Exhibit 4.4
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
The following description of our capital stock is based upon our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, our Bylaws and applicable provisions of law, in each case as currently in effect. This discussion does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our certificate of incorporation, as amended, and our bylaws, as amended, copies of which are filed with the SEC.
Authorized and Outstanding Common Stock and Preferred Stock
Our Charter authorizes the issuance of 300,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share and 30,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share. Our outstanding common stock is duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The preferred stock may be issued at the discretion of the Board pursuant to the terms and rights determined by the Board at a later date. The preferred stock, when issued, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
Common Stock
Our Charter provides the following terms in connection with the common stock:
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.
Voting: Each holder of common stock is entitled to vote on each matter submitted to a vote of stockholders and is entitled to one (1) vote for each share of common stock (subject to limitations therein the Charter).
Authorized Shares: The number of authorized shares of common stock may be increased or decreased (subject to limitations therein the Charter) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of our then outstanding capital stock entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.
Dividends: Subject to the terms therein the Charter, the holders of common stock are entitled to the payment of dividends on the common stock when, as and if declared by the Board in accordance with applicable law.
Liquidation: Subject to the terms and limitations of the Charter, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether voluntary or involuntary, our funds and assets that may be legally distributed to our stockholders will 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.
Preferred Stock
Our board of directors is expressly granted authority to issue shares of “blank check” preferred stock, in one or more series, and 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.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of the Proposed Charter, the Proposed Bylaws and Applicable Law
Certain provisions of the Charter, the Bylaws, and laws of the State of Delaware could make it more difficult to acquire us by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise, or to remove incumbent officers and directors. These provisions, summarized below, are intended to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with the Board. We believe that the benefits of these provisions outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging certain takeover or acquisition proposals because, among other things, negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms and enhance the ability of the Board to maximize stockholder value. However, these provisions may delay, deter, or prevent a merger or acquisition of us that a stockholder might consider is in their best interest or in our best interests, including transactions that might result in a premium over the prevailing market price of common stock.
Authorized but Unissued Shares
The authorized but unissued shares of common stock are available for future issuance without stockholder approval, subject to any limitations imposed by the listing standards of the NYSE American. These additional shares may be used for a variety of corporate finance transactions, acquisitions, and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved common stock could make more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
Stockholder Action; Special Meetings of Stockholders
The Charter provides that stockholders may not take action by written consent but may only take action at annual or special meetings of stockholders. As a result, a holder controlling a majority of common stock would not be able to amend the Bylaws or remove directors without holding a meeting of stockholders called in accordance with the Bylaws. Further, the Charter provides that special meetings of our stockholders may be called, for any purpose or purposes, at any time only by or at the direction of the Board, the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President, and shall not be called by any other person or persons, thus prohibiting a holder of common stock from calling a special meeting. These provisions might delay the ability of stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or for stockholders controlling a majority of us to take any action, including the removal of directors.
Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations
The Bylaws provide that stockholders seeking to bring business before an annual meeting of stockholders, or to nominate candidates for election as directors at our annual meeting of stockholders, must provide timely notice. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice will need to be delivered to our Secretary at our principal executive offices as follows: (i) in the case of an election of directors at an annual meeting of stockholders, not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced by more than thirty (30) days, or delayed by more than seventy (70) days, from the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice must be so received not earlier than the 120th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of (A) the 90th day prior to such annual meeting and (B) the tenth day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting is first made; or (ii) in the case of an election of directors at a special meeting of stockholders, provided that directors are to be elected at such special meeting as set forth in our notice of meeting and provided further that the nomination made by the stockholder is for one of the director positions that the notice of meeting states will be filled at such special meeting, not earlier than the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of (x) the 90th day prior to such special meeting and (y) the tenth day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such special meeting for the election of directors is first made. The Bylaws also specify certain requirements as to the form and content of a stockholders’ notice. These provisions may preclude our stockholders from bringing matters before our annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at our annual meeting of stockholders.
Supermajority Requirements for the Amendment of the Charter and Bylaws
The Bylaws may be amended or repealed by the Board or by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (66 and 2/3%) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote in the election of directors, voting as one class. In addition, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (66 and 2/3%) of the voting power of the then-outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, will be required to amend certain provisions of the Charter, including provisions relating to the classified board, the size of the board, removal of directors, special meetings, and actions by written consent.
Board Vacancies
The Charter provided that any vacancy on the Board may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and not by the stockholders. Any director chosen to fill a vacancy will hold office until the expiration of the term of the class for which he or she was elected and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification, or removal. In addition, the number of directors which shall constitute the whole Board shall be fixed exclusively by one or more resolutions adopted from time to time by the Board. These provisions prevent a stockholder from increasing the size of the Board and then gaining control of the Board by filling the resulting vacancies with its own nominees. This makes it more difficult to change the composition of the Board but promotes continuity of management.
Exclusive Forum Selection
The Charter requires, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum and to the fullest extent permitted by law, that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction, any state court located within the State of Delaware or, if and only if all such state courts lack subject matter jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) will be the sole and exclusive forum for the following types of actions or proceedings under Delaware statutory or common law: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; (ii) any action or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by or any wrongdoing by any current or former director, officer, employee or agent or any stockholder to us; (iii) any action or proceeding asserting a claim against us or any current or former director, officer or other employee or any stockholder in such stockholder’s capacity as such arising out of or pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, the Charter or the Bylaws (as each may be amended from time to time); (iv) any action or proceeding to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of the Charter or the Bylaws (including any right, obligation or remedy thereunder); (v) any action or proceeding as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction to the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware; and (vi) any action or proceeding asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in all cases to the fullest extent permitted by law and subject to the court’s having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants. However, such forum selection provisions will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction. The Charter also provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act.
Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all claims brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Accordingly, both state and federal courts have jurisdiction to entertain such claims. As noted above, the Charter provides that the federal district courts of the United States will have exclusive jurisdiction over any action asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. Accordingly, there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provision. Our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.
Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all claims brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. As noted above, the Charter provides that the choice of forum provision does not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act. Accordingly, actions by our stockholders to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder must be brought in federal court. Our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with the federal securities laws and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our common stock shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum selection provisions in the Charter.
The choice of forum provisions may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers, and other employees. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provisions contained in the Charter to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law
We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL. In general, Section 203 prohibits a Delaware corporation that is listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 stockholders from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that such stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner as summarized below. A “business combination” includes, among other things, certain mergers, asset or stock sales or other transactions together resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. An “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or did own within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status, 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock. Under Section 203, a business combination between a corporation and an interested stockholder is prohibited unless it satisfies one of the following conditions:
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before the stockholder became an interested stockholder, the board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; |
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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 of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding those shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers, and employee stock plans, in some instances; or |
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at or after the time the stockholder became an interested stockholder, the business combination was approved by the board of directors of the corporation and authorized at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least 662⁄3% of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder. |
Under certain circumstances, Section 203 of the DGCL will make it more difficult for a person who would be an “interested stockholder” to effect various business combinations with a corporation for a three-year period. This provision may encourage companies interested in acquiring us to negotiate in advance with the Board because the stockholder approval requirement would be avoided if the Board approves either the business combination or the transaction which results in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder. Section 203 of the DGCL also may have the effect of preventing changes in the Board and may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions which stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.
Limitation on Liability and Indemnification of Directors and Officers
The Bylaws provide that our directors and officers will be indemnified and advanced expenses by us to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by the DGCL as it now exists or may in the future be amended. In addition, the Charter provides that our directors and officers will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of their fiduciary duty as directors or officers (as applicable) to the fullest extent permitted by law.
The Bylaws also permit us to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any officer, director, employee or agent for any liability arising out of his or her status as such, regardless of whether the DGCL would permit indemnification.
These provisions may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors or officers for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal and Payment
Under the DGCL, with certain exceptions, our stockholders will have appraisal rights in connection with a merger or consolidation. Pursuant to Section 262 of the DGCL, stockholders who properly demand and perfect appraisal rights in connection with such merger or consolidation have the right to receive payment of the fair value of their shares as determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery.
Stockholders’ Derivative Actions
Under the DGCL, any of our stockholders may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action, provided that the stockholder bringing the action is a holder of our shares at the time of the transaction to which the action relates.
Transfer Agent, Warrant Agent and Registrar
The Transfer Agent for our capital stock is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company. We have agreed to indemnify Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company in its role as Transfer Agent, its agents and each of its stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of the indemnified person or entity.
Rule 144
Pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act (“Rule 144”), a person who has beneficially owned our restricted common stock or warrants of for at least six months would be entitled to sell their securities provided that (i) such person is not deemed to have been an affiliate at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale and (ii) we are subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least three months before the sale and have filed all required reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the 12 months (or such shorter period as we were required to file reports) preceding the sale.
Persons who have beneficially owned our restricted common stock or warrants for at least six months but who are affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the three months preceding, a sale would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three-month period only a number of securities that does not exceed the greater of:
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1% of the total number of shares of our common stock then outstanding; or |
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the average weekly reported trading volume of our common stock during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to the sale |
Sales by affiliates under Rule 144 are also limited by manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and by the availability of current public information about us.
Listing of Common Stock
The common stock is listed on the NYSE American under the symbol “PMI.”