UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
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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:
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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 5.03. | Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year. |
On December 20, 2022, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation (the “Company”) approved and adopted an amendment and restatement of the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Second Amended and Restated Bylaws”). Among the changes contained in the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws are the following:
• | The Second Amended and Restated Bylaws revise the deadline for advance notice of business and nominations for an annual meeting of stockholders to provide that stockholder notice must be so received not less than 90 or more than 120 days prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting. In addition, the amendments revise the deadline in the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws for advance notice of director nominations for a special meeting of stockholders where directors will be elected to generally not earlier than the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the 90th day prior to such special meeting, or, if later, the tenth day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting. |
• | The Second Amended and Restated Bylaws revise the advance notice disclosure requirements to require the stockholder proposing business or nominating directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders to provide additional information about the stockholder’s ownership of securities in the Company, including ownership of any “derivative security” that constitutes a “call equivalent position” or “put equivalent position” (as such terms are defined in Rule 16a-1(c), 16a-1(b) and 16a-1(h), respectively, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)). Such stockholder must also provide information with respect to any other derivative or synthetic arrangement in respect of any class or series of shares of the Company, including any arrangement having the characteristics of a long position or short position, or any contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions, and with respect to any material pending or threatened legal proceeding involving the Company or any of its officers, directors or affiliates, material relationships and any direct or indirect interests in material contracts or agreements with the Company or any of its affiliates. |
• | The Second Amended and Restated Bylaws require stockholders nominating directors to provide additional information regarding any person the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director (the “nominee”), including all information with respect to such nominee that would be required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice if such nominee were a stockholder delivering such notice, and a description of any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement between or among the nominating stockholder and each nominee or his or her respective associates or any other participants (as defined in paragraphs (a)(i)-(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A) in such solicitation. Additionally, whether nominated by a stockholder or the Board, the notice of director nomination must be accompanied by (i) a completed written questionnaire regarding certain background information on the nominee (including with respect to such nominee’s background, qualifications, stock ownership and independence) and (ii) a written representation and agreement by the nominee regarding compliance with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, stock ownership and trading and other policies and guidelines of the Company (and, if requested by such nominee, the Company shall provide to such nominee all such policies and guidelines then in effect) and the nominee’s intent to serve the entire term. Such nominee’s written representation and agreement must also include an attestation that such nominee is not, and will not become, a party to any voting agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity as to how such nominee will act or vote on any issue or question, including any such commitment that could limit or interfere with the nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Company, with such proposed nominee’s fiduciary duties, and will not become a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Company with respect to any direct or indirect compensation or reimbursement for service as a director that has not been disclosed to the Company. Further, the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws provide that stockholders would not be permitted to nominate more nominees than would be elected at the meeting. |
• | With respect to stockholders proposing business, the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws require the stockholder to include a description of business intended to be brought before the meeting (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), as well as a representation that such stockholder intends, or is part of a group which intends, to deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Company’s voting shares required to carry the proposal (or otherwise solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal), a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings between the stockholder and any other beneficial holder in connection with the proposal and 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 a proxy solicitation pursuant to the Exchange Act. All disclosures must be provided with respect to all participants in the solicitation. |
• | The Second Amended and Restated Bylaws require that the information provided in its notice or materials be updated or provided, as the case may be, so that such notice 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. |
• | The Second Amended and Restated Bylaws address the universal proxy rules adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission by clarifying that no person may solicit proxies in support of a nominee other than the Board’s nominees unless such person has complied with Rule 14a-19 under the Exchange Act, including applicable notice and solicitation requirements. Further, any stockholder directly or indirectly soliciting proxies from other stockholders must use a proxy card color other than white, with the white proxy card being reserved for the exclusive use by the Board. |
• | The Second Amended and Restated Bylaws provide that (i) the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (the “Chancery Court”) (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 be the exclusive forum for actions, suits or proceedings brought against the Company, and (ii) the federal district courts shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint or cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Second Amended and Restated Bylaws further enable the Company to initiate an action against a stockholder to enforce the exclusive forum requirements should the stockholder sue, or threaten to sue, in another jurisdiction. |
• | The Second Amended and Restated Bylaws reduce the quorum at any meeting of stockholders to the holders of one-third (1/3) in voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or by proxy, or by remote communication, if applicable, unless otherwise provided by law or the Certificate of Incorporation. |
• | The Second Amended and Restated Bylaws also include certain technical, conforming, modernizing or clarifying changes to the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws. |
The Second Amended and Restated Bylaws are filed herewith as Exhibit 3.1. The foregoing description of the changes contained in the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
Exhibit No. |
Description | |
3.1 | Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation, dated as of December 20, 2022. | |
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document). |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
BIG 5 SPORTING GOODS CORPORATION |
(Registrant) |
Date: December 22, 2022 |
/s/ Barry D. Emerson |
Barry D. Emerson |
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer |
Exhibit 3.1
BIG 5 SPORTING GOODS CORPORATION
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
(Amended and Restated as of December 20, 2022)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I OFFICES |
1 | |||||
Section 1. |
Registered Office | 1 | ||||
Section 2. |
Other Offices | 1 | ||||
ARTICLE II MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS |
1 | |||||
Section 1. |
Place of Meetings | 1 | ||||
Section 2. |
Annual Meetings | 1 | ||||
Section 3. |
Special Meetings | 8 | ||||
Section 4. |
Notice of Meetings | 8 | ||||
Section 5. |
Quorum; Adjournment | 9 | ||||
Section 6. |
Organization | 9 | ||||
Section 7. |
Conduct of Business | 9 | ||||
Section 8. |
Proxies and Voting | 10 | ||||
Section 9. |
Stock List | 11 | ||||
ARTICLE III BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
11 | |||||
Section 1. |
Duties and Powers | 11 | ||||
Section 2. |
Number and Term of Office | 11 | ||||
Section 3. |
Vacancies | 12 | ||||
Section 4. |
Meetings | 12 | ||||
Section 5. |
Quorum | 12 | ||||
Section 6. |
Actions of Board Without a Meeting | 12 | ||||
Section 7. |
Meetings by Means of Conference Telephone | 12 | ||||
Section 8. |
Compensation | 13 | ||||
ARTICLE IV COMMITTEES |
13 | |||||
Section 1. |
Committees of the Board of Directors | 13 | ||||
Section 2. |
Conduct of Business | 13 | ||||
ARTICLE V OFFICERS |
13 | |||||
Section 1. |
General | 13 | ||||
Section 2. |
Election; Term of Office | 14 | ||||
Section 3. |
Chairman of the Board | 14 | ||||
Section 4. |
President | 14 | ||||
Section 5. |
Vice President | 14 | ||||
Section 6. |
Secretary | 15 | ||||
Section 7. |
Chief Financial Officer | 15 | ||||
Section 8. |
Other Officers | 15 |
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ARTICLE VI STOCK |
15 | |||||
Section 1. |
Certificates of Stock | 15 | ||||
Section 2. |
Signatures | 15 | ||||
Section 3. |
Transfers | 15 | ||||
Section 4. |
Record Date | 15 | ||||
Section 5. |
Beneficial Owners | 16 | ||||
Section 6. |
Voting Securities Owned by the Corporation | 16 | ||||
Section 7. |
Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates | 16 | ||||
Section 8. |
Regulations | 16 | ||||
ARTICLE VII NOTICES |
16 | |||||
Section 1. |
Notices to Stockholders | 16 | ||||
Section 2. |
Waiver of Notice | 17 | ||||
ARTICLE VIII GENERAL PROVISIONS |
17 | |||||
Section 1. |
Facsimile Signatures | 17 | ||||
Section 2. |
Disbursements | 17 | ||||
Section 3. |
Corporation Seal | 17 | ||||
Section 4. |
Reliance Upon Books, Reports and Records | 17 | ||||
Section 5. |
Fiscal Year | 17 | ||||
Section 6. |
Time Periods | 17 | ||||
Section 7. |
Forum Selection | 18 | ||||
ARTICLE IX DIRECTORS LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION |
18 | |||||
Section 1. |
Right to Indemnification | 18 | ||||
Section 2. |
Right to Advancement of Expenses | 19 | ||||
Section 3. |
Right of Indemnitee to Bring Suit | 19 | ||||
Section 4. |
Non-Exclusivity of Rights | 20 | ||||
Section 5. |
Insurance and Trust Fund | 20 | ||||
Section 6. |
Indemnification of Employees and Agents of the Corporation | 20 | ||||
Section 7. |
Nature of Rights | 20 | ||||
ARTICLE X AMENDMENTS |
21 |
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SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
OF
BIG 5 SPORTING GOODS CORPORATION
(hereinafter called the Corporation)
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
Section 1. Registered Office. The registered office of the Corporation shall be in the City of Dover, County of Kent, State of Delaware.
Section 2. Other Offices. The Corporation may also have offices at such other places both within and without the State of Delaware as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine.
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1. Place of Meetings. Meetings of the stockholders for the election of directors or for any other purpose shall be held at such place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting or in a duly executed waiver of notice thereof.
Section 2. Annual Meetings.
1) An annual meeting of the stockholders, for the election of directors to succeed those whose terms expire and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2, shall be held at such place, on such date and at such time as the Board of Directors shall each year fix, which date shall be within thirteen (13) months of the last annual meeting of stockholders.
2) At an annual meeting, 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) pursuant to the Corporations notice with respect to such meeting given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (b) if not specified in a notice of meeting, otherwise brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or (c) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder present in person who (i)(A) was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 2, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (C) who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2 in all applicable respects, or (ii) properly made such proposal in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the Exchange Act). The foregoing clause (c) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before the annual meeting of stockholders. For purposes of this Section 2, present in person shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the annual meeting of the Corporation, or a qualified representative of such proposing stockholder, appear at
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such annual 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.
3) For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (c) of the foregoing paragraph, the stockholder must (1) have given Timely Notice (as defined herein) thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation (the Secretary), (2) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2, and (3) for any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board of Directors, 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. To be timely, a stockholders notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) or more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding years annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that if the date of the annual meeting is advanced 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 not more than the hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of (i) the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or (ii) the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made (such notice within such time periods, Timely Notice). In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of Timely Notice as described above.
4) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2, a stockholders notice to the Secretary shall set forth:
(i) As to each Proposing Person (as defined below), (A) the name and address of such Proposing Person (including, if applicable, the name and address that appear on the Corporations books and records), and (B) 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 (A) and (B) are referred to as Stockholder Information);
(ii) As to each Proposing Person, (A) the material terms and conditions of 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) or a put equivalent position (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act) or other derivative or synthetic arrangement in respect of any class or series of shares of the Corporation (Synthetic Equity Position) that is, directly or indirectly, held or maintained by, held for the benefit of, or involving such Proposing Person, including, without limitation, (i) any option, warrant, convertible security, stock
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appreciation right, future or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, (ii) any derivative or synthetic arrangement having the characteristics of a long position or a short position in any class or series of shares of the Corporation, including, without limitation, a stock loan transaction, a stock borrow transaction, or a share repurchase transaction or (iii) any contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions designed to (x) produce economic benefits and risks that correspond substantially to the ownership of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, (y) mitigate any loss relating to, reduce the economic risk (of ownership or otherwise) of, or manage the risk of share price decrease in, any class or series of shares of the Corporation, or (z) increase or decrease the voting power in respect of any class or series of shares of the Corporation of such Proposing Person, including, without limitation, due to the fact that the value of such contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions is determined by reference to the price, value or volatility of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument, contract or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of shares of the Corporation, through the delivery of cash or other property, or otherwise, and without regard to whether the holder thereof may have entered into transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such instrument, contract or right, or any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the price or value 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 required to disclose any Synthetic Equity Position that is, directly or indirectly, held or maintained by, held for the benefit of, or involving such Proposing Person as a hedge with respect to a bona fide derivatives trade or position of such Proposing Person arising in the ordinary course of such Proposing Persons business as a derivatives dealer, (B) any rights to dividends on the shares of any class or series of shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (C) any material pending or threatened legal proceeding in which such Proposing Person is a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the Corporation, (D) any other material relationship between such Proposing Person, on the one hand, and the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation, on the other hand, (E) any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement of such Proposing Person with the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement
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or consulting agreement), (F) a representation that such Proposing Person intends or is part of a group which intends to deliver a proxy statement or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporations outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or otherwise solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal, and (G) any other information relating to such Proposing Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (G) are referred to as Disclosable Interests); provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these Bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner;
(iii) As to each item of business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, (A) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person, (B) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the Bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), (C) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings (x) between or among any of the Proposing Persons or (y) between or among any Proposing Person and any other person or entity (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder, and (D) any other information relating to such item of business that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that the disclosures required by this paragraph (iii) shall not include any disclosures with respect to any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these Bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner;
(iv) As to each Nominating Person (as defined below), the Stockholder Information (as defined in paragraph (i) above, except that for purposes of this paragraph (iv) the term Nominating Person shall be substituted for the term Proposing Person in all places it appears in paragraph (i));
(v) As to each Nominating Person, any Disclosable Interests (as defined in paragraph (ii), except that for purposes of this paragraph (v) the term Nominating Person shall be substituted for the term Proposing Person in all places it appears in paragraph (ii) and the disclosures with respect to the business to be brought before the meeting in this paragraph (v) shall be made with respect to the election of directors at the annual meeting); and provided that, in lieu of including the information set forth in clause (G) of paragraph (ii), the Nominating Persons notice for purposes of this paragraph (v) shall include a representation as to whether the Nominating Person intends or is a part of a group which
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intends to (x) deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporations outstanding capital stock required to elect any nominee or (y) solicit the holders of shares representing at least 67% of the voting power of shares entitled to vote on the election of directors in support of director nominees other than the Corporations nominees in accordance with Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the Exchange Act; and
(vi) As to each candidate whom a Nominating Person proposes to nominate for election as a director, (A) all information with respect to such candidate for nomination that would be required to be set forth in a stockholders notice pursuant to this Section 2 if such candidate for nomination were a Nominating Person, (B) all information relating to such as would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for the election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14(a) under the Exchange Act (including such persons written consent to being named in the proxy statement and accompanying proxy card relating to the Corporations next meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected and to serving as a director for a full term 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 below.
For purposes of the foregoing, (a) the term Proposing Person shall mean the stockholder providing the notice of business 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, and (b) 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.
5) A Proposing Person, Nominating Person and/or candidate whom a Nominating Person proposes to nominate for election as a director, as applicable, shall update and supplement its notice or materials, as the case may be, to the Corporation, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2 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
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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 Corporations 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.
6) In no event may a Nominating Person provide Timely Notice with respect to a greater number of director candidates that are subject to election by stockholders at the applicable meeting. If the Corporation shall, subsequent to such notice, increase the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors at the meeting, such notice as to any additional nominees shall be due on the later of (a) the conclusion of the time period for Timely Notice or (b) the tenth (10th) day following the date of public announcement (as defined below).
7) Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, only persons nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2 shall be eligible to serve as directors and only such business shall be conducted at an annual meeting of stockholders as shall have been properly brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2. The chairman of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, have the power to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting has been made in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these Bylaws, to declare that such defectively proposed business or nomination shall not be presented for stockholder action at the meeting and shall be disregarded.
8) To be eligible to be a candidate for election as a director of the Corporation at an annual or special meeting, a candidate must be nominated in the manner prescribed in this Section 2 and the candidate for nomination, whether nominated by the Board of Directors or by a stockholder of record, must have previously delivered (in accordance with the time period prescribed for delivery in a notice to such candidate given by or on behalf of the Board of Directors), to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (i) a completed written questionnaire (in the form provided by the Corporation upon written request of any stockholder of record therefor) with respect to the background, qualifications, stock ownership and independence of such proposed nominee and (ii) a written representation and agreement (in the form provided by the Corporation upon written request of any stockholder of record therefor) that such candidate for nomination (A) is not and, if elected as a director during his or her term of office, will not become a party to 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, including any such commitment that could limit or interfere with such proposed nominees ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such proposed nominees fiduciary duties under applicable law, (B) 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
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has not been disclosed to the Corporation, (C) 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 persons term in office as a director (and, if requested by any candidate for nomination, the Secretary shall provide to such candidate for nomination all such policies and guidelines then in effect), and (D) if elected as a director of the Corporation, intends to serve the entire term until the next meeting at which such candidate would face re-election.
9) The Board of Directors may also require any proposed candidate for nomination as a Director to furnish such other information as may reasonably be requested by the Board of Directors in writing prior to the meeting of stockholders at which such candidates nomination is to be acted upon. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Board of Directors may request such other information in order for the Board of Directors to determine the eligibility of such candidate for nomination to be an independent director of the Corporation or to comply with the Director qualification standards and additional selection criteria in accordance with the Corporations policies and procedures. Such other information shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary 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 request by the Board of Directors has been delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Nominating Person.
10) For purposes of these Bylaws, public announcement 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 Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
11) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2:
(i) Each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such business, and nothing in this Section 2 shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporations proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act; and
(ii) 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. Unless otherwise required by law, (i) no Nominating Person shall solicit proxies in support of director nominees other than the Corporations nominees unless such Nominating Person has complied with Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the Exchange Act in connection with the solicitation of such proxies, including the provision to the Corporation of notices required thereunder in a timely manner and (ii) if any Nominating Person (1) provides notice pursuant to Rule 14a-19(b) promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) subsequently fails to comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(2) and Rule 14a-19(a)(3) promulgated under the Exchange Act, including the provision to the Corporation of notices required thereunder in a timely manner, or fails to timely provide evidence sufficient to satisfy the Corporation that such Nominating Person has met the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(3) promulgated under the Exchange Act in accordance with the following sentence, then the Corporation shall disregard any proxies
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or votes solicited for the Nominating Persons candidates. If any Nominating Person provides notice pursuant to Rule 14a-19(b) promulgated under the Exchange Act, such Nominating Person shall deliver to the Corporation, no later than seven (7) business days prior to the applicable meeting, reasonable evidence that it has met the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(3) promulgated under the Exchange Act.
Section 3. Special Meetings.
1) Special meetings of the stockholders, other than those required by statute, may be called at any time by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President or by the Board of Directors acting pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by a majority of the Whole Board. For purposes of these Bylaws, the term Whole Board shall mean the total number of authorized directors whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships. The Board of Directors may postpone or reschedule any previously scheduled special meeting.
2) Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporations notice of meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which the election of directors is a specified matter pursuant to the Corporations notice of meeting (a) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (b) provided that the Board of Directors has determined that directors shall be elected at such meeting, by any stockholder of record of the Corporation present in person who is a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving of notice of the special meeting provided for in this paragraph and at the time of the special meeting, who shall be entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures as to such notice and nomination set forth in Section 2 of this Article II in all applicable respects.
Nominations by stockholders of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at such a special meeting of the stockholders if the stockholder provides the information with respect to such stockholder and its candidate for nomination as required Section 2 of this Article II (including any updates or supplements to such information at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2), in writing and in proper form, to the Secretary 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 later than the close of business on the 90th day prior to such special meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting.
3) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to matters set forth in this Section 3. Nothing in this Section 3 shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporations proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.
Section 4. Notice of Meetings. Notice of the place, if any, date and time of all meetings of the stockholders, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and
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proxyholders 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, shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date on which the meeting is to be held, to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law (meaning, here and hereinafter, as required from time to time by the Delaware General Corporation Law) or the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as it may be amended from time to time (the Certificate of Incorporation). The Board of Directors may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled special meeting.
When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time and place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders 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 or are provided in any other manner permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the DGCL); provided, however, that if the date of any adjourned meeting is more than thirty (30) days after the date for which the meeting was originally noticed, or if a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, notice of the place, if any, date and time of the adjourned meeting and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting, shall be given in conformity herewith. At any adjourned meeting, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the original meeting.
Section 5. Quorum; Adjournment. At any meeting of the stockholders, the holders of one-third (1/3) in voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or by proxy, or by remote communication, if applicable, shall constitute a quorum for all purposes, unless otherwise provided by law or the Certificate of Incorporation. A quorum, once established at a meeting, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum. Where a separate vote by a class or classes or series is required, one-third (1/3) of the outstanding shares of such class or classes or series, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter and the affirmative vote of the majority of shares of such class or classes or series present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting shall be the act of such class, except as otherwise required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.
If a quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the chairman of the meeting may adjourn the meeting to another place, if any, date or time.
Section 6. Organization. Such person as the Board of Directors may have designated or, in the absence of such a person, the Chairman of the Board or, in his or her absence, the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation or, in his or her absence, the President of the Corporation or, in his or her absence, such person as may be chosen by the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote who are present, in person or by proxy, shall call to order any meeting of the stockholders and act as chairman of the meeting. In the absence of the Secretary, the secretary of the meeting shall be such person as the chairman of the meeting appoints.
Section 7. Conduct of Business. The chairman of any meeting of stockholders shall determine the order of business and the procedure at the meeting, including such regulation of the
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manner of voting and the conduct of discussion as seem to him or her in order. The chairman shall have the power to adjourn the meeting to another place, if any, date and time. The date and time of the opening and closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at the meeting shall be announced at the meeting.
Section 8. Proxies and Voting. At any meeting of the stockholders, every stockholder entitled to vote may vote in person or by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by applicable law, including Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the Exchange Act, filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting. Any copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of the writing or transmission created pursuant to this paragraph may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing or transmission for any and all purposes for which the original writing or transmission could be used; provided, however, that such copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or transmission.
Any stockholder directly or indirectly soliciting proxies from other stockholders must use a proxy card color other than white, which shall be reserved for the exclusive use by the Board of Directors.
The Corporation may, and to the extent required by law, shall, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting and make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate is able to act at a meeting of stockholders, the person presiding at the meeting may, and to the extent required by law, shall, appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. Every vote taken by ballots shall be counted by a duly appointed inspector or inspectors.
Each stockholder shall have one vote for every share of stock entitled to vote which is registered in his, her or its name on the record date for the meeting, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law or the Certificate of Incorporation.
All voting, including on the election of directors but excepting where otherwise provided herein or required by law or the Certificate of Incorporation, may be by a voice vote; provided, however, that upon demand therefor by a stockholder entitled to vote or such stockholders proxy, a stock vote shall be taken. Every stock vote shall be taken by ballots, each of which shall state the name of the stockholder or proxy voting and such other information as may be required under the procedure established for the meeting. Every vote taken by ballots shall be counted by an inspector or inspectors appointed by the chairman of the meeting.
At all duly called or convened meetings of stockholders, at which a quorum is present and at which directors are to be elected, a nominee for election as a director shall be elected to the Board of Directors if the votes cast for such nominees election exceed the votes cast against such nominees election (with abstentions and broker nonvotes not counted as a vote cast either for or against that nominees election); provided, however, that a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect a director at any duly called or convened meeting of stockholders, at
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which a quorum is present and at which directors are to be elected, if as of the record date for such meeting the number of nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected at such meeting. If directors are to be elected by a plurality of the votes cast, stockholders shall not be permitted to vote against a nominee. Except as otherwise required by law or the Certificate of Incorporation or herein, all other matters shall be determined by a majority of the votes cast affirmatively or negatively.
Section 9. Stock List. A complete list of stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders, arranged in alphabetical order for each class of stock and showing the address of each such stockholder and the number of shares registered in such stockholders name, shall be open to the examination of any such stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of ten (10) days ending on the day before the meeting date, (a) during ordinary business at the principal place of business of the Corporation or (b) on a reasonably accessible electronic network as permitted by applicable law; provided, however, if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth (10th) day before the meeting date.
Except as otherwise provided by law, the list shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by this Section 9 or to vote in person or by proxy at the meeting.
ARTICLE III
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. Duties and Powers. The business of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, which may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws directed or required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.
Section 2. Number and Term of Office. The Board of Directors shall consist of one (1) or more members. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock to elect directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board. The directors, other than those who may be elected by the holders of any series of preferred stock under specified circumstances, shall be divided, with respect to the time for which they severally hold office, into three classes consisting of Class A Directors, Class B Directors and Class C Directors. The terms of office of the Class A Directors, Class B Directors and Class C Directors will expire at the Corporations first, second and third annual meeting of stockholders, respectively, following adoption of these Bylaws. Each director shall hold office until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. At each annual meeting of stockholders, commencing with the next succeeding annual meeting, (i) directors elected to succeed those directors whose terms then expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding annual meeting of stockholders after their election, with each director to hold office until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, and (ii) if authorized by a resolution of a majority of the Whole Board, directors may be elected to fill any vacancy on the Board of Directors, regardless of how such vacancy shall have been created. Any director may resign at any time upon written notice to the Corporation. Directors need not be stockholders.
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Section 3. Vacancies. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock then outstanding, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies in the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause shall, unless otherwise required by law or by resolution of the Board of Directors, be filled only by a majority vote of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum (and not by stockholders), and directors so chosen shall hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders at which the term of office of the class to which they have been elected expires or until such directors successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. No decrease in the number of authorized directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
Section 4. Meetings. The Board of Directors of the Corporation may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or without the State of Delaware. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such place or places, on such date or dates and at such time or times as shall have been established by the Board of Directors and publicized among all directors. A notice of each regular meeting shall not be required. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or by a majority of the Whole Board and shall be held at such place, on such date and at such time as they or he or she shall fix. Notice of the place, date and time of the special meeting shall be given to each director by whom it is not waived either by mail not less than forty-eight (48) hours before the date of the meeting, by telephone, facsimile, telegram or electronic transmission on not less than twenty-four (24) hours notice, or on such shorter notice as the person or persons calling such meeting may deem necessary or appropriate in the circumstances. Meetings may be held at any time without notice if all the directors are present or if all those not present waive such notice in accordance with Section 2 of Article VII of these Bylaws. Unless otherwise indicated in the notice thereof, any and all business may be transacted at a special meeting.
Section 5. Quorum. Except as may be otherwise specifically provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, at all meetings of the Board of Directors, a majority of the Whole Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board of Directors. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of Directors, the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.
Section 6. Actions of Board Without a Meeting. Unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or such committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
Section 7. Meetings by Means of Conference Telephone. Unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, or any committee designated by the Board of Directors, may participate in a meeting
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of the Board of Directors or such committee by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this Section 7 shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
Section 8. Compensation. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors, which may be paid in cash, property, securities of the Corporation or other consideration. The directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a stated salary or other compensation as director. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation for attending committee meetings.
ARTICLE IV
COMMITTEES
Section 1. Committees of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may from time to time, by a resolution duly adopted by a majority of the Whole Board designate committees of the Board of Directors, with such lawfully delegable powers and duties as it thereby confers, to serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors and shall, for those committees and any others provided for herein, elect a director or directors to serve as the member or members, designating, if it desires, other directors as alternate members who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of any member of any committee and any alternate member in his or her place, the member or members of the committee present at the meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or she or they constitute a quorum, may by unanimous vote appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of the absent or disqualified member.
Section 2. Conduct of Business. Each committee may determine the procedural rules for meeting and conducting its business and shall act in accordance therewith, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law. Adequate provision shall be made for notice to members of all meetings; a majority of the members shall constitute a quorum; and all matters shall be determined by a majority vote of the members present. Action may be taken by any committee without a meeting if all members thereof consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of the proceedings of such committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
Section 1. General. The officers of the Corporation shall consist of a Chairman of the Board, a President, one or more Vice Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The Board of Directors may also appoint one (1) or more vice presidents and one (1) or more assistant secretaries
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and such other officers as the Board of Directors, in its discretion, shall deem necessary or appropriate from time to time. Any number of offices may be held by the same person, unless the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws otherwise provide. The salaries of officers elected by the Board of Directors shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors or by such officers as may be designated by resolution of the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Election; Term of Office. The Board of Directors at its first meeting held after each annual meeting of stockholders shall elect a Chairman of the Board, a President, one or more Vice Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer, and may also elect at that meeting or any other meeting, such other officers and agents as it shall deem necessary or appropriate. Each officer of the Corporation shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors together with the powers and duties customarily exercised by such officer; and each officer of the Corporation shall hold office until such officers successor is elected and qualified or until such officers earlier resignation or removal. Any officer may resign at any time upon written notice to the Corporation. The Board of Directors may at any time remove any officer, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Whole Board.
Section 3. Chairman of the Board. The Chairman of the Board, if there shall be such an officer, shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation. The Chairman of the Board shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors. Subject to the provisions of these Bylaws and to the direction of the Board of Directors, he or she shall have the responsibility for the general management and control of the business and affairs of the Corporation and shall perform all duties and have all powers which are commonly incident to the office of chief executive or which are delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors. He or she shall have power to sign all stock certificates, contracts and other instruments of the Corporation which are authorized and shall have general supervision and direction of all of the other officers, employees and agents of the Corporation.
Section 4. President. The President shall be the chief operating officer of the Corporation, shall have general and active management of the business of the Corporation and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect. The President shall perform all duties and have all powers which are commonly incident to the office of the President or the chief operating officer and shall have and exercise such further powers and duties as may be specifically delegated to or vested in the President from time to time by these Bylaws or the Board of Directors. Subject to the direction of the Board of Directors and the Chairman of the Board, the President shall have the power to sign all stock certificates, contracts and other instruments of the Corporation which are authorized and shall have general supervision of all of the other officers (other than the Chairman of the Board or any Vice Chairman), employees and agents of the Corporation. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board or in the event of his inability or refusal to act, or if the Board of Directors has not designated a Chairman of the Board, the President shall perform the duties of the Chairman of the Board, and when so acting, shall have all of the powers and be subject to all of the restrictions upon the Chairman of the Board.
Section 5. Vice President. In the absence of the President or in the event of his inability or refusal to act, the Vice President (or in the event there be more than one vice president, the vice presidents in the order designated by the directors, or in the absence of any designation, then in
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the order of their election) shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President. The vice presidents shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President may from time to time prescribe.
Section 6. Secretary. The Secretary shall issue all authorized notices for, and shall keep minutes of, all meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors. He or she shall have charge of the corporate books and shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.
Section 7. Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall be the Treasurer of the Corporation and shall have the responsibility for maintaining the financial records of the Corporation. He or she shall make such disbursements of the funds of the Corporation as are authorized and shall render from time to time an account of all such transactions and of the financial condition of the Corporation. The Chief Financial Officer shall also perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.
Section 8. Other Officers. Such other officers as the Board of Directors may choose shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may delegate to any officer of the Corporation the power to choose such other officers and to prescribe their respective duties and powers.
ARTICLE VI
STOCK
Section 1. Certificates of Stock. Every holder of stock in the Corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of, the Corporation by (i) the Chairman of the Board or the Vice Chairman of the Board, or the President or a Vice President, and (ii) the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, certifying the number of shares owned by such holder in the Corporation.
Section 2. Signatures. 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 shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
Section 3. Transfers. Transfers of stock shall be made only upon the transfer books of the Corporation kept at an office of the Corporation or by transfer agents designated to transfer shares of the stock of the Corporation. Except where a certificate is issued in accordance with Section 7 of Article VI of these Bylaws, an outstanding certificate for the number of shares involved shall be surrendered for cancellation before a new certificate shall be issued.
Section 4. Record Date. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may, except as otherwise required by law, fix, in advance, a record date, which
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record date shall not precede the date on which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted and which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any other action; provided, however, that if no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held, and, for determining stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for any other purpose, the record date shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts a resolution relating thereto. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
Section 5. Beneficial Owners. The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and to hold liable for calls and assessments a person registered on its books as the owner of shares, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law.
Section 6. Voting Securities Owned by the Corporation. Powers of attorney, proxies, waivers of notice of meeting, consents and other instruments relating to securities of any other entity owned by the Corporation may be executed in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Secretary and any such officer may, in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, take all such action as any such officer may deem advisable to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of security holders of any corporation in which the Corporation may own securities and at any such meeting shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and power incident to the ownership of such securities and which, as the owner thereof, the Corporation might have exercised and possessed if present. The Board of Directors may, by resolution, from time to time confer like powers upon any other person or persons.
Section 7. Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates. In the event of the loss, theft or destruction of any certificate of stock, another may be issued in its place pursuant to such regulations as the Board of Directors may establish concerning proof of such loss, theft or destruction and concerning the giving of a satisfactory bond or bonds of indemnity.
Section 8. Regulations. The issue, transfer, conversion and registration of certificates of stock shall be governed by such other regulations as the Board of Directors may establish.
ARTICLE VII
NOTICES
Section 1. Notices to Stockholders. If mailed, notice to stockholders shall be deemed given when deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such
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stockholders address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders may be given by electronic transmission in the manner provided in Section 232 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.
Section 2. Waiver of Notice. Whenever any notice is required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws to be given to any director, member of a committee or stockholder, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to such 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 the notice required to be given to such person. Neither the business nor the purpose of any meeting need be specified in such a waiver. Attendance at any meeting shall constitute waiver of notice except attendance for the sole purpose of objecting to the timeliness of notice.
ARTICLE VIII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. Facsimile Signatures. In addition to the provisions for use of facsimile signatures elsewhere specifically authorized in these Bylaws, facsimile signatures of any officer or officers of the Corporation may be used whenever and as authorized by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof.
Section 2. Disbursements. All notes, checks, drafts and orders for the payment of money issued by the Corporation shall be signed in the name of the Corporation by such officers or such other persons as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.
Section 3. Corporation Seal. The corporate seal, if the Corporation shall have a corporate seal, shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its organization and the words Corporate Seal, Delaware. The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.
Section 4. Reliance Upon Books, Reports and Records. Each director, each member of any committee designated by the Board of Directors and each officer of the Corporation shall, in the performance of his or her duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Corporation and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Corporation by any of its officers or employees, or committees of the Board of Directors so designated or by any other person as to matters which such director or committee member reasonably believes are within such other persons professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Corporation.
Section 5. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be as fixed by the Board of Directors.
Section 6. Time Periods. In applying any provision of these Bylaws which requires that an act be done or not be done a specified number of days prior to an event or that an act be done during a period of a specified number of days prior to an event, calendar days shall be used, the day of the doing of the act shall be excluded and the day of the event shall be included.
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Section 7. Forum Selection. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, (a) 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, suit or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action, suit or proceeding 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 Corporations stockholders, (iii) any action, suit or proceeding 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, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine; and (b) subject to the preceding provisions of this Section 7, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause or causes of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including all causes of action asserted against any defendant to such complaint. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence is filed in a court other than the courts in the State of Delaware (a Foreign Action) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the provisions of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence and (y) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholders counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.
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 Section 7. This provision is intended to benefit and may be enforced by the Corporation, its officers and directors, the underwriters to any offering giving rise to such complaint, and any other professional or entity whose profession gives authority to a statement made by that person or entity and who has prepared or certified any part of the documents underlying the offering. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 7 shall not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.
If any provision or provisions of this Section 7 shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever, (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Section 7 (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Section 7 containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
ARTICLE IX
DIRECTORS LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION
Section 1. Right to Indemnification. Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether
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civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a proceeding), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or an officer of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer or trustee of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (hereinafter an indemnitee), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer or trustee or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer or trustee, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than such law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such indemnitee in connection therewith; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section 3 of this Article IX with respect to proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification, the Corporation shall indemnify any such indemnitee in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
Section 2. Right to Advancement of Expenses. In addition to the right to indemnification conferred in Section 1 of this Article IX, an indemnitee shall also have the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses (including attorneys fees) incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition (hereinafter an advancement of expenses); provided, however, that, if the Delaware General Corporation Law requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by an indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter an undertaking), by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter a final adjudication) that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Section 2 or otherwise.
Section 3. Right of Indemnitee to Bring Suit. If a claim under Section 1 or 2 of this Article IX is not paid in full by the Corporation within sixty (60) days after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, except in the case of a claim for an advancement of expenses, in which case the applicable period shall be twenty (20) days, the indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim. If successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit. In (i) any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that, and (ii) in any suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Corporation shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final adjudication that, the indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit
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that indemnification of the indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the indemnitee, be a defense to such suit. In any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Article IX or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.
Section 4. Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses conferred in this Article IX shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, the Corporations Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or directors or otherwise.
Section 5. Insurance and Trust Fund. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute:
1) the Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the Delaware General Corporation Law; and
2) the Corporation may create a trust fund, grant a security interest and/or use other means (including, without limitation, letters of credit, surety bonds and/or other similar arrangements), as well as enter into contracts providing indemnification to the fullest extent permitted by law, and including as part thereof provisions with respect to any or all of the foregoing, to ensure the payment of such amounts as may become necessary to effect indemnification as provided therein, or elsewhere.
Section 6. Indemnification of Employees and Agents of the Corporation. The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, grant rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to any employee or agent of the Corporation to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Article IX with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of directors and officers of the Corporation.
Section 7. Nature of Rights. The rights conferred upon indemnitees in this Article IX shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer or trustee and shall inure to the benefit of the indemnitees heirs, executors and administrators. Any amendment, alteration or repeal of this Article IX that adversely affects any right of an indemnitee or its successors shall be prospective only and shall not limit or eliminate any such right with respect to any proceeding involving any occurrence or alleged occurrence of any action or omission to act that took place prior to such amendment or repeal.
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ARTICLE X
AMENDMENTS
In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by law, the Board of Directors, with the approval of the majority of the Whole Board, is expressly authorized to adopt, amend and repeal these Bylaws subject to the power of the holders of capital stock of the Corporation to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws; provided, however, that, with respect to the power of holders of capital stock to adopt, amend and repeal Bylaws of the Corporation, notwithstanding any other provision of these Bylaws or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the capital stock of the Corporation required by law, these Bylaws or any preferred stock, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least eighty percent (80%) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to adopt, amend or repeal any provision of these Bylaws.
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THIS IS TO CERTIFY:
That I am the duly elected, qualified and acting Secretary of Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation and that the foregoing Bylaws were adopted as the Bylaws of said corporation as of the 20th day of December, 2022, by the Board of Directors of said corporation and as to Article III, Section 2, by the holders of at least a majority of the Common Stock, $0.01 par value, of the corporation as of the 20th day of December, 2022.
Dated as of December 20, 2022.
/s/ Ian R. Landgreen Ian R. Landgreen, Secretary |
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