19  

7.11

 

Stock Transfer Agreements

     20  

7.12

 

Registered Stockholders

     20  

7.13

 

Waiver of Notice

     20  

Article VIII - Notice

     20  

8.1

 

Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission

     20  

Article IX - Indemnification

     21  

9.1

 

Indemnification of Directors and Officers

     21  

9.2

 

Indemnification of Others

     22  

9.3

 

Prepayment of Expenses

     22  

9.4

 

Determination; Claim

     22  

9.5

 

Non-Exclusivity of Rights

     22  

9.6

 

Insurance

     22  

9.7

 

Other Indemnification

     23  

9.8

 

Continuation of Indemnification

     23  

9.9

 

Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation

     23  

Article X - Amendments

     24  

Article XI - Forum Selection

     24  

Article XII - Definitions

     25  

 

 

ii


Amended and Restated Bylaws of

Allegro MicroSystems, Inc.

 

 

 

Article I - Corporate Offices

1.1    Registered Office.

The address of the registered office of Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. (the “Corporation”) in the State of Delaware, and the name of its registered agent at such address, shall be as set forth in the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation, as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time (the “Certificate of Incorporation”).

1.2    Other Offices.

The Corporation may have additional offices at any place or places, within or outside the State of Delaware, as the Corporation’s board of directors (the “Board”) may from time to time establish or as the business of the Corporation may require.

Article II - Meetings of Stockholders

2.1    Place of Meetings.

Meetings of stockholders shall be held at any place within or outside the State of Delaware, designated by the Board. The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). In the absence of any such designation or determination, stockholders’ meetings shall be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office.

2.2    Annual Meeting.

The Board shall designate the date and time of the annual meeting. At the annual meeting, directors shall be elected and other proper business properly brought before the meeting in accordance with Section 2.4 of these bylaws may be transacted. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled annual meeting of stockholders.

2.3    Special Meeting.

Special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by such persons and only in such manner as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation.

No business may be transacted at any special meeting of stockholders other than the business specified in the notice of such meeting. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled special meeting of stockholders.


2.4    Advance Notice Procedures for Business Brought before a Meeting.

(i)    At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be (a) specified in a notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board, (b) if not specified in a notice of meeting, otherwise brought before the meeting by the Board or (c) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder present in person who (1) (A) was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.4 and at the time of the meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (C) has complied with this Section 2.4 in all applicable respects or (2) properly made such proposal in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act. The foregoing clause (c) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of the stockholders. The only matters that may be brought before a special meeting are the matters specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling the meeting pursuant to Section 2.3, and stockholders shall not be permitted to propose business to be brought before a special meeting of the stockholders. For purposes of this Section 2.4, “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the annual meeting of the Corporation, or a of such proposing stockholder, appear at such annual meeting. Stockholders seeking to nominate persons for election to the Board must comply with Section 2.5 and Section 2.6 and this Section 2.4 shall not be applicable to nominations except as expressly provided in Section 2.5 and Section 2.6.

(ii)    Without qualification, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must (a) provide Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the secretary of the Corporation (the “Secretary”) and (b) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.4. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting which, in the case of the first annual meeting of stockholders following the closing of the Corporation’s initial underwritten public offering of common stock, the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting shall be deemed to be June 7; provided, however, that if the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered, or mailed and received, not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first made by the Corporation (such notice within such time periods, “Timely Notice”). In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of Timely Notice as described above.

(iii)    To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.4, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:

(a)    As to each Proposing Person (as defined below), (1) the name and address of such Proposing Person (including, if applicable, the name and address that appear on the Corporation’s books and records); and (2) the class or series and number of shares of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned of record or beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by such Proposing Person, except that such Proposing Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of the Corporation as to which such Proposing Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (1) and (2) are referred to as “Stockholder Information”);

 

2


(b)    As to each Proposing Person, (1) the full notional amount of any securities that, directly or indirectly, underlie any “derivative security” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(c) under the Exchange Act) that constitutes a “call equivalent position” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act) (“Synthetic Equity Position”) and that is, directly or indirectly, held or maintained by such Proposing Person with respect to any shares of any class or series of shares of the Corporation; provided, that, for the purposes of the definition of “Synthetic Equity Position,” the term “derivative security” shall also include any security or instrument that would not otherwise constitute a “derivative security” as a result of any feature that would make any conversion, exercise or similar right or privilege of such security or instrument becoming determinable only at some future date or upon the happening of a future occurrence, in which case the determination of the amount of securities into which such security or instrument would be convertible or exercisable shall be made assuming that such security or instrument is immediately convertible or exercisable at the time of such determination; and, provided, further, that any Proposing Person satisfying the requirements of Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act (other than a Proposing Person that so satisfies Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act solely by reason of Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E)) shall not be deemed to hold or maintain the notional amount of any securities that underlie a Synthetic Equity Position held by such Proposing Person as a hedge with respect to a bona fide derivatives trade or position of such Proposing Person arising in the ordinary course of such Proposing Person’s business as a derivatives dealer, (2) any rights (if any) to dividends on the shares of any class or series of shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (3) any material pending or threatened legal proceeding in which such Proposing Person is a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the Corporation, (4) any other material relationship between such Proposing Person, on the one hand, and the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation, on the other hand, (5) any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement of such Proposing Person with the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (6) a representation that such Proposing Person intends or is part of a group which intends to deliver a proxy statement or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or otherwise solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal and (7) any other information relating to such Proposing Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (1) through (7) are referred to as “Disclosable Interests”); provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner; and

(c)    As to each item of business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, (1) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person, (2) the text of the proposal or business

 

3


(including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), and (3) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings (x) between or among any of the Proposing Persons or (y) between or among any Proposing Person and any other record or beneficial holder(s) or persons(s) who have a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future of the shares of any class or series of the Corporation or any other person or entity (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder; and (4) any other information relating to such item of business that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that the disclosures required by this paragraph (c) shall not include any disclosures with respect to any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner.

  For purposes of this Section 2.4, the term “Proposing Person” shall mean (i) the stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting is made, and (iii) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii)-(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A) with such stockholder in such solicitation.

(iv)    A Proposing Person shall update and supplement its notice to the Corporation of its intent to propose business at an annual meeting, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding matters, business or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.

(v)    Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at an annual meeting that is not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4. The presiding officer of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that the business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.

 

4


(vi)    This Section 2.4 is expressly intended to apply to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders other than any proposal made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and included in the Corporation’s proxy statement. In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.4 with respect to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such business. Nothing in this Section 2.4 shall be deemed to affect the rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

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

2.5    Advance Notice Procedures for Nominations of Directors.

(i)    Nominations of any person for election to the Board at an annual meeting or at a special meeting (but only if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling such special meeting) may be made at such meeting only (a) by or at the direction of the Board, including by any committee or persons authorized to do so by the Board or these bylaws, or (b) by a stockholder present in person (1) who was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.5 and at the time of the meeting, (2) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (3) has complied with this Section 2.5 as to such notice and nomination. For purposes of this Section 2.5, “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the meeting of the Corporation, or a qualified representative of such stockholder, appear at such meeting. A “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or any other person authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. The foregoing clause (b) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting or special meeting.

(ii)    (a) Without qualification, for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting, the stockholder must (1) provide Timely Notice (as defined in Section 2.4) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation, (2) provide the information, agreements and questionnaires with respect to such stockholder and its candidate for nomination as required to be set forth by this Section 2.5 and (3) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6.

(a)    (b) Without qualification, if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling a special meeting, then for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at a special meeting, the stockholder must (1) provide timely notice thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (2) provide the information with respect to such stockholder and its candidate for nomination as required by this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6 and (3) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice for nominations to be made at a special meeting must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting.

 

5


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

(c)    (d) In no event may a Nominating Person provide Timely Notice with respect to a greater number of director candidates than are subject to election by shareholders at the applicable meeting. If the Corporation shall, subsequent to such notice, increase the number of directors subject to election at the meeting, such notice as to any additional nominees shall be due on the later of (1) the conclusion of the time period for Timely Notice, (2) the date set forth in Section 2.5(ii)(a) or (b) the tenth day following the date of public disclosure (as defined in Section 2.4) of such increase.

(iii)    To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.5, a stockholder’s notice to the secretary of the Corporation shall set forth:

(a)    As to each Nominating Person (as defined below), the Stockholder Information (as defined in Section 2.4(iii)(a), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5 the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(iii)(a));

(iv)    As to each Nominating Person, any Disclosable Interests (as defined in Section 2.4(iii)(b), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5 the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(iii)(b) and the disclosure with respect to the business to be brought before the meeting in Section 2.4(iii)(b) shall be made with respect to the election of directors at the meeting); and

(v)    As to each candidate whom a Nominating Person proposes to nominate for election as a director, (a) all information with respect to such candidate for nomination that would be required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 and Section 2.6 if such candidate for nomination were a Nominating Person, (b) all information relating to such candidate for nomination that is required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14(a) under the Exchange Act (including such candidate’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected), (c) a description of any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement between or among any Nominating Person, on the one hand, and each candidate for nomination or his or her respective associates or any other participants in such solicitation, on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 under Regulation S-K if such Nominating Person were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the candidate for nomination were a director or executive officer of such registrant (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (a) through (c) are referred to as “Nominee Information”), and (d) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement as provided in Section 2.6(i).

For purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall mean (i) the stockholder providing the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting is made, and (iii) any other participant in such solicitation.

 

6


(vi)    A stockholder providing notice of any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any nomination or to submit any new nomination.

(vii)    In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.5 with respect to any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting, each Nominating Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such nominations.

2.6    Additional Requirements for Valid Nomination.

(i)    To be eligible to be a candidate for election as a director of the Corporation at an annual or special meeting, a candidate must be nominated in the manner prescribed in Section 2.5 and the candidate for nomination, whether nominated by the Board or by a stockholder of record, must have previously delivered (in accordance with the time period prescribed for delivery in a notice to such candidate given by or on behalf of the Board), to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (a) a completed written questionnaire (in a form provided by the Corporation) with respect to the background, qualifications, stock ownership and independence of such proposed nominee and (b) a written representation and agreement (in form provided by the Corporation) that such candidate for nomination (1) is not and, if elected as a director during his or her term of office, will not become a party to (A) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given and will not give any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such proposed nominee, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “Voting Commitment”) or (B) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such proposed nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such proposed nominee’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (2) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation or reimbursement for service as a director that has not been disclosed therein or to the Corporation, (3) if elected as a director of the Corporation, will comply with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, stock ownership and trading and other policies and guidelines of the Corporation applicable to directors and in effect during such person’s term in office as a director (and, if requested by any candidate for nomination, the Secretary of the Corporation shall provide to such candidate for nomination all such policies and guidelines then in effect), and (4) if elected as director of the Corporation, intends to serve the entire term until the next meeting at which such candidate would face re-election.

 

7


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

(iii)    A candidate for nomination as a director shall further update and supplement the materials delivered pursuant to this Section 2.6, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided pursuant to this Section 2.6 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (or any other office specified by the Corporation in any public announcement) not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding nominees, matters, business or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.

(iv)    No candidate shall be eligible for nomination as a director of the Corporation unless such candidate for nomination and the Nominating Person seeking to place such candidate’s name in nomination has complied with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.6, as applicable. The presiding officer at the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that a nomination was not properly made in accordance with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.6, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare such determination to the meeting, the defective nomination shall be disregarded and any ballots cast for the candidate in question (but in the case of any form of ballot listing other qualified nominees, only the ballots cast for the nominee in question) shall be void and of no force or effect.

(v)    Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no candidate for nomination shall be eligible to be seated as a director of the Corporation unless nominated and elected in accordance with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.6.

2.7    Notice of Stockholders Meetings.

Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be sent or otherwise given in accordance with Section 8.1 of these bylaws not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting. The notice shall specify the place, if any, date and time of the meeting, the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.

 

8


2.8    Quorum.

Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation, that certain Stockholders Agreement dated as of September 30, 2020 among the Corporation and its stockholders party thereto (the “Stockholders Agreement”), or these bylaws, the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. A quorum, once established at a meeting, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum. If, however, a quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, then either (i) the person presiding over the meeting or (ii) a majority in voting power of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall have power to recess the meeting or adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 2.9 of these bylaws until a quorum is present or represented. At any recessed or adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present or represented, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed.

2.9    Adjourned Meeting; Notice.

When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, unless these bylaws otherwise require, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At any adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

2.10    Conduct of Business.

The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the person presiding over the meeting. The Board may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the person presiding over any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures (which need not be in writing) and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such presiding person, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (ii) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present (including, without limitation, rules and procedures for removal of disruptive persons from the meeting); (iii)

 

9


limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the person presiding over the meeting shall determine; (iv) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (v) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants. The presiding person at any meeting of stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting (including, without limitation, determinations with respect to the administration and/or interpretation of any of the rules, regulations or procedures of the meeting, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting), shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a matter of business was not properly brought before the meeting and if such presiding person should so determine, such presiding person shall so declare to the meeting and any such matter or business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted or considered. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the person presiding over the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

2.11    Voting.

Except as may be otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws or the DGCL, each stockholder shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.

Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, at all duly called or convened meetings of stockholders at which a quorum is present, for the election of directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect a director. Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, or applicable law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, each other matter presented to the stockholders at a duly called or convened meeting at which a quorum is present shall be decided by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the votes cast (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) on such matter.

2.12    Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes.

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

 

10


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

2.13    Proxies.

Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of Section 212 of the DGCL. A proxy may be in the form of an electronic transmission which sets forth or is submitted with information from which it can be determined that the transmission was authorized by the stockholder.

2.14    List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote.

The Corporation shall prepare, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (provided, however, that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. The Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the Corporation’s principal executive office. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Such list shall presumptively determine the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares held by each of them. Except as otherwise provided by law, the stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by this Section 2.14 or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

2.15    Inspectors of Election.

Before any meeting of stockholders, the Corporation shall appoint an inspector or inspectors of election to act at the meeting or its adjournment and make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If any person appointed as inspector or any alternate fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, then the person presiding over the meeting shall appoint a person to fill that vacancy.

 

11


Such inspectors shall:

(i)    determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the number of shares represented at the meeting and the validity of any proxies and ballots;

(ii)    count all votes or ballots;

(iii)    count and tabulate all votes;

(iv)    determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspector(s); and

(v)    certify its or their determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting and its or their count of all votes and ballots.

Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of the duties of inspector, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspection with strict impartiality and according to the best of such inspector’s ability. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. The inspectors of election may appoint such persons to assist them in performing their duties as they determine.

2.16    Delivery to the Corporation.

Whenever this Article II requires one or more persons (including a record or beneficial owner of stock) to deliver a document or information to the Corporation or any officer, employee or agent thereof (including any notice, request, questionnaire, revocation, representation or other document or agreement), such document or information shall be in writing exclusively (and not in an electronic transmission) and shall be delivered exclusively by hand (including, without limitation, overnight courier service) or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, and the Corporation shall not be required to accept delivery of any document not in such written form or so delivered. For the avoidance of doubt, the Corporation expressly opts out of Section 116 of the DGCL with respect to the delivery of information and documents to the Corporation required by this Article II.

Article III - Directors

3.1    Powers.

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

 

12


3.2    Number of Directors.

Subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, the total number of directors constituting the Board shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that director’s term of office expires.

3.3    Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors.

Except as provided in Section 3.4 of these bylaws, and subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, each director, including a director elected to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship, shall hold office until the expiration of the term of the class, if any, for which elected and until such director’s successor is elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. Directors need not be stockholders. The Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws may prescribe qualifications for directors.

3.4    Resignation and Vacancies.

Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation. The resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or upon the happening of an event specified therein, and if no time or event is specified, at the time of its receipt. When one or more directors so resigns and the resignation is effective at a future date or upon the happening of an event to occur on a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each director so chosen shall hold office as provided in Section 3.3.

Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of any director, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors shall be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director.

3.5    Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone.

The Board may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or outside the State of Delaware.

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, members of the Board, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting pursuant to this bylaw shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

3.6    Regular Meetings.

Regular meetings of the Board may be held within or outside the State of Delaware and at such time and at such place as which has been designated by the Board and publicized among all directors, either orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice-messaging system or other system designed to record and communicate messages, facsimile, telegraph or telex, or by electronic mail or other means of electronic transmission. No further notice shall be required for regular meetings of the Board.

 

13


3.7    Special Meetings; Notice.

Special meetings of the Board for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by such persons and only in such manner as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation.

Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be:

(i)    delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone;

(ii)    sent by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid;

(iii)    sent by facsimile or electronic mail; or

(iv)    sent by other means of electronic transmission,

directed to each director at that director’s address, telephone number, facsimile number or electronic mail address, or other address for electronic transmission, as the case may be, as shown on the Corporation’s records.

If the notice is (i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone, (ii) sent by facsimile or electronic mail, or (iii) sent by other means of electronic transmission, it shall be delivered or sent at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by U.S. mail, it shall be deposited in the U.S. mail at least four (4) days before the time of the holding of the meeting. The notice need not specify the place of the meeting (if the meeting is to be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office) nor the purpose of the meeting.

3.8    Quorum.

At all meetings of the Board, unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or the Stockholders Agreement, a majority of the total number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the Board, then the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.

3.9    Board Action without a Meeting.

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission. After an action is taken, the consent or consents relating thereto shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board, or the committee thereof, in the same paper or electronic form as the minutes are maintained. Such action by written consent or consent by electronic transmission shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote of the Board.

 

14


3.10    Fees and Compensation of Directors.

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation, including fees and reimbursement of expenses, of directors for services to the Corporation in any capacity.

Article IV - Committees

4.1    Committees of Directors.

The Board may designate one (1) or more committees, each committee to consist, of one (1) or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one (1) or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board or in these bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to (i) approve or adopt, or recommend to the stockholders, any action or matter expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the Corporation.

4.2    Committee Minutes.

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

4.3    Meetings and Actions of Committees.

Meetings and actions of committees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of:

(i)    Section 3.5 (place of meetings; meetings by telephone);

(ii)    Section 3.6 (regular meetings);

(iii)    Section 3.7 (special meetings; notice);

(iv)    Section 3.9 (board action without a meeting); and

(v)    Section 7.13 (waiver of notice),

 

15


with such changes in the context of those bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the Board and its members. However:

(i)    the time of regular meetings of committees may be determined either by resolution of the Board or by resolution of the committee;

(ii)    special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the Board or the chairperson of the applicable committee; and

(iii)    the Board may adopt rules for the governance of any committee to override the provisions that would otherwise apply to the committee pursuant to this Section 4.3, provided that such rules do not violate the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law.

4.4    Subcommittees.

Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws or the resolutions of the Board designating the committee, a committee may create one (1) or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one (1) or more members of the committee, and delegate to a subcommittee any or all of the powers and authority of the committee.

Article V - Officers

5.1    Officers.

The officers of the Corporation shall include a Chief Executive Officer, a President and a Secretary. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of the Board, a Chairperson of the Board, a Vice Chairperson of the Board, a Chief Financial Officer, a Treasurer, one (1) or more Vice Presidents, one (1) or more Assistant Vice Presidents, one (1) or more Assistant Treasurers, one (1) or more Assistant Secretaries, and any such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. No officer need be a stockholder or director of the Corporation.

5.2    Appointment of Officers.

The Board shall appoint the officers of the Corporation, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3 of these bylaws.

5.3    Subordinate Officers.

The Board may appoint, or empower the Chief Executive Officer or, in the absence of a Chief Executive Officer, the President, to appoint, such other officers and agents as the business of the Corporation may require. Each of such officers and agents shall hold office for such period, have such authority, and perform such duties as are provided in these bylaws or as the Board may from time to time determine.

5.4    Removal and Resignation of Officers.

Subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by the Board or, except in the case of an officer chosen by the Board, by any officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the Board.

 

16


Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Corporation. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time specified in that notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.

5.5    Vacancies in Offices.

Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board or as provided in Section 5.2.

5.6    Representation of Shares of Other Corporations.

The Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President of this Corporation, or any other person authorized by the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, is authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of this Corporation all rights incident to any and all shares or voting securities of any other corporation or other person standing in the name of this Corporation. The authority granted herein may be exercised either by such person directly or by any other person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by such person having the authority.

5.7    Authority and Duties of Officers.

All officers of the Corporation shall respectively have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the business of the Corporation as may be provided herein or designated from time to time by the Board and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board.

5.8    Compensation.

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

Article VI - Records

A stock ledger consisting of one or more records in which the names of all of the Corporation’s stockholders of record, the address and number of shares registered in the name of each such stockholder, and all issuances and transfers of stock of the corporation are recorded in accordance with Section 224 of the DGCL shall be administered by or on behalf of the Corporation. Any records administered by or on behalf of the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account, and minute books, may be kept on, or by means of, or be in the form of, any information storage device, or method, or one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time and, with respect to the stock ledger, that the records so kept (i) can be used to prepare the list of stockholders specified in Sections 219 and 220 of the DGCL, (ii) record the information specified in Sections 156, 159, 217(a) and 218 of the DGCL, and (iii) record transfers of stock as governed by Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code as adopted in the State of Delaware.    

 

17


Article VII - General Matters

7.1    Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments.

The Board, except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, may authorize any officer or officers, or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation; such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

7.2    Stock Certificates.

The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board by resolution may provide that some or all of the shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation shall be uncertificated. Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, shall be in such form as is consistent with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of stock represented by a certificate shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, any two officers authorized to sign stock certificates representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. The Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, the President, Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation shall be specifically authorized to sign stock certificates. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he or she were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

The Corporation may issue the whole or any part of its shares as partly paid and subject to call for the remainder of the consideration to be paid therefor. Upon the face or back of each stock certificate issued to represent any such partly paid shares, or upon the books and records of the Corporation in the case of uncertificated partly paid shares, the total amount of the consideration to be paid therefor and the amount paid thereon shall be stated. Upon the declaration of any dividend on fully paid shares, the Corporation shall declare a dividend upon partly paid shares of the same class, but only upon the basis of the percentage of the consideration actually paid thereon.

7.3    Special Designation of Certificates.

If the Corporation is authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, then the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or on the back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock (or, in the case of uncertificated shares, set forth in a notice provided pursuant to Section 151 of the DGCL); provided, however, that except as otherwise provided in Section 202 of the DGCL, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face of back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock (or, in the case of any uncertificated shares, included in the aforementioned notice) a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.

 

18


7.4    Lost Certificates.

Except as provided in this Section 7.4, no new certificates for shares shall be issued to replace a previously issued certificate unless the latter is surrendered to the Corporation and cancelled at the same time. The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares.

7.5    Shares Without Certificates

The Corporation may adopt a system of issuance, recordation and transfer of its shares of stock by electronic or other means not involving the issuance of certificates, provided the use of such system by the Corporation is permitted in accordance with applicable law.

7.6    Construction; Definitions.

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

7.7    Dividends.

The Board, subject to any restrictions contained in either (i) the DGCL or (ii) the Certificate of Incorporation, may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of its capital stock. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the Corporation’s capital stock.

The Board may set apart out of any of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve. Such purposes shall include but not be limited to equalizing dividends, repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, and meeting contingencies.

7.8    Fiscal Year.

The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board and may be changed by the Board.

7.9    Seal.

The Corporation may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be adopted and which may be altered by the Board. The Corporation may use the corporate seal by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.

7.10    Transfer of Stock.

Shares of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law and in these bylaws. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation only by the holder of

 

19


record thereof or by such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates representing such shares endorsed by the appropriate person or persons (or by delivery of duly executed instructions with respect to uncertificated shares), with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement or execution, transfer, authorization and other matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps. No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing the names of the persons from and to whom it was transferred.

7.11    Stock Transfer Agreements.

The Corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes or series of stock of the Corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the Corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.

7.12    Registered Stockholders.

The Corporation:

(i)     shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends and to vote as such owner; and

(ii)    shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of another person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.

7.13    Waiver of Notice.

Whenever notice is required to be given under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, a written waiver, signed by the person entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by electronic transmission unless so required by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws.

Article VIII - Notice

8.1    Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission.

Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provisions of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these bylaws may be given in writing directed to the stockholder’s mailing address (or by electronic transmission directed to the stockholder’s electronic mail address, as applicable) as it appears on the records of the Corporation and shall be given (1) if mailed, when the notice is deposited in the U.S. mail,

 

20


postage prepaid, (2) if delivered by courier service, the earlier of when the notice is received or left at such stockholder’s address or (3) if given by electronic mail, when directed to such stockholder’s electronic mail address unless the stockholder has notified the Corporation in writing or by electronic transmission of an objection to receiving notice by electronic mail. A notice by electronic mail must include a prominent legend that the communication is an important notice regarding the Corporation.

Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice or electronic transmission to the Corporation. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, the Corporation may give a notice by electronic mail in accordance with the first paragraph of this section without obtaining the consent required by this paragraph.

Any notice given pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall be deemed given:

 

  (i)

if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice;

 

  (ii)

if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and

 

  (iii)

if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a notice may not be given by an electronic transmission from and after the time that (1) the Corporation is unable to deliver by such electronic transmission two (2) consecutive notices given by the Corporation and (2) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice, provided, however, the inadvertent failure to discover such inability shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.

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

Article IX - Indemnification

9.1    Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any director or officer of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership (a “covered person”), joint venture, trust,

 

21


enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.4, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify a person in connection with a Proceeding initiated by such person only if the Proceeding was authorized in the specific case by the Board.

9.2    Indemnification of Others.

The Corporation shall have the power to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any employee or agent of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any Proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding.

9.3    Prepayment of Expenses.

The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by any covered person, and may pay the expenses incurred by any employee or agent of the Corporation, in defending any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by the person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined that the person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article IX or otherwise.

9.4    Determination; Claim.

If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of such Proceeding) under this Article IX is not paid in full within sixty (60) days, or a claim for advancement of expenses under this Article IX is not paid in full within thirty (30) days, after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation the claimant may thereafter (but not before) file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim to the fullest extent permitted by law. In any such action the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that the claimant was not entitled to the requested indemnification or payment of expenses under applicable law.

9.5    Non-Exclusivity of Rights.

The rights conferred on any person by this Article IX shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

9.6    Insurance.

The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust enterprise or

 

22


non-profit entity against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.

9.7    Other Indemnification.

The covered persons may have or may, in the future, have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance provided by other entities and/or organizations (collectively, the “Other Indemnitors” and, individually, an “Other Indemnitor”). With respect to any advancement or indemnification obligation owed, at any time, to a covered person (in their capacities as covered persons) by the Corporation or any Other Indemnitor, whether pursuant to any certificate of incorporation, by-laws, partnership agreement, operating agreement, indemnification agreement or other document or agreement and/or pursuant to this Section 9.7 (any of the foregoing is herein an “Indemnification Agreement”), the Corporation (i) shall at all times, be the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., its obligations to the covered person shall be primary and any obligation of the Other Indemnitors to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the same expenses or liabilities incurred by a covered person shall be secondary), (ii) shall at all times be required to advance the full amount of expenses incurred by a covered person and shall be liable for the full amount of all expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement (to the extent legally permitted and as required by the terms of these bylaws or any Indemnification Agreement), without regard to any rights that a covered person may have against the Other Indemnitors, and (iii) waives, relinquishes and releases the Other Indemnitors from any and all claims that the covered person must seek expense advancement or reimbursement, or indemnification, from any Other Indemnitor before the Corporation must perform its expense advancement and reimbursement, and indemnification obligations, under these bylaws. No advancement, indemnification or other payment by the Other Indemnitors on behalf of a covered person with respect to any claim for which a covered person has sought indemnification from the Corporation shall affect the foregoing.

9.8    Continuation of Indemnification.

The rights to indemnification and to prepayment of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article IX shall continue notwithstanding that the person has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the estate, heirs, executors, administrators, legatees and distributees of such person.    

9.9    Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation.

The provisions of this Article IX shall constitute a contract between the Corporation, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, each individual who serves or has served as a director or officer of the Corporation (whether before or after the adoption of these bylaws), in consideration of such person’s performance of such services, and pursuant to this Article IX the Corporation intends to be legally bound to each such current or former director or officer of the Corporation. With respect to current and former directors and officers of the Corporation, the rights conferred under this Article IX are present contractual rights and such rights are fully vested, and shall be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon adoption of theses bylaws. With respect to any directors or officers of the Corporation who commence service following adoption of these bylaws, the rights conferred under this provision shall be present contractual rights and such rights shall fully vest, and be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon such director or officer commencing service as a director or officer of the Corporation. Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article IX shall not adversely affect any right or protection (i) hereunder of any person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification or (ii) under any agreement providing for indemnification or advancement of expenses to an officer or director of the Corporation in effect prior to the time of such repeal or modification.

 

23


Any reference to an officer of the Corporation in this Article IX shall be deemed to refer exclusively to the Chief Executive Officer, President, and Secretary, or other officer of the Corporation appointed by (x) the Board pursuant to Article V of these bylaws or (y) an officer to whom the Board has delegated the power to appoint officers pursuant to Article V of these bylaws, and any reference to an officer of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be deemed to refer exclusively to an officer appointed by the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of such other entity pursuant to the certificate of incorporation and bylaws (or equivalent organizational documents) of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. The fact that any person who is or was an employee of the Corporation or an employee of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise has been given or has used the title of “Vice President” or any other title that could be construed to suggest or imply that such person is or may be an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall not result in such person being constituted as, or being deemed to be, an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise for purposes of this Article IX.

Article X - Amendments

The Board is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation. The stockholders also shall have power to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation; provided, however, that such action by stockholders shall require, in addition to any other vote required by the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of voting stock of the Corporation with the power to vote generally in an election of directors, voting together as a single class.

Article XI - Forum Selection

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery (the “Chancery Court”) of the State of Delaware (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or to the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time) or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of the preceding sentence is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (a) the Personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the preceding sentence and (b) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.

 

24


Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternate forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any security of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to this Article XI. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Article XI shall not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.

Article XII - Definitions

As used in these bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

An “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, including the use of, or participation in, one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.

An “electronic mail” means an electronic transmission directed to a unique electronic mail address (which electronic mail shall be deemed to include any files attached thereto and any information hyperlinked to a website if such electronic mail includes the contact information of an officer or agent of the Corporation who is available to assist with accessing such files and information).

An “electronic mail address” means a destination, commonly expressed as a string of characters, consisting of a unique user name or mailbox (commonly referred to as the “local part” of the address) and a reference to an internet domain (commonly referred to as the “domain part” of the address), whether or not displayed, to which electronic mail can be sent or delivered.

The term “person” means any individual, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, business trust, joint stock company, joint venture, unincorporated association, cooperative or association or any other legal entity or organization of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

 

25


Allegro MicroSystems, Inc.

Certificate of Amendment and Restatement of Bylaws

 

 

 

The undersigned hereby certifies that he is the duly elected, qualified, and acting Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Allegro MicroSystems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), and that the foregoing bylaws were approved on September 30, 2020, effective as of November 2, 2020 by the Corporation’s board of directors.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this 2nd day of November , 2020.

 

/s/ Christopher E. Brown

Christopher E. Brown
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Assistant Secretary
EX-10.1

Exhibit 10.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of November 2, 2020, is by and among Allegro MicroSystems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), Sanken Electric Co., Ltd, a Japanese corporation (“Sanken”) and OEP SKNA, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (“OEP” and, together with Sanken and any other Person who may become a party hereto pursuant to Section 13(c), each a “Stockholder” and, collectively, the “Stockholders”).

WHEREAS, the Corporation, OEP, Sanken and each of the other Persons listed on the signature pages thereto were parties to that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of October 3, 2017 (the “Original Agreement”) and that certain Sale and Subscription Agreement, dated as of July 18, 2017 (the “Subscription Agreement”), pursuant to which, among other things, OEP agreed to purchase, and the Corporation sold to OEP, certain common stock;

WHEREAS, in connection with the proposed initial public offering by the Corporation (the “Initial Public Offering”), the Corporation and the Stockholders desire to amend, restate and replace the Original Agreement in its entirety as more fully described herein and that all Stockholders other than Sanken and OEP have agreed to the termination of their registration rights and, upon proper execution and delivery of this Agreement, this Agreement will amend, restate and replace the Original Agreement in its entirety and the Original Agreement shall be of no further force or effect; and

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

Section 1.    Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings, and terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Stockholders’ Agreement:

Adverse Disclosure” shall mean public disclosure of material non-public information that, in the Board’s good faith judgment, after consultation with outside counsel to the Corporation, (i) would be required to be made in any report or Registration Statement filed with the SEC by the Corporation so that such report or Registration Statement would not be materially misleading; (ii) would not be required to be made at such time but for the filing, effectiveness or continued use of such report or Registration Statement; and (iii) the Corporation has a bona fide business purpose for not disclosing publicly.

Affiliate” shall mean, with respect to any Person, an “affiliate” as defined in Rule 405 of the regulations promulgated under the Securities Act and with respect to any Stockholder, an “affiliate” as defined in Rule 405 of the regulations promulgated under the Securities Act and any investment fund, vehicle or holding company of which such Stockholder or any Affiliate of such Stockholder serves as the general partner, managing member or discretionary manager or advisor; provided, however, that (i) an Affiliate shall not include any portfolio company (including any investment in a portfolio company) of OEP and (ii) none of Sanken, the Corporation or any of their respective Subsidiaries or controlling Affiliates shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of any Stockholder or any of such Stockholder’s other Affiliates


Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Automatic Shelf Registration Statement” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 405 (or any successor provision) of the Securities Act.

Board” shall mean the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Corporation.

Common Stock” shall mean the common shares issued in the Initial Public Offering.

Corporation” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Corporation/Holder Indemnitees” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9(b).

Demand Delay” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(c).

Demand Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

Demand Registration” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

Equity Securities” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any (i) shares of capital stock, equity interests, voting securities or other ownership interests in such Person or (ii) options, warrants, calls, subscriptions, “phantom” rights, interest appreciation rights, performance units, profits interests or other rights or convertible or exchangeable securities in such Person.

Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any successor statute thereto and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

FINRA” shall mean the U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Holder Indemnitees” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9(a).

Immediate Family Member” shall mean as to any individual, such individual’s parents, mother-in-law, father-in-law, spouse, brother or sister, brother-in-law or sister-in-law, son-in-law or daughter-in-law and children (including by way of adoption), and any person who either lives in the same household as, provides material support to, or receives material support from, such individual.

Indemnified Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9(c).

Indemnifying Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9(c).

Initial Public Offering” means the consummation of the Corporation’s initial underwritten public offering of common stock that is registered under the Securities Act and that results in such common stock being listed on (i) the Nasdaq Stock Market or (ii) such other securities exchange determined by the Board.

 

2


In-Kind Distribution” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a).

Interests” shall mean all shares or other equity interests (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Common Stock) existing or hereafter authorized of any class or series of the Corporation, which has the right (subject always to the rights of any class or series of preferred equity interests of the Corporation) to participate in the distribution of the assets and earnings of the Corporation without limit as to per share amount, including any equity interests into which Interests may be converted or exchanged (as a result of a recapitalization, share exchange or similar event) or are issued with respect to Interests, including with respect to any stock split or stock dividend, or a successor security.

Long-Form Registrations” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

Losses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9(a).

Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(d)(i).

Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Participating Holder” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(d)(ii).

Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Participation Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(d)(ii).

Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Selling Holders” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(d)(ii).

Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down” shall mean any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down that is not a Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down.

Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

OEP” shall mean OEP SKNA, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership, and its Permitted Transferees.

Permitted Transfer” shall mean one or more Transfers by a Stockholder of Interests (i) to one or more of its Affiliates, (ii) to any Immediate Family of such Stockholder for estate planning purposes or to one or more trusts, family partnerships or other entities (in each case, organized under the laws of the United States or any political subdivision thereof) for the benefit of such Stockholder or such Stockholder’s Immediate Family, (iii) to the estate of such Stockholder, (iv) if the transferring Stockholder is OEP, with the prior written consent of Sanken, (v) if the transferring Stockholder is Sanken, with the prior written consent of OEP or (vi) if the transferring Stockholder is Sanken or OEP, made after the three (3) year anniversary of the date of the Stockholders’ Agreement, but subject, in the case of clauses (iv), (v) and (vi), to compliance with Section 5(d) of the Stockholders’ Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, any such Permitted Transfer by a Stockholder may also include a transfer of any of the rights of such Stockholder under this Agreement as contemplated by Section 13(c).

 

3


Permitted Transferee” shall mean a Person receiving an Interest pursuant to a Permitted Transfer.

Person” shall mean any natural person, corporation, limited partnership, general partnership, limited liability company, joint stock company, joint venture, association, company, estate, trust, bank trust company, land trust, business trust, or other organization, whether or not a legal entity, custodian, trustee-executor, administrator, nominee or entity in a representative capacity and any government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

Piggyback Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).

Piggyback Registration” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).

Proceeding” shall mean an action, claim, suit, arbitration or proceeding before any governmental authority (including an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.

Prospectus” shall mean any prospectus included in, or relating to, any Registration Statement (including any preliminary prospectus, any prospectus that discloses information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A or Rule 430B promulgated under the Securities Act and any “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act)), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to such prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such prospectus.

Public Offering” shall mean the sale of Interests to the public pursuant to an effective Registration Statement (other than Form S-4 or Form S-8 or any similar or successor form) filed under the Securities Act or any comparable law or regulatory scheme of any foreign jurisdiction.

Qualified Independent Underwriter” means a “qualified independent underwriter” within the meaning of FINRA Rule 5121.

Registrable Securities” shall mean any Interests currently held or hereafter acquired, directly or indirectly, by the Stockholders and any other securities issued with respect to (or issuable upon the conversion, exchange or exercise of any warrant, right or other security which is issued with respect to) any such Interests by way of share split, share dividend, recapitalization, merger, exchange or similar event or otherwise. As to any particular Registrable Securities, once issued such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when (i) they are sold pursuant to an effective Registration Statement under the Securities Act, (ii) a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (or any successor form) covering such securities is effective and such securities may be resold by the holder thereof without volume limitations or other restrictions, (iii) they are sold pursuant to Rule 144, (iv) they shall have ceased to be outstanding, (v) they have been sold in a private transaction in which the transferor’s rights under this Agreement are not assigned to the transferee of the securities or (vi) they are able to be sold under Rule 144 in any and all three month periods without volume limitations or other restrictions, they do not bear any restrictive legend and such securities held by a Stockholder, together with Registrable

 

4


Securities held by such Stockholder’s Affiliates, do not represent more than three percent (3%) of the then outstanding Interests, provided that this clause (vi) will not cause Interests held by any Stockholder to cease to be Registrable Securities for so long as such Stockholder continues to hold Registrable Securities. No Registrable Securities may be registered under more than one Registration Statement at any one time.

Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement of the Corporation under the Securities Act that covers the public offering of any of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended methods of distribution thereof pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, including any related Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement or Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, all exhibits and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such registration statement.

Representatives” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(k).

Rule 144” shall mean Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC.

Sanken” shall mean Sanken Electric Co., Ltd., a Japanese corporation, and its Permitted Transferees.

SEC” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor agency having jurisdiction under the Securities Act.

Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any successor statute thereto and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

Shelf Holder” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).

Shelf Registration Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).

Shelf Registration Statement” shall mean a Registration Statement of the Corporation filed with the SEC on a Form S-3 (or any similar or successor form) for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC) covering the resale of Registrable Securities by the Shelf Holders.

Shelf Suspension” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(c).

Shelf Take-Down” shall mean any offering or sale of Registrable Securities by a Shelf Holder pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement.

Short-Form Registrations” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

Stockholder” shall have the meaning as set forth in the preamble hereto.

Stockholders Agreement” shall mean that certain stockholders’ agreement by and among Sanken, the Corporation and OEP, dated as of September 30, 2020.

 

5


Subsidiary” means as to a Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, of which at least a majority of the securities or other interests having by their terms voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or others performing similar functions with respect to such corporation or other organization is directly or indirectly beneficially owned or controlled by such party or by any one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such party and one or more of its subsidiaries.

Take-Down Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(d)(i).

Transfer” shall mean to directly sell, exchange, transfer, hypothecate, negotiate, gift, convey in trust, pledge, assign, encumber, or otherwise dispose of, or by adjudication of the Stockholder as bankrupt, by assignment for the benefit of creditors, by attachment, levy or other seizure by any creditor (whether or not pursuant to judicial process), or by passage or distribution of an Interest under judicial order or legal process, carry out or permit the transfer of, all or any portion of such Stockholder’s Interest.

Underwritten Registration” or “Underwritten Offering” shall mean a registration in which securities of the Corporation are sold to an underwriter for reoffering to the public.

Underwritten Shelf Take-Down” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(d)(i).

Well-Known Seasoned Issuer” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 405 (or any successor provision) of the Securities Act.

Section 2.    Holders of Registrable Securities. A Person is deemed, and shall only be deemed, to be a holder of Registrable Securities if such Person owns Registrable Securities or has a right to acquire such Registrable Securities and such Person is a Stockholder.

Section 3.    Shelf Registrations.

(a)    Filing. Upon the one year anniversary of an Initial Public Offering (unless otherwise agreed in writing by each Stockholder), subject to the Corporation’s rights under Section 3(c) and the limitations set forth in Section 3(d), the Corporation shall (i) promptly (but in any event no later than twenty (20) days prior to the date such Shelf Registration Statement is filed) give written notice (a “Shelf Registration Notice”) of the proposed registration to all Stockholders that hold Registrable Securities and (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to file within 30 days after such anniversary with the SEC the Shelf Registration Statement and cause such Shelf Registration Statement to become effective under the Securities Act as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter (which Shelf Registration Statement shall be designated and filed by the Corporation as an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement if the Corporation is a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer at the time of filing such Shelf Registration Statement with the SEC) for all Registrable Securities held by the Stockholders (or, if a Stockholder determines to not include all of its Registrable Securities therein, such lesser amount as such Stockholder shall request to the Corporation in writing), together with all or such portion of the Registrable Securities of any such other holder or holders of Registrable Securities as are specified in a written request received by the Corporation within fifteen (15) days after such Shelf Registration Notice is given (each such other holder of Registrable Securities, and each Stockholder with Registrable Securities registered on such Shelf Registration Statement from time to time, as the case may be,

 

6


a “Shelf Holder”); provided, however, that if the Corporation is permitted by applicable law to add selling stockholders to a Shelf Registration Statement without filing a post-effective amendment, a holder may request the inclusion of additional Registrable Securities in such Shelf Registration Statement at any time or from time to time, and the Corporation shall add such Registrable Securities to the Shelf Registration Statement as promptly as reasonably practicable, and such holder of Registrable Securities shall be deemed a Shelf Holder. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in no event shall the Corporation be required to file, or maintain the effectiveness of, a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 3(a) at any time if Form S-3 (or any similar or successor form) is not available to the Corporation at such time. To the extent the Corporation is a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer, the Corporation shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to remain a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer (and not become an ineligible issuer (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act)) during the period during which an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement is required to remain effective pursuant to this Agreement. If the Corporation does not pay the filing fee covering the Registrable Securities at the time such Automatic Shelf Registration Statement is filed, the Corporation agrees to pay such fee at such time or times as the Registrable Securities are to be sold. If such Automatic Shelf Registration Statement has been outstanding for at least three (3) years, prior to the end of the third (3rd) year the Corporation shall file a new Automatic Shelf Registration Statement covering the Registrable Securities. If at any time when the Corporation is required to re-evaluate its Well-Known Seasoned Issuer status the Corporation determines that it is not a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer, the Corporation shall use its commercially reasonable best efforts to refile the Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 (or any similar or successor form), and, if and for so long as such form is not available, Form S-l (or any similar or successor form), and keep such Registration Statement effective during the period during which such Registration Statement is required to be kept effective hereunder.

(b)    Continued Effectiveness. Except as otherwise agreed by each Stockholder, the Corporation shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep such Shelf Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 3(a) continuously effective under the Securities Act in order to permit the Prospectus forming a part thereof to be usable by the Shelf Holders until the earlier of (i) the date as of which all Registrable Securities registered by such Shelf Registration Statement have been sold and (ii) such shorter period as the Stockholders who hold Registrable Securities that are registered on such Shelf Registration Statement and have not been sold may determine.

(c)    Suspension of Filing or Registration. If the Corporation shall furnish to the Shelf Holders a certificate signed by a Chief Executive Officer or equivalent senior executive of the Corporation stating that the filing, effectiveness or continued use of the Shelf Registration Statement would require the Corporation to make an Adverse Disclosure, then the Corporation shall have a period of not more than forty-five (45) days or if shorter the period to the filing by the Corporation of its next quarterly report on Form 10-Q or annual report on Form 10-K, or such longer period as each of the Stockholders who hold Registrable Securities that are registered in such Shelf Registration Statement shall consent to in writing, within which to delay the filing or effectiveness (but not the preparation) of such Shelf Registration Statement or, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement that has been declared effective, to suspend the use by Shelf Holders of such Shelf Registration Statement (in each case, a “Shelf Suspension”); provided, however, that, unless consented to in writing by each Stockholder who holds Registrable Securities that are registered in such Shelf Registration Statement, the Corporation

 

7


shall not be permitted to exercise more than three (3) Shelf Suspensions (pursuant to this Section 3(c)) and Demand Delays (pursuant to Section 4(c)) in the aggregate during any twelve (12)-month period, or exercise any Shelf Suspensions or Demand Delays for a period longer than ninety (90) days in the aggregate during any twelve (12)-month period. Each Shelf Holder shall keep confidential in the manner contemplated by Section 13(k) the fact that a Shelf Suspension is in effect, the certificate referred to above and its contents, in each case for the permitted duration of the Shelf Suspension or until otherwise notified by the Corporation in accordance with Section 13(k). In the case of a Shelf Suspension that occurs after the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, the Shelf Holders agree to suspend use of the applicable Prospectus for the permitted duration of such Shelf Suspension in connection with any sale or purchase of, or offer to sell or purchase, Registrable Securities, upon receipt of the certificate referred to above. The Corporation shall immediately notify the Shelf Holders upon the termination of any Shelf Suspension, and (A) in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement that has not been declared effective, shall promptly thereafter file the Shelf Registration Statement and use its reasonable best efforts to have such Shelf Registration Statement declared effective under the Securities Act, and (B) in the case of an effective Shelf Registration Statement, shall amend or supplement the Prospectus, if necessary, so it does not contain any material misstatement or omission prior to the expiration of the Shelf Suspension and furnish to the Shelf Holders such number of copies of the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented as the Shelf Holders may reasonably request. The Corporation agrees, if necessary, to supplement or make amendments to the Shelf Registration Statement if required by the registration form used by the Corporation for such registration or by the instructions applicable to such registration form or by the Securities Act or the rules or regulations promulgated thereunder or as may reasonably be requested by any Stockholder who holds Registrable Securities that are registered in such Shelf Registration Statement and have not been sold. For the avoidance of doubt, except as provided herein, in the event that any trading policy, equity ownership guidelines (including with respect to the use of Rule 10b5-1 plans and preclearance or notification to the Corporation of any trades in the Corporation’s securities) or similar guideline or policy of the Corporation with respect to the trading of securities of the Corporation would restrict the sale of securities under the Shelf Registration or a Demand Registration, then other than during a Shelf Suspension or Demand Delay as provided hereunder, the Corporation’s obligations with respect to a Shelf Registration or a Demand Registration shall not be affected by such restriction but rather the Corporation shall make disclosures such that such guidelines or policies would not restrict such sale.

(d)    Requests for Registration Shelf Take-Downs.

(i)    Initiation of Shelf Take-Downs. If a Shelf Registration Statement has been filed and is effective, then each Stockholder (but no other Stockholders) may from time to time initiate a Shelf Take-Down by delivering a notice to the Corporation (a “Take-Down Notice”) stating that it intends to effect a Shelf Take-Down that is reasonably expected to result in aggregate gross cash proceeds in excess of $50,000,000 and that such Shelf Take-Down shall be subject to compliance with the requirements of this Section 3(d) (if and to the extent applicable to such Shelf Take-Down). The Take-Down Notice shall indicate whether such Shelf Take-Down will be in the form of an Underwritten Offering (an “Underwritten Shelf Take-Down”) and, with respect to any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, whether such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down will involve a customary “road show” (including an “electronic road show”) or other

 

8


substantial marketing effort by the underwriters (a “Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down”); provided, that any such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down shall be deemed to be, for purposes of Section 4, a Demand Registration and subject to the limitations contained in Section 4(a); provided, further, that the Corporation shall not be obligated to initiate an Underwritten Shelf Take-Down relating to any Take-Down Notice delivered pursuant to this Section 3(d) if the “launch” of such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down would occur within a period of sixty (60) days after the pricing of any other Underwritten Shelf Take-Down relating to a request under this Section 3(d) or within a period of sixty (60) days after the effective date of any Registration Statement relating to any registration request under Section 4(a).

(ii)    Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Downs. If such Shelf Take-Down is a Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, then the initiating Stockholder shall also deliver the Take-Down Notice to all other Shelf Holders as far in advance of the completion of such Shelf Take-Down as shall be reasonably practicable in light of the circumstances applicable to such Shelf Take-Down and permit each such Shelf Holder to include its Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement in the Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down if such Shelf Holder notifies the initiating Stockholder and the Corporation within five (5) days after delivery of the Take-Down Notice to such Shelf Holder. Each such Take-Down Notice shall set forth (A) the total number of Registrable Securities expected to be offered and sold in such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, (B) the expected plan of distribution of such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, (C) an invitation to each other Shelf Holder to elect (such other Shelf Holders who make such an election being “Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Participating Holders” and, together with the initiating Stockholder and all other Persons who otherwise are transferring, or have exercised a contractual or other right to transfer, Registrable Securities in connection with such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, the “Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Selling Holders”) to include in the Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Registrable Securities held by such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Participating Holder (on the terms set forth in this Section 3(d)) and (D) the action or actions required (including the timing thereof) in connection with such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down with respect to each such other Shelf Holder that elects to exercise such right (including the delivery of one or more certificates representing Registrable Securities of such other Shelf Holder to be sold in such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down). Upon delivery of such Take-Down Notice, each such other Shelf Holder may elect to sell Registrable Securities in such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, at the same price per Registrable Security and pursuant to the same terms and conditions with respect to payment for the Registrable Securities as agreed to by such initiating Stockholder, by sending an irrevocable written notice (a “Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Participation Notice”) to such initiating Stockholder within the time period specified in such Take-Down Notice, indicating its, his or her election to sell up to the number of Registrable Securities in the Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down specified by such other Shelf Holder in such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Participation Notice (on the terms set forth in this Section 3(d)). With respect to such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, the Corporation shall, if so requested by such Stockholder, file and effect an amendment or supplement of the Shelf

 

9


Registration Statement for such purpose as soon as practicable. With respect to such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, in the event that a Shelf Holder otherwise would be entitled to participate in such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down pursuant to this Section 3(d), the right of such Shelf Holder to participate in such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down shall be conditioned upon such Shelf Holder’s participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Shelf Holder’s Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided herein. The Corporation shall, together with all Shelf Holders that are permitted to distribute their securities through such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the underwriter or underwriters selected in accordance with Section 11. In the event that the underwriter determines that marketing factors (including an adverse effect on the per share offering price) require a limitation on the number of Registrable Securities which would otherwise be included in such Shelf Take-Down, the underwriter may limit the number of Registrable Securities which would otherwise be included in such Shelf Take-Down in the same manner as described in Section 4(b) with respect to a limitation of Interests to be included in a Demand Registration.

(iii)    Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Downs. With respect to any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down that is not a Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, the Corporation shall, if so requested by the initiating Stockholder, file and effect an amendment or supplement of the Shelf Registration Statement for such purpose as soon as practicable. With respect to such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, in the event that a Shelf Holder otherwise would be entitled to participate in such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down pursuant to this Section 3(d), the right of such Shelf Holder to participate in such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down shall be conditioned upon such Shelf Holder’s participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Shelf Holder’s Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided herein. The Corporation shall, together with all Shelf Holders that are permitted to distribute their securities through such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the underwriter or underwriters selected in accordance with Section 11. In the event that the underwriter determines that marketing factors (including an adverse effect on the per share offering price) require a limitation on the number of Registrable Securities which would otherwise be included in such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, the underwriter may limit the number of Registrable Securities which would otherwise be included in such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down in the same manner as described in Section 4(b) with respect to a limitation of Interests to be included in a Demand Registration.

For the avoidance of doubt, it is understood that in order to be entitled to exercise its, his or her right to sell Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Shelf Take-Down pursuant to this Section 3(d), each such Shelf Holder must agree, on a several and not joint basis, to make the same representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities and other agreements, if any, as the initiating Stockholder agrees to make in connection with the Underwritten Shelf Take-Down. Notwithstanding the delivery of any Take-Down Notice, all determinations as to whether to complete any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down and as to the timing, manner, price and other terms of any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down shall be at the sole discretion of the initiating Stockholder (or, if both Stockholders are participating in such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, at the

 

10


discretion of both Stockholders, as agreed in good faith). Each Stockholder agrees to reasonably cooperate with each of the other Shelf Holders to establish notice, delivery and documentation procedures and measures to facilitate such other Shelf Holder’s participation in future potential Underwritten Shelf Take-Downs by such Stockholder pursuant to this Section 3(d). In the event that the initiating Stockholder shall have determined not to participate in an Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, the other Stockholder may elect to continue with such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down in accordance with Section 4(d) as if it were the initiating Stockholder.

Section 4.    Demand Registrations.

(a)    Requests for Registration. Subject to the following paragraphs of this Section 4(a), following the Initial Public Offering (but not including the Initial Public Offering), each Stockholder shall have the right, by delivering or causing to be delivered a written notice to the Corporation, to require the Corporation to register, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, under and in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act, the sale by such Stockholder of a number of Registrable Securities specified by such Stockholder, in each case on Form S-1 or any similar or successor long-form registration (“Long-Form Registrations”) or, if available, on Form S-3 or any similar or successor short-form registration (“Short-Form Registrations”) (any such written notice, a “Demand Notice” and any such registration, a “Demand Registration”); provided, however, that the Corporation shall only be required to effect a Demand Registration pursuant to this Section 4(a) if such Demand Registration (including any Registrable Securities included in such Demand Registration pursuant to the immediately succeeding paragraph) is reasonably expected to result in aggregate gross cash proceeds in excess of $50,000,000 (without regard to any underwriting discount or commission); provided, further that the Corporation shall not be obligated to file a Registration Statement relating to any registration request under this Section 4(a) if it would become effective within a period of one hundred eighty (180) days after the effective date of the Registration Statement for the Initial Public Offering or if it would become effective within a period of sixty (60) days after the effective date of any other Registration Statement relating to any registration request under this Section 4(a) or within a period of sixty (60) days after the pricing of any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down relating to a request under Section 3(d). Following receipt of a Demand Notice for a Demand Registration in accordance with this Section 4(a), the Corporation shall use its reasonable best efforts to file a Registration Statement as promptly as practicable, but in any event no later than forty-five (45) days after the date of the related Demand Notice, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as practicable after the filing thereof (subject to the second proviso in the immediately preceding sentence), but in no event later than ninety (90) days after the date of the related Demand Notice.

Promptly (and, in any event, within five (5) days) after receipt by the Corporation of a Demand Notice in accordance with this Section 4(a), the Corporation shall give written notice (the “Notice”) of such Demand Notice to all other holders of Registrable Securities and shall, subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), include in such registration all Registrable Securities with respect to which the Corporation received written requests for inclusion therein within ten (10) days after such Notice is given by the Corporation to such holders.

All requests made pursuant to this Section 4 will specify the number of Registrable Securities to be registered and the intended methods of disposition thereof.

 

11


The Corporation shall be required to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement with respect to any Demand Registration for a period of at least one hundred eighty (180) days after the effective date thereof or such shorter period during which all Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement have actually been sold; provided, however, that such period shall be extended for a period of time equal to the period the holder of Registrable Securities refrains from selling any securities included in such Registration Statement at the request of the Corporation or an underwriter of the Corporation pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.

(b)    Priority on Demand Registration. If any of the Registrable Securities registered pursuant to a Demand Registration are to be sold in a firm commitment Underwritten Offering, and the managing underwriter or underwriters advise the holders of such securities in writing that in their view marketing factors (including an adverse effect on the per share offering price) require a limitation on the number of Registrable Securities which would otherwise be included in such Demand Registration, then there shall be included in such firm commitment Underwritten Offering the maximum number of Registrable Securities that in the opinion of such managing underwriter or underwriters can be sold without adversely affecting such offering, and such number of Registrable Securities shall be allocated as follows, unless the managing underwriter(s) require a different allocation:

(i)    first, pro rata among the holders of Registrable Securities on the basis of the percentage of the Registrable Securities requested to be included in such Registration Statement by such holders; and

(ii)    second, the securities for which inclusion in such Demand Registration, as the case may be, was requested by the Corporation.

For purposes of the underwriter cutback set forth in this Section 4(b), all Registrable Securities held by any Stockholder shall also include any Registrable Securities held by the partners, members, stockholders or Affiliates of such holder, or the estates and family members of any such holder or such partners, members, stockholders and Affiliates, any trusts for the benefit of any of the foregoing Persons and, at the election of such holder or such partners, members, stockholders, trusts, family members or Affiliates, any charitable organization, in each case to whom or to which Registrable Securities shall have been distributed, transferred or contributed prior to the execution of the underwriting agreement in connection with such Underwritten Offering, and such holder and other Persons shall be deemed to be a single selling holder of Registrable Securities, and any pro rata reduction (unless the managing underwriter(s) require a different allocation) with respect to such selling holder shall be based upon the aggregate amount of Registrable Securities owned by all Persons included within such selling holder, as defined in this sentence. No securities excluded from the underwriting by reason of the underwriter’s limitations set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be included in such Underwritten Offering.

(c)    Postponement of Demand Registration. The Corporation shall not be obligated to file any Registration Statement or other disclosure document pursuant to this Section 4 (but shall be obligated to continue to prepare such Registration Statement or other disclosure document) if the Corporation shall furnish to the holders requesting registration a

 

12


certificate signed by a Chief Executive Officer or equivalent senior executive of the Corporation stating that the filing, effectiveness or continued use of such Registration Statement would require the Corporation to make an Adverse Disclosure, in which case the Corporation shall have a period (each a “Demand Delay”) of not more than forty-five (45) days or if shorter the period to the filing by the Corporation of its next quarterly report on Form 10-Q or annual report on Form 10-K, or such longer period as the Stockholder initiating such registration request shall consent to in writing, within which to file such Registration Statement; provided, however, that, unless consented to in writing by each Stockholder, the Corporation shall not be permitted to exercise more than three (3) Demand Delays (pursuant to this Section 4(c)) and Shelf Suspensions (pursuant to Section 3(c)) in the aggregate during any twelve (12)-month period, or exercise any Demand Delays or Shelf Suspensions for a period of longer than ninety (90) days in the aggregate during any twelve (12)-month period. Each Stockholder receiving such certificate shall keep confidential the fact that a Demand Delay is in effect, the certificate referred to above and its contents for the permitted duration of the Demand Delay or until otherwise notified by the Corporation, in each case in accordance with Section 13(k). If the Corporation shall so postpone the filing of a Registration Statement, the Stockholder requesting such Demand Registration shall have the right to withdraw the request for registration by giving written notice to the Corporation prior to the anticipated termination date of the postponement period, as provided in the certificate delivered to the holders.

(d)    Cancellation of a Demand Registration. Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities which are to be registered in a particular offering pursuant to this Section 4 or Section 3 shall have the right to notify the Corporation that they have determined that the proposed offering be abandoned or withdrawn, in which event the Corporation shall abandon or withdraw the applicable Registration Statement or Underwritten Shelf Take-Down and concurrently advise in writing all holders of Registrable Securities thereof and no Demand Registration shall be deemed to have occurred for purposes of this Section 4 or Section 3, as applicable; provided, however, that, in connection with any underwritten Demand Registration (including any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down) initiated (i) solely by OEP, only OEP shall have the right to notify the Corporation that it has determined that the corresponding Registration Statement or Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, as applicable, be abandoned or withdrawn or (ii) solely by Sanken, only Sanken shall have the right to notify the Corporation that it has determined that the corresponding Registration Statement or Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, as applicable, be abandoned or withdrawn; provided, further, that in either case, the other Stockholder may elect to continue with such underwritten Demand Registration (including any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down) with such amendments as are required to reflect the removal of the Stockholder that has determined not to proceed with such underwritten Demand Registration.

(e)    Number of Demand Notices. In connection with the provisions, and subject to the limitations, of this Section 4, each Stockholder shall have an unlimited number of Demand Notices that it is permitted to deliver (or cause to be delivered) to the Corporation hereunder. Notwithstanding anything express or implied in the foregoing provisions of this Section 4(e) or elsewhere in this Agreement to the contrary, the Corporation shall not be obligated to file more than one Registration Statement on Form S-1 pursuant to this Agreement at any time during the one year period following the Initial Public Offering.

 

13


(f)    Registration Statement Form. If any registration requested pursuant to Section 3 or this Section 4 which is proposed by the Corporation to be effected by the filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (or any successor or similar short-form registration statement) shall be in connection with an Underwritten Offering, and if the Stockholders or the managing underwriter or underwriters shall advise the Corporation in writing that, in its or their opinion, the use of another form of Registration Statement is of material importance to the success of such proposed offering or is required by applicable law, then such registration shall be effected on such other form.

Section 5.    Piggyback Registration.

(a)    Right to Piggyback. Except with respect to the filing of a Shelf Registration Statement as provided in Section 3 or a Demand Registration as provided in Section 4, if the Corporation proposes to file a Registration Statement under the Securities Act with respect to an offering of Interests, other than in connection with and subsequent to, the Initial Public Offering, whether or not for sale for its own account (other than a Registration Statement (i) on Form S-4, Form S-8 or any successor forms thereto, or (ii) filed solely in connection with an exchange offer or any employee benefit or dividend reinvestment (or similar) plan, but including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with the Initial Public Offering), then the Corporation shall give prompt written notice of such proposed filing no later than ten (10) days prior to the anticipated filing date (the “Piggyback Notice”) to all of the Stockholders that hold Registrable Securities. The Piggyback Notice shall offer such holders the opportunity to include (or cause to be included) in such Registration Statement the number of Registrable Securities as each such holder may request (a “Piggyback Registration”). Subject to Section 5(b), the Corporation shall include in each such Piggyback Registration all Registrable Securities from all such holders with respect to which the Corporation has received written requests for inclusion therein within ten (10) days after notice has been given to the applicable holder. The eligible holders of Registrable Securities shall be permitted to withdraw all or part of the Registrable Securities from a Piggyback Registration at any time by giving notice to the Corporation at least two (2) Business Days prior to the effective date of such Piggyback Registration. The Corporation shall not be required to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement for a Piggyback Registration beyond the earlier to occur of (i) one hundred eighty (180) days after the effective date thereof and (ii) consummation of the distribution by the holders of the Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement.

If at any time after giving a Piggyback Notice and prior to the effective date of the Registration Statement filed in connection with such registration the Corporation shall determine for any reason not to register the securities originally intended to be included in such registration, the Corporation may, at its election, at any time prior to such effectiveness, give written notice of such determination to the Stockholders and thereupon the Corporation shall be relieved of its obligation to register such Registrable Securities in connection with the registration of securities originally intended to be included in such registration, without prejudice, however, to the right of a Stockholder immediately thereafter to request that such registration be effected as a registration under Section 3 or 4 to the extent permitted thereunder or to continue such registration as a Demand Registration as if such Stockholder had requested such Demand Registration in the first instance (which continuation shall, for the avoidance of doubt, not require the restart of any applicable minimum notice provisions of Section 3 or 4).

 

14


(b)    Priority on Piggyback Registrations. The Corporation shall use reasonable best efforts to cause the managing underwriter or underwriters of a proposed Underwritten Offering to permit the holders of Registrable Securities who have submitted a Piggyback Notice in connection with such offering to include in such offering all Registrable Securities included in each holder’s Piggyback Notice on the same terms and conditions as any other Interests, if any, of the Corporation included in the offering. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the managing underwriter or underwriters of such Underwritten Offering have informed the Corporation in writing that it is their good faith opinion that the total amount of securities that such holders, the Corporation and any other Persons having rights to participate in such registration, intend to include in such offering is such as to adversely affect the success of such offering, then the amount of securities to be offered (i) for the account of holders of Registrable Securities and (ii) for the account of all such other Persons (other than the Corporation) shall be reduced to the extent necessary to reduce the total amount of securities to be included in such offering to the amount recommended by such managing underwriter or underwriters by first reducing, or eliminating if necessary, all securities of the Corporation requested to be included by such other Persons (other than the Corporation and holders of Registrable Securities) and then, if necessary, reducing, or eliminating if necessary, the securities requested to be included by the holders of Registrable Securities requesting such registration pro rata among such holders on the basis of the percentage of the Registrable Securities requested to be included in such Registration Statement by such holders.

Section 6.    Restrictions on Public Sale by Holders of Registrable Securities; Restrictions on the Corporation.

(a)    Each Stockholder who is a holder of Registrable Securities agrees, in connection with any Underwritten Offering made pursuant to a Registration Statement filed pursuant to Sections 3, 4 or 5 (whether or not such holder elected to include Registrable Securities in such Registration Statement), if requested (pursuant to a written notice) by the managing underwriter or underwriters in an Underwritten Offering, not to effect any public sale or distribution of any of the Corporation’s Equity Securities (or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Equity Securities) (except as part of such Underwritten Offering), including a sale pursuant to Rule 144 or any swap or other economic arrangement that transfers to another any of the economic consequences of owning any Interests, or to give any Demand Notice during the period commencing on the date of the request (which shall be no earlier than fourteen (14) days prior to the expected “pricing” of such offering) and continuing for not more than (a) with respect to any other offering (other than a Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down), ninety (90) days or (b) with respect to any Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, the lesser of (i) forty-five (45) days after such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down is completed and (ii) the date that such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down is abandoned, in each case, after the date of the final Prospectus (or final Prospectus supplement if the offering is made pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement), pursuant to which such public offering shall be made, or such lesser period as is required by the managing underwriter(s) (which shall also apply equally to all Stockholders). Each Stockholder agrees that it will deliver to the managing underwriter or underwriters of any offering to which clause (a) or (b) above is applicable a customary lock-up agreement (with customary terms, conditions and exceptions) that is substantially similar to the agreement delivered to the managing underwriter

 

15


or underwriters as the lock-up agreements delivered by each of the Stockholders reflecting its agreement set forth in this Section 6.

(b)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, any discretionary waiver or termination of this lock-up provision or any such lock-up agreement by the Corporation or the underwriters with respect to any Stockholder shall apply to the other Stockholders as well, pro rata based upon the number of Interests subject to such obligations.

(c)    The Corporation agrees, in connection with any Underwritten Offering made pursuant to a Registration Statement filed pursuant to Sections 3, 4 or 5 (excluding the primary offering (if any) by the Corporation in the Piggyback Registration as set forth in the Piggyback Notice) not to effect any public sale or distribution of any common equity (or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for common equity) (other than pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-4, Form S-8 or any successor forms thereto relating to common equity to be issued solely by the Corporation in connection with (i) any acquisition of another entity or business or (ii) a stock option or any other employee benefit or dividend reinvestment plan) for its own account, in the case of each of clauses (i) and (ii), during the period beginning seven (7) days prior to the “launch” of the Underwritten Offering and ending no later than the earlier of (x) with respect to the Initial Public Offering, one hundred eighty (180) days, (y) with respect to any other offering (other than a Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down), ninety (90) days or (z) with respect to any Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, the lesser of (I) forty-five (45) days after such Non-Marked Underwritten Shelf Take-Down is completed and (II) the date that such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down is abandoned, in each case, after the date of the final Prospectus (or final Prospectus supplement if the offering is made pursuant to a shelf registration) pursuant to which such public offering shall be made, or such lesser period as is required by the managing underwriter (which shall also apply equally to all Stockholders).

Section 7.    Registration Procedures. If and whenever the Corporation is required to use its reasonable best efforts to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities under the Securities Act as provided in Sections 3, 4 or 5, the Corporation shall effect such registration to permit the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method or methods of disposition thereof, and pursuant thereto the Corporation shall cooperate in good faith in the sale of the securities and shall, as expeditiously as possible:

(a)    prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement or Registration Statements on such form as shall be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities by the holders thereof or by the Corporation in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof (including a distribution to, and resale by, the members or partners of a holder of Registrable Securities (an “In-Kind Distribution”)), and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and to remain effective as provided herein; provided, however, that before filing a Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto, or comparable statements under securities or state “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction, or any free writing prospectus related thereto, the Corporation shall furnish or otherwise make available to the Stockholders that hold Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement or Prospectus, their counsel and the managing underwriters, if any, copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents will be subject to the

 

16


reasonable review and comment of such holders and counsel, and such other documents reasonably requested by such holders or counsel, including any comment letters or other correspondence between the SEC and the Corporation, its counsel or auditors and all memoranda relating to discussions with the SEC with respect to such Registration Statement (including documents that would be incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference), and, if requested by such holders or counsel, provide such holders and/or counsel reasonable opportunity to participate in the preparation of such Registration Statement and each Prospectus included therein and such other opportunities to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of the Securities Act, including reasonable access to the Corporation’s books and records, officers, accountants and other advisors. The Corporation shall not file any such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto (including such documents that, upon filing, would be incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), or any such comparable statements under securities or state “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction, or any such fee writing prospectus related thereto, with respect to a Demand Registration to which the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities held by the Stockholders covered by such Registration Statement or Prospectus, their counsel, or the managing underwriters, if any, shall reasonably object, in writing, on a timely basis, unless, in the opinion of the Corporation, such filing is necessary to comply with applicable law;

(b)    prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective during the period provided herein and comply in all material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such Registration Statement; and cause the related Prospectus to be supplemented by any Prospectus supplement as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of the securities covered by such Registration Statement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 (or any similar provisions then in force) under the Securities Act;

(c)    notify each selling holder of Registrable Securities, its counsel and the managing underwriters, if any, promptly, and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such notice in writing, (i) when a Registration Statement, any pre-effective amendment thereto, a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed with the SEC, and, with respect to a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective, (ii) of any request by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or related Prospectus or for additional information, (iii) of the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, (iv) if at any time the Corporation has reason to believe that the representations and warranties of the Corporation contained in any agreement (including any underwriting agreement) contemplated by Section 7(o) below cease to be true and correct, or could reasonably be expected with the passage of time to cease to be true and correct, (v) of the receipt by the Corporation of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose, and (vi) if the Corporation has knowledge of the happening of any event that makes any statement made in such Registration Statement, related Prospectus, any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by

 

17


reference, any free writing prospectus or the information conveyed to any purchaser at the time of sale to such purchaser untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in such Registration Statement, Prospectus, documents, free writing prospectus or information so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, not misleading, and that in the case of the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus or the information conveyed to any purchaser at the time of sale to such purchaser, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (which notice shall notify the selling holders only of the occurrence of such an event and shall provide no additional information regarding such event to the extent such information would constitute material non-public information);

(d)    use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or the lifting at the earliest date reasonably practicable of any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction in which such qualification or exemption has been requested pursuant to Section 7(h) below;

(e)    if requested by the managing underwriters, if any, or the holders of a majority of the then-outstanding Registrable Securities being sold in connection with an Underwritten Offering, promptly include in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information as the managing underwriters, if any, or such holders may reasonably request in order to permit the intended method of distribution of such securities and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as practicable after the Corporation has received such request; provided, however, that the Corporation shall not be required to take any actions under this Section 7(e) that are not, in the opinion of counsel for the Corporation, in compliance with applicable law;

(f)    furnish or make available to each selling holder of Registrable Securities, its counsel and each managing underwriter, if any, without charge, as many conformed copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and Prospectus supplements, if applicable, and each post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements (but excluding schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and all exhibits, unless requested in writing by such holder, counsel or underwriter), and any free writing prospectus utilized in connection therewith, as such Persons may reasonable request; provided that the Corporation may furnish or make available any such documents in electronic format;

(g)    deliver to each selling holder of Registrable Securities, its counsel, and the underwriters, if any, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus or Prospectuses (including each form of preliminary or final Prospectus) and each amendment or supplement thereto, and each free writing prospectus utilized in connection therewith, as such Persons may reasonably request from time to time in connection with the distribution of the Registrable Securities; provided that the Corporation may furnish or make available any such documents in electronic format; and the Corporation, subject to the last paragraph of this Section 7, hereby consents to the use of such Prospectus and each such amendment or supplement thereto, and each such free writing prospectus, by each of the selling holders of Registrable Securities and the underwriters, if any, in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any such amendment or supplement thereto;

 

18


(h)    prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, use its reasonable best efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling holders of Registrable Securities, the underwriters, if any, and their respective counsel in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from such registration or qualification) of such Registrable Securities for offer and sale under the securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as any seller or underwriter reasonably requests in writing and to keep each such registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the period such Registration Statement is required to be kept effective and to take any other action that may be necessary or advisable to enable such holders of Registrable Securities to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in such jurisdiction; provided, however, that the Corporation will not be required to (i) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or (ii) take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;

(i)    cooperate with the selling holders of Registrable Securities and the managing underwriters, if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates (not bearing any legends) or issuance of Registrable Securities in book-entry form (not being subject to any legends) representing Registrable Securities to be sold after receiving written representations from each holder of such Registrable Securities that the Registrable Securities represented by the certificates so delivered by such holder will be transferred in accordance with the Registration Statement, and enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as the managing underwriters, if any, or holders may request at least two (2) Business Days prior to any sale of Registrable Securities in a firm commitment public offering, but in any other such sale, within ten (10) Business Days prior to having to issue the securities, and instruct any transfer agent and registrar of Registrable Securities to release any stop transfer orders in respect thereof (and, in the case of Registrable Securities registered on a Shelf Registration Statement, at the request of any such holder, prepare and deliver certificates representing such Registrable Securities not bearing any restrictive legends, if applicable, and deliver or cause to be delivered an opinion or instructions to the transfer agent in order to allow such Registrable Securities to be sold from time to time);

(j)    use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities within the United States, except as may be required solely as a consequence of the nature of such selling holder’s business, in which case the Corporation will cooperate in all reasonable respects with the filing of such Registration Statement and the granting of such approvals, as may be necessary to enable the seller or sellers thereof or the underwriters, if any, to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities;

(k)    upon the occurrence of, and its knowledge of, any event contemplated by Section 7(c)(vi), promptly prepare and file with the SEC a supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, or file any other required document so that, as thereafter promptly delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable

 

19


Securities being sold thereunder, such Prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

(l)    prior to the effective date of the Registration Statement relating to the Registrable Securities, provide a CUSIP number for the Registrable Securities;

(m)    provide and cause to be maintained a transfer agent and registrar for all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement from and after a date not later than the effective date of such Registration Statement and, in the case of any secondary equity offering in connection therewith, provide and enter into any reasonable agreements with a custodian for the Registrable Securities;

(n)    (i) use its reasonable best efforts to cause all shares of Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement to be listed on a national securities exchange if shares of the particular class of Registrable Securities are at that time listed on such exchange, as the case may be, prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement and (ii) comply (and continue to comply) with the requirements of any self-regulatory organization applicable to the Corporation, including, without limitation, all corporate governance requirements;

(o)    enter into such agreements (including an underwriting agreement in form, scope and substance as is customary in Underwritten Offerings) and take all such other actions reasonably requested by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities held by the Stockholders that are being sold in connection therewith (including those reasonably requested by the managing underwriters, if any) to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities, and in such connection, whether or not an underwriting agreement is entered into and whether or not the registration is an Underwritten Registration, (i) make such representations and warranties to the holders of such Registrable Securities and the underwriters, if any, with respect to the business of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries, and the Registration Statement, Prospectus and documents, if any, incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein, in each case, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in Underwritten Offerings, and, if true, confirm the same if and when requested, (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to furnish to the selling holders of such Registrable Securities opinions of counsel to the Corporation and updates thereof (which counsel and opinions (in form, scope and substance) shall be reasonably satisfactory to the managing underwriters, if any, and counsels to the selling holders of the Registrable Securities), addressed to each selling holder of Registrable Securities and each of the underwriters, if any, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in Underwritten Offerings and such other matters as may be reasonably requested by such counsel and underwriters, (iii) use its reasonable best efforts to obtain “cold comfort” letters and updates thereof from the independent certified public accountants of the Corporation (and, if necessary, any other independent certified public accountants of any Subsidiary of the Corporation or of any business acquired by the Corporation for which financial statements and financial data are, or are required to be, included in the Registration Statement) who have certified the financial statements included in such Registration Statement, addressed to each selling holder of Registrable Securities (unless such accountants shall be prohibited from so addressing such letters by applicable standards of the accounting profession) and each of the underwriters, if any, such letters to be in customary form and

 

20


covering matters of the type customarily covered in “cold comfort” letters in connection with Underwritten Offerings, (iv) if an underwriting agreement is entered into, the same shall contain indemnification provisions and procedures substantially to the effect set forth in Section 9 with respect to all parties to be indemnified pursuant to said Section except as otherwise agreed by each Stockholder and (v) deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities being sold pursuant to such Registration Statement, their counsel and the managing underwriters, if any, to evidence the continued validity of the representations and warranties made pursuant to Section 7(o)(i) above and to evidence compliance with any customary conditions contained in the underwriting agreement or other agreement entered into by the Corporation. The above shall be done at each closing under such underwriting or similar agreement, or as and to the extent required thereunder;

(p)    make available for inspection by a representative of the selling holders of Registrable Securities, any underwriter participating in any such disposition of Registrable Securities, if any, and any attorneys or accountants retained by such selling holders or underwriter, at the offices where normally kept, during reasonable business hours, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries, and cause the officers, directors and employees of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries to supply all information in each case reasonably requested by any such representative, underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with such Registration Statement; provided, however, that any information that is not generally publicly available at the time of delivery of such information shall be kept confidential by such Persons in accordance with Section 13(k). Without limiting the foregoing, no such information shall be used by such Persons as the basis for any market transactions in securities of the Corporation or its Subsidiaries in violation of law;

(q)    cause its officers to use their reasonable best efforts to support the marketing of the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement (including participation in “road shows”) taking into account the Corporation’s reasonable business needs;

(r)    notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, at the request of any holder of Registrable Securities seeking to effect or considering an In-Kind Distribution, file any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendments, or include in the initial Registration Statement any disclosures or language, or include in any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment any disclosure or language, and otherwise take any action, deemed necessary or advisable by such holder to effect such In-Kind Distribution;

(s)    cooperate with each seller of Registrable Securities and each underwriter or agent participating in the disposition of such Registrable Securities and their respective counsel in connection with any filings required to be made with FINRA;

(t)    comply (and continue to comply) with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC (including maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f)) in accordance with the Exchange Act), and make generally available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable after the effective date of the Registration Statement (and in any event within forty-five (45) days, or ninety (90) days if it is a fiscal year,

 

21


after the end of such twelve (12) month period described hereafter), an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering the period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months beginning with the first day of the Corporation’s first calendar quarter after the effective date of the Registration Statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder;

(u)    take no direct or indirect action prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that to the extent that any prohibition is applicable to the Corporation, the Corporation will use its reasonable best efforts to make any such prohibition inapplicable;

(v)    take all reasonable action to ensure that any free writing prospectus utilized in connection with any registration covered by Sections 3, 4 or 5 complies in all material respects with the Securities Act, is filed in accordance with the Securities Act to the extent required thereby, is retained in accordance with the Securities Act to the extent required thereby and, when taken together with the related Prospectus, Prospectus supplement and related documents, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and

(w)    take all such other commercially reasonable actions as are necessary or advisable in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities.

The Corporation may require each holder of Registrable Securities as to which any registration is being effected to furnish to the Corporation in writing such information required under applicable law in connection with such registration regarding such seller and the distribution of such Registrable Securities as the Corporation may, from time to time, reasonably request in writing and the Corporation may exclude from such registration the Registrable Securities of any holder who unreasonably fails to furnish such required information within a reasonable time after receiving such request.

If any Registration Statement or comparable statement under state “blue sky” laws refers to any Stockholder by name or otherwise as the Stockholder of any securities of the Corporation, then such Stockholder shall have the right to require (i) the insertion therein of language, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Stockholder and the Corporation, to the effect that the holding by such Stockholder of such securities is not to be construed as a recommendation by such Stockholder of the investment quality of the Corporation’s securities covered thereby and that such holding does not imply that such Stockholder will assist in meeting any future financial requirements of the Corporation, or (ii) in the event that such reference to such Stockholder by name or otherwise is not in the judgment of the Corporation, as advised by counsel, required by the Securities Act or any similar federal statute or any state “blue sky” or securities law then in force, the deletion of the reference to such Stockholder.

Each holder of Registrable Securities agrees if such holder has Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement or Prospectus that, upon receipt of any written notice from the Corporation of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 7(c)(ii), 7(c)(iii), 7(c)(iv) or 7(c)(v), such holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such

 

22


Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement or Prospectus until such holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 7(k), or until it is advised in writing by the Corporation that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed (which shall be at the earliest opportunity that is reasonable practicable), and has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus; provided, however, that the time periods under Sections 3, 4 and 5 with respect to the length of time that the effectiveness of a Registration Statement must be maintained shall automatically be extended by the amount of time the holder is required to discontinue disposition of such securities.

Section 8.    Registration Expenses. All reasonable fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with this Agreement by the Corporation, including (i) all registration, listing and filing fees (including fees and expenses with respect to (A) filings required to be made with the SEC, any stock exchange and FINRA (including any fees and disbursements of counsel for the underwriters in connection with such filings and the review thereof by FINRA) and (B) compliance with securities or “blue sky” laws, including any fees and disbursements of counsel for the underwriters in connection with “blue sky” qualifications of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 7(h)), (ii) word processing, duplicating and printing expenses (including, if applicable, expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Corporation and of printing Prospectuses if the printing of Prospectuses is requested by the managing underwriters, if any, or by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in any Registration Statement), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses of the Corporation, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Corporation, (v) expenses of the Corporation incurred in connection with any road show (including the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with such road show), (vi) fees and disbursements of all independent certified public accountants referred to in Section 7(o)(iii) (including the expenses of any “cold comfort” letters required by this Agreement) and any other Persons, including special experts retained by the Corporation, (vii) fees and disbursements of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary and (viii) fees and disbursements of one (1) counsel (in addition to one (1) local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction) for the Stockholders and any other holders whose Registrable Securities are included in a Registration Statement, which counsel shall be selected by the Stockholders (and otherwise, by holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities being sold in connection with such offering), shall be borne by the Corporation whether or not any Registration Statement is filed or becomes effective. In addition, the Corporation shall pay its internal expenses (including all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit, the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the securities to be registered on any securities exchange on which similar securities issued by the Corporation are then listed and rating agency fees and the fees and expenses of any Person, including special experts, retained by the Corporation.

The Corporation shall not be required to pay (i) fees and disbursements of any counsel retained by any holder of Registrable Securities or by any underwriter (except as set forth in clauses (i) and (viii) under the first paragraph of this Section 8), (ii) any underwriter’s fees (including discounts, commissions or fees of underwriters, selling brokers, dealer managers or similar securities industry professionals) relating to the distribution of the Registrable Securities (other than with respect to Registrable Securities sold by the Corporation), or (iii) any other expenses of the holders of Registrable Securities not specifically required to be paid by the Corporation pursuant to the first paragraph of this Section 8.

 

23


Section 9.    Indemnification.

(a)    Indemnification by the Corporation. The Corporation shall, without limitation as to time, indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by law, each holder of Registrable Securities whose Registrable Securities are covered by a Registration Statement or Prospectus, the officers, directors, partners, members, managers, stockholders, affiliates, accountants, attorneys, agents and employees of each of them, each Person who controls each such holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, partners, members, managers, stockholders, accountants, attorneys, agents and employees of each such controlling Person, each underwriter or Qualified Independent Underwriter, if any, the officers, directors, partners, members, managers, stockholders, affiliates, accountants, attorneys, agents and employees of such underwriter or Qualified Independent Underwriter, and each other Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) such underwriter or Qualified Independent Underwriter (collectively, “Holder Indemnitees”), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, actions or proceedings (whether commenced or threatened) and costs (including costs of preparation and reasonable attorneys’ fees and any legal or other fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any investigation or Proceeding), expenses, judgments, fines, penalties, charges and amounts paid in settlement (collectively, “Losses”), as incurred, arising out of or based upon (i) any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, Prospectus, any amendment (including any post-effective amendment) or supplement to any Registration Statement or Prospectus, any filing made in connection with the qualification of the offering under the securities or other “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction in which Registrable Securities are offered, or any other offering document (including any related notification, or the like) incident to any such registration, qualification or compliance, or based on any omission (or alleged omission) to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact in the information conveyed by the Corporation to any purchaser at the time of the sale to such purchaser, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein, or (iii) any violation by the Corporation of any federal, state or common law rule or regulation applicable to the Corporation and relating to action required of or inaction by the Corporation in connection with any such registration, and will reimburse each Holder Indemnitee for any legal and any other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating and defending or settling any such claim, Loss, damage, liability, or action as such expenses are incurred, provided that the Corporation will not be liable to any Holder Indemnitee in any such case to the extent that any such Loss, claim, damage, liability, action or expense arises out of or is based on any untrue statement or omission by such Holder Indemnitee or underwriter, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) or omission (or alleged omission) is made in such Registration Statement, Prospectus or other offering document in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Corporation by such Holder Indemnitee or underwriter expressly for inclusion in such Registration Statement, Prospectus or other offering document. It is agreed that

 

24


the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 9(a) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such Loss, claim, damage, liability or action if such settlement is effected without the consent of the Corporation (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). Such indemnity agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Holder Indemnitee and shall survive the Transfer of Registrable Securities by any such Holder Indemnitee.

(b)    Indemnification by Holder of Registrable Securities. In connection with any Registration Statement in which a holder of Registrable Securities includes Registrable Securities, such holder of Registrable Securities agrees to indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, severally and not jointly, the Corporation, each other holder of Registrable Securities which includes Registrable Securities in such Registration Statement, their respective directors, managers and officers and each Person who controls the Corporation and such holders (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act) (collectively, “Corporation/Holder Indemnitees”), from and against all Losses arising out of or based on any untrue statement of a material fact contained in any such Registration Statement, Prospectus, or other offering document, or any omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, and will reimburse each Corporation/Holder Indemnitee for any legal or any other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any such Loss, claim, damage, liability, action or expense, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission is made in such Registration Statement, Prospectus, or other offering document in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Corporation by such indemnifying selling holder of Registrable Securities expressly for inclusion in such Registration Statement, Prospectus or other offering document; provided, however, that the obligations of such indemnifying selling holder of Registrable Securities hereunder shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such Losses, claims, damages, expense or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) if such settlement is effected without the consent of indemnifying selling holder of Registrable Securities (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed); and provided, further, that the liability of each selling holder of Registrable Securities hereunder shall be limited to the net proceeds received by such selling holder from the sale of Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation. In addition, insofar as the foregoing indemnity relates to any such untrue statement or omission made in a preliminary Prospectus but eliminated or remedied in an amended or supplemented preliminary Prospectus on file with the SEC at the time the Registration Statement becomes effective, or in any amendment or supplement thereto at or prior to the pricing of the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to the indemnification obligation, and such new preliminary Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto is delivered to the underwriter, the indemnity agreement in this Section 9(b) shall not inure to the benefit of any Person if a copy of such amended or supplemented preliminary Prospectus was not furnished to the Person asserting the Loss at or prior to the pricing of the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to the indemnification obligation.

(c)    Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. If any Person shall be entitled to indemnity hereunder (an “Indemnified Party”), such Indemnified Party shall give prompt notice to the party from which such indemnity is sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) of any claim or of

 

25


the commencement of any Proceeding with respect to which such Indemnified Party seeks indemnification or contribution pursuant hereto; provided, however, that the delay or failure to so notify the Indemnifying Party shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party from any obligation or liability except (and only) to the extent that the Indemnifying Party has been prejudiced in defending the claim by such delay or failure. The Indemnifying Party shall have the right, exercisable by giving written notice to an Indemnified Party promptly after the receipt of written notice from such Indemnified Party of such claim or Proceeding, to, unless in the Indemnified Party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and Indemnifying Parties may exist in respect of such claim, assume, at the Indemnifying Party’s expense, the defense of any such claim or Proceeding, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party; provided, however, that an Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such claim or Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party unless: (i) the Indemnifying Party agrees to pay such fees and expenses; or (ii) the Indemnifying Party fails promptly to assume, or in the event of a conflict of interest cannot assume, the defense of such claim or Proceeding or fails to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party, in which case the Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ counsel and to assume the defense of such claim or proceeding; provided, further, however, that the Indemnifying Party shall not, in connection with any one such claim or Proceeding or separate but substantially similar or related claims or Proceedings in the same jurisdiction, arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one firm of attorneys (in addition to appropriate local counsel) at any time for all of the Indemnified Parties, or for fees and expenses that are not reasonable. If, and so long as, the defense is assumed by the Indemnifying Party, such Indemnifying Party will not be subject to any liability for any settlement made without its consent (but such consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). The Indemnifying Party shall not consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement that does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnified Party of a release, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party, from all liability in respect of such claim or litigation for which such Indemnified Party would be entitled to indemnification hereunder or that includes any admission of fault or culpability of such Indemnified Party.

(d)    Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to an Indemnified Party in respect of any Losses (other than in accordance with its terms), then each applicable Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Losses, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party, on the one hand, and such Indemnified Party, on the other hand, in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party, on the one hand, and Indemnified Party, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, has been taken by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent any such action, statement or omission. If, however, the allocation provided in the second preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then each Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable

 

26


by such Indemnified Party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative faults but also the relative benefits of the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9(d), an Indemnifying Party that is a holder of Registrable Securities shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds to the Indemnifying Party from the sale of the Registrable Securities sold in a transaction that resulted in Losses in respect of which contribution is sought in such proceeding pursuant to this Section 9(d), exceed the amount of any damages that such Indemnifying Party has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission (including as a result of any indemnification obligation hereunder). No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

(e)    The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 9 are in addition to any other liability that the Indemnifying Parties may otherwise have to the Indemnified Parties; provided that in no event shall any holder of Registrable Securities be liable to any Indemnified Parties with respect to any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission in any Registration Statement, Prospectus or other offering document for any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds to the Indemnifying Party from the sale of the Registrable Securities sold in the transaction that resulted in any liability, exceeds the amount of any damages that such Indemnifying Party has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission (including as a result of any indemnification or contribution obligation hereunder). Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that the provisions on indemnification and contribution contained in the underwriting agreement entered into in connection with the underwritten public offering are in conflict with the foregoing provisions, the provisions in the underwriting agreement shall control (to the extent such provisions do not disproportionately and adversely affect any Stockholders).

Section 10.    Rule 144; Restriction Removal.

(a)    At all times after the effective date of the first Registration Statement filed by the Corporation under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, the Corporation shall (i) file the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act in a timely manner, (ii) furnish to each holder of Registrable Securities forthwith upon written request, (x) a written statement by the Corporation as to its compliance with the reporting requirements of Rule 144, the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, (y) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Corporation, and (z) such other reports and documents so filed by the Corporation as such holder may reasonably request in availing itself of Rule 144, and (iii) take such further action as any holder of Registrable Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such holder to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitations of the exemption provided by Rule 144. Upon the request of any holder of Registrable Securities, the Corporation shall deliver to such holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements.

 

27


(b)    The Corporation shall, promptly upon the request of any holder of Registrable Securities (and, to the extent necessary, the delivery of such Registrable Securities to the transfer agent therefor), cause any legend or stop-transfer instructions with respect to restrictions on transfer under the Securities Act of such Registrable Securities to be removed or otherwise eliminated if (i) such Registrable Securities are registered pursuant to an effective Registration Statement, (ii) in connection with a sale transaction, such holder provides the Corporation with an opinion of counsel, in a generally acceptable form, to the effect that a public sale, assignment or transfer of the Registrable Securities may be made without registration under the Securities Act, (iii) such holder provides the Corporation reasonable assurances that the Registrable Securities have been or are being sold pursuant to, or can then be sold by such holder without restriction or limitation under, Rule 144, or (iv) such holder certifies in writing that such holder is not an Affiliate of the Corporation and either (A) a holding period (determined as provided in Rule 144(d)) of at least six months has elapsed since the acquisition of such Registrable Securities from the Corporation or an Affiliate of the Corporation and such holder will only sell the Registrable Securities in accordance with Rule 144 (including, as applicable, the public information requirement thereof) or pursuant to an effective Registration Statement, or (B) a holding period (determined as provided in Rule 144(d)) of at least one year has elapsed since the acquisition of such Registrable Securities from the Corporation or an Affiliate of the Corporation. The Corporation shall be responsible for the fees and expenses of its transfer agent and The Depository Trust Corporation associated with the issuance of the Registrable Securities to the Stockholder and any legend or stop-transfer instruction removal or elimination in accordance herewith.

(c)    The foregoing provisions of this Section 10 are not intended to modify or otherwise affect any restrictions on Transfers of securities contained in the Stockholders’ Agreement.

Section 11.    Underwritten Registrations. In connection with any Underwritten Offering, the underwriter or underwriters shall be selected by (i) with respect to any Demand Registration, the Stockholder delivering the Demand Notice with respect thereto (or, if both Stockholders are participating in such Demand Registration, by both Stockholders as agreed in good faith), which selection shall be subject to approval by the Corporation, not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, (ii) with respect to any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, the initiating Stockholder that delivers the Take-Down Notice (or, if both Stockholders are participating in such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, by both Stockholders as agreed in good faith), which selection shall be subject to approval by the Corporation, not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed and (iii) with respect to any other offering, including any Piggyback Registration, the Corporation.

No Person may participate in any Underwritten Registration hereunder unless such Person (i) agrees to sell the Registrable Securities it desires to have covered by a Registration Statement on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements in customary form and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements, custody agreements and other documents required under the terms of such

 

28


underwriting arrangements, provided that such Person shall not be required to make any representations or warranties other than those related to title and ownership of such Person’s Registrable Securities being sold and as to the accuracy and completeness of statements made in a Registration Statement, Prospectus, offering circular, or other document in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Corporation or the managing underwriters, if any, by such Person specifically for use therein.

Section 12.    [Reserved]

Section 13.    Miscellaneous.

(a)    Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given without the written consent of each of the Corporation and each Stockholder.

(b)    Notices. All notices required to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to be duly given if personally delivered, sent via email and receipt thereof has been confirmed in writing, or mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, or nationally recognized overnight delivery service with proof of receipt maintained, at the following addresses (or any other address that any such party may designate by written notice to the other parties): (i) if to the Corporation, to the address of its principal executive offices, and (ii) if to any Stockholder, at such Stockholder’s address as set forth on the records of the Corporation. Any such notice shall, if delivered personally, be deemed received upon delivery; shall, if delivered by email, be deemed received on the first Business Day following written confirmation of receipt; and shall, if delivered by certified mail or nationally recognized overnight delivery service, be deemed received the first Business Day after being sent.

(c)    Successors and Assigns; Stockholder Status.

(i)    Subject to Section 13(c)(iii) hereof, each of the Stockholders and their respective permitted assigns may transfer or assign their respective rights hereunder, in whole or in part, to any Affiliate or third party, in each case, to whom such Stockholder transfers any Registrable Securities; provided, however, that in any transfer or assignment to a non-Affiliate by a Stockholder of any rights contained in Sections 3, 4 and 5, such transfer shall be of at least five percent (5%) or more of the then outstanding Registrable Securities.

(ii)    Subject to Section 13(c)(iii) hereof, each of the Stockholders and their respective permitted assigns may transfer or assign their respective rights hereunder, in whole or in part, to any Affiliate, any Immediate Family Member (or any trust for the benefit of one or more of such Stockholder and his or her Immediate Family Members) or any third party, in each case, to whom such Stockholder transfers any Registrable Securities; provided, however, that in any transfer or assignment by a Stockholder of any rights contained in Sections 3, 4 and 5 to any third party that is not an Affiliate or Immediate Family Member (or a trust for the benefit of one or more of such Stockholder and his or her Immediate Family Members) of such Stockholder, (A) such Stockholder

 

29


and its Affiliates shall transfer at least a majority of the Registrable Securities then held by such Stockholder and its Affiliates at the date of such transfer and (B) such transfer shall be of at least five percent (5%) or more of the then outstanding Registrable Securities.

(iii)    Except as provided in clauses (i) and (ii) above, this Agreement and the rights of the parties hereunder may not be assigned without the prior written consent of the Corporation and the Stockholders. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties, including the Corporation and (subject to clauses (i) and (ii) above) subsequent holders of Registrable Securities acquired, directly or indirectly, from the Stockholders; provided, however, that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, such successor or assign shall not be entitled to such rights unless the successor or assign shall have executed and delivered to the Corporation an Addendum Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (which shall also be executed by the Corporation) promptly following the acquisition of such Registrable Securities, in which event such successor or assign shall be deemed a Stockholder for purposes of this Agreement. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any Person other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under, in or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained, except that the Holder Indemnitees and Corporation/Holder Indemnitees shall be express third-party beneficiaries of and have the right to enforce Section 9.

(d)    Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

(e)    Headings; Construction. The Section and paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. Unless the context requires otherwise: (i) pronouns in the masculine, feminine and neuter genders shall be construed to include any other gender, and words in the singular form shall be construed to include the plural and vice versa; (ii) the term “including” shall be construed to be expansive rather than limiting in nature and to mean “including, without limitation,”; (iii) references to Sections and paragraphs refer to Sections and paragraphs of this Agreement; and (iv) the words “this Agreement,” “herein,” “hereof,” “hereby,” “hereunder” and words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole, including Exhibit A hereto, and not to any particular subdivision unless expressly so limited. The terms “dollars” and “$” shall mean United States dollars. Except as otherwise set forth herein, securities exercisable, exchangeable or convertible into any other securities shall not be deemed as “outstanding” securities of the type into which they are exercisable, exchangeable or convertible for any purposes in this Agreement until actually exercised or converted. The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. If an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement will be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties and no presumption or burden of proof will arise favoring or disfavoring any party because of the authorship of any provision of this Agreement.

 

30


(f)    Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts entered into and performed entirely within such state.

(g)    Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their best efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

(h)    Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Stockholders’ Agreement are intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement, and are intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein and therein. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein and therein, with respect to the registration rights granted by the Corporation with respect to Registrable Securities. This Agreement together with the Stockholders’ Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter.

(i)    Securities Held by the Corporation or its Subsidiaries. Whenever the consent or approval of holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder, Registrable Securities held by the Corporation or its Subsidiaries shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the holders of such required percentage.

(j)    Specific Performance. The parties hereto recognize and agree that money damages may be insufficient to compensate the holders of any Registrable Securities for breaches by the Corporation of the terms hereof and, consequently, that the equitable remedy of specific performance of the terms hereof will be available in the event of any such breach.

(k)    Confidentiality. In furtherance of and not in limitation of any other similar agreement such Person may have with Sanken, OEP, the Corporation or any of their respective Subsidiaries, each Shelf Holder, Stockholder and Person referred to in Section 7(p) shall keep the information referred to in Section 3(c), Section 4(c) and Section 7(p), respectively, confidential and shall not disclose such information in any manner whatsoever, except such information may be disclosed (i) by such Person to its Affiliates and its and their respective directors, managers, officers, employees and authorized representatives (including attorneys, accountants, consultants, bankers and financial advisors of such Shelf Holder or its Affiliates) (collectively, “Representatives”) who need to know such information and are obligated to keep it confidential; (ii) by such Person to the extent required in order to comply with reporting obligations to its limited partners who have agreed to keep such information confidential; (iii) by such Person to the extent that such Person or its Representative has received advice from its counsel that it is legally compelled to disclose such information or is required to do so to comply with applicable

 

31


law or legal process or government agency or self-regulatory body request; provided that prior to making such disclosure, such Person or Representative, as the case may be, uses commercially reasonable efforts to preserve the confidentiality of such information to the extent permitted by law, including consulting with the Corporation regarding such disclosure and, if reasonably requested by the Corporation, assisting the Corporation, at the Corporation’s expense, in seeking a protective order to prevent the requested disclosure; provided, however, that, in no event, shall any such Person be required to directly initiate or participate in any legal proceeding in connection with such efforts; provided, further, that such Person or Representative, as the case may be, discloses only that portion of such information as is, based on the advice of its counsel, legally required; (iv) by any Person or its Representative in connection with an audit or an ordinary course examination by a regulator, bank examiner or self-regulatory organization with regulatory oversight over such Person or Representative, provided that such audit or examination is not specifically directed at the Corporation, any of its Subsidiaries or such information; and (v) to the extent such information becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a non-permitted disclosure or failure to safeguard by such Person or its Representative.

(l)    Limitation on Other Registration Rights. From and after the date of this Agreement, the Corporation shall not enter into any agreement with any holder or prospective holder of any securities of the Corporation giving such holder or prospective holder registration rights that are more favorable in any respect than the rights granted under this Agreement.

(m)    No Inconsistent Agreements. The Corporation shall not hereafter enter into any agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent in any material respects with the rights granted to the Stockholders in this Agreement.

(n)    Term. This Agreement shall terminate with respect to a Stockholder on the date on which such Stockholder and its Affiliates cease to hold Registrable Securities. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement with respect to a Stockholder, (i) such Stockholder’s rights and obligations pursuant to Section 9, as well as the Corporation’s obligations to pay expenses pursuant to Section 8, shall survive with respect to any Registration Statement in which any Registrable Securities of such Stockholders were included and (ii) this Section 13 shall survive any such termination. For the avoidance of doubt, any underwriter lock-up that a Stockholder has executed prior to a Stockholder’s termination in accordance with this clause shall remain in effect in accordance with its terms.

(o)    Consent to Jurisdiction. In any judicial proceeding involving any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, each of the parties hereto unconditionally accepts the non-exclusive jurisdiction and venue of any state or federal court sitting in New York, New York. Each of the parties hereto hereby consents to process being served by any party to this Agreement in any suit, action, or proceeding of the nature specified in the preceding sentence by the mailing of a copy thereof in the manner specified by Section 13(b).

TO THE EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW THAT CANNOT BE WAIVED, EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, AND COVENANTS THAT IT WILL NOT ASSERT (WHETHER AS PLAINTIFF, DEFENDANT OR OTHERWISE), ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY FORUM IN RESPECT OF ANY ISSUE, CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING IN WHOLE

 

32


OR IN PART UNDER, RELATED TO, BASED ON OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF, WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING AND WHETHER SOUNDING IN TORT OR CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE. ANY PARTY HERETO MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR A COPY OF THIS SECTION 13(O) WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF EACH SUCH PARTY TO THE WAIVER OF ITS RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

(p)    Consents, Approvals and Actions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, if any consent, approval or action of the Stockholders (as a group taken together and not individually) is required at any time pursuant to this Agreement, such consent, approval or action shall be deemed given if the beneficial owners of a majority of the outstanding Interests beneficially owned by each Stockholder at such time provide such consent, approval or action in writing at such time.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

33


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Ravi Vig

  Name: Ravi Vig
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer


SANKEN ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
By:  

/s/ Yoshihiro Suzuki

  Name: Yoshihiro Suzuki
  Title:   Senior Vice President


OEP SKNA, L.P.
By:   OEP SKNA GP, LLC,
  its General Partner
By:   OEP VI General Partner, L.P.,
  its Managing Member
By:   OEP VI GP, Ltd.,
  its General Partner
By:  

/s/ Paul Carl (Chip) Schorr IV

  Name: Paul Carl (Chip) Schorr IV
  Title:   Senior Managing Director


EXHIBIT A

ADDENDUM AGREEMENT

This Addendum Agreement is made this          day of                     , 20    , by and between                      (the “New Stockholder”) and [                    ] (the “Corporation”), pursuant to an Amended & Restated Registration Rights Agreement dated as of November 2, 2020 (as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified through the date hereof, the “Agreement”), by and among the Corporation, Sanken and OEP. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement.

WHEREAS, the Corporation has agreed to provide registration rights with respect to the Registrable Securities as set forth in the Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the New Stockholder has acquired Registrable Securities directly or indirectly from a Stockholder; and

WHEREAS, the Corporation and the Stockholders have required in the Agreement that all persons desiring registration rights must enter into an Addendum Agreement binding the New Stockholder to the Agreement to the same extent as if it were an original party thereto.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises of the parties, the New Stockholder acknowledges that it has received and read the Agreement and that the New Stockholder shall be bound by, and shall have the benefit of, all of the terms and conditions set out in the Agreement that are applicable to Stockholders to the same extent as if it were an original party to the Agreement and shall be deemed to be a Stockholder thereunder.

 

 

New Stockholder

Name:

 

Address:

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit A-1