HLT 8-K
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (HLT)
8-K
2025-05-16
For: 2025-05-14
View Original
Added on
April 11, 2026
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
Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): May 14, 2025
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | ||||||||||||
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(703 ) 883-1000
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Not Applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||||||||
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 of Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.
On May 14, 2025, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (the “Company”) held its 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”). At the Annual Meeting, the Company’s stockholders approved amendments to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Existing Charter”) to eliminate the supermajority requirement for stockholders to amend the Company’s By-Laws, to provide for exculpation of certain Company officers to the extent permitted by Delaware law and to eliminate certain provisions that are no longer applicable. In accordance with the foregoing approval, the Company filed certificates of amendment (each, a “Certificate of Amendment”) to the Existing Charter and a Restated Certificate of Incorporation reflecting the approved amendments with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on May 14, 2025.
The Certificates of Amendment had previously been approved, subject to stockholder approval, by the Company’s Board of Directors. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation incorporating the Certificates of Amendments was approved by the Company’s Board of Directors. An amendment to the Company’s By-Laws to reflect the elimination of the supermajority requirement for stockholders to amend the By-Laws also was approved by the Company’s Board of Directors effective May 14, 2025.
A description of the Certificates of Amendment is set forth in the Company’s definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 4, 2025 (the “Proxy Statement”) in the sections entitled “Proposal 4 – Approval of an Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to Remove the Supermajority Requirement for Stockholders to Amend the By-Laws” and “Proposal 5 – Approval of Amendments to the Certificate of Incorporation to Limit Liability of Certain Officers as Permitted by Law and Eliminate Provisions that are No Longer Applicable,” which description is incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing description of the Certificates of Amendment, Restated Certificate of Incorporation, and amendment to the Company’s By-Laws is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Certificates of Amendment, Restated Certificate of Incorporation, and By-Laws, copies of which are filed as Exhibits 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference. In addition, a marked copy of the By-Laws showing the amendment effective as of May 14, 2025 is attached as Exhibit 3.5.
Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
At the Annual Meeting, stockholders voted on the matters disclosed in the Proxy Statement. The final voting results for the matters submitted to a vote of stockholders were as follows:
Proposal No. 1 - Election of Directors
The Company’s stockholders elected the persons listed below as directors for a one-year term expiring in 2026 or until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified:
| For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non-Votes | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Christopher J. Nassetta | 214,268,722 | 1,295,615 | 36,480 | 7,534,716 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Jonathan D. Gray | 209,905,485 | 5,656,436 | 38,896 | 7,534,716 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Charlene T. Begley | 213,903,260 | 1,530,083 | 167,474 | 7,534,716 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Chris Carr | 214,434,039 | 1,021,974 | 144,804 | 7,534,716 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Melanie L. Healey | 204,239,882 | 11,286,736 | 74,199 | 7,534,716 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Raymond E. Mabus, Jr. | 214,601,573 | 954,311 | 44,933 | 7,534,716 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Marissa A. Mayer | 213,930,714 | 1,627,070 | 43,033 | 7,534,716 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Elizabeth A. Smith | 210,786,966 | 4,715,871 | 97,980 | 7,534,716 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Douglas M. Steenland | 208,948,520 | 6,608,878 | 43,419 | 7,534,716 | |||||||||||||||||||
Proposal No. 2 - Ratification of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Company’s stockholders ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2025.
| For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non-Votes | |||||||||||||||||
| 217,084,511 | 6,017,770 | 33,252 | — | |||||||||||||||||
Proposal No. 3 – Non-Binding Vote on Executive Compensation
The Company’s stockholders approved, in a non-binding advisory vote, the compensation paid to the Company’s named executive officers as disclosed in the Proxy Statement.
| For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non-Votes | |||||||||||||||||
| 198,785,386 | 16,759,900 | 55,531 | 7,534,716 | |||||||||||||||||
Proposal No. 4 – Approval of an Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to Eliminate the Supermajority Requirement for Stockholders to Amend the By-Laws
The Company’s stockholders approved amendments to the Existing Charter to eliminate the supermajority requirement for stockholders to amend the Company’s By-Laws.
| For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non-Votes | |||||||||||||||||
| 215,187,329 | 375,321 | 38,167 | 7,534,716 | |||||||||||||||||
Proposal No. 5 – Approval of an Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to Limit Liability of Certain Officers as Permitted by Law and Eliminate Provisions that are No Longer Applicable
The Company’s stockholders approved amendments to the Existing Charter to limit liability of certain officers of the Company as permitted by law and eliminate provisions that are no longer applicable.
| For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non-Votes | |||||||||||||||||
| 198,121,244 | 17,436,723 | 42,850 | 7,534,716 | |||||||||||||||||
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
| Exhibit No. | Description | |||||||
| 3.1 | ||||||||
| 3.2 | ||||||||
| 3.3 | ||||||||
| 3.4 | ||||||||
| 3.5 | ||||||||
| 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.
| HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC. | ||||||||
| By: | /s/ Caroline Krass | |||||||
| Name: | Caroline Krass | |||||||
| Title: | Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary | |||||||
Date: May 16, 2025
Exhibit 3.1
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
OF
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
(Pursuant to Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware)
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify that:
1. Section 5.1 of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (as heretofore amended, the “Certificate of Incorporation”) is hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows:
Section 5.1. By-Laws. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by the DGCL, the Board is expressly authorized to make, amend, alter, change, add to or repeal the by-laws of the Corporation (as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Bylaws”) without the assent or vote of the stockholders in any manner not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Delaware or this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.
2. The amendment described herein has been duly adopted in accordance with Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate to be executed by its duly authorized officer on this 14th day of May, 2025.
HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
By:__Caroline Krass___________________________
Name: Caroline Krass
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Exhibit 3.2
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
OF
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
(Pursuant to Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware)
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify that:
1. Section 7.1 of the Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows:
Section 7.1. Meetings of Stockholders. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of stock of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of such holders and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such holders unless such action is recommended by all directors of the Corporation then in office; provided, however, that, to the extent expressly permitted by the certificate(s) of designation relating to one or more series of Preferred Stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of such series of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding shares of the relevant class or series having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in Delaware, its principal place of business, or to an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. Except as otherwise required by law and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by or at the direction of the Board, the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation or upon the request of holders of stock of the Corporation entitling the holders thereof to not less than a majority of the total voting power of all the then outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.
2. Section 8.1 of the Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows:
Section 8.1. Limitation on Liability of Directors and Officers. No director or officer (as applicable) of the Corporation will have any personal liability to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or hereafter may be amended. Neither the amendment nor the repeal of this Article VIII shall eliminate or reduce the effect thereof in respect of any state of facts existing or act or omission occurring, or any cause of action, suit or claim that, but for this Article VIII, would accrue or arise, prior to such amendment or repeal.
3. Article IX of the Certificate of Incorporation is hereby deleted in its entirety.
4. Article X of the Certificate of Incorporation is renumbered Article IX, Article XI of the Certificate of Incorporation is renumbered Article X and Article XII of the Certificate of Incorporation is
renumbered Article XI and such renumbered Articles are hereby amended to read in their entirety as follows:
ARTICLE IX
9.1. Certain Acknowledgment. In recognition and anticipation that members of the Board who are not employees of the Corporation (“Non-Employee Directors”) and their respective Affiliates may now engage and may continue to engage in the same or similar activities or related lines of business as those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage and/or other business activities that overlap with or compete with those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage, the provisions of this Article IX are set forth to regulate and define the conduct of certain affairs of the Corporation with respect to certain classes or categories of business opportunities as they may involve any of the Non-Employee Directors or their respective Affiliates and the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of the Corporation and its directors, officers and stockholders in connection therewith.
Section 9.2. Competition and Corporate Opportunities; Renouncement. No Non-Employee Director (including any Non-Employee Director who serves as an officer of the Corporation in both his or her director and officer capacities) or his or her Affiliates (the Persons (as defined below) above being referred to, collectively, as “Identified Persons” and, individually, as an “Identified Person”) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have any duty to refrain from directly or indirectly (1) engaging in the same or similar business activities or lines of business in which the Corporation or any of its Affiliates now engages or proposes to engage or (2) otherwise competing with the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no Identified Person shall be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders or to any Affiliate of the Corporation for breach of any fiduciary duty solely by reason of the fact that such Identified Person engages in any such activities. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Corporation hereby renounces any interest or expectancy in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for an Identified Person and the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, except as provided in Section 9.3 hereof. Subject to said Section 9.3 , in the event that any Identified Person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for itself, herself or himself and the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, such Identified Person shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have no duty to communicate or offer such transaction or other business opportunity to the Corporation or any of its Affiliates and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders or to any Affiliate of the Corporation for breach of any fiduciary duty as a stockholder, director or officer of the Corporation solely by reason of the fact that such Identified Person pursues or acquires such corporate opportunity for itself, herself or himself, or offers or directs such corporate opportunity to another Person.
Section 9.3. Allocation of Corporate Opportunities. The Corporation does not renounce its interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any Non-Employee Director (including any Non-Employee Director who serves as an officer of the Corporation) if such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation, and the provisions of Section 9.2 hereof shall not apply to any such corporate opportunity.
Section 9.4. Certain Matters Deemed Not Corporate Opportunities. In addition to and notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article IX, a corporate opportunity shall not be deemed to be a potential corporate opportunity for the Corporation if it is a business opportunity that (i) the Corporation is neither financially or legally able, nor contractually permitted to undertake, (ii) from its nature, is not in the line of the Corporation’s business or is of no practical advantage to the Corporation or (iii) is one in which the Corporation has no interest or reasonable expectancy.
9.5. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Article IX, (i) “Affiliate” shall mean (a) in respect of a Non-Employee Director, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by such Non-Employee Director (other than the Corporation and any entity that is controlled by the Corporation) and (b) in respect of the Corporation, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by the Corporation; and (ii) “Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, general or limited partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, association or any other entity.
Section 9.6. Notice of this Article. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Article IX.
ARTICLE X
Section 10.1. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation 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.
ARTICLE XI
Section 11.1. Forum. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as it may be amended or restated) or the Bylaws or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article XI.
5. All references in the Certificate of Incorporation to the “Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation” shall be updated to instead refer to the “Restated Certificate of Incorporation.”
6. The amendments described herein have been duly adopted in accordance with Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate to be executed by its duly authorized officer on this 14th day of May, 2025.
HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
By:__/s/ Caroline Krass_____________________
Name: Caroline Krass
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Exhibit 3.3
RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify as follows:
A. The present name of the Corporation is Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.
B. The Corporation was incorporated under the name “Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.” on by the filing of its original certificate of incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on March 18, 2010 (such certificate of incorporation as amended and/or amended and restated to the date hereof, the “Existing Certificate of Incorporation”).
C. This Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (this “Restated Certificate of Incorporation”) only restates and integrates and does not further amend the provisions of the Existing Certificate of Incorporation. This Restated Certificate of Incorporation was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
D. This Restated Certificate of Incorporation shall be effective upon filing.
E. The Existing Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation is hereby integrated and restated to read in its entirety as follows:
ARTICLE I
Section 1.1. Name. The name of the Corporation is Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (the “Corporation”).
ARTICLE II
Section 2.1. Address. The registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, New Castle County, DE 19808; and the name of the Corporation’s registered agent at such address is Corporation Service Company.
ARTICLE III
Section 3.1. Purpose. The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).
ARTICLE IV
Section 4.1. Capitalization. The total number of shares of all classes of stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 13,000,000,000 shares, consisting of (i) 10,000,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) and (ii) 3,000,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Stock”). The number of authorized shares of any of the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL (or any successor provision thereto), and no vote of the holders of any of the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock voting separately as a class shall be required therefor.
Section 4.2. Preferred Stock.
(A) The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) is hereby expressly authorized, by resolution or resolutions, at any time and from time to time, to provide, out of the unissued shares of Preferred Stock, for one or more series of Preferred Stock and, with respect to each such series, to fix the number of shares constituting such series and the designation of such series, the voting powers (if any) of the shares of such series, and the powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, if any, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of the shares of such series and to cause to be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware a certificate of designation with respect thereto. The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of each series of Preferred Stock, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, if any, may differ from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding.
(B) Except as otherwise required by law, holders of a series of Preferred Stock, as such, shall be entitled only to such voting rights, if any, as shall expressly be granted thereto by this Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designations relating to such series of Preferred Stock).
Section 4.3. Common Stock.
(A) Voting Rights. Each holder of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock held of record by such holder on all matters on which stockholders generally are entitled to vote; provided, however, that to the fullest extent permitted by law, holders of Common Stock, as such, shall have no voting power with respect to, and shall not be entitled to vote on, any amendment to this Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of Preferred Stock) or pursuant to the DGCL.
(B) Dividends and Distributions. Subject to applicable law and the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock or any class or series of stock having a preference over or the right to participate with the Common Stock with respect to the payment of dividends and other distributions in cash, property of the Corporation or shares of stock of the Corporation, such dividends and other distributions may be declared and paid on the Common Stock out of the assets of the Corporation that are by law available therefor at such times and in such amounts as the Board in its discretion shall determine.
(C) Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation and of the preferential and other amounts, if any, to which the holders of Preferred Stock shall be entitled, the holders of all outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution ratably in proportion to the number of shares held by each such stockholder.
ARTICLE V
Section 5.1. By-Laws. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by the DGCL, the Board is expressly authorized to make, amend, alter, change, add to or repeal the by-laws of the Corporation (as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Bylaws”) without the assent or vote of the stockholders in any manner not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Delaware or this Restated Certificate of Incorporation.
2
ARTICLE VI
Section 6.1. Board of Directors.
(A) Except as otherwise provided in this Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board, with the exact number of directors to be determined from time to time exclusively by resolution adopted by the Board.
(B) Whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more such other series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, removal and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of Preferred Stock) applicable thereto. Notwithstanding Section 6.1(A), the number of directors that may be elected by the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock shall be in addition to the number fixed pursuant to Section 6.1(A) hereof.
(C) Directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws shall so provide.
ARTICLE VII
Section 7.1. Meetings of Stockholders. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of stock of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of such holders and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such holders unless such action is recommended by all directors of the Corporation then in office; provided, however, that, to the extent expressly permitted by the certificate(s) of designation relating to one or more series of Preferred Stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of such series of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding shares of the relevant class or series having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in Delaware, its principal place of business, or to an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. Except as otherwise required by law and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by or at the direction of the Board, the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation or upon the request of holders of stock of the Corporation entitling the holders thereof to not less than a majority of the total voting power of all the then outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.
ARTICLE VIII
Section 8.1. Limitation on Liability of Directors and Officers. No director or officer (as applicable) of the Corporation will have any personal liability to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or hereafter may be amended. Neither the amendment nor the repeal of this Article VIII shall eliminate or reduce the effect thereof in respect of any state of facts existing or act or omission occurring, or any cause of action, suit or claim that, but for this Article VIII, would accrue or arise, prior to such amendment or repeal.
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ARTICLE IX
Section 9.1. Certain Acknowledgment. In recognition and anticipation that members of the Board who are not employees of the Corporation (“Non-Employee Directors”) and their respective Affiliates may now engage and may continue to engage in the same or similar activities or related lines of business as those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage and/or other business activities that overlap with or compete with those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage, the provisions of this Article IX are set forth to regulate and define the conduct of certain affairs of the Corporation with respect to certain classes or categories of business opportunities as they may involve any of the Non-Employee Directors or their respective Affiliates and the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of the Corporation and its directors, officers and stockholders in connection therewith.
Section 9.2. Competition and Corporate Opportunities; Renouncement. No Non-Employee Director (including any Non-Employee Director who serves as an officer of the Corporation in both his or her director and officer capacities) or his or her Affiliates (the Persons (as defined below) above being referred to, collectively, as “Identified Persons” and, individually, as an “Identified Person”) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have any duty to refrain from directly or indirectly (1) engaging in the same or similar business activities or lines of business in which the Corporation or any of its Affiliates now engages or proposes to engage or (2) otherwise competing with the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no Identified Person shall be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders or to any Affiliate of the Corporation for breach of any fiduciary duty solely by reason of the fact that such Identified Person engages in any such activities. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Corporation hereby renounces any interest or expectancy in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for an Identified Person and the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, except as provided in Section 9.3 hereof. Subject to said Section 9.3 , in the event that any Identified Person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for itself, herself or himself and the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, such Identified Person shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have no duty to communicate or offer such transaction or other business opportunity to the Corporation or any of its Affiliates and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders or to any Affiliate of the Corporation for breach of any fiduciary duty as a stockholder, director or officer of the Corporation solely by reason of the fact that such Identified Person pursues or acquires such corporate opportunity for itself, herself or himself, or offers or directs such corporate opportunity to another Person.
Section 9.3. Allocation of Corporate Opportunities. The Corporation does not renounce its interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any Non-Employee Director (including any Non-Employee Director who serves as an officer of the Corporation) if such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation, and the provisions of Section 9.2 hereof shall not apply to any such corporate opportunity.
Section 9.4. Certain Matters Deemed Not Corporate Opportunities. In addition to and notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article IX, a corporate opportunity shall not be deemed to be a potential corporate opportunity for the Corporation if it is a business opportunity that (i) the Corporation is neither financially or legally able, nor contractually permitted to undertake, (ii) from its nature, is not in the line of the Corporation’s business or is of no practical advantage to the Corporation or (iii) is one in which the Corporation has no interest or reasonable expectancy.
Section 9.5. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Article IX, (i) “Affiliate” shall mean (a) in respect of a Non-Employee Director, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by such Non-Employee Director (other than the Corporation and any entity that is controlled by the Corporation) and (b) in respect of the Corporation, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by the Corporation; and (ii) “Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, general or limited partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, association or any other entity.
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Section 9.6. Notice of this Article. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Article IX.
ARTICLE X
Section 10.1. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation 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.
ARTICLE XI
Section 11.1. Forum. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, this Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as it may be amended or restated) or the Bylaws or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article XI.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by its duly authorized officer on this 14th day of May, 2025.
HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
By:__/s/ Caroline Krass__________________
Name: Caroline Krass
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
[Signature page –Restated Certificate of Incorporation]
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AMENDED AND RESTATED
BY-LAWS
OF
HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
ARTICLE I.
STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1. The annual meeting of the stockholders of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (the “Corporation”) for the purpose of electing directors and for the transaction of such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting shall be held on such date, and at such time and place, if any, within or without the State of Delaware as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”). The Corporation may postpone, reschedule or cancel any annual meeting of stockholders previously scheduled.
Section 2. Except as otherwise required by law or the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, and subject to the rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock (as defined in the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation), special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by or at the direction of the Board, the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation or upon the request of holders of stock of the Corporation entitling the holders thereof to not less than a majority of the total voting power of all the then outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors. The Corporation may postpone, reschedule or cancel any special meeting of stockholders previously scheduled.
Section 3. Except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation or these By-Laws, notice of the date, time, place (if any), the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (if such date is different from the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting) and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes of the meeting of stockholders shall be given not more than sixty (60), nor less than ten (10), days before the date of the meeting, to each stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting at such address as appears on the records of the Corporation.
Section 4. The holders of a majority in voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders for the transaction of business, except as otherwise provided herein, by statute or by the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation; but if at any meeting of stockholders there shall be less than a quorum present, the chairman of the meeting or, by a majority in voting power thereof, the stockholders present may, to the extent permitted by law, adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice other than announcement at the meeting of the date, time and place, if any, of the adjourned meeting, until a quorum shall be present or represented. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided by the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, where a separate vote by a class or series or classes or series is required, a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of such class or series 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. At any adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the original meeting. Notice need not be given of any adjourned meeting if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix a new record date for notice of such adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such adjourned meeting as of the record date for notice of such adjourned meeting.
Section 5. The Chairman of the Board, or in the Chairman’s absence or at the Chairman’s direction, the Chief Executive Officer, or in the Chief Executive Officer’s absence or at the Chief Executive Officer’s direction, any officer of the Corporation shall call all meetings of the stockholders to order and shall act as chairman of any such meetings. The Secretary of the Corporation (the “Secretary”) or, in such officer’s absence, an Assistant Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting. If neither the Secretary nor an Assistant Secretary is present, the chairman of the meeting shall appoint a secretary of the meeting. The Board may adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Unless otherwise determined by the Board prior to the meeting, the chairman of the meeting shall determine the order of business and shall have the authority in his or her discretion to regulate the conduct of any such meeting, including, without limitation, convening the meeting and adjourning the meeting (whether or not a quorum is present), announcing the date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote, imposing restrictions on the persons (other than stockholders of record of the Corporation or their duly appointed proxies) who may attend any such meeting, establishing procedures for the transaction of business at the meeting (including the dismissal of business not properly presented), maintaining order at the meeting and safety of those present, restricting entry to the meeting after the time fixed for commencement thereof and limiting the circumstances in which any person may make a statement or ask questions at any meeting of stockholders.
Section 6. At all meetings of stockholders, any stockholder entitled to vote thereat shall be entitled to vote in person or by proxy, but no proxy shall be voted after three years from its date, unless such proxy provides for a longer period. Without limiting the manner in which a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for the stockholder as proxy pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), the following shall constitute a valid means by which a stockholder may grant such authority: (1) a stockholder may execute a writing authorizing another person or persons to act for the stockholder as proxy, and execution of the writing may be accomplished by the stockholder or the stockholder’s authorized officer, director, employee or agent signing such writing or causing his or her signature to be affixed to such writing by any reasonable means including, but not limited to, by facsimile signature; or (2) a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for the stockholder as proxy by transmitting or authorizing by means of electronic transmission to the person who will be the holder of the proxy or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support service organization or like agent duly authorized by the person who will be the holder of the proxy to receive such transmission, provided that any such means of electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder. If it is determined that such electronic transmissions are valid, the inspector or inspectors of stockholder votes or, if there are no such inspectors, such other persons making that determination shall specify the information upon which they relied.
A proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power. A stockholder may revoke any proxy which is not irrevocable by attending the meeting and voting in person or by delivering to the Secretary a revocation of the proxy or a new proxy bearing a later date.
Any copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of the writing or transmission created pursuant to the first paragraph of this Section 6 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 that such copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or transmission.
Proxies shall be filed with the secretary of the meeting prior to or at the commencement of the meeting to which they relate.
Section 7. When a quorum is present at any meeting, the vote of the holders of a majority of the votes cast shall decide any question brought before such meeting, unless the question is one upon which by express provision of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, these By-Laws or the DGCL a different vote is required, in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question. Notwithstanding the foregoing, where a separate vote by a class or series or classes or series is required and a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by shares of such class or series or classes or series shall be the act of such class or series or classes or series, unless the question is one upon which by express provision of the certificate
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of incorporation of the Corporation, these By-Laws or the DGCL a different vote is required, in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question.
Section 8. (A) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be 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. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at the adjourned meeting.
(B) In order that the Corporation may determine the 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 the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which 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 prior to such other action. If no such record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.
Section 9. At any time when the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation permits action by one or more classes or series of stockholders of the Corporation to be taken by written consent, the provisions of this Section 9 shall apply. All consents properly delivered in accordance with the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, and the DGCL shall be deemed to be recorded when so delivered. No written consent shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless, within sixty (60) days of the earliest dated consent delivered to the Corporation as required by the DGCL, written consents signed by the holders of a sufficient number of shares to take such corporate action are so delivered to the Corporation in accordance with the applicable provisions of the DGCL. Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for notice of such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of holders to take the action were delivered to the Corporation as provided in the applicable provisions of the DGCL. Any action taken pursuant to such written consent or consents of the stockholders shall have the same force and effect as if taken by the stockholders at a meeting thereof. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which date shall not be more than ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board. If no record date has been fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board is required by statute, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. If no record date has been fixed by the Board and prior action by the Board is required by statute, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution taking such prior action.
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Section 10. The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare and make at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (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 day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting; or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the Corporation. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then a list of stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting.
Section 11. The Board, in advance of all meetings of the stockholders, may (and, if required by law, shall) appoint one or more inspectors of stockholder votes, who may be employees or agents of the Corporation or stockholders or their proxies, but who shall not be directors of the Corporation or candidates for election as directors. In the event that the Board fails to so appoint one or more inspectors of stockholder votes or, in the event that one or more inspectors of stockholder votes previously designated by the Board fails to appear or act at the meeting of stockholders, the chairman of the meeting may appoint one or more inspectors of stockholder votes to fill such vacancy or vacancies. Inspectors of stockholder votes appointed to act at any meeting of the stockholders, before entering upon the discharge of their duties, shall take and sign an oath to faithfully execute the duties of inspector of stockholder votes with strict impartiality and according to the best of their ability and the oath so taken shall be subscribed by them. Inspectors of stockholder votes shall take all actions required under the applicable provisions of the DGCL and any other applicable law, rule or regulation.
Section 12. (A) Annual Meetings of Stockholders. (1) Nominations of persons for election to the Board and the proposal of other business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders only (a) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) delivered pursuant to Article I, Section 3 of these By-Laws, (b) by or at the direction of the Board or any authorized committee thereof, (c) by any stockholder of the Corporation who is entitled to vote on such election or such other business at the meeting, who complied with the notice procedures set forth in subparagraphs (2) and (3) of this paragraph (A) of this By-Law and who was a stockholder of record at the time such notice is delivered to the Secretary or (d) by an Eligible Stockholder (as defined in subparagraph (4) of this paragraph (A) of this By-Law) whose Stockholder Nominee (as defined in subparagraph (4) of this paragraph (A) of this By-Law) is included in the Corporation’s proxy materials for the relevant annual meeting of stockholders pursuant to subparagraph (4) of this paragraph (A) of this By-Law.
(2) For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to this paragraph (A)(2), the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary, and, in the case of business other than nominations of persons for election to the Board, such other business must constitute a proper matter for stockholder action. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the first 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 twenty (20) days, or delayed by more than seventy (70) days, from such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the 120th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. For purposes of the application of Rule 14a-4(c) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) (or any successor provision), the date for notice specified in this paragraph
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(A)(2) shall be the earlier of the date calculated as hereinbefore provided or the date specified in paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 14a-4.
Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth: (a) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected; (b) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, 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 these By-Laws, the language of the proposed amendment), the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; (c) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books and records, and of such beneficial owner, (ii) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are owned directly or indirectly, beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner, (iii) a representation that the stockholder is a holder of record of the stock of the Corporation at the time of the giving of the notice, will be entitled to vote at such meeting and will appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business or nomination, (iv) a representation whether the stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, will be or is part of a group which will (A) deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the voting power of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the nominee and/or (B) otherwise solicit proxies or votes from stockholders in support of such proposal or nomination, (v) a certification regarding whether such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, have complied with all applicable federal, state and other legal requirements in connection with the stockholder’s and/or beneficial owner’s acquisition of shares of capital stock or other securities of the Corporation and/or the stockholder’s and/or beneficial owner’s acts or omissions as a stockholder of the Corporation and (vi) any other information relating to such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in an election contest pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; (d) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to the nomination or proposal and/or the voting of shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation between or among the stockholder giving the notice, the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made, any of their respective affiliates or associates and/or any others acting in concert with any of the foregoing (collectively, “proponent persons”); and (e) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including without limitation any contract to purchase or sell, acquisition or grant of any option, right or warrant to purchase or sell, swap or other instrument) to which any proponent person is a party the intent or effect of which may be (i) to transfer to or from any proponent person, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security of the Corporation, (ii) to increase or decrease the voting power of any proponent person with respect to shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation and/or (iii) to provide any proponent person, directly or indirectly, with the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from, or to otherwise benefit economically from, any increase or decrease in the value of any security of the Corporation. A stockholder providing notice of a proposed nomination for election to the Board or other business proposed to be brought before a meeting (whether given pursuant to this paragraph (A)(2) or paragraph (B) of this By-Law) shall update and supplement such notice from time to time to the extent necessary so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice shall be true and correct as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting and as of the date that is fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof provided that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting is less than fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, the information shall be supplemented and updated as of such later date. Any such update and supplement shall be delivered in writing to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) days after the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting (in the case of any update or supplement required to be made as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting), not later than ten (10) days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof (in the case of any update or
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supplement required to be made as of fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof) and not later than five (5) days after the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, but no later than the date prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof (in the case of any update and supplement required to be made as of a date less than fifteen (15) days prior the date of the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation and to determine the independence of such director under the Exchange Act and rules and regulations thereunder and applicable stock exchange rules.
(3) Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of paragraph (A)(2) of this By-Law to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board is increased, effective after the time period for which nominations would otherwise be due under paragraph (A)(2) of this By-Law, and there is no public announcement naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board made by the Corporation at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this By-Law shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth day following the day on which a public announcement of such increase is first made by the Corporation; provided that, if no such announcement is made at least ten (10) days before the meeting, then no such notice shall be required.
(4) Subject to the provisions of this paragraph (A)(4), the Corporation shall include in its proxy statement (including its form of proxy) for an annual meeting of stockholders the name of any stockholder nominee for election to the Board submitted pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4) (each a “Stockholder Nominee”) provided (a) timely written notice of such Stockholder Nominee satisfying this paragraph (A)(4) (“Notice”) is delivered to the Corporation by or on behalf of a stockholder or stockholders that, at the time the Notice is delivered, satisfy the ownership and other requirements of this paragraph (A)(4) (such stockholder or stockholders, and any person on whose behalf they are acting, the “Eligible Stockholder”), (b) the Eligible Stockholder expressly elects in writing at the time of providing the Notice to have its nominee included in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4), and (c) the Eligible Stockholder and the Stockholder Nominee otherwise satisfy the requirements of this paragraph (A)(4) and the director qualifications requirements set forth in the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines and any other document(s) setting forth qualifications for directors; provided, however, that a stockholder that has a contractual right to designate one or more nominees for director shall not be, and any of such stockholder’s respective affiliates or associates and/or any others acting in concert with any of the foregoing shall not be, an Eligible Stockholder and shall not be eligible to participate in a group of stockholders constituting an Eligible Stockholder.
To be timely, an Eligible Stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than one hundred twenty (120) days nor more than one hundred fifty (150) days prior to the first 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 twenty (20) days, or delayed by more than seventy (70) days, from such anniversary date, or if no annual meeting was held in the preceding year, notice by the Eligible Stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the 150th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 120th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. In no event shall the public announcement of any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of an Eligible Stockholder’s notice as described above.
In addition to including the name of the Stockholder Nominee in the Corporation’s proxy statement for the annual meeting, the Corporation also shall include (a) the information concerning the Stockholder Nominee and the Eligible Stockholder that is required to be disclosed in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and (b) if the Eligible Stockholder so elects, a Statement (defined below). Nothing in this paragraph (A)(4) shall limit the Corporation’s ability to solicit against and include in its proxy statement its own statements relating to any Stockholder Nominee.
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The maximum number of Stockholder Nominees submitted by all Eligible Stockholders appearing in the Corporation’s proxy statement with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4) (the “Permitted Number”) shall not exceed the greater of (a) two and (b) 20% of the total number of directors in office as of the last day on which notice of a nomination may be received pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4) with respect to the annual meeting (the “Final Proxy Access Nomination Date”) or, if such amount is not a whole number, the closest whole number (rounding down) below 20%; provided, however, that the Permitted Number shall be reduced (i) by any Stockholder Nominee whose name was submitted for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4) but who was subsequently withdrawn or whom the Board decides to nominate as a Board nominee (a “Board Nominee”), (ii) by (but only to the extent the Permitted Number after such reduction equals or exceeds one) any directors in office or director nominees that in either case shall be included in the Corporation’s proxy materials with respect to the annual meeting as an unopposed (by the Corporation) nominee pursuant to an agreement, arrangement or other understanding between the Corporation and a stockholder or group of stockholders (other than any such agreement, arrangement or understanding entered into in connection with an acquisition of capital stock of the Corporation, by the stockholders or group of stockholders, from the Corporation), and (iii) by (but only to the extent the Permitted Number after such reduction equals or exceeds one) any director in office as of the nomination deadline who was included in the Corporation’s proxy statement as a Stockholder Nominee for any of the two preceding annual meetings and whom the Board decides to nominate for election to the Board. In the event that one or more vacancies for any reason occurs on the Board at any time after the Final Proxy Access Nomination Date and before the date of the applicable annual meeting of stockholders and the Board resolves to reduce the size of the Board in connection therewith, the Permitted Number shall be calculated based on the number of directors in office as so reduced. In the event that the number of Stockholder Nominees submitted by Eligible Stockholders pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4) exceeds the Permitted Number, each Eligible Stockholder shall select one Stockholder Nominee for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy statement until the Permitted Number is reached, going in order of the amount (greatest to least) of the Corporation’s capital stock entitled to vote on the election of directors as disclosed in the Notice. If the Permitted Number is not reached after each Eligible Stockholder has selected one Stockholder Nominee, this selection process shall continue as many times as necessary, following the same order each time, until the Permitted Number is reached.
An Eligible Stockholder must have owned (as defined below) continuously for at least three years as of the date of Notice a number of shares that represents 3% or more of the Corporation’s outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote in the election of directors (the “Required Shares”) as of both the date the Notice is received by the Corporation in accordance with this paragraph (A)(4) and the record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting and must continue to own the Required Shares through the annual meeting date. For purposes of satisfying the ownership requirement under this paragraph (A)(4), the shares of the Corporation’s capital stock owned by one or more stockholders, or by the person or persons who own shares of the Corporation’s capital stock and on whose behalf any stockholder is acting, may be aggregated, provided that (a) the number of stockholders and other persons whose ownership of shares is aggregated for such purpose shall not exceed 20, (b) each stockholder or other person whose shares are aggregated shall have held such shares continuously for at least three years as of the date of Notice, and (c) a group of two or more funds that are (i) under common management and investment control, (ii) under common management and funded primarily by the same employer (or by a group of related employers that are under common control), or (iii) a “group of investment companies,” as such term is defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, shall be treated as one stockholder or person for this purpose. Whenever an Eligible Stockholder consists of a group of stockholders and/or other persons, any and all requirements and obligations for an Eligible Stockholder set forth in this paragraph (A)(4) must be satisfied by and as to each such stockholder or other person, except that shares may be aggregated to meet the Required Shares as provided in this paragraph (A)(4). With respect to any one particular annual meeting, no stockholder or other person may be a member of more than one group of persons constituting an Eligible Stockholder under this paragraph (A)(4).
For purposes of this paragraph (A)(4), an Eligible Stockholder shall be deemed to “own” only those outstanding shares of the Corporation’s capital stock as to which the person possesses both (a) the full voting and investment rights pertaining to the shares and (b) the full economic interest in (including the opportunity for profit and risk of loss on) such shares; provided that the number of shares calculated in accordance with clauses (a) and (b) shall not include any shares (x) sold by such person or any of its affiliates in any transaction that has not been settled
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or closed, (y) borrowed by such person or any of its affiliates for any purposes or purchased by such person or any of its affiliates pursuant to an agreement to resell, or (z) subject to any option, warrant, forward contract, swap, contract of sale, other derivative or similar agreement entered into by such person or any of its affiliates, whether any such instrument or agreement is to be settled with shares or with cash based on the notional amount or value of outstanding shares of the Corporation’s capital stock, in any such case which instrument or agreement has, or is intended to have, the purpose or effect of (i) reducing in any manner, to any extent or at any time in the future, such person’s or affiliates’ full right to vote or direct the voting of any such shares, and/or (ii) hedging, offsetting or altering to any degree gain or loss arising from the full economic ownership of such shares by such person or affiliate. A person shall “own” shares held in the name of a nominee or other intermediary so long as the person retains the right to instruct how the shares are voted with respect to the election of directors and possesses the full economic interest in the shares. A person’s ownership of shares shall be deemed to continue during any period in which (A) the person has loaned such shares, provided that the person has the power to recall such loaned shares on five (5) business days’ notice and provides a representation that it will promptly recall, and promptly recalls, such loaned shares upon being notified that any of its Stockholder Nominees will be included in the Corporation’s proxy statement, or (B) the person has delegated any voting power by means of a proxy, power of attorney or other instrument or arrangement that is revocable at any time by the person. The terms “owned,” “owning” and other variations of the word “own” shall have correlative meanings. For purposes of this paragraph (A)(4), the term “affiliate” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act.
An Eligible Stockholder must provide with its Notice the following in writing to the Secretary: (a) one or more written statements from the record holder of the shares (and from each intermediary through which the shares are or have been held during the requisite three-year holding period) verifying that, as of a date within seven calendar days prior to the date the Notice is received by the Corporation, the Eligible Stockholder owns, and has owned continuously for the preceding three years, the Required Shares, and the Eligible Stockholder’s agreement to provide (i) within five (5) business days after the record date for the annual meeting, written statements from the record holder and intermediaries verifying the Eligible Stockholder’s continuous ownership of the Required Shares through the record date and (ii) immediate notice if the Eligible Stockholder ceases to own any of the Required Shares prior to the date of the applicable annual meeting of stockholders; (b) documentation satisfactory to the Corporation demonstrating that a group of funds qualifies to be treated as one stockholder or person for purposes of this paragraph (A)(4), if applicable; (c) a representation that the Eligible Stockholder (including each member of any group of stockholders and/or persons that together is an Eligible Stockholder hereunder) (i) intends to continue to own the Required Shares through the date of the annual meeting, (ii) acquired the Required Shares in the ordinary course of business and not with the intent to change or influence control of the Corporation, and does not presently have such intent, (iii) will not distribute to any stockholder any form of proxy for the annual meeting other than the form distributed by the Corporation, and (iv) has provided and will provide facts, statements and other information in all communications with the Corporation and its stockholders that are or will be true and correct in all material respects and do not and will not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; (d) the written consent of each Stockholder Nominee to be named in the Corporation’s proxy statement as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected; (e) a copy of the Schedule 14N that has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as required by Rule 14a-18 under the Exchange Act; (f) the information required to be provided by paragraph (A)(2) of this By-Law, as applicable; (g) in the case of a nomination by a group of stockholders that together is an Eligible Stockholder, the designation by all group members of one group member that is authorized to act on behalf of all members of the nominating stockholder group with respect to the nomination and matters related thereto, including withdrawal of the nomination; and (h) an undertaking that the Eligible Stockholder agrees to (i) assume all liability stemming from any legal or regulatory violation arising out of the Eligible Stockholder’s communications with the Corporation’s stockholders or out of the information that the Eligible Stockholder provides to the Corporation, (ii) indemnify and hold harmless the Corporation and each of its directors, officers and employees individually against any liability, loss or damages in connection with any threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding, whether legal, administrative or investigative, against the Corporation or any of its directors, officers or employees in connection with the Eligible Stockholder’s nomination and/or efforts to elect its Stockholder Nominee(s) pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4), (iii) file with the SEC any solicitation materials relating to the annual meeting at which the Stockholder Nominee will be nominated, regardless of whether any such filing is required under Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or whether any exemption from filing is
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available for such solicitation under Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and any other communication with the Corporation’s stockholders that is required to be filed under applicable law, and (iv) comply with all other applicable laws, rules, regulations and listing standards with respect to any solicitation in connection with the annual meeting.
The Eligible Stockholder may include with its Notice, a written statement for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy statement for the annual meeting, not to exceed 500 words per Stockholder Nominee, in support of each Stockholder Nominee’s candidacy (a “Statement”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this paragraph (A)(4), the Corporation may omit from its proxy statement any information or Statement that it believes would violate any applicable law, rule, regulation or listing standard.
Each Stockholder Nominee must (a) provide within five (5) business days of the Corporation’s request an executed agreement, in a form deemed satisfactory to the Corporation, that (i) the Stockholder Nominee has read and agrees to adhere to the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines and all other Corporation policies and guidelines applicable to directors, including with regard to securities trading, (ii) the Stockholder Nominee is not and will not become a party to (A) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such person, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “Voting Commitment”) that has not been disclosed to the Corporation or (B) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such person’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such person’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, and (iii) the Stockholder Nominee 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, reimbursement or indemnification (a “Compensation Arrangement”) in connection with such person’s nomination or candidacy for director and/or service as a director that has not been disclosed to the Corporation; (b) complete, sign and submit all questionnaires required of the Board within five (5) business days of receipt of each such questionnaire from the Corporation; and (c) provide within five (5) business days of the Corporation’s request such additional information as the Corporation determines may be necessary to permit the Board to determine whether such Stockholder Nominee meets the requirements of this paragraph (A)(4) and/or the Corporation’s requirements with regard to director qualifications and policies and guidelines applicable to directors, including whether (i) such Stockholder Nominee is independent under the listing standards of any U.S. exchange upon which the Corporation’s capital stock is listed, any applicable rules of the SEC, and any publicly disclosed standards used by the Board in determining and disclosing the independence of the directors including with regard to audit committee and compensation committee members in particular (collectively, the “Independence Standards”), (ii) such Stockholder Nominee has any direct or indirect relationship with the Corporation, and (iii) such Stockholder Nominee has been subject to (A) any event specified in Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or (B) any order of the type specified in Rule 506(d) of Regulation D under the Securities Act.
In the event that any information or communications provided by the Eligible Stockholder or Stockholder Nominee to the Corporation or its stockholders ceases to be true and correct in any respect or omits a fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, each Eligible Stockholder or Stockholder Nominee, as the case may be, shall promptly notify the Secretary of any such inaccuracy or omission in such previously provided information and of the information that is required to make such information or communication true and correct; it being understood that providing any such notification shall not be deemed to cure any defect or limit the Corporation’s right to omit a Stockholder Nominee from its proxy materials as provided in this paragraph (A)(4).
The Corporation shall not be required to include, pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4), a Stockholder Nominee in its proxy statement (or, if the proxy statement has already been filed, to allow the nomination of a Stockholder Nominee, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation) (a) for any meeting for which the Secretary receives a notice that any stockholder has nominated a person for election to the Board pursuant to paragraph (A)(2) of this By-Law, (b) who is not independent under the Independence Standards, (c) whose election as a member of the Board would violate or cause the Corporation to be in violation of these By-Laws, the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation, the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines or other document setting forth qualifications for directors, the listing standards of any U.S. exchange upon which the
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Corporation’s capital stock is listed, or any applicable state or federal law, rule or regulation, (d) if the Stockholder Nominee is or becomes a party to any prohibited or undisclosed Voting Commitment, (e) if the Stockholder Nominee is or becomes a party to any undisclosed Compensation Arrangement, (f) who is or has been, within the past three years, an officer or director of a competitor, as defined in Section 8 of the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914, (g) whose then-current or prior business or personal interests place such Stockholder Nominee in a conflict of interest with the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries that would cause such Stockholder Nominee to violate any fiduciary duties of directors established pursuant to Delaware law, including but not limited to the duty of loyalty and duty of care, (h) who is a named subject of a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses) or has been convicted in such a criminal proceeding within the past ten years, (i) who is subject to any order of the type specified in Rule 506(d) of Regulation D under the Securities Act, or (j) if such Stockholder Nominee or the applicable Eligible Stockholder shall have provided information to the Corporation in respect of such nomination that was untrue in any material respect or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statement made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or shall have breached any of its or their agreements, representations, undertakings and/or obligations pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4).
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, if the Stockholder Nominee and/or the applicable Eligible Stockholder shall have breached its or their agreements, representations, undertakings and/or obligations pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4), as determined by the Board or the person presiding at the annual meeting, (x) the Board or the person presiding at the annual meeting shall be entitled to declare a nomination by an Eligible Stockholder to be invalid, and such nomination shall be disregarded notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation and (y) the Corporation shall not be required to include in its proxy statement any successor or replacement nominee proposed by the applicable Eligible Stockholder or any other Eligible Stockholder.
Any Stockholder Nominee who is included in the Corporation’s proxy statement for a particular annual meeting of stockholders but either withdraws from or becomes ineligible or unavailable for election at the annual meeting shall be ineligible to be included in the Corporation’s proxy statement as a Stockholder Nominee pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4) for the next two annual meetings of stockholders following the annual meeting for which the Stockholder Nominee has been nominated for election.
(B) Special Meetings of Stockholders. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting pursuant to Article I, Section 3 of these By-Laws. Nominations of persons for election to the Board may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected (1) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting or (2)(a) by or at the direction of the Board or a committee thereof (or stockholders pursuant to Article I, Section 2 of these By-Laws and Article VII of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation) or (b) provided that the Board (or stockholders pursuant to Article I, Section 2 of these By-Laws and Article VII of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation) has determined that directors shall be elected at such meeting, by any stockholder of the Corporation who is entitled to vote on such election at the meeting, who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this By-Law and who is a stockholder of record at the time such notice is delivered to the Secretary. The proposals by stockholders of other business to be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders may be made only in accordance with Article I, Section 2 of these By-Laws and Article VII of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board, any such stockholder entitled to vote in such election of directors may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be) for election to such position(s) as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting if the stockholder’s notice as required by paragraph (A)(2) of this By-Law shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or 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 to be elected at such meeting.
(C) General. (1) Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this By-Law shall be eligible to serve as directors and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall
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have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this By-Law. Except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation or these By-Laws, the chairman of the meeting, in addition to making any other determination that may be appropriate for the conduct of the meeting, shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made in accordance with the procedures set forth in these By-Laws and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these By-Laws, to declare that such defective nomination shall be disregarded or that such proposed business shall not be transacted.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 12, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present a nomination or business, including a nomination made in accordance with paragraph (A)(4) of this By-Law, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of this Section 12, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be 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.
(2) For purposes of this By-Law, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure (a) in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service, or is generally available on internet news sites, (b) in a document publicly filed or furnished by the Corporation with the SEC pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or (c) otherwise disseminated in a manner constituting “public disclosure” under Regulation FD promulgated by the SEC.
(3) For purposes of this By-Law, no adjournment or postponement or notice of adjournment or postponement of any meeting shall be deemed to constitute a new notice of such meeting for purposes of this Section 12, and in order for any notification required to be delivered by a stockholder pursuant to this Section 12 to be timely, such notification must be delivered within the periods set forth above with respect to the originally scheduled meeting.
(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this By-Law, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this By-Law; provided however, that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any references in these By-Laws to the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to nominations or proposals as to any other business to be considered pursuant to this By-Law (including paragraphs (A)(1)(c) and (d) and (B) hereof), and compliance with paragraphs (A)(1)(c) and (d) and (B) of this By-Law shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or submit other business. Nothing in this By-Law shall apply to the right, if any, of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors pursuant to any applicable provisions of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation.
ARTICLE II.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. The Board shall consist, subject to the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, of such number of directors as shall from time to time be fixed exclusively by resolution adopted by the Board. Except as hereinafter provided for the filling of vacancies and newly created directorships and except as otherwise expressly provided in the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, directors shall be elected by the vote of the majority of votes cast; provided, however, that in the event of a Contested Election (as defined below), the directors, not exceeding the authorized number of directors as fixed by the Board in accordance with these By-Laws, receiving the greatest number of votes of the holders of shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of such directors, shall be the directors for the term as set forth in the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation. A majority of the total number of directors then in office (but not less than one third of the number of directors constituting the entire Board) shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
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business. Except as otherwise provided by law, these By-Laws or by the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, 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. Directors need not be stockholders.
For purposes of this Article II, Section 1, a majority of the votes cast means that the number of shares voted “for” a director nominee exceeds the number of shares voted “against” such director nominee.
An election of directors is a “Contested Election” if, as of the tenth day preceding the date the Corporation first mails its notice of meeting for such meeting to the stockholders of the Corporation, or at any time thereafter, the number of nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected.
Section 2. Subject to the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, unless otherwise required by the DGCL or Article II, Section 4 of these By-Laws, any newly created directorship on the Board that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancy occurring in the Board (whether by death, resignation, removal, retirement, disqualification or otherwise) shall be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director.
The Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines have established procedures with respect to the resignation of any director who does not receive a majority of the votes cast in an election that is not a Contested Election. The Board will not nominate any person for service on the Board unless such nominee has agreed to resign from the Board upon failing to receive a majority of the votes cast in an election that is not a Contested Election, contingent on acceptance of that proffered resignation by the Board in accordance with the policies and procedures adopted by the Board for such purpose. If the Board accepts a nominee’s resignation, then the Board may fill any resulting vacancy pursuant to Article II, Section 2 of these By-Laws.
Section 3. Meetings of the Board shall be held at such place, if any, within or without the State of Delaware as may from time to time be fixed by resolution of the Board or as may be specified in the notice of any meeting. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at such times as may from time to time be fixed by resolution of the Board and special meetings may be held at any time upon the call of the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer, by oral or written notice, including telegraph, telex or transmission of a telecopy, e-mail or other means of electronic transmission, duly served on or sent and delivered to each director to such director’s address, e-mail address or telephone or telecopy number as shown on the books of the Corporation not less than twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting. The notice of any meeting need not specify the purposes thereof. A meeting of the Board may be held without notice immediately after the annual meeting of stockholders at the same place, if any, at which such meeting is held. Notice need not be given of regular meetings of the Board held at times fixed by resolution of the Board.
Section 4. Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more such other series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, removal, and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) applicable thereto. The number of directors that may be elected by the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock shall be in addition to the total number of directors fixed by the Board pursuant to the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation and these By-Laws. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the terms of such series, the number of directors that may be so elected by the holders of any such series of stock shall be elected for terms expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders, and vacancies among directors so elected by the separate vote of the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock shall be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors elected by such series, or, if there are no such remaining directors, by the holders of such series in the same manner in which such series initially elected a director.
Section 5. If at any meeting for the election of directors, the Corporation has outstanding more than one class of stock, and one or more such classes or series thereof are entitled to vote separately as a class to elect directors, and there shall be a quorum of only one such class or series of stock, that class or series of stock shall be entitled to elect its quota of directors notwithstanding the absence of a quorum of the other class or series of stock.
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Section 6. The Board may from time to time establish one or more committees of the Board to serve at the pleasure of the Board, which shall be composed of such members of the Board and have such duties as the Board shall from time to time determine. Any director may belong to any number of committees of the Board. The Board may also establish such other non-Board committees with such members (whether or not directors) and with such duties as the Board may from time to time determine. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, these By-Laws or the resolution of the Board designating the committee, a committee may create one or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one or more members of the committee, and may delegate to a subcommittee any or all of the powers and authority of the committee.
Section 7. Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation or these By-Laws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee.
Section 8. The members of the Board or any committee thereof may participate in a meeting of such Board or committee, as the case may be, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this subsection shall constitute presence in person at such a meeting.
Section 9. The Board may establish policies for the compensation of directors and for the reimbursement of the expenses of directors, in each case, in connection with services provided by directors to the Corporation.
ARTICLE III.
OFFICERS
Section 1. The Board shall elect officers of the Corporation, including a Chief Executive Officer, President and a Secretary. The Board may also from time to time elect such other officers (including, without limitation, a Chief Financial Officer, a Chief Operating Officer, a General Counsel, one or more Vice Presidents, a Treasurer, one or more Assistant Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant Secretaries and one or more Assistant Treasurers) as it may deem proper or may delegate to any elected officer of the Corporation the power to appoint and remove any such other officers and to prescribe their respective terms of office, authorities and duties. Any Vice President may be designated Executive, Senior or Corporate, or may be given such other designation or combination of designations as the Board or the Chief Executive Officer may determine. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person. The Board may also elect or appoint a Chairman of the Board, who may or may not also be an officer of the Corporation. The Board may elect or appoint co-Chairmen of the Board, co-Presidents or co-Chief Executive Officers and, in such case, references in these By-Laws to the Chairman of the Board, the President or the Chief Executive Officer shall refer to either such co-Chairman of the Board, co-President or co-Chief Executive Officer, as the case may be.
Section 2. All officers of the Corporation elected by the Board shall hold office for such terms as may be determined by the Board or, except with respect to his or her own office, the Chief Executive Officer, or until their respective successors are chosen and qualified or until his or her earlier resignation or removal. Any officer may be removed from office at any time either with or without cause by affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Board then in office, or, in the case of appointed officers, by any elected officer upon whom such power of removal shall have been conferred by the Board.
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Section 3. Each of the officers of the Corporation elected by the Board or appointed by an officer in accordance with these By-Laws shall have the powers and duties prescribed by law, by these By-Laws or by the Board and, in the case of appointed officers, the powers and duties prescribed by the appointing officer, and, unless otherwise prescribed by these By-Laws or by the Board or such appointing officer, shall have such further powers and duties as ordinarily pertain to that office.
Section 4. Unless otherwise provided in these By-Laws, in the absence or disability of any officer of the Corporation, the Board or the Chief Executive Officer may, during such period, delegate such officer’s powers and duties to any other officer or to any director and the person to whom such powers and duties are delegated shall, for the time being, hold such office.
ARTICLE IV.
INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCEMENT OF EXPENSES
Section 1. 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 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, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, agent 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, employee, agent or trustee or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee, agent or trustee, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware 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 IV with respect to proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification or advancement of expenses or with respect to any compulsory counterclaim brought by such indemnitee, 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.
Section 2. In addition to the right to indemnification conferred in Section 1 of this Article IV, an indemnitee shall also have the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses (including attorney’s fees) incurred in appearing at, participating in or defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition or in connection with a proceeding brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification or advancement of expenses under this Article IV (which shall be governed by Section 3 of this Article IV) (hereinafter an “advancement of expenses”); provided, however, that, if (x) the DGCL requires or (y) in the case of an advance made in a proceeding brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification or advancement, an advancement of expenses incurred by an indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation (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 solely 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 after final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter a “final adjudication”) that such indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Article IV or otherwise.
Section 3. If a claim under Section 1 or 2 of this Article IV is not paid in full by the Corporation within (i) sixty (60) days after a written claim for indemnification has been received by the Corporation or (ii) twenty (20) days after a claim for an advancement of expenses has been received by the Corporation, the indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim or to obtain advancement of expenses, as applicable. To the fullest extent permitted by law, if the indemnitee is 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
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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) 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 DGCL. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including by 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 that indemnification of the indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including by 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 IV or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.
Section 4. The provision of indemnification to or the advancement of expenses and costs to any indemnitee under this Article IV, or the entitlement of any indemnitee to indemnification or advancement of expenses and costs under this Article IV, shall not limit or restrict in any way the power of the Corporation to indemnify or advance expenses and costs to such indemnitee in any other way permitted by law or be deemed exclusive of, or invalidate, any right to which any indemnitee seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses and costs may be entitled under any law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such indemnitee’s capacity as an officer, director, employee or agent of the Corporation and as to action in any other capacity.
Section 5. The rights conferred upon indemnitees in this Article IV shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators. Any amendment, alteration or repeal of this Article IV that adversely affects any right of an indemnitee or its successors shall be prospective only and shall not limit, eliminate, or impair 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.
Section 6. The Corporation may purchase and 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 DGCL.
Section 7. The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board, 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 IV with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of directors and officers of the Corporation.
ARTICLE V.
CORPORATE BOOKS
The books of the Corporation may be kept inside or outside of the State of Delaware at such place or places as the Board may from time to time determine.
ARTICLE VI.
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CHECKS, NOTES, PROXIES, ETC.
All checks and drafts on the Corporation’s bank accounts and all bills of exchange and promissory notes, and all acceptances, obligations and other instruments for the payment of money, shall be signed by such officer or officers or agent or agents as shall be authorized from time to time by the Board or such officer or officers who may be delegated such authority. Proxies to vote and consents with respect to securities of other corporations or other entities owned by or standing in the name of the Corporation may be executed and delivered from time to time on behalf of the Corporation by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or by such officers as the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the Board may from time to time determine.
ARTICLE VII.
FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be, unless otherwise determined by resolution of the Board, the calendar year ending on December 31.
ARTICLE VIII.
CORPORATE SEAL
The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation. In lieu of the corporate seal, when so authorized by the Board or a duly empowered committee thereof, a facsimile thereof may be impressed or affixed or reproduced.
ARTICLE IX.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. Whenever notice is required to be given by law or under any provision of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation or these By-Laws, notice of any meeting need not be given to any person who shall attend such meeting (except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened), or who shall waive notice thereof, before or after such meeting, in writing (including by electronic transmission).
Section 2. Section headings in these By-Laws are for convenience of reference only and shall not be given any substantive effect in limiting or otherwise construing any provision herein.
Section 3. In the event that any provision of these By-Laws is or becomes inconsistent with any provision of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation or the DGCL, the provision of these By-Laws shall not be given any effect to the extent of such inconsistency but shall otherwise be given full force and effect.
ARTICLE X.
AMENDMENTS
These By-Laws may be made, amended, altered, changed, added to or repealed by the Board or by stockholders in accordance with the DGCL and the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation.
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AMENDED AND RESTATED
BY-LAWS
OF
HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
ARTICLE I.
STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1. The annual meeting of the stockholders of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (the “Corporation”) for the purpose of electing directors and for the transaction of such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting shall be held on such date, and at such time and place, if any, within or without the State of Delaware as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”). The Corporation may postpone, reschedule or cancel any annual meeting of stockholders previously scheduled.
Section 2. Except as otherwise required by law or the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, and subject to the rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock (as defined in the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation), special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by or at the direction of the Board, the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation or upon the request of holders of stock of the Corporation entitling the holders thereof to not less than a majority of the total voting power of all the then outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors. The Corporation may postpone, reschedule or cancel any special meeting of stockholders previously scheduled.
Section 3. Except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation or these By-Laws, notice of the date, time, place (if any), the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (if such date is different from the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting) and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes of the meeting of stockholders shall be given not more than sixty (60), nor less than ten (10), days before the date of the meeting, to each stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting at such address as appears on the records of the Corporation.
Section 4. The holders of a majority in voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders for the transaction of business, except as otherwise provided herein, by statute or by the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation; but if at any meeting of stockholders there shall be less than a quorum present, the chairman of the meeting or, by a majority in voting power thereof, the stockholders present may, to the extent permitted by law, adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice other than announcement at the meeting of the date, time and place, if any, of the adjourned meeting, until a quorum shall be present or represented. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided by the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, where a separate vote by a class or series or classes or series is required, a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of such class or series 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. At any adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the original meeting. Notice need not be given of any adjourned meeting if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix a new record date for notice of such adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such adjourned meeting as of the record date for notice of such adjourned meeting.
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Section 5. The Chairman of the Board, or in the Chairman’s absence or at the Chairman’s direction, the Chief Executive Officer, or in the Chief Executive Officer’s absence or at the Chief Executive Officer’s direction, any officer of the Corporation shall call all meetings of the stockholders to order and shall act as chairman of any such meetings. The Secretary of the Corporation (the “Secretary”) or, in such officer’s absence, an Assistant Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting. If neither the Secretary nor an Assistant Secretary is present, the chairman of the meeting shall appoint a secretary of the meeting. The Board may adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Unless otherwise determined by the Board prior to the meeting, the chairman of the meeting shall determine the order of business and shall have the authority in his or her discretion to regulate the conduct of any such meeting, including, without limitation, convening the meeting and adjourning the meeting (whether or not a quorum is present), announcing the date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote, imposing restrictions on the persons (other than stockholders of record of the Corporation or their duly appointed proxies) who may attend any such meeting, establishing procedures for the transaction of business at the meeting (including the dismissal of business not properly presented), maintaining order at the meeting and safety of those present, restricting entry to the meeting after the time fixed for commencement thereof and limiting the circumstances in which any person may make a statement or ask questions at any meeting of stockholders.
Section 6. At all meetings of stockholders, any stockholder entitled to vote thereat shall be entitled to vote in person or by proxy, but no proxy shall be voted after three years from its date, unless such proxy provides for a longer period. Without limiting the manner in which a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for the stockholder as proxy pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), the following shall constitute a valid means by which a stockholder may grant such authority: (1) a stockholder may execute a writing authorizing another person or persons to act for the stockholder as proxy, and execution of the writing may be accomplished by the stockholder or the stockholder’s authorized officer, director, employee or agent signing such writing or causing his or her signature to be affixed to such writing by any reasonable means including, but not limited to, by facsimile signature; or (2) a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for the stockholder as proxy by transmitting or authorizing by means of electronic transmission to the person who will be the holder of the proxy or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support service organization or like agent duly authorized by the person who will be the holder of the proxy to receive such transmission, provided that any such means of electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder. If it is determined that such electronic transmissions are valid, the inspector or inspectors of stockholder votes or, if there are no such inspectors, such other persons making that determination shall specify the information upon which they relied.
A proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power. A stockholder may revoke any proxy which is not irrevocable by attending the meeting and voting in person or by delivering to the Secretary a revocation of the proxy or a new proxy bearing a later date.
Any copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of the writing or transmission created pursuant to the first paragraph of this Section 6 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 that such copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or transmission.
Proxies shall be filed with the secretary of the meeting prior to or at the commencement of the meeting to which they relate.
Section 7. When a quorum is present at any meeting, the vote of the holders of a majority of the votes cast shall decide any question brought before such meeting, unless the question is one upon which by express provision of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, these By-Laws or the DGCL a different vote is required, in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question. Notwithstanding the foregoing, where a separate vote by a class or series or classes or series is required and a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by shares of such class or series or classes or series shall be the act of such class or series or classes or series, unless the question is one upon which by express provision of the certificate
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of incorporation of the Corporation, these By-Laws or the DGCL a different vote is required, in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question.
Section 8. (A) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be 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. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at the adjourned meeting.
(B) In order that the Corporation may determine the 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 the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which 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 prior to such other action. If no such record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.
Section 9. At any time when the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation permits action by one or more classes or series of stockholders of the Corporation to be taken by written consent, the provisions of this Section 9 shall apply. All consents properly delivered in accordance with the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, and the DGCL shall be deemed to be recorded when so delivered. No written consent shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless, within sixty (60) days of the earliest dated consent delivered to the Corporation as required by the DGCL, written consents signed by the holders of a sufficient number of shares to take such corporate action are so delivered to the Corporation in accordance with the applicable provisions of the DGCL. Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for notice of such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of holders to take the action were delivered to the Corporation as provided in the applicable provisions of the DGCL. Any action taken pursuant to such written consent or consents of the stockholders shall have the same force and effect as if taken by the stockholders at a meeting thereof. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which date shall not be more than ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board. If no record date has been fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board is required by statute, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. If no record date has been fixed by the Board and prior action by the Board is required by statute, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution taking such prior action.
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Section 10. The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare and make at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (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 day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting; or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the Corporation. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then a list of stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting.
Section 11. The Board, in advance of all meetings of the stockholders, may (and, if required by law, shall) appoint one or more inspectors of stockholder votes, who may be employees or agents of the Corporation or stockholders or their proxies, but who shall not be directors of the Corporation or candidates for election as directors. In the event that the Board fails to so appoint one or more inspectors of stockholder votes or, in the event that one or more inspectors of stockholder votes previously designated by the Board fails to appear or act at the meeting of stockholders, the chairman of the meeting may appoint one or more inspectors of stockholder votes to fill such vacancy or vacancies. Inspectors of stockholder votes appointed to act at any meeting of the stockholders, before entering upon the discharge of their duties, shall take and sign an oath to faithfully execute the duties of inspector of stockholder votes with strict impartiality and according to the best of their ability and the oath so taken shall be subscribed by them. Inspectors of stockholder votes shall take all actions required under the applicable provisions of the DGCL and any other applicable law, rule or regulation.
Section 12. (A) Annual Meetings of Stockholders. (1) Nominations of persons for election to the Board and the proposal of other business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders only (a) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) delivered pursuant to Article I, Section 3 of these By-Laws, (b) by or at the direction of the Board or any authorized committee thereof, (c) by any stockholder of the Corporation who is entitled to vote on such election or such other business at the meeting, who complied with the notice procedures set forth in subparagraphs (2) and (3) of this paragraph (A) of this By-Law and who was a stockholder of record at the time such notice is delivered to the Secretary or (d) by an Eligible Stockholder (as defined in subparagraph (4) of this paragraph (A) of this By-Law) whose Stockholder Nominee (as defined in subparagraph (4) of this paragraph (A) of this By-Law) is included in the Corporation’s proxy materials for the relevant annual meeting of stockholders pursuant to subparagraph (4) of this paragraph (A) of this By-Law.
(2) For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to this paragraph (A)(2), the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary, and, in the case of business other than nominations of persons for election to the Board, such other business must constitute a proper matter for stockholder action. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the first 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 twenty (20) days, or delayed by more than seventy (70) days, from such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the 120th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. For purposes of the application of Rule 14a-4(c) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) (or any successor provision), the date for notice specified in this paragraph
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(A)(2) shall be the earlier of the date calculated as hereinbefore provided or the date specified in paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 14a-4.
Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth: (a) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected; (b) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, 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 these By-Laws, the language of the proposed amendment), the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; (c) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books and records, and of such beneficial owner, (ii) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are owned directly or indirectly, beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner, (iii) a representation that the stockholder is a holder of record of the stock of the Corporation at the time of the giving of the notice, will be entitled to vote at such meeting and will appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business or nomination, (iv) a representation whether the stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, will be or is part of a group which will (A) deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the voting power of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the nominee and/or (B) otherwise solicit proxies or votes from stockholders in support of such proposal or nomination, (v) a certification regarding whether such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, have complied with all applicable federal, state and other legal requirements in connection with the stockholder’s and/or beneficial owner’s acquisition of shares of capital stock or other securities of the Corporation and/or the stockholder’s and/or beneficial owner’s acts or omissions as a stockholder of the Corporation and (vi) any other information relating to such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in an election contest pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; (d) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to the nomination or proposal and/or the voting of shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation between or among the stockholder giving the notice, the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made, any of their respective affiliates or associates and/or any others acting in concert with any of the foregoing (collectively, “proponent persons”); and (e) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including without limitation any contract to purchase or sell, acquisition or grant of any option, right or warrant to purchase or sell, swap or other instrument) to which any proponent person is a party the intent or effect of which may be (i) to transfer to or from any proponent person, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security of the Corporation, (ii) to increase or decrease the voting power of any proponent person with respect to shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation and/or (iii) to provide any proponent person, directly or indirectly, with the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from, or to otherwise benefit economically from, any increase or decrease in the value of any security of the Corporation. A stockholder providing notice of a proposed nomination for election to the Board or other business proposed to be brought before a meeting (whether given pursuant to this paragraph (A)(2) or paragraph (B) of this By-Law) shall update and supplement such notice from time to time to the extent necessary so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice shall be true and correct as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting and as of the date that is fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof provided that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting is less than fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, the information shall be supplemented and updated as of such later date. Any such update and supplement shall be delivered in writing to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) days after the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting (in the case of any update or supplement required to be made as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting), not later than ten (10) days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof (in the case of any update or
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supplement required to be made as of fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof) and not later than five (5) days after the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, but no later than the date prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof (in the case of any update and supplement required to be made as of a date less than fifteen (15) days prior the date of the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation and to determine the independence of such director under the Exchange Act and rules and regulations thereunder and applicable stock exchange rules.
(3) Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of paragraph (A)(2) of this By-Law to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board is increased, effective after the time period for which nominations would otherwise be due under paragraph (A)(2) of this By-Law, and there is no public announcement naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board made by the Corporation at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this By-Law shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth day following the day on which a public announcement of such increase is first made by the Corporation; provided that, if no such announcement is made at least ten (10) days before the meeting, then no such notice shall be required.
(4) Subject to the provisions of this paragraph (A)(4), the Corporation shall include in its proxy statement (including its form of proxy) for an annual meeting of stockholders the name of any stockholder nominee for election to the Board submitted pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4) (each a “Stockholder Nominee”) provided (a) timely written notice of such Stockholder Nominee satisfying this paragraph (A)(4) (“Notice”) is delivered to the Corporation by or on behalf of a stockholder or stockholders that, at the time the Notice is delivered, satisfy the ownership and other requirements of this paragraph (A)(4) (such stockholder or stockholders, and any person on whose behalf they are acting, the “Eligible Stockholder”), (b) the Eligible Stockholder expressly elects in writing at the time of providing the Notice to have its nominee included in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4), and (c) the Eligible Stockholder and the Stockholder Nominee otherwise satisfy the requirements of this paragraph (A)(4) and the director qualifications requirements set forth in the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines and any other document(s) setting forth qualifications for directors; provided, however, that a stockholder that has a contractual right to designate one or more nominees for director shall not be, and any of such stockholder’s respective affiliates or associates and/or any others acting in concert with any of the foregoing shall not be, an Eligible Stockholder and shall not be eligible to participate in a group of stockholders constituting an Eligible Stockholder.
To be timely, an Eligible Stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than one hundred twenty (120) days nor more than one hundred fifty (150) days prior to the first 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 twenty (20) days, or delayed by more than seventy (70) days, from such anniversary date, or if no annual meeting was held in the preceding year, notice by the Eligible Stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the 150th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 120th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. In no event shall the public announcement of any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of an Eligible Stockholder’s notice as described above.
In addition to including the name of the Stockholder Nominee in the Corporation’s proxy statement for the annual meeting, the Corporation also shall include (a) the information concerning the Stockholder Nominee and the Eligible Stockholder that is required to be disclosed in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and (b) if the Eligible Stockholder so elects, a Statement (defined below). Nothing in this paragraph (A)(4) shall limit the Corporation’s ability to solicit against and include in its proxy statement its own statements relating to any Stockholder Nominee.
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The maximum number of Stockholder Nominees submitted by all Eligible Stockholders appearing in the Corporation’s proxy statement with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4) (the “Permitted Number”) shall not exceed the greater of (a) two and (b) 20% of the total number of directors in office as of the last day on which notice of a nomination may be received pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4) with respect to the annual meeting (the “Final Proxy Access Nomination Date”) or, if such amount is not a whole number, the closest whole number (rounding down) below 20%; provided, however, that the Permitted Number shall be reduced (i) by any Stockholder Nominee whose name was submitted for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4) but who was subsequently withdrawn or whom the Board decides to nominate as a Board nominee (a “Board Nominee”), (ii) by (but only to the extent the Permitted Number after such reduction equals or exceeds one) any directors in office or director nominees that in either case shall be included in the Corporation’s proxy materials with respect to the annual meeting as an unopposed (by the Corporation) nominee pursuant to an agreement, arrangement or other understanding between the Corporation and a stockholder or group of stockholders (other than any such agreement, arrangement or understanding entered into in connection with an acquisition of capital stock of the Corporation, by the stockholders or group of stockholders, from the Corporation), and (iii) by (but only to the extent the Permitted Number after such reduction equals or exceeds one) any director in office as of the nomination deadline who was included in the Corporation’s proxy statement as a Stockholder Nominee for any of the two preceding annual meetings and whom the Board decides to nominate for election to the Board. In the event that one or more vacancies for any reason occurs on the Board at any time after the Final Proxy Access Nomination Date and before the date of the applicable annual meeting of stockholders and the Board resolves to reduce the size of the Board in connection therewith, the Permitted Number shall be calculated based on the number of directors in office as so reduced. In the event that the number of Stockholder Nominees submitted by Eligible Stockholders pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4) exceeds the Permitted Number, each Eligible Stockholder shall select one Stockholder Nominee for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy statement until the Permitted Number is reached, going in order of the amount (greatest to least) of the Corporation’s capital stock entitled to vote on the election of directors as disclosed in the Notice. If the Permitted Number is not reached after each Eligible Stockholder has selected one Stockholder Nominee, this selection process shall continue as many times as necessary, following the same order each time, until the Permitted Number is reached.
An Eligible Stockholder must have owned (as defined below) continuously for at least three years as of the date of Notice a number of shares that represents 3% or more of the Corporation’s outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote in the election of directors (the “Required Shares”) as of both the date the Notice is received by the Corporation in accordance with this paragraph (A)(4) and the record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting and must continue to own the Required Shares through the annual meeting date. For purposes of satisfying the ownership requirement under this paragraph (A)(4), the shares of the Corporation’s capital stock owned by one or more stockholders, or by the person or persons who own shares of the Corporation’s capital stock and on whose behalf any stockholder is acting, may be aggregated, provided that (a) the number of stockholders and other persons whose ownership of shares is aggregated for such purpose shall not exceed 20, (b) each stockholder or other person whose shares are aggregated shall have held such shares continuously for at least three years as of the date of Notice, and (c) a group of two or more funds that are (i) under common management and investment control, (ii) under common management and funded primarily by the same employer (or by a group of related employers that are under common control), or (iii) a “group of investment companies,” as such term is defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, shall be treated as one stockholder or person for this purpose. Whenever an Eligible Stockholder consists of a group of stockholders and/or other persons, any and all requirements and obligations for an Eligible Stockholder set forth in this paragraph (A)(4) must be satisfied by and as to each such stockholder or other person, except that shares may be aggregated to meet the Required Shares as provided in this paragraph (A)(4). With respect to any one particular annual meeting, no stockholder or other person may be a member of more than one group of persons constituting an Eligible Stockholder under this paragraph (A)(4).
For purposes of this paragraph (A)(4), an Eligible Stockholder shall be deemed to “own” only those outstanding shares of the Corporation’s capital stock as to which the person possesses both (a) the full voting and investment rights pertaining to the shares and (b) the full economic interest in (including the opportunity for profit and risk of loss on) such shares; provided that the number of shares calculated in accordance with clauses (a) and (b) shall not include any shares (x) sold by such person or any of its affiliates in any transaction that has not been settled
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or closed, (y) borrowed by such person or any of its affiliates for any purposes or purchased by such person or any of its affiliates pursuant to an agreement to resell, or (z) subject to any option, warrant, forward contract, swap, contract of sale, other derivative or similar agreement entered into by such person or any of its affiliates, whether any such instrument or agreement is to be settled with shares or with cash based on the notional amount or value of outstanding shares of the Corporation’s capital stock, in any such case which instrument or agreement has, or is intended to have, the purpose or effect of (i) reducing in any manner, to any extent or at any time in the future, such person’s or affiliates’ full right to vote or direct the voting of any such shares, and/or (ii) hedging, offsetting or altering to any degree gain or loss arising from the full economic ownership of such shares by such person or affiliate. A person shall “own” shares held in the name of a nominee or other intermediary so long as the person retains the right to instruct how the shares are voted with respect to the election of directors and possesses the full economic interest in the shares. A person’s ownership of shares shall be deemed to continue during any period in which (A) the person has loaned such shares, provided that the person has the power to recall such loaned shares on five (5) business days’ notice and provides a representation that it will promptly recall, and promptly recalls, such loaned shares upon being notified that any of its Stockholder Nominees will be included in the Corporation’s proxy statement, or (B) the person has delegated any voting power by means of a proxy, power of attorney or other instrument or arrangement that is revocable at any time by the person. The terms “owned,” “owning” and other variations of the word “own” shall have correlative meanings. For purposes of this paragraph (A)(4), the term “affiliate” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act.
An Eligible Stockholder must provide with its Notice the following in writing to the Secretary: (a) one or more written statements from the record holder of the shares (and from each intermediary through which the shares are or have been held during the requisite three-year holding period) verifying that, as of a date within seven calendar days prior to the date the Notice is received by the Corporation, the Eligible Stockholder owns, and has owned continuously for the preceding three years, the Required Shares, and the Eligible Stockholder’s agreement to provide (i) within five (5) business days after the record date for the annual meeting, written statements from the record holder and intermediaries verifying the Eligible Stockholder’s continuous ownership of the Required Shares through the record date and (ii) immediate notice if the Eligible Stockholder ceases to own any of the Required Shares prior to the date of the applicable annual meeting of stockholders; (b) documentation satisfactory to the Corporation demonstrating that a group of funds qualifies to be treated as one stockholder or person for purposes of this paragraph (A)(4), if applicable; (c) a representation that the Eligible Stockholder (including each member of any group of stockholders and/or persons that together is an Eligible Stockholder hereunder) (i) intends to continue to own the Required Shares through the date of the annual meeting, (ii) acquired the Required Shares in the ordinary course of business and not with the intent to change or influence control of the Corporation, and does not presently have such intent, (iii) will not distribute to any stockholder any form of proxy for the annual meeting other than the form distributed by the Corporation, and (iv) has provided and will provide facts, statements and other information in all communications with the Corporation and its stockholders that are or will be true and correct in all material respects and do not and will not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; (d) the written consent of each Stockholder Nominee to be named in the Corporation’s proxy statement as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected; (e) a copy of the Schedule 14N that has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as required by Rule 14a-18 under the Exchange Act; (f) the information required to be provided by paragraph (A)(2) of this By-Law, as applicable; (g) in the case of a nomination by a group of stockholders that together is an Eligible Stockholder, the designation by all group members of one group member that is authorized to act on behalf of all members of the nominating stockholder group with respect to the nomination and matters related thereto, including withdrawal of the nomination; and (h) an undertaking that the Eligible Stockholder agrees to (i) assume all liability stemming from any legal or regulatory violation arising out of the Eligible Stockholder’s communications with the Corporation’s stockholders or out of the information that the Eligible Stockholder provides to the Corporation, (ii) indemnify and hold harmless the Corporation and each of its directors, officers and employees individually against any liability, loss or damages in connection with any threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding, whether legal, administrative or investigative, against the Corporation or any of its directors, officers or employees in connection with the Eligible Stockholder’s nomination and/or efforts to elect its Stockholder Nominee(s) pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4), (iii) file with the SEC any solicitation materials relating to the annual meeting at which the Stockholder Nominee will be nominated, regardless of whether any such filing is required under Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or whether any exemption from filing is
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available for such solicitation under Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and any other communication with the Corporation’s stockholders that is required to be filed under applicable law, and (iv) comply with all other applicable laws, rules, regulations and listing standards with respect to any solicitation in connection with the annual meeting.
The Eligible Stockholder may include with its Notice, a written statement for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy statement for the annual meeting, not to exceed 500 words per Stockholder Nominee, in support of each Stockholder Nominee’s candidacy (a “Statement”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this paragraph (A)(4), the Corporation may omit from its proxy statement any information or Statement that it believes would violate any applicable law, rule, regulation or listing standard.
Each Stockholder Nominee must (a) provide within five (5) business days of the Corporation’s request an executed agreement, in a form deemed satisfactory to the Corporation, that (i) the Stockholder Nominee has read and agrees to adhere to the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines and all other Corporation policies and guidelines applicable to directors, including with regard to securities trading, (ii) the Stockholder Nominee is not and will not become a party to (A) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such person, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “Voting Commitment”) that has not been disclosed to the Corporation or (B) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such person’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such person’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, and (iii) the Stockholder Nominee 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, reimbursement or indemnification (a “Compensation Arrangement”) in connection with such person’s nomination or candidacy for director and/or service as a director that has not been disclosed to the Corporation; (b) complete, sign and submit all questionnaires required of the Board within five (5) business days of receipt of each such questionnaire from the Corporation; and (c) provide within five (5) business days of the Corporation’s request such additional information as the Corporation determines may be necessary to permit the Board to determine whether such Stockholder Nominee meets the requirements of this paragraph (A)(4) and/or the Corporation’s requirements with regard to director qualifications and policies and guidelines applicable to directors, including whether (i) such Stockholder Nominee is independent under the listing standards of any U.S. exchange upon which the Corporation’s capital stock is listed, any applicable rules of the SEC, and any publicly disclosed standards used by the Board in determining and disclosing the independence of the directors including with regard to audit committee and compensation committee members in particular (collectively, the “Independence Standards”), (ii) such Stockholder Nominee has any direct or indirect relationship with the Corporation, and (iii) such Stockholder Nominee has been subject to (A) any event specified in Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or (B) any order of the type specified in Rule 506(d) of Regulation D under the Securities Act.
In the event that any information or communications provided by the Eligible Stockholder or Stockholder Nominee to the Corporation or its stockholders ceases to be true and correct in any respect or omits a fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, each Eligible Stockholder or Stockholder Nominee, as the case may be, shall promptly notify the Secretary of any such inaccuracy or omission in such previously provided information and of the information that is required to make such information or communication true and correct; it being understood that providing any such notification shall not be deemed to cure any defect or limit the Corporation’s right to omit a Stockholder Nominee from its proxy materials as provided in this paragraph (A)(4).
The Corporation shall not be required to include, pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4), a Stockholder Nominee in its proxy statement (or, if the proxy statement has already been filed, to allow the nomination of a Stockholder Nominee, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation) (a) for any meeting for which the Secretary receives a notice that any stockholder has nominated a person for election to the Board pursuant to paragraph (A)(2) of this By-Law, (b) who is not independent under the Independence Standards, (c) whose election as a member of the Board would violate or cause the Corporation to be in violation of these By-Laws, the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation, the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines or other document setting forth qualifications for directors, the listing standards of any U.S. exchange upon which the
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Corporation’s capital stock is listed, or any applicable state or federal law, rule or regulation, (d) if the Stockholder Nominee is or becomes a party to any prohibited or undisclosed Voting Commitment, (e) if the Stockholder Nominee is or becomes a party to any undisclosed Compensation Arrangement, (f) who is or has been, within the past three years, an officer or director of a competitor, as defined in Section 8 of the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914, (g) whose then-current or prior business or personal interests place such Stockholder Nominee in a conflict of interest with the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries that would cause such Stockholder Nominee to violate any fiduciary duties of directors established pursuant to Delaware law, including but not limited to the duty of loyalty and duty of care, (h) who is a named subject of a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses) or has been convicted in such a criminal proceeding within the past ten years, (i) who is subject to any order of the type specified in Rule 506(d) of Regulation D under the Securities Act, or (j) if such Stockholder Nominee or the applicable Eligible Stockholder shall have provided information to the Corporation in respect of such nomination that was untrue in any material respect or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statement made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or shall have breached any of its or their agreements, representations, undertakings and/or obligations pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4).
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, if the Stockholder Nominee and/or the applicable Eligible Stockholder shall have breached its or their agreements, representations, undertakings and/or obligations pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4), as determined by the Board or the person presiding at the annual meeting, (x) the Board or the person presiding at the annual meeting shall be entitled to declare a nomination by an Eligible Stockholder to be invalid, and such nomination shall be disregarded notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation and (y) the Corporation shall not be required to include in its proxy statement any successor or replacement nominee proposed by the applicable Eligible Stockholder or any other Eligible Stockholder.
Any Stockholder Nominee who is included in the Corporation’s proxy statement for a particular annual meeting of stockholders but either withdraws from or becomes ineligible or unavailable for election at the annual meeting shall be ineligible to be included in the Corporation’s proxy statement as a Stockholder Nominee pursuant to this paragraph (A)(4) for the next two annual meetings of stockholders following the annual meeting for which the Stockholder Nominee has been nominated for election.
(B) Special Meetings of Stockholders. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting pursuant to Article I, Section 3 of these By-Laws. Nominations of persons for election to the Board may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected (1) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting or (2)(a) by or at the direction of the Board or a committee thereof (or stockholders pursuant to Article I, Section 2 of these By-Laws and Article VII of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation) or (b) provided that the Board (or stockholders pursuant to Article I, Section 2 of these By-Laws and Article VII of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation) has determined that directors shall be elected at such meeting, by any stockholder of the Corporation who is entitled to vote on such election at the meeting, who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this By-Law and who is a stockholder of record at the time such notice is delivered to the Secretary. The proposals by stockholders of other business to be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders may be made only in accordance with Article I, Section 2 of these By-Laws and Article VII of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board, any such stockholder entitled to vote in such election of directors may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be) for election to such position(s) as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting if the stockholder’s notice as required by paragraph (A)(2) of this By-Law shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or 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 to be elected at such meeting.
(C) General. (1) Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this By-Law shall be eligible to serve as directors and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall
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have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this By-Law. Except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation or these By-Laws, the chairman of the meeting, in addition to making any other determination that may be appropriate for the conduct of the meeting, shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made in accordance with the procedures set forth in these By-Laws and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these By-Laws, to declare that such defective nomination shall be disregarded or that such proposed business shall not be transacted.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 12, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present a nomination or business, including a nomination made in accordance with paragraph (A)(4) of this By-Law, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of this Section 12, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be 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.
(2) For purposes of this By-Law, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure (a) in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service, or is generally available on internet news sites, (b) in a document publicly filed or furnished by the Corporation with the SEC pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or (c) otherwise disseminated in a manner constituting “public disclosure” under Regulation FD promulgated by the SEC.
(3) For purposes of this By-Law, no adjournment or postponement or notice of adjournment or postponement of any meeting shall be deemed to constitute a new notice of such meeting for purposes of this Section 12, and in order for any notification required to be delivered by a stockholder pursuant to this Section 12 to be timely, such notification must be delivered within the periods set forth above with respect to the originally scheduled meeting.
(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this By-Law, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this By-Law; provided however, that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any references in these By-Laws to the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to nominations or proposals as to any other business to be considered pursuant to this By-Law (including paragraphs (A)(1)(c) and (d) and (B) hereof), and compliance with paragraphs (A)(1)(c) and (d) and (B) of this By-Law shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or submit other business. Nothing in this By-Law shall apply to the right, if any, of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors pursuant to any applicable provisions of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation.
ARTICLE II.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. The Board shall consist, subject to the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, of such number of directors as shall from time to time be fixed exclusively by resolution adopted by the Board. Except as hereinafter provided for the filling of vacancies and newly created directorships and except as otherwise expressly provided in the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, directors shall be elected by the vote of the majority of votes cast; provided, however, that in the event of a Contested Election (as defined below), the directors, not exceeding the authorized number of directors as fixed by the Board in accordance with these By-Laws, receiving the greatest number of votes of the holders of shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of such directors, shall be the directors for the term as set forth in the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation. A majority of the total number of directors then in office (but not less than one third of the number of directors constituting the entire Board) shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
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business. Except as otherwise provided by law, these By-Laws or by the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, 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. Directors need not be stockholders.
For purposes of this Article II, Section 1, a majority of the votes cast means that the number of shares voted “for” a director nominee exceeds the number of shares voted “against” such director nominee.
An election of directors is a “Contested Election” if, as of the tenth day preceding the date the Corporation first mails its notice of meeting for such meeting to the stockholders of the Corporation, or at any time thereafter, the number of nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected.
Section 2. Subject to the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, unless otherwise required by the DGCL or Article II, Section 4 of these By-Laws, any newly created directorship on the Board that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancy occurring in the Board (whether by death, resignation, removal, retirement, disqualification or otherwise) shall be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director.
The Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines have established procedures with respect to the resignation of any director who does not receive a majority of the votes cast in an election that is not a Contested Election. The Board will not nominate any person for service on the Board unless such nominee has agreed to resign from the Board upon failing to receive a majority of the votes cast in an election that is not a Contested Election, contingent on acceptance of that proffered resignation by the Board in accordance with the policies and procedures adopted by the Board for such purpose. If the Board accepts a nominee’s resignation, then the Board may fill any resulting vacancy pursuant to Article II, Section 2 of these By-Laws.
Section 3. Meetings of the Board shall be held at such place, if any, within or without the State of Delaware as may from time to time be fixed by resolution of the Board or as may be specified in the notice of any meeting. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at such times as may from time to time be fixed by resolution of the Board and special meetings may be held at any time upon the call of the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer, by oral or written notice, including telegraph, telex or transmission of a telecopy, e-mail or other means of electronic transmission, duly served on or sent and delivered to each director to such director’s address, e-mail address or telephone or telecopy number as shown on the books of the Corporation not less than twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting. The notice of any meeting need not specify the purposes thereof. A meeting of the Board may be held without notice immediately after the annual meeting of stockholders at the same place, if any, at which such meeting is held. Notice need not be given of regular meetings of the Board held at times fixed by resolution of the Board.
Section 4. Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more such other series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, removal, and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) applicable thereto. The number of directors that may be elected by the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock shall be in addition to the total number of directors fixed by the Board pursuant to the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation and these By-Laws. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the terms of such series, the number of directors that may be so elected by the holders of any such series of stock shall be elected for terms expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders, and vacancies among directors so elected by the separate vote of the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock shall be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors elected by such series, or, if there are no such remaining directors, by the holders of such series in the same manner in which such series initially elected a director.
Section 5. If at any meeting for the election of directors, the Corporation has outstanding more than one class of stock, and one or more such classes or series thereof are entitled to vote separately as a class to elect directors, and there shall be a quorum of only one such class or series of stock, that class or series of stock shall be entitled to elect its quota of directors notwithstanding the absence of a quorum of the other class or series of stock.
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Section 6. The Board may from time to time establish one or more committees of the Board to serve at the pleasure of the Board, which shall be composed of such members of the Board and have such duties as the Board shall from time to time determine. Any director may belong to any number of committees of the Board. The Board may also establish such other non-Board committees with such members (whether or not directors) and with such duties as the Board may from time to time determine. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, these By-Laws or the resolution of the Board designating the committee, a committee may create one or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one or more members of the committee, and may delegate to a subcommittee any or all of the powers and authority of the committee.
Section 7. Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation or these By-Laws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee.
Section 8. The members of the Board or any committee thereof may participate in a meeting of such Board or committee, as the case may be, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this subsection shall constitute presence in person at such a meeting.
Section 9. The Board may establish policies for the compensation of directors and for the reimbursement of the expenses of directors, in each case, in connection with services provided by directors to the Corporation.
ARTICLE III.
OFFICERS
Section 1. The Board shall elect officers of the Corporation, including a Chief Executive Officer, President and a Secretary. The Board may also from time to time elect such other officers (including, without limitation, a Chief Financial Officer, a Chief Operating Officer, a General Counsel, one or more Vice Presidents, a Treasurer, one or more Assistant Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant Secretaries and one or more Assistant Treasurers) as it may deem proper or may delegate to any elected officer of the Corporation the power to appoint and remove any such other officers and to prescribe their respective terms of office, authorities and duties. Any Vice President may be designated Executive, Senior or Corporate, or may be given such other designation or combination of designations as the Board or the Chief Executive Officer may determine. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person. The Board may also elect or appoint a Chairman of the Board, who may or may not also be an officer of the Corporation. The Board may elect or appoint co-Chairmen of the Board, co-Presidents or co-Chief Executive Officers and, in such case, references in these By-Laws to the Chairman of the Board, the President or the Chief Executive Officer shall refer to either such co-Chairman of the Board, co-President or co-Chief Executive Officer, as the case may be.
Section 2. All officers of the Corporation elected by the Board shall hold office for such terms as may be determined by the Board or, except with respect to his or her own office, the Chief Executive Officer, or until their respective successors are chosen and qualified or until his or her earlier resignation or removal. Any officer may be removed from office at any time either with or without cause by affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Board then in office, or, in the case of appointed officers, by any elected officer upon whom such power of removal shall have been conferred by the Board.
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Section 3. Each of the officers of the Corporation elected by the Board or appointed by an officer in accordance with these By-Laws shall have the powers and duties prescribed by law, by these By-Laws or by the Board and, in the case of appointed officers, the powers and duties prescribed by the appointing officer, and, unless otherwise prescribed by these By-Laws or by the Board or such appointing officer, shall have such further powers and duties as ordinarily pertain to that office.
Section 4. Unless otherwise provided in these By-Laws, in the absence or disability of any officer of the Corporation, the Board or the Chief Executive Officer may, during such period, delegate such officer’s powers and duties to any other officer or to any director and the person to whom such powers and duties are delegated shall, for the time being, hold such office.
ARTICLE IV.
INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCEMENT OF EXPENSES
Section 1. 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 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, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, agent 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, employee, agent or trustee or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee, agent or trustee, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware 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 IV with respect to proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification or advancement of expenses or with respect to any compulsory counterclaim brought by such indemnitee, 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.
Section 2. In addition to the right to indemnification conferred in Section 1 of this Article IV, an indemnitee shall also have the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses (including attorney’s fees) incurred in appearing at, participating in or defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition or in connection with a proceeding brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification or advancement of expenses under this Article IV (which shall be governed by Section 3 of this Article IV) (hereinafter an “advancement of expenses”); provided, however, that, if (x) the DGCL requires or (y) in the case of an advance made in a proceeding brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification or advancement, an advancement of expenses incurred by an indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation (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 solely 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 after final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter a “final adjudication”) that such indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Article IV or otherwise.
Section 3. If a claim under Section 1 or 2 of this Article IV is not paid in full by the Corporation within (i) sixty (60) days after a written claim for indemnification has been received by the Corporation or (ii) twenty (20) days after a claim for an advancement of expenses has been received by the Corporation, the indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim or to obtain advancement of expenses, as applicable. To the fullest extent permitted by law, if the indemnitee is 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
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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) 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 DGCL. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including by 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 that indemnification of the indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including by 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 IV or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.
Section 4. The provision of indemnification to or the advancement of expenses and costs to any indemnitee under this Article IV, or the entitlement of any indemnitee to indemnification or advancement of expenses and costs under this Article IV, shall not limit or restrict in any way the power of the Corporation to indemnify or advance expenses and costs to such indemnitee in any other way permitted by law or be deemed exclusive of, or invalidate, any right to which any indemnitee seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses and costs may be entitled under any law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such indemnitee’s capacity as an officer, director, employee or agent of the Corporation and as to action in any other capacity.
Section 5. The rights conferred upon indemnitees in this Article IV shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators. Any amendment, alteration or repeal of this Article IV that adversely affects any right of an indemnitee or its successors shall be prospective only and shall not limit, eliminate, or impair 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.
Section 6. The Corporation may purchase and 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 DGCL.
Section 7. The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board, 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 IV with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of directors and officers of the Corporation.
ARTICLE V.
CORPORATE BOOKS
The books of the Corporation may be kept inside or outside of the State of Delaware at such place or places as the Board may from time to time determine.
ARTICLE VI.
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CHECKS, NOTES, PROXIES, ETC.
All checks and drafts on the Corporation’s bank accounts and all bills of exchange and promissory notes, and all acceptances, obligations and other instruments for the payment of money, shall be signed by such officer or officers or agent or agents as shall be authorized from time to time by the Board or such officer or officers who may be delegated such authority. Proxies to vote and consents with respect to securities of other corporations or other entities owned by or standing in the name of the Corporation may be executed and delivered from time to time on behalf of the Corporation by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or by such officers as the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the Board may from time to time determine.
ARTICLE VII.
FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be, unless otherwise determined by resolution of the Board, the calendar year ending on December 31.
ARTICLE VIII.
CORPORATE SEAL
The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation. In lieu of the corporate seal, when so authorized by the Board or a duly empowered committee thereof, a facsimile thereof may be impressed or affixed or reproduced.
ARTICLE IX.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. Whenever notice is required to be given by law or under any provision of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation or these By-Laws, notice of any meeting need not be given to any person who shall attend such meeting (except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened), or who shall waive notice thereof, before or after such meeting, in writing (including by electronic transmission).
Section 2. Section headings in these By-Laws are for convenience of reference only and shall not be given any substantive effect in limiting or otherwise construing any provision herein.
Section 3. In the event that any provision of these By-Laws is or becomes inconsistent with any provision of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation or the DGCL, the provision of these By-Laws shall not be given any effect to the extent of such inconsistency but shall otherwise be given full force and effect.
ARTICLE X.
AMENDMENTS
These By-Laws may be made, amended, altered, changed, added to or repealed as set forth inby the Board or by stockholders in accordance with the DGCL and the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation.
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