York Space Systems Inc 8-K, filed Jan 30, 2026
York Space Systems Inc. (YSS)
About this 8-K
York Space Systems Inc filed this 8-K on January 30, 2026, reporting on events of January 28, 2026.
Items reported
- Item 1.01: Entered into a material agreement
- Item 3.03: Change to shareholders' rights
- Item 5.02: Director or officer change, or executive pay
- Item 5.03: Charter or bylaw amendment, or fiscal year change
- Item 9.01: Financial statements and exhibits
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d)
of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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| Item 1.01. | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. |
On January 28, 2026, York Space Systems Inc. (the “Company”) priced the initial public offering (“IPO”) of its common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), at an offering price of $34.00 per share (the “IPO Price”), pursuant to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-291581), as amended (the “Registration Statement”). On January 28, 2026, in connection with the pricing of the IPO, the Company entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Jefferies LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters listed on Schedule I thereto (collectively, the “Underwriters”), pursuant to which the Company agreed to offer and sell 18,500,000 shares of its Common Stock at the IPO Price. The Underwriters were granted a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 2,775,000 shares of Common Stock from the Company. The offering closed and the shares were delivered on January 30, 2026 (the “Closing Date”). The material terms of the offering are described in the prospectus, dated January 28, 2026 (the “Prospectus”), filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on January 30, 2026, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The IPO is registered with the Commission pursuant to the Registration Statement and the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1MEF (File No. 333-293028) which was declared effective immediately upon filing on January 28, 2026.
The Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations and warranties, agreements and obligations, closing conditions and termination provisions. The Company has agreed to indemnify the Underwriters against (or contribute to the payment of) certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. This description of the Underwriting Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Underwriting Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit 1.1, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01. Additionally, for a summary description of relationships between the Company and the Underwriters, see the section entitled “Underwriting” in the Prospectus.
In connection with the consummation of the IPO, the Company entered into the following additional agreements:
| • | the Tax Receivable Agreement, dated as of January 28, 2026, by and among the Company and the other signatories party thereto, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein; |
| • | the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of January 30, 2026, by and among the Company and the stockholders party thereto, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein; |
| • | the Director Nomination Agreement, dated as of January 28, 2026, by and among the Company and the stockholders party thereto, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.3 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein; |
| • | the Voting Agreements, dated on or about January 28, 2026, by and between the Company and certain stockholders, the form of which is filed as Exhibit 10.4 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein; and |
| • | the Amended and Restated Consulting Agreement, dated as of January 30, 2026, by and among the Company, AE Industrial Partners, LP and AE Industrial Operating Partners, LLC, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.5 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein. |
Descriptions of these agreements are contained in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” and are incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01. Such descriptions do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of each of the agreements attached hereto as Exhibits 10.1 to 10.5, which are incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.
| Item 3.03. | Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders. |
The information provided under Item 5.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.03.
| Item 5.02. | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. |
On January 28, 2026, Dirk Wallinger, Kirk Konert, Tyler Letarte, Tamra Erwin, Reggie Brothers, Andrew Boyd and General (RET) James McConville were appointed to the Company’s board of directors. Biographical information and other information regarding the committees upon which these directors are expected to serve, related party transactions involving any of these directors, the compensation plans in which such directors participate, and information about any arrangement or understanding between any such director and any other persons pursuant to which such director was selected as a director was previously reported in the Prospectus in the sections entitled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” and “Management” and is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02.
On or after January 28, 2026, in connection with the IPO, the Company entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and executive officers. These agreements provide the Company’s directors and executive officers with contractual rights to indemnification, expense advancement and reimbursement, to the fullest extent permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law. These indemnification rights are not exclusive of any other right that an indemnified person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws (each as defined below), any agreement, or vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. This description of the indemnification agreements does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the form of indemnification agreement attached hereto as Exhibit 10.6, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02.
Additionally, on January 30, 2026 and in connection with the IPO, the Company adopted the York Space Systems Inc. 2026 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Omnibus Plan”). A description of the Omnibus Plan is contained in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Executive Compensation—Actions Taken in Connection with This Offering” and is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02. Such description does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Omnibus Plan attached hereto as Exhibit 10.7, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02.
| Item 5.03. | Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year. |
On January 28, 2026, the Company converted from a Delaware limited liability company to a Delaware corporation, filed a certificate of incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and adopted bylaws (the “Bylaws”), each of which became effective on January 28, 2026. A description of the Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws is contained in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Description of Capital Stock” and is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.03. Such description does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Certificate of Incorporation attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1 and the copy of the Bylaws attached hereto as Exhibit 3.2, both of which are incorporated by reference into this Item 5.03.
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| YORK SPACE SYSTEMS INC. | ||||||
| Date: January 30, 2026 | ||||||
| By: | /s/ Dirk Wallinger | |||||
| Dirk Wallinger | ||||||
| Chief Executive Officer | ||||||
Exhibit 1.1
Yellowstone Midco Holdings II, LLC
Common Stock, Par Value $0.0001 Per Share
Underwriting Agreement
January 28, 2026
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
Jefferies LLC
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
As representatives (the “Representatives”) of the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto,
c/o Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
200 West Street,
New York, New York 10282-2198
c/o Jefferies LLC
520 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10022
c/o Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
500 West 33rd Street, 14th Floor
New York, New York 10001
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Yellowstone Midco Holdings II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and following the Corporate Conversion (as defined below) a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated in this agreement (this “Agreement”), to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) an aggregate of 18,500,000 shares (the “Firm Shares”) and, at the election of the Underwriters, up to 2,775,000 additional shares (the “Optional Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.0001 (“Stock”), of the Company (the Firm Shares and the Optional Shares that the Underwriters elect to purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof are collectively called the “Shares”).
Prior to the delivery of the Shares under this Agreement, Yellowstone Midco Holdings II, LLC, will effect the Corporate Conversion (as defined in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus) as a result of which, among other things, it will undergo a statutory conversion into a Delaware corporation and change its name to York Space Systems Inc. As used in this Agreement, references to the Company refer to (i) Yellowstone Midco Holdings II, LLC prior to the Corporate Conversion and (ii) York Space Systems Inc. after giving effect to the Corporate Conversion.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (the “Directed Share Underwriter”) has agreed to reserve up to 172,403 shares of the Shares to be purchased by it under this Agreement for sale at the direction of the Company to certain parties related to the Company (collectively, “Participants”). The Shares to be sold by the Directed Share Underwriter pursuant to the Directed Share Program are hereinafter called the “Directed Shares.” Any Directed Shares not confirmed for purchase by the deadline established therefor by the Directed Share Underwriter in consultation with the Company will be offered to the public by the Underwriters as set forth in the Prospectus.
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1. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-291581) (the “Initial Registration Statement”) in respect of the Shares has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”); the Initial Registration Statement and any post effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered to you, have been declared effective by the Commission in such form; other than a registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”), filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), which became effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in the Initial Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act is hereinafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus”; the various parts of the Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and including the information contained in the form of final prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof and deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Act to be part of the Initial Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective, each as amended at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became effective or such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became or hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively called the “Registration Statement”; the Preliminary Prospectus relating to the Shares that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(c) hereof) is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus”; and such final prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, is hereinafter called the “Prospectus”; any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Act or Rule 163B under the Act is hereinafter called a “Testing-the-Waters Communication”; and any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act is hereinafter called a “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication”; and any “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the Act relating to the Shares is hereinafter called an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”);
(b) (A) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and (B) each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information (as defined in Section 9(b) of this Agreement);
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(c) For the purposes of this Agreement, the “Applicable Time” is 4:45 p.m. (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement. The Pricing Prospectus, as supplemented by the information listed on Schedule II(c) hereto, taken together (collectively, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”), as of the Applicable Time, did not, and as of each Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4(a) of this Agreement) will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and each Written Testing-the-Waters Communication does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and each Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not , and as of each Time of Delivery will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information;
(d) No documents were filed with the Commission since the Commission’s close of business on the business day immediately prior to the date of this Agreement and prior to the execution of this Agreement, except as set forth on Schedule II(b) hereto;
(e) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to each part of the Registration Statement, as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, and as of each Time of Delivery, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information;
(f) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus, (i) sustained any material loss or material interference with its business, from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree or (ii) entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus, there has not been (x) any change in the capital stock (other than as a result of (i) the exercise, vesting or settlement (including any “net” or “cashless” exercises or settlements), if any, of stock options, restricted stock units, incentive units or other equity awards or the award, if any, of stock options, restricted stock units, incentive units or other equity awards in the ordinary course of business pursuant to the Company’s equity plans that are described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, (ii) the issuance, if any, of stock upon the exercise or conversion of Company securities as described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus or, except as disclosed in or contemplated by the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, long term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) the Corporate Conversion) or (y) any Material Adverse Effect (as defined below); as used in this
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Agreement, “Material Adverse Effect” shall mean any material adverse change or effect, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change or effect, in or affecting (i) the business, properties, general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, or (ii) the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, including the issuance and sale of the Shares, or to consummate the transactions contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;
(g) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except (i) such as are described the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus or (ii) such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries;
(h) Each of the Company and each of its subsidiaries has been (i) duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Prospectus, and (ii) duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing (or foreign equivalent) under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except, in the case of this clause (ii), where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing (or foreign equivalent) would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and each subsidiary of the Company required to be identified has been listed in the Registration Statement;
(i) The Company and its subsidiaries (a) are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, requirements, decisions, judgments, decrees, orders and the common law relating to pollution or the protection of the environment, natural resources or human health or safety, including those relating to the generation, storage, treatment, use, handling, transportation, release or threat of release of hazardous materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (b) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws, (c) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any Environmental Laws, (d) are not conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation or other corrective action pursuant to any Environmental Law at any location, and (e) are not a party to any order, decree or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Environmental Law each of (a)-(e) above, for any such matter, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (ii) except as described in the Registration Statement and the Preliminary Prospectus, (a) there are no proceedings that are pending, or that are known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $300,000 or more will be imposed, (b) the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any facts or issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws, that could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company and its subsidiaries, and (c) none of the Company and its subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws;
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(j) Following the completion of the Corporate Conversion, the Company will have an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company following the Corporate Conversion will have been duly and validly authorized and issued and will be fully paid and non-assessable and conform, in all material respects, to the description of the Stock contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company will have been duly and validly authorized and issued, will be fully paid and non-assessable and (except, in the case of any foreign subsidiary, for directors’ qualifying shares) will be owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except as otherwise disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;
(k) The unissued Shares to be issued and sold by the Company to the Underwriters hereunder have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and non assessable and will conform, in all material respects, to the description of the Stock contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights;
(l) The issue and sale of the Shares and the compliance by the Company with this Agreement and the consummation of the Corporate Conversion and the other transactions contemplated in this Agreement and the Pricing Prospectus will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, (A) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (B) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or other applicable organizational document) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or (C) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties; except, in the case of clauses (A) and (C) for such defaults, breaches, or violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Shares or the consummation by the Company of the Corporate Conversion and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the offering of the Directed Shares in any jurisdiction where the Directed Shares are being offered, except such as have been obtained under the Act, the approval by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) of the underwriting terms and arrangements and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters;
(m) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or other applicable organizational document), (ii) in violation of any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, or (iii) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except, in the case of the foregoing clauses (ii) and (iii), for such violations or defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
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(n) The statements set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus under the caption “Description of Capital Stock,” insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Stock, under the caption “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders,” and under the caption “Underwriting,” insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair in all material respects;
(o) The Company and its subsidiaries have paid all federal, state and local taxes and filed all tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof, except with respect to any taxes for which extensions of time to file have been timely filed and for taxes that are currently being contested in good faith and with respect to which appropriate reserves have been made in accordance with GAAP, or as would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; and except as otherwise disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no tax deficiency that has been, or would reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets, except for tax deficiencies that would not have a Material Adverse Effect;
(p) Other than as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, demands, claims, suits, arbitrations, inquiries or proceedings (“Actions”) pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any officer or director of the Company, is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any officer or director of the Company, is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or such officer or director), would individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or others; there are no current or pending Actions that are required under the Act to be described in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Prospectus that are not so described therein; and there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus;
(q) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof, will not be an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”);
(r) At the time of filing the Initial Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or any offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Act) of the Shares, and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined under Rule 405 under the Act;
(s) Grant Thornton LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries (including Yellowstone Midco Holdings, LLC (“Midco I”)), are independent public accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
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(t) The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that (i) complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act, (ii) has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and (iii) is designed to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets, (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting;
(u) Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially and adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting;
(v) The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective;
(w) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;
(x) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director or officer thereof, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any agent, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) made, offered, promised or authorized any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense (or taken any act in furtherance thereof); (ii) made, offered, promised or authorized any direct or indirect unlawful payment; or (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or the rules and regulations thereunder, the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-corruption, anti-bribery or related law, statute or regulation (collectively, “Anti-Corruption Laws”); the Company and its subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and have instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of Anti-Corruption Laws;
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(y) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with the requirements of applicable anti-money laundering laws, including, but not limited to, the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, as amended by the USA PATRIOT ACT of 2001, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the anti-money laundering laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulation or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened;
(z) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is (i) currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government, including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”), or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person,” the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury, the United Nations Security Council, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), (ii) located, organized, or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions (including, but not limited to, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, or any other Covered Region of Ukraine identified pursuant to Executive Order 14065, Crimea, Cuba, Iran and North Korea) (a “Sanctioned Jurisdiction”), and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject or the target of Sanctions or (ii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is engaged in, or has, at any time since April 24, 2019, engaged in, any dealings or transactions with or involving any individual or entity that was or is, as applicable, at the time of such dealing or transaction, the subject or target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Jurisdiction; the Company and its subsidiaries have instituted, and maintain, policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve continued compliance with Sanctions;
(aa) The financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries (including Midco I) at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its subsidiaries (including Midco I) for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in all material respects and in accordance with GAAP, the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or
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the Prospectus under the Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Act, to the extent applicable;
(bb) The Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) own or otherwise possess valid and enforceable rights to use all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, domain names, copyrights and registrations and applications thereof, licenses, know-how, software, systems and technology (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems and procedures) and all other similar intellectual property and proprietary rights (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) used in or necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses, (ii) do not, through the conduct of their respective businesses, infringe, misappropriate, or otherwise violate or conflict with, and have not in the six years prior to the date hereof infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated or conflicted with, any Intellectual Property of any third party, and (iii) have not in the six years prior to the date hereof received any written notice and do not have knowledge of any pending or threatened claim of infringement, misappropriation, violation of or other conflict with any Intellectual Property of any third party by the Company and its subsidiaries or challenging the validity, enforceability, scope or ownership of any Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries. No material Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, no material Intellectual Property exclusively licensed to the Company and its subsidiaries has been infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated by any person in the six years prior to the date hereof. All Intellectual Property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries, and, to the knowledge of the Company, all Intellectual Property licensed to the Company and its subsidiaries, is valid and enforceable. The Company and its subsidiaries take reasonable steps in accordance with normal industry practice to maintain the confidentiality of all such confidential Intellectual Property, the value of which to the Company or any of its subsidiaries is contingent upon maintaining the confidentiality thereof;
(cc) The Company and its subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform as required in connection with, the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted, free and clear of all Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other malicious corruptants. The Company and its subsidiaries have implemented and maintain commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards designed to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data stored thereon or transmitted or otherwise processed thereby (including the data of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third-party data maintained by or on behalf of the Company and its subsidiaries and all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (collectively, “Data”)) used in connection with their businesses and there have been no material breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to the IT Systems or Data, nor any incidents under internal Company review or internal Company investigations relating to the same;
(dd) The Company and its subsidiaries have complied, and are presently in compliance, in all material respects with all applicable laws or statutes and all applicable judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal and external policies of the Company and its subsidiaries, and, to the extent to which the Company and its subsidiaries are bound in writing, industry standards and
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contractual obligations, in each case, to the extent relating to (i) the privacy and security of the IT Systems and Data, (ii) the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification and (iii) the collection, use, transfer, import, export, storage, protection, disposal, disclosure and other processing of Data (collectively, “Data Security Obligations”). Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received in writing any notification of or complaint regarding, or have knowledge of any other facts that, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably indicate the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation. There is no pending, or to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body against the Company and its subsidiaries alleging the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation;
(ee) No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) included or incorporated by reference in any of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith;
(ff) Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects;
(gg) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans;
(hh) Neither the Company nor any of its controlled affiliates has taken or will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company or any of its subsidiaries in connection with the offering of the Shares;
(ii) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have such permits, licenses, approvals, consents, franchises, certificates of need and other approvals or authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities (“Permits”) as are necessary under applicable law to own their respective properties and conduct their respective businesses in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, except for any of the foregoing that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received written notice of any proceedings related to the revocation or modification of any such Permits that, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(jj) The Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are insured against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged and as required by law;
(kk) The Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses and any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication comply in all material respects, and any further amendments or supplements thereto will comply in all material respects, with any applicable laws or regulations
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of foreign jurisdictions in which the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program;
(ll) No authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration or qualification of or with any government, governmental instrumentality or court, other than such as have been obtained, is necessary under the securities laws and regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Directed Shares are offered outside the United States;
(mm) The Company has specifically directed in writing the allocation of Shares to each Participant in the Directed Share Program, and neither the Directed Share Underwriter nor any other Underwriter has had any involvement or influence, directly or indirectly, in such allocation decision;
(nn) The Company has not offered, or caused the Directed Share Underwriter or its affiliates to offer, Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program (i) for any consideration other than the cash payment of the initial public offering price per share set forth in Schedule II hereof or (ii) with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (x) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer or supplier’s terms, level or type of business with the Company or (y) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products;
(oo) From the time of initial confidential submission of a registration statement relating to the Shares with the Commission through the date hereof, the Company has been and is treated as an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”);
(pp) The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations or other requirements of the United States Federal Aviation Administration and similar aviation regulatory bodies (collectively, “Aviation Laws”), and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of a failure to comply with applicable Aviation Law, except for any failures to comply that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
(qq) (i) Except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, the Company and its subsidiaries have conducted and will conduct their businesses in compliance with Export Controls, and (ii) no investigation, inquiry, action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to Export Controls is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened. The Company and its subsidiaries have instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain and enforce policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote compliance with applicable Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws, Export Controls and Sanctions. As used in this Section 1(qq), “Export Controls” means applicable export controls implemented by the United States, European Union or other jurisdictions to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries are subject, including any export controls administered by the Bureau of Industry Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of State, and any export control measures under any statute, executive order, directive or regulation pursuant to the authority of any of the foregoing, or any orders or licenses issued thereunder;
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(rr) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries are in breach of or default under any current Government Contract in any material respect, and no event has occurred which would constitute such a material breach or default by the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries are in material compliance with all applicable laws, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”), cost principles, Service Contract Act of 1963, as amended (including requirements for paying applicable Service Contract Act wage rate and fringe benefit rates), the Truth in Negotiations Act, the Procurement Integrity Act and the Anti-Kickback Act, where and as applicable to each current Government Contract or Government Bid in all material respects; (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, no reasonable basis exists to give rise to a claim for fraud (as such concept is defined under the laws of the United States) in connection with any Government Contract under the False Claims Act; and (iv) no current Government Contract or Government Bid is currently the subject of any bid protest before any Governmental Authority. For the past three years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not (i) been the subject or target of any audit (other than pre-award, post-award or indirect rate audits by the Defense Contract Audit Agency or the Defense Contract Management Agency or other Governmental Authorities performing a similar function in the ordinary course of business), subpoena, investigation, prosecution or administrative proceeding related to any Government Contract or Government Bid, nor (ii) made any voluntary or mandatory disclosure to any Governmental Authority with respect to any alleged material irregularity, misstatement, noncompliance or omission arising under or relating to a Government Contract or Government Bid. The Company and its subsidiaries are not, nor, to the knowledge of the Company in the past three years, have not been, (i) debarred or suspended from participation in, or the award of, contracts with any Governmental Authority, nor (ii) the subject of any debarment or suspension inquiry. As used in this Section 1(rr): “Governmental Authority” means any federal, state, local or foreign court or governmental agency, authority, instrumentality or regulatory or legislative body; “Government Bid” means any outstanding quotation, bid or proposal by the Company that, if accepted or awarded, would lead to a Government Contract; and “Government Contract” means any contract, including any purchase order or other transaction authority agreement, entered into between the Company and (i) any Governmental Authority; (ii) any prime contractor to any Governmental Authority (in its capacity as such); or (iii) any subcontractor (of any tier) with respect to any contract described in clauses (i) and (ii);
(ss) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a “covered foreign person” as that term is used in the Outbound Investment Rules. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries currently engages, or has any present intention to engage in the future, directly or indirectly, in (i) a “covered activity” or a “covered transaction,” as each such term is defined in the Outbound Investment Rules, (ii) any activity or transaction that would constitute a “covered activity” or a “covered transaction,” as each such term is defined in the Outbound Investment Rules, if the Company were a U.S. Person or (iii) any other activity that would cause the Underwriters to be in violation of the Outbound Investment Rules or cause the Underwriters to be legally prohibited by the Outbound Investment Rules from performing under this Agreement. For the purpose of this Agreement, “Outbound Investment Rules” means the regulations administered and enforced, together with any related public guidance issued, by the United States Treasury Department under U.S. Executive Order 14105 of August 9, 2023, or any similar law or regulation as of the date of this Agreement, and as codified at 31 C.F.R. §850.202 et seq.;
(tt) The Company is in material compliance with the terms of, all adequate certificates, authorizations, franchises, licenses and permits (“Licenses”) necessary to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the Pricing Disclosure Package to be conducted by them, except where failure of such possession or compliance would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Licenses that would individually or in the aggregate be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and
(uu) No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that would reasonably be expected have a Material Adverse Effect.
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2. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price per share of $32.045, the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and (b) in the event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall exercise the election to purchase Optional Shares as provided below, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price per share set forth in clause (a) of this Section 2 (provided that the purchase price per Optional Share shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Optional Shares), that portion of the number of Optional Shares as to which such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by you so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number of Optional Shares by a fraction, the numerator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares which such Underwriter is entitled to purchase as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares that all of the Underwriters are entitled to purchase hereunder.
The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the right to purchase at their election up to 2,775,000 Optional Shares, at the purchase price per share set forth in the paragraph above, provided that the purchase price per Optional Share shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Optional Shares. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares may be exercised only by written notice from you to the Company, given within a period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement, setting forth the aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the date on which such Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by you but in no event earlier than the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof) or, unless you and the Company otherwise agree in writing, earlier than one or later than ten business days after the date of such notice.
3. Upon the authorization by you of the release of the Shares, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
4. (a) The Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in definitive or book-entry form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request upon at least twenty-four hours’ prior notice to the Company shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the Representatives, through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives at least twenty-four hours in advance. The Company will cause the certificates, if any, representing the Shares to be made available for checking and packaging at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below) with respect thereto at the office of DTC or its designated custodian (the “Designated Office”). The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Firm Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on January 30, 2026 or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, and, with respect to the Optional Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the date specified by the Representatives in the written notice given by the Representatives of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Optional Shares, or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Firm Shares is herein called the “First Time of Delivery,” such time and date for delivery of the Optional Shares, if not the First Time of Delivery, is herein called the “Second Time of Delivery,” and each such time and date for delivery is herein called a “Time of Delivery.”
(b) The documents to be delivered at each Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 8 hereof, including the cross receipt for the Shares and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8(k) hereof, will be delivered at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP: 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017 (the “Closing Location”), and the Shares will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at such Time of Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding such Time of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties hereto. For the purposes of this Section 4, “New York Business Day” shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York City are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act prior to the earlier of (i) the First Time of Delivery and (ii) the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Act; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the last Time of Delivery which shall be disapproved by you promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish you with copies thereof; to file promptly all material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Shares, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order;
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(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as you may reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as you may reasonably request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation (where not otherwise required) or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction (where not otherwise required);
(c) Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriters with written and electronic copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as you may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, to notify you and upon your request to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many written and electronic copies as you may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) in connection with sales of any of the Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon your request but at the expense of such Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many written and electronic copies as you may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable (which may be satisfied by filing with the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”)), but in any event not later than sixteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e) (1) During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and including the date 180 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), not to (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with or confidentially submit to the Commission a registration statement under the Act relating to, any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Shares, including but not limited to any options or warrants to purchase shares of Stock or any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Stock or any such substantially similar securities, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of at least two of the Representatives (which must include Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC); provided, however, that the restrictions described above shall not apply to (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) the Shares issued pursuant to
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employee stock option plans existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of the date of this Agreement, (C) grants of stock options, stock awards, restricted stock, RSUs, or other equity awards and the issuance of Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Stock (whether upon the exercise of stock options or otherwise) to the Company’s employees, officers, directors, advisors or consultants pursuant to the terms of an equity compensation plan in effect on the date of the First Time of Delivery and described in the Pricing Prospectus, (D) issuance of Stock in connection with the Corporate Conversion as described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus; (E) the issuance, offer or entry into an agreement providing for the issuance of up to 10% of the total number of shares of Stock outstanding immediately following the offering of the Shares contemplated by this Agreement in acquisitions or other strategic transactions, provided that such recipients enter into a lock-up agreement with the Underwriters substantially to the effect set forth in Annex II hereto; (F) the filing of any registration statement on Form S-8 relating to securities granted or to be granted pursuant to any plan in effect on the date of the First Time of Delivery and described in the Pricing Prospectus or any assumed benefit plan pursuant to an acquisition or similar strategic transaction contemplated by clause (E); or (G) the submission of a confidential registration statement in connection with the exercise of any registration rights described in the Pricing Prospectus and any preparations related thereto, provided that such submission or preparations do not require or result in the public filing of a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other public announcement of such proposed registration by the Company or any third party during the Lock-Up Period (and no such filing, public announcement or activity shall be voluntarily made or taken by the Company or any third party during the Restricted Period), and provided further that the Company shall notify the Representatives prior to making any such submission; and provided, further, that in the case of clauses (B) and (C), the Company shall (a) cause each recipient of such securities that is a member of the Company’s board of directors, an executive officer or a beneficial holder of 1% of the fully-diluted capital stock of the Company to execute and deliver to the Representatives, prior to or substantially concurrently with the issuance of such securities, a lock-up agreement substantially to the effect set forth in Annex II hereto (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not extend the lock-up period beyond 180 days after the date of the Prospectus) to the extent not already executed and delivered by such recipients as of the date hereof and (b) enter stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar on such securities with respect to all recipients of such securities, which the Company agrees it will not waive or amend without prior written consent of at least two of the Representatives (which must include Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC);
(2) If at least two of the Representatives (which must include Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC), in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a lock-up letter described in Section 8(i) hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Annex I hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver;
(f) During a period of three years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, to furnish to its stockholders as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public accountants) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date of the Registration Statement), to make available to its stockholders consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail; provided, however, that the Company may satisfy the requirements of this Section 5(f) by filing such information through EDGAR;
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(g) During a period of three years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, to furnish to you copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and to deliver to you (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; and (ii) such additional information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company as you may from time to time reasonably request (such financial statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its stockholders generally or to the Commission); provided, however, that the Company may satisfy the requirements of this Section 5(g) by filing such information through EDGAR;
(h) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Pricing Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”;
(i) To use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”);
(j) To file with the Commission such information on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K as may be required by Rule 463 under the Act;
(k) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act;
(l) Upon request of any Underwriter, to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s corporate logo (the “Offering Logo”) for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter solely for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Shares; provided, however, that (i) Underwriter shall use the Offering Logo solely for the purpose described above without any fee, (ii) Underwriter shall not use the Offering Logo in any manner that does, or may reasonably be expected to, harm the reputation or goodwill of the Company or the Company’s rights in the Offering Logo, and (iii) such right may not be assigned, sublicensed or transferred by the Underwriter;
(m) To comply with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations in each jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program; and
(n) To promptly notify you if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Shares within the meaning of the Act and (ii) the last Time of Delivery.
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6. (a) The Company represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act; each Underwriter represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a free writing prospectus required to be filed with the Commission; any such free writing prospectus the use of which has been consented to by the Company and the Representatives is listed on Schedule II(a) hereto;
(b) The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending; and the Company represents that it has satisfied and agrees that it will satisfy the conditions under Rule 433 under the Act to avoid a requirement to file with the Commission any electronic road show;
(c) The Company agrees that if at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Written Testing-the-Waters Communication any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Written Testing-the-Waters Communication would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, the Company will give prompt notice thereof to the Representatives and, if requested by the Representatives, will prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or other document which will correct such conflict, statement or omission;
(d) The Company represents and agrees that (i) it has not engaged in, or authorized any other person to engage in, any Testing-the-Waters Communications, other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the prior consent of the Representatives with entities that the Company reasonably believes are qualified institutional buyers as defined in Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) under the Act; and (ii) it has not distributed, or authorized any other person to distribute, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications, other than those distributed with the prior consent of the Representatives that are listed on Schedule II(c) hereto; and the Company reconfirms that the Underwriters have been authorized to act on its behalf in engaging in Testing-the-Waters Communications; and
(e) Each Underwriter represents and agrees that any Testing-the-Waters Communications undertaken by it were with entities that such Underwriter reasonably believes are qualified institutional buyers as defined in Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) under the Act.
7. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the reasonable and documented fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel, and accountants in connection with the registration of the Shares under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, reproduction and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Blue Sky Memorandum, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the
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qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey (iv) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Shares on the Exchange; (v) the reasonable and documented filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, any required review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Shares (provided that aggregate fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to clause (iii) and this clause (v) of this Section 7 shall not exceed $50,000 in the aggregate); (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates, to the extent applicable; (vii) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar and (viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 7. In addition, the Company shall pay or cause to be paid all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section 7, and Sections 9 and 12 hereof, the Underwriters will pay (i) all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, stock transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make, and (ii) in connection with any “roadshow” as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Act (a “roadshow”) undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, the travel, lodging and meal expenses of the Underwriters; provided, however, the Representatives and the Company agree that the Underwriters shall pay or cause to be paid fifty percent (50%) of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with such roadshow.
8. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Shares to be delivered at each Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company herein are, at and as of the Applicable Time and such Time of Delivery, true and correct, the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; all material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 433; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Act, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act shall have been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission; no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Pricing Prospectus, Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable satisfaction;
(b) Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to you such written opinion or opinions, dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to you, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
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(c) Kirkland & Ellis LLP, as counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to you their written opinion, dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to you;
(d) On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the execution of this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective date of any post effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery, Grant Thornton LLP shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to you;
(e) On the date of the Prospectus concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate or certificates, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, of its chief financial officer with respect to certain financial data contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, providing “management comfort” with respect to such information, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives;
(f) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Prospectus there shall not have been any change in the capital stock (other than as a result of (i) the exercise, vesting or settlement, if any, of stock options, restricted stock units or other equity awards (including any “net” or “cashless” exercises or settlements) or the award, if any, of stock options, restricted stock units or other equity awards in the ordinary course of business pursuant to the Company’s equity plans that are described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, (ii) the issuance, if any, of stock upon exercise, conversion, exchange or reclassification of Company securities as described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus or (iii) the Corporate Conversion) or long term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any change or effect, or any development involving a prospective change or effect, in or affecting (x) the business, properties, general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, or (y) the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, including the issuance and sale of the Shares, or to consummate the transactions contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in your judgment so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;
(g) There are no debt securities or preferred stock issued by the Company or any of its subsidiaries that are rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act;
(h) On or after the Applicable Time there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the NYSE or the Nasdaq Global Market; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on the Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared
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by either Federal or New York or State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or (v) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v) in your judgment makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;
(i) The Shares to be sold at such Time of Delivery shall have been duly listed, subject to notice of issuance, for quotation on the NYSE;
(j) The Company shall have obtained and delivered to the Underwriters executed copies of an agreement from each officer, director, and stockholder of the Company listed on Schedule III hereto, substantially to the effect set forth in Annex II hereto in form and substance satisfactory to you;
(k) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement;
(l) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you at such Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to you as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (f) of this Section 8(l) and as to such other matters as you may reasonably request; and
(m) The Corporate Conversion shall have been completed on terms substantially consistent with those described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus.
9. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any roadshow, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the case of the Registration Statement (and any amendments and supplements thereto) only, not misleading, and, in the case of such other documents, not misleading in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
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(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any roadshow or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements , in the case of the Registration Statement (and any amendments and supplements thereto) only, not misleading, and, in the case of such other documents, not misleading in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any roadshow or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred. As used in this Agreement with respect to an Underwriter and an applicable document, “Underwriter Information” shall mean the written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the fifth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting,” and the information contained in the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting.”
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; provided that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred and documented by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or
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consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each employee, officer and director of each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act and each broker-dealer or other
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affiliate of any Underwriter; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company (including any person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as about to become a director of the Company) and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
(f) (i) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Directed Share Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages and liabilities to which the Directed Share Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) (x) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (y) arise out of or are based upon the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant agreed to purchase, or (z) are related to, arise out of or are in connection with the Directed Share Program, and will reimburse the Directed Share Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Directed Share Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that with respect to clauses (y) and (z) above, the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability is finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith or gross negligence of the Directed Share Underwriter.
(ii) Promptly after receipt by the Directed Share Underwriter of notice of the commencement of any action, the Directed Share Underwriter shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Company, notify the Company in writing of the commencement thereof; provided that the failure to notify the Company shall not relieve the Company from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraph of this Section 9(f) except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the Company shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to the Directed Share Underwriter otherwise than under the preceding paragraph of this Section 9(f). In case any such action shall be brought against the Directed Share Underwriter and it shall notify the Company of the commencement thereof, the Company shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the Directed Share Underwriter (who shall not, except with the consent of the Directed Share Underwriter, be counsel to the Company), and, after notice from the Company to the Directed Share Underwriter of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the Company shall not be liable to the Directed Share Underwriter under this subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by the Directed Share Underwriter, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. The Company shall not, without the written consent of the Directed Share Underwriter, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the Directed Share Underwriter is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (x) includes an unconditional release of the Directed Share Underwriter from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (y) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of the Directed Share Underwriter.
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(iii) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9(f) is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless the Directed Share Underwriter under Section 9(f)(i) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then the Company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the Directed Share Underwriter as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Directed Share Underwriter on the other from the offering of the Directed Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then the Company shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by the Directed Share Underwriter in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Directed Share Underwriter on the other in connection with any statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Directed Share Underwriter on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Directed Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Directed Share Underwriter for the Directed Shares. If the loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, the relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Directed Share Underwriter on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Directed Share Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9(f)(iii) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 9(f)(iii). The amount paid or payable by the Directed Share Underwriter as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this Section 9(f)(iii) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Directed Share Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9(f)(iii), the Directed Share Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Directed Shares sold by it and distributed to the Participants exceeds the amount of any damages which the Directed Share Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
(iv) The obligations of the Company under this Section 9(f) shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each employee, officer and director of the Directed Share Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls the Directed Share Underwriter within the meaning of the Act and each broker-dealer or other affiliate of the Directed Share Underwriter.
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10. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Shares which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at a Time of Delivery, you may in your discretion arrange for you or another party or other parties to purchase such Shares on the terms contained herein. If within thirty six hours after such default by any Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty six hours within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to you to purchase such Shares on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed periods, you notify the Company that you have so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, or the Company notifies you that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone such Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in your opinion may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section 10 with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased does not exceed one eleventh of the aggregate number of all the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, then the Company shall have the right to require each non defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at such Time of Delivery and, in addition, to require each non defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased exceeds one eleventh of the aggregate number of all of the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non defaulting Underwriters to purchase Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement (or, with respect to the Second Time of Delivery, the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 7 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 9 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
11. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any director, officer, employee, affiliate or controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.
12. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 10 hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof; but, if for any other reason, any Shares are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein or the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason
25
permitted under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through you for all reasonably incurred and documented out of pocket expenses approved in writing by you, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred and documented by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered, but the Company shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof.
13. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives shall act on behalf of each of the Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by you jointly.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282-2198, Attention: Registration Department; Jefferies LLC 520 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022 Attention: General Counsel; and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 500 West 33rd Street, New York, New York 10001, Attention: Equity Syndicate Department (fax no: (212) 214--5918); and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth on the cover of the Registration Statement, Attention: Chief Legal and Administrative Officer; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters’ Questionnaire, or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by you upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.
14. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in Sections 9 and 11 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, or any director, officer, employee, or affiliate of any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.
15. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.
16. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, (iii) no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) or any other obligation to
26
the Company except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) the Company has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate, and (v) none of the activities of the Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated herein constitutes a recommendation, investment advice, or solicitation of any action by the Underwriters with respect to any entity or natural person. The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters, or any of them, has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
17. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
18. This Agreement and any transaction contemplated by this Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related thereto shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to principles of conflict of laws that would results in the application of any other law than the laws of the State of New York. The Company agrees that any suit or proceeding arising in respect of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated by this Agreement will be tried exclusively in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York or, if that court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, in any state court located in The City and County of New York and the Company agrees to submit to the jurisdiction of, and to venue in, such courts.
19. The Company and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
20. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
21. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company is authorized to disclose to any persons the U.S. federal and state income tax treatment and tax structure of the potential transaction and all materials of any kind (including tax opinions and other tax analyses) provided to the Company relating to that treatment and structure, without the Underwriters imposing any limitation of any kind. However, any information relating to the tax treatment and tax structure shall remain confidential (and the foregoing sentence shall not apply) to the extent necessary to enable any person to comply with securities laws. For this purpose, “tax structure” is limited to any facts that may be relevant to that treatment.
22. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
(a) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
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(b) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
(c) As used in this section 22:
“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).
“Covered Entity” means any of the following:
(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);
(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or
(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).
“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.
“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without warranty on your part as to the authority of the signers thereof.
[Signature Pages Follow]
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| Very truly yours, | ||||
|
|
Yellowstone Midco Holdings II, LLC | |||
| By: |
/s/ Kevin Messerle | |||
| Name: | Kevin Messerle | |||
| Title: | Chief Financial Officer | |||
Accepted as of the date hereof
| Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Ryan Cunn | |
| Name: Ryan Cunn | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
| Jefferies LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Scott Skidmore | |
| Name: Scott Skidmore | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
| Wells Fargo Securities, LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Christie MacDonald | |
| Name: Christie MacDonald | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
SCHEDULE I
| Underwriter |
Total Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased |
Number of Optional Shares to be Purchased if Maximum Option Exercised |
||||||
| Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC |
5,123,695 | 768,555 | ||||||
| Jefferies LLC |
4,118,261 | 617,739 | ||||||
| Wells Fargo Securities, LLC |
4,118,261 | 617,739 | ||||||
| J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
1,809,783 | 271,467 | ||||||
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
1,447,826 | 217,174 | ||||||
| Truist Securities, Inc. |
506,739 | 76,011 | ||||||
| Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated |
434,348 | 65,152 | ||||||
| Raymond James & Associates, Inc. |
434,348 | 65,152 | ||||||
| Canaccord Genuity LLC |
217,174 | 32,576 | ||||||
| Needham & Company, LLC |
217,174 | 32,576 | ||||||
| Academy Securities, Inc. |
72,391 | 10,859 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Total |
18,500,000 | 2,775,000 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
SCHEDULE II
(a) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses not included in the Pricing Disclosure Package: Electronic roadshow dated January 2026
(b) Information other than the Pricing Prospectus that comprise the Pricing Disclosure Package:
The initial public offering price per share for the Shares is $34.00
The number of Firm Shares purchased by the Underwriters is 18,500,000
(c) Written Testing-the-Waters Communications:
Testing-the-Waters presentations dated September 2025, October 2025, November 2025 and December 2025
SCHEDULE III
Name of Officer, Director or Stockholder
Dirk Wallinger
Kirk Konert
Tyler Letarte
Kevin Messerle
Devjyoti Rudra
Tamra Erwin
Reggie Brothers
Andrew Boyd
General (RET) James McConville
Entities Affiliated with AE Industrial Partners
Entities Affiliated with BlackRock
ANNEX I
Form of Press Release
York Space Systems Inc.
[•], 2026
“York Space Systems Inc.” announced today that [•], the book-running managers in the Company’s recent public sale of [•] shares of common stock, are [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to [•] shares of the Company’s common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The waiver will take effect on [•], 2026, and the shares may be sold on or after such date.
This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
ANNEX II
[FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT]
York Space Systems Inc.
Lock-Up Agreement
[•], 2026
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
Jefferies LLC
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
As Representatives of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement
c/o Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282-2198
c/o Jefferies LLC
520 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10022
c/o Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
500 West 33rd Street, 14th Floor
New York, New York 10001
| Re: | York Space Systems Inc. - Lock-Up Agreement |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you, as representatives (the “Representatives”), propose to enter into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) on behalf of the several Underwriters named in Schedule I to such agreement (collectively, the “Underwriters”), with Yellowstone Midco Holdings II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), providing for a public offering (the “Public Offering”) of shares (the “Shares”) of the common stock , par value $0.0001 per share, of York Space Systems Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Common Stock”), pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). As used in this Lock-Up Agreement, references to the Company refer to (i) Yellowstone Midco Holdings II, LLC prior to the Corporate Conversion (as defined in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus) and (ii) York Space Systems Inc. after giving effect to the Corporate Conversion.
In consideration of the agreement by the Underwriters to offer and sell the Shares, and of other good and valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees that, during the period beginning from the date of this Lock-Up Agreement and continuing to and including the date 180 days after the date of the final prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”) (such period, the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned shall not, and shall not cause or direct any of its affiliates to, (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant
any option, right or warrant to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock, or any options or warrants to purchase any shares of Common Stock, or any securities convertible into, exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive shares of Common Stock (such shares of Common Stock, options, rights, warrants or other securities, collectively, “Lock-Up Securities”), including without limitation any such Lock-Up Securities now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned, (ii) engage in any hedging or other transaction or arrangement (including, without limitation, any short sale or the purchase or sale of, or entry into, any put or call option, or combination thereof, forward, swap or any other derivative transaction or instrument, however described or defined) which is designed to or which reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in a sale, loan, pledge or other disposition (whether by the undersigned or someone other than the undersigned), or transfer of any of the economic consequences of ownership, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, of any Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction or arrangement (or instrument provided for thereunder) would be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise (any such sale, loan, pledge or other disposition, or transfer of economic consequences, a “Transfer”), (iii) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any Lock-Up Securities or (iv) otherwise publicly announce any intention to engage in or cause any action, activity, transaction or arrangement described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above. The undersigned represents and warrants that the undersigned is not, and has not caused or directed any of its affiliates to be or become, currently a party to any agreement or arrangement that provides for, is designed to or reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in any Transfer during the Lock-Up Period.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may:
| (a) | transfer the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities |
| (i) | as one or more bona fide gifts or charitable contributions, or for bona fide estate planning purposes, |
| (ii) | upon death by will, testamentary document or intestate succession, |
| (iii) | if the undersigned is a natural person, to any member of the undersigned’s immediate family (for purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, current or former marriage, domestic partnership or adoption, not more remote than first cousin) or to any trust, partnership, limited liability company or other entity for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned or, if the undersigned is a trust, to a trustor or beneficiary of the trust or the estate of a beneficiary of such trust, |
| (iv) | to a partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which the undersigned and the immediate family of the undersigned are the legal and beneficial owner of all of the outstanding equity securities or similar interests, |
| (v) | to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (a)(i) through (iv) above, |
| (vi) | if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, (A) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity that is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned, or to any investment fund or other entity which fund or entity is controlled or managed by the undersigned or affiliates of the undersigned, or (B) as part of a distribution by the undersigned to its stockholders, current or former partners, members or other equityholders or to the estate of any such stockholders, partners, members or other equityholders, |
| (vii) | by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order, divorce settlement, divorce decree or separation agreement or other order of a court or regulatory authority, |
| (viii) | to the Company from an employee of the Company upon death, disability or termination of employment, in each case, of such employee, |
| (ix) | if the undersigned is not an officer or director of the Company or a stockholder holding 10% or more of the Company’s Common Stock, in connection with a sale or transfer of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock acquired (A) from the Underwriters in the Public Offering or (B) in open market transactions after the closing date of the Public Offering, |
| (x) | to the Company in connection with the vesting, settlement or exercise of restricted stock units, options, warrants or other rights to purchase shares of Common Stock (including, in each case, by way of “net” or “cashless” exercise), including any transfer to the Company for the payment of tax withholdings or remittance payments due as a result of the vesting, settlement or exercise of such restricted stock units, options, warrants or other rights, or in connection with the conversion of convertible securities, in all such cases pursuant to equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan, or pursuant to the terms of convertible securities, each as described in the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus relating to the Shares included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the time the Underwriting Agreement is executed and the Prospectus, provided that any securities received upon such vesting, settlement, exercise or conversion shall be subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement, |
| (xi) | in connection with the conversion, exchange or reclassification of any outstanding securities of the Company into shares of Common Stock, or any conversion, exchange or reclassification of the Common Stock, provided that any such shares of Common Stock received upon such conversion, exchange or reclassification shall be subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement, or |
| (xii) | with the prior written consent of at least two of the Representatives (which must include Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC) on behalf of the Underwriters; |
provided that (A) in the case of clauses (a)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (xi) above, such transfer or distribution shall not involve a disposition for value, (B) in the case of clauses (a)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (vii) above, it shall be a condition to the transfer or distribution that the donee, devisee, transferee or distributee, as the case may be, shall sign and deliver a lock-up agreement in the form of this Lock-Up Agreement, (C) in the case of clauses (a)(iii), (iv), (v) and (vi) above, no filing by any party (including, without limitation, any donor, donee, devisee, transferor, transferee, distributor or distributee) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act), or other public filing, report or announcement reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Lock-Up Securities shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with such transfer or distribution, and (D) in the case of clauses (a)(i), (ii), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) and (xi) above, no filing under the Exchange Act or other public filing, report or announcement shall be voluntarily made, and if any such filing, report or announcement
shall be legally required during the Lock-Up Period, such filing, report or announcement shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto (I) the circumstances of such transfer or distribution and (II) in the case of a transfer or distribution pursuant to clauses (a)(i), (ii) or (vii) above, that the donee, devisee, transferee or distributee has agreed to be bound by a lock-up agreement in the form of this Lock-Up Agreement;
| (b) | enter into or amend a written plan meeting the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act relating to the transfer, sale or other disposition of the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities, if then permitted by the Company, provided that none of the securities subject to such plan may be transferred, sold or otherwise disposed of until after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period and no public announcement, report or filing under the Exchange Act, or any other public filing, report or announcement, shall be voluntarily made (whether by or on behalf of the undersigned, the Company or any other party) regarding, or that otherwise discloses, the establishment of such plan during the Lock-Up Period, and if any such filing, report or announcement shall be legally required during the Lock-Up Period, such filing, report or announcement shall clearly indicate that that none of the securities subject to such plan may be transferred, sold or otherwise disposed of pursuant to such plan until after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period; |
| (c) | transfer the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction that is approved by the Board of Directors of the Company and made to all holders of the Company’s capital stock involving a Change of Control of the Company (for purposes hereof, “Change of Control” shall mean the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons, of shares of capital stock if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold at least a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity)); provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction is not completed, the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities shall remain subject to the provisions of this Lock-Up Agreement; and |
| (d) | to the extent the undersigned has demand and/or piggyback registration rights under any registration rights agreement described in the Prospectus, the undersigned may notify the Company privately that the undersigned is or will be exercising his, her or its demand and/or piggyback registration rights under any such registration rights agreement following the expiration of the Lock-Up Period and undertake preparations related thereto; provided that the foregoing notification and/or preparations do not request, require or result in the public filing of a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other public announcement of such proposed registration by the undersigned, the Company or any third party during the Lock-Up Period (and no such filing, public announcement or activity shall be voluntarily made or taken by the undersigned, the Company or any third party during the Lock-Up Period); provided further that the Company shall notify the Representatives upon receipt of such notice. |
[If the closing price per share of the Common Stock is at least 15% greater than the initial public offering price per share of Common Stock set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus for at least five consecutive Trading Days (as defined below) ending on or after the date that is 90 days after the date of the final prospectus relating to the Public Offering, then a number of shares equal to the Early Release Amount (as defined below) will be automatically released from the
restrictions contained in this agreement effective on the next Trading Day following such five consecutive Trading Day period . For purposes of this agreement: (i) the “Early Release Amount” shall mean a number of shares of Common Stock equal to (x) the undersigned’s Class P Pro Rata Proportion times (y) the lesser of (a) 15% of the number of shares of Common Stock sold in the Public Offering (including shares sold upon the exercise of the Underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares, if any) and (b) 50% of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion of the Class P units of Yellowstone Midco Holdings II, LLC (the “Class P Units”) in connection with the Public Offering; (ii) the undersigned’s “Class P Pro Rata Proportion” shall mean a percentage equal to (x) the number of shares of Common Stock received by the undersigned upon conversion of Class P Units divided by (y) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion of the Class P Units.; and (c) “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for the buying and selling of securities.]1
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed or other Shares the undersigned may purchase in the Public Offering.
If the undersigned is not a natural person, the undersigned represents and warrants that no single natural person, entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), other than a natural person, entity or “group” (as described above) that has executed a Lock-Up Agreement in substantially the same form as this Lock-Up Agreement, beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the common equity interests, or 50% or more of the voting power, in the undersigned.
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the Representatives agree that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of shares of Common Stock, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service (or such other method approved by at least two of the Representatives (which must include Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC) that satisfies the requirements of FINRA Rule 5131(d)(2)) at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (i) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration or that is to an immediate family member as defined in FINRA Rule 5130(i)(5) and (ii) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this Lock-Up Agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.
The undersigned now has, and, except as contemplated by clauses (a) and (c) of the third paragraph of this Lock-Up Agreement, for the duration of this Lock-Up Agreement will have, good and marketable title to the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and claims whatsoever. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that none of the Underwriters has made any recommendation or provided any investment or other advice to the undersigned with respect to this Lock-Up Agreement or the subject matter hereof, and the undersigned has consulted its own legal,
| 1 | To be inserted for holders of Class P Units. |
accounting, financial, regulatory, tax and other advisors with respect to this Lock-Up Agreement and the subject matter hereof to the extent the undersigned has deemed appropriate. The undersigned further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Underwriters may have provided or hereafter provide to the undersigned in connection with the Public Offering a Form CRS and/or certain other disclosures as contemplated by Regulation Best Interest, the Underwriters have not made and are not making a recommendation to the undersigned to enter into this Lock-Up Agreement or to transfer, sell or dispose of, or to refrain from transferring, selling or disposing of, any shares of Common Stock, and nothing set forth in such disclosures or herein is intended to suggest that any Underwriter is making such a recommendation.
This Lock-Up Agreement shall automatically terminate and the undersigned shall be released from all of his, her or its obligations hereunder upon the earlier of (i) the date on which the Registration Statement filed with the SEC with respect to the Public Offering is withdrawn, (ii) the date on which for any reason the Underwriting Agreement is terminated (other than the provisions thereof that survive termination) prior to payment for and delivery of the Shares to be sold thereunder (other than pursuant to the Underwriters’ option thereunder to purchase additional Shares), (iii) the date on which the Company notifies the Representatives, in writing and prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, that it does not intend to proceed with the Public Offering and (iv) March 31, 2026, in the event that the Underwriting Agreement has not been executed by such date (provided, however, that the Company may, by written notice to the undersigned prior to such date, extend such date by a period of up to an additional 90 days).
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this Lock-Up Agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this Lock-Up Agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns. The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Lock-Up Agreement. This Lock-Up Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles of conflict of laws that would result in the application of any law other than the laws of the State of New York. This Lock-Up Agreement may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com or www.echosign.com) or other transmission method, and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
Very truly yours,
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| Name: | By: | |||||
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[Signature Page to Lock-Up Agreement]
Exhibit 3.1
YORK SPACE SYSTEMS INC.
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
ARTICLE ONE
The name of the corporation is York Space Systems Inc. (the “Corporation”).
ARTICLE TWO
Section 1. Registered Office. The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle 19801. The name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.
Section 2. Incorporator. The name and mailing address of the sole incorporator are as follows:
| Name |
Mailing Address | |
| Dirk Wallinger | 6060 S Willow Drive Greenwood Village, CO 80111 |
ARTICLE THREE
The nature and purpose of the business 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 (“DGCL”).
ARTICLE FOUR
Section 1. Authorized Shares. The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 1,100,000,000 shares, consisting of two classes as follows:
(a) 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”); and
(b) 1,000,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”).
The Preferred Stock and the Common Stock shall have the designations, rights, powers, and preferences and the qualifications, restrictions, and limitations thereof, if any, set forth below.
Section 2. Preferred Stock. The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by law, to provide, by resolution or resolutions for the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock in one or more series, and with respect to each series, to establish the number of shares to be included in each such series, and to fix the voting powers (if any), designations, powers, preferences, privileges and relative, participating, optional, or other special rights, if any, of the shares of each such series, and any qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, and liquidation preferences, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of the Common Stock. The powers (including voting 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. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then-outstanding) by the approval of the Board and by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in an election of directors, without the separate vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock as a class, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL. For the avoidance of doubt, the Corporation does not intend by the foregoing sentence, or by the last sentence of Section 3(a), to opt out of the provisions of Section 242(d) of the DGCL, and intends that Section 242(d) be applicable to the Corporation.
Section 3. Common Stock.
(a) Except as otherwise provided by the DGCL or this Certificate of Incorporation (as it may be amended and/or restated from time to time, including pursuant to any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock, the “Certificate”) and subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock then-outstanding, all of the voting power of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be vested in the holders of the Common Stock. Each share of Common Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote for each share held by such holder on all matters voted upon by the stockholders of the Corporation; provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate (including any certificate of designation 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 Certificate (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) or pursuant to the DGCL. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then-outstanding) without the separate vote of the holders of the Common Stock as a class, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.
(b) Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then-outstanding and to the other provisions of applicable law and this Certificate, holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive equally, on a per share basis, such dividends in cash, securities, or other property of the Corporation if, as, and when declared thereon by the Board from time to time out of assets of the Corporation legally available therefor.
(c) In the event of any liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, after payment or provision for payment of the Corporation’s debts and any other payments required by law and amounts payable upon outstanding shares of Preferred Stock ranking senior to the shares of Common Stock upon such dissolution, liquidation, or winding up, if any, the remaining net assets of the Corporation shall be distributed to the holders of shares of Common Stock and the holders of shares of any other class or series ranking equally with the shares of Common Stock upon such dissolution, liquidation, or winding up, equally on a per share basis. Subject to the rights of the holders of Preferred Stock then-outstanding and the other provisions of this Certificate, a merger or consolidation of the Corporation with or into any other corporation or other entity, or a sale or conveyance of all or any part of the assets of the Corporation (which shall not in fact result in the liquidation of the Corporation and the distribution of assets to its stockholders) shall not be deemed to be a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Paragraph (c).
(d) No holder of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to preemptive or subscription rights. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing shall not restrict the Corporation from entering into an agreement providing for preemptive or subscription rights.
ARTICLE FIVE
Section 1. Board of Directors. Except as otherwise provided in this Certificate or the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.
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Section 2. Number of Directors. Subject to any rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then-outstanding to elect additional directors under specified circumstances or otherwise, the number of directors which shall constitute the Board shall initially be seven and, thereafter, shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by resolution of the Board; provided that, before the Trigger Date, the size of the Board may also be fixed by the holders of a majority of the voting power present or represented by proxy at a duly convened meeting of stockholders or by a consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.
Section 3. Classes of Directors. The directors of the Corporation, other than those who may be elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, shall be divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, designated Class I, Class II, and Class III.
Section 4. Election and Term of Office. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then-outstanding, the directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast. The term of office of the initial Class I directors shall expire at the first annual meeting of stockholders following the date the Common Stock is first publicly traded (the “IPO Date”), the term of office of the initial Class II directors shall expire at the second annual meeting of stockholders after the IPO Date, and the term of office of the initial Class III directors shall expire at the third annual meeting of the stockholders after the IPO Date. At each annual meeting of stockholders after the IPO Date, directors elected to replace those of a class whose terms expire at such annual meeting shall be elected to hold office until the third succeeding annual meeting after their election and until their respective successors shall have been duly elected and qualified. Each such director shall hold office until the annual meeting of stockholders for the year in which such director’s term expires and a successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, or removal. Nothing in this Certificate shall preclude a director from serving consecutive terms. Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of the Corporation (as amended and/or restated, the “Bylaws”) shall so provide.
Section 5. Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock then-outstanding, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies in the Board resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal from office, or any other cause may be filled only by resolution of a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and may not be filled in any other manner; provided that, before the Trigger Date, vacant and newly created directorships may also be filled by a plurality vote of the stockholders entitled to vote thereon at a duly convened meeting of stockholders or by a consent of a majority in voting power of the stock entitled to vote thereon in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL. A director elected or appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for the unexpired term of his or her predecessor in office and until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, or removal. A director elected or appointed to fill a position resulting from an increase in the number of directors shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such director shall have been elected or appointed and until his or her successor is elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, or removal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, before the Trigger Date, a director appointed to a vacant or newly created directorship by directors shall serve for a term expiring at the earlier of (i) first annual meeting following his or her appointment as a director and (ii) a special meeting called for the purposes of enabling the stockholders to elect a successor to the nominee appointed by directors to fill the vacant or new directorship. No decrease in the authorized number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
Section 6. Removal and Resignation of Directors. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate, (i) prior to the Trigger Date, directors may be removed with or without cause upon the affirmative vote of stockholders representing at least a majority of the voting power of the then-outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, and (ii) on and after the Trigger Date, directors may only be removed for cause and only upon the affirmative vote of stockholders representing at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of the then-outstanding shares of Voting Stock. Any director may resign at any time upon notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation.
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Section 7. Rights of Holders of Preferred Stock. Notwithstanding the provisions of this ARTICLE FIVE, whenever the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock shall have the right, voting separately or together by series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, filling of vacancies, and other features of such directorship shall be subject to the rights of such series of Preferred Stock. During any period when the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or together with one or more series, have the right to elect additional directors, then upon commencement and for the duration of the period during which such right continues (i) the then otherwise total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be increased by such specified number of directors, and the holders of such Preferred Stock shall be entitled to elect the additional directors so provided for or fixed pursuant to said provisions, and (ii) each such additional director shall serve until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s right to hold such office terminates pursuant to said provisions, whichever occurs earlier, subject to his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification, or removal. Except as otherwise provided by the Board in the resolution or resolutions establishing such series, whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having such right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to the provisions of such stock, the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such stock, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification, or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate (in which case each such director thereupon shall cease to be qualified as, and shall cease to be, a director), and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be reduced accordingly.
Section 8. Advance Notice. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws.
Section 9. Definitions. For purposes of this Certificate:
(a) “AE Industrial Partners” means AE Industrial Partners, LP.
(b) “Affiliated Companies” shall mean (A) in respect of AE Industrial Partners, any entity that controls, is controlled by, or under common control with AE Industrial Partners (other than the Corporation and any company that is controlled by the Corporation) and any investment funds managed or advised by AE Industrial Partners, and (B) in respect of the Corporation, any entity controlled by the Corporation.
(c) “Investor Group” means AE Industrial Partners and its Affiliated Companies.
(d) “Trigger Date” means the first date on which the Investor Group ceases to beneficially own or control, through share ownership and contractual arrangements (directly or indirectly), 40% or more of the voting power of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock.
(e) “Voting Stock” means the capital stock of the Corporation then entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.
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ARTICLE SIX
Section 1. Limitation of Liability.
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as it now exists or may hereafter be amended, no director or officer of the Corporation shall be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages arising from a breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer. Any disinterested failure to satisfy Section 365 of the DGCL shall not, for the purposes of Sections 102(b)(7) or 145 of the DGCL, constitute an act or omission not in good faith, or a breach of the duty of loyalty.
(b) Any amendment, repeal, or modification of the foregoing paragraph shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director or officer of the Corporation existing at the time of such amendment, repeal, or modification with respect to any act, omission, or other matter occurring prior to such amendment, repeal, or modification. Solely for purposes of Section 1(a) and 1(b) of this ARTICLE SIX, “officer” has the meaning provided in Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL.
ARTICLE SEVEN
Section 1. Action by Consent. Prior to the first date (the “Stockholder Consent Trigger Date”) on which the Investor Group ceases to beneficially own or control, through share ownership and contractual arrangements (directly or indirectly) at least 35% of the voting power of the then outstanding Voting Stock, any action which is required or permitted to be taken by the Corporation’s stockholders 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, is signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of the Corporation’s stock entitled to vote thereon were present and voted. On and after the Stockholder Consent Trigger Date, any action required or permitted to be taken by the Corporation’s stockholders may be taken only at a duly called annual or special meeting of the Corporation’s stockholders and the power of stockholders to act by consent without a meeting is specifically denied; provided, however, that any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice, and without a vote, to the extent expressly so provided in the resolutions creating such series of Preferred Stock.
Section 2. Special Meetings of Stockholders. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then-outstanding and to the requirements of applicable law, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called only (i) by or at the direction of the Board or the Chair of the Board pursuant to a written resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of the majority of the total number of directors that the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies, and (ii) prior to the Stockholder Consent Trigger Date, by the Chair of the Board at the request of AE Industrial Partners in the manner provided for in the Bylaws. Any business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice of the meeting.
ARTICLE EIGHT
Section 1. Certain Acknowledgments. It is hereby acknowledged that:
(a) (i) certain of the directors, partners, principals, officers, members, managers, employees, operating partners, and/or contractors of AE Industrial Partners or its Affiliated Companies (as defined below) may serve as directors or officers of the Corporation, (ii) AE Industrial Partners and its Affiliated Companies 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, and (iii) the Corporation and its Affiliated Companies may engage in material business transactions with AE Industrial Partners and its Affiliated Companies, and the Corporation is expected to benefit therefrom,
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(b) the provisions of this ARTICLE EIGHT are set forth to renounce certain business opportunities as they may involve AE Industrial Partners and/or its Affiliated Companies and/or their respective directors, partners, principals, officers, members, managers, employees, operating partners, and/or contractors, including any of the foregoing who serve as officers or directors of the Corporation (AE Industrial Partners and/or its Affiliated Companies and all such other persons each an “Exempted Person” and collectively, the “Exempted Persons”); and
(c) as a result of the renunciations set forth in this ARTICLE EIGHT, (i) each Exempted Person will have no obligation to communicate or offer a business opportunity to the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries unless Section 3 of this ARTICLE EIGHT applies to such opportunity; (ii) an Exempted Person may direct any such business opportunity to itself or persons or entities other than the Corporation and its subsidiaries unless Section 3 of this ARTICLE EIGHT applies to such opportunity; and (iii) AE Industrial Partners has approved an initial public offering of the stock of the Corporation in reliance on the adoption of this ARTICLE EIGHT.
Section 2. Renunciation of Corporate Opportunities. To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, but subject to Section 3 of this ARTICLE EIGHT, the Corporation hereby renounces any interest or expectancy in, or being offered an opportunity to participate in, any and all business opportunities: (a) originated or acquired by an Exempted Person; (b) in which the Exempted Person has an interest; or (c) that is received from any person or entity by an Exempted Person. The business opportunities renounced under this paragraph include any actual or potential investment or business opportunity or prospective economic advantage in which the Corporation could, but for this paragraph, have an interest or expectancy (including, without limitation, acquisitions, dispositions, business combinations, financings or investment opportunities), whether or not such opportunities are in the same or similar lines of business in which the Corporation is engaged or intends to engage.
Section 3. Excluded Opportunities. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this ARTICLE EIGHT, but subject to Section 4 of this ARTICLE EIGHT, the Corporation does not renounce any business opportunity (a) expressly offered to a person in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation; (b) offered to, or acquired by, a person while he or she is a full-time employee of the Corporation; or (c) that has been developed using the confidential information of the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries.
Section 4. Certain Matters Deemed Not Corporate Opportunities. In addition to and notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this ARTICLE EIGHT, a corporate opportunity shall not be deemed to belong to the Corporation if it is a business opportunity the Corporation is not financially able, contractually permitted or legally able to undertake, or that is, from its nature, not in the line of the Corporation’s business or is of no practical advantage to it, or that is one in which the Corporation has no interest or reasonable expectancy.
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Section 5. Amendment of this Article. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary elsewhere contained in this Certificate, subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then-outstanding, and in addition to any vote required by applicable law, the affirmative vote of AE Industrial Partners, so long as AE Industrial Partners and/or its Affiliated Companies continues to beneficially own any outstanding shares of Voting Stock, shall be required to alter, amend, or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this ARTICLE EIGHT; provided, however, that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, neither the alteration, amendment, or repeal of this ARTICLE EIGHT nor the adoption of any provision of this Certificate inconsistent with this ARTICLE EIGHT shall apply to or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability of any Exempted Person for or with respect to any activities or opportunities which such Exempted Person becomes aware of prior to such alteration, amendment, repeal, or adoption.
Section 6. Deemed Notice. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in any shares of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this ARTICLE EIGHT.
ARTICLE NINE
Section 1. Section 203 of the DGCL. The Corporation expressly elects not to be subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL.
Section 2. Business Combinations with Interested Stockholders. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Certificate to the contrary, the Corporation shall not engage in any Business Combination (as defined hereinafter), at any point in time at which the Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), with any Interested Stockholder (as defined hereinafter) for a period of three years following the time that such stockholder became an Interested Stockholder, unless:
(a) prior to such time the Board approved either the Business Combination or the transaction which resulted in such stockholder becoming an Interested Stockholder;
(b) upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in such stockholder becoming an Interested Stockholder, such stockholder owned at least 85% of the Voting Stock of the Corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the Voting Stock outstanding (but not the outstanding Voting Stock owned by such Interested Stockholder) those shares owned (i) by Persons (as defined hereinafter) who are directors and also officers of the Corporation, and (ii) employee stock plans of the Corporation in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or
(c) at or subsequent to such time, the Business Combination is approved by the Board and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding Voting Stock which is not owned by such Interested Stockholder.
Section 3. Exceptions to Prohibition on Interested Stockholder Transactions. The restrictions contained in this ARTICLE NINE shall not apply if:
(a) a stockholder becomes an Interested Stockholder inadvertently and (i) as soon as practicable divests itself of ownership of sufficient shares so that the stockholder ceases to be an Interested Stockholder, and (ii) would not, at any time within the three-year period immediately prior to a Business Combination between the Corporation and such stockholder, have been an Interested Stockholder but for the inadvertent acquisition of ownership; or
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(b) the Business Combination is proposed prior to the consummation or abandonment of and subsequent to the earlier of the public announcement or the notice required hereunder of a proposed transaction which (i) constitutes one of the transactions described in the second sentence of this Section 3(b) of ARTICLE NINE, (ii) is with or by a Person who either was not an Interested Stockholder during the previous three years or who became an Interested Stockholder with the approval of the Board, and (iii) is approved or not opposed by a majority of the directors then in office (but not less than one) who were directors prior to any Person becoming an Interested Stockholder during the previous three years or were recommended for election or elected to succeed such directors by a majority of such directors. The proposed transactions referred to in the preceding sentence are limited to: (x) a merger or consolidation of the Corporation (except for a merger in respect of which, pursuant to Section 251(f) of the DGCL, no vote of the stockholders of the Corporation is required); (y) a sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer, or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions), whether as part of a dissolution or otherwise, of assets of the Corporation or of any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation (other than to any direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary or to the Corporation) having an aggregate market value equal to 50% or more of either that aggregate market value of all of the assets of the Corporation determined on a consolidated basis or the aggregate market value of all the outstanding Stock (as defined hereinafter) of the Corporation; or (z) a proposed tender or exchange offer for 50% or more of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Corporation. The Corporation shall give not less than 20 days’ notice to all Interested Stockholders prior to the consummation of any of the transactions described in clause (x) or (y) of the second sentence of this Section 3(b) of ARTICLE NINE.
Section 4. Definitions. As used in this ARTICLE NINE only, and unless otherwise provided by the express terms of this ARTICLE NINE, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them as set forth in this Section 4 and, to the extent such terms are defined elsewhere in this Certificate, such definitions shall not apply to this ARTICLE NINE:
(a) “Affiliate” means a Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, another Person;
(b) “Associate,” when used to indicate a relationship with any Person, means (i) any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association, or other entity of which such Person is a director, officer, or general partner or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of Voting Stock, (ii) any trust or other estate in which such Person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity, and (iii) any relative or spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same residence as such Person;
(c) “Business Combination” means:
(i) any merger or consolidation of the Corporation (other than a merger effected pursuant to Sections 253 or 267 of the DGCL) or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation with (A) the Interested Stockholder, or (B) any other corporation, partnership, unincorporated association, or entity if the merger or consolidation is caused by the Interested Stockholder and as a result of such merger or consolidation Section 2 of this ARTICLE NINE is not applicable to the surviving entity;
(ii) any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer, or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions), except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation, to or with the Interested Stockholder, whether as part of a dissolution or otherwise, of assets of the Corporation or of any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which assets have an aggregate market value equal to 10% or more of either the aggregate market value of all the assets of the Corporation determined on a consolidated basis or the aggregate market value of all the outstanding Stock of the Corporation;
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(iii) any transaction which results in the issuance or transfer by the Corporation or by any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation of any Stock of the Corporation or of such subsidiary to the Interested Stockholder, except (A) pursuant to the exercise, exchange, or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for, or convertible into Stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which securities were outstanding prior to the time that the Interested Stockholder became such, (B) pursuant to a merger under Sections 251(g), 253, or 267 of the DGCL, (C) pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made, or the exercise, exchange, or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for, or convertible into Stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which security is distributed, pro rata to all holders of a class or series of Stock of the Corporation subsequent to the time the Interested Stockholder became such, (D) pursuant to an exchange offer by the Corporation to purchase Stock made on the same terms to all holders of such Stock, or (E) any issuance or transfer of Stock by the Corporation; provided, however, that in no case under items (C)-(E) of this Section 4(c)(iii) of ARTICLE NINE shall there be an increase in the Interested Stockholder’s proportionate share of the Stock of any class or series of the Corporation or of the Voting Stock of the Corporation;
(iv) any transaction involving the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportionate share of the Stock of any class or series, or securities convertible into the Stock of any class or series, of the Corporation or of any such subsidiary which is owned by the Interested Stockholder, except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments or as a result of any purchase or redemption of any shares of Stock not caused, directly or indirectly, by the Interested Stockholder; or
(v) any receipt by the Interested Stockholder of the benefit, directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges, or other financial benefits (other than those expressly permitted in Sections 4(c)(i)-(iv) of ARTICLE NINE) provided by or through the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation;
(d) “control,” including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with,” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of Voting Stock, by contract or otherwise. A Person who is the owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Voting Stock of any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association, or other entity shall be presumed to have control of such entity, in the absence of proof by a preponderance of the evidence to the contrary; notwithstanding the foregoing, a presumption of control shall not apply where such Person holds Voting Stock, in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing this ARTICLE NINE, as an agent, bank, broker, nominee, custodian, or trustee for one or more owners who do not individually or as a group (as such term is used in Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act (“Rule 13d-5”), as such Rule 13d-5 is in effect as of the date of this Certificate) have control of such entity;
(e) “Interested Stockholder” means any Person (other than the Corporation and any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation) that (i) is the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Corporation, or (ii) is an Affiliate or Associate of the Corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Corporation at any time within the three-year period immediately prior to the date on which it is sought to be determined whether such Person is an Interested Stockholder, and the affiliates and associates of such Person. Notwithstanding anything in this ARTICLE NINE to the contrary, the term “Interested Stockholder” shall not include: (x) AE Industrial Partners or any of its Affiliated Companies, or any other Person with whom any of the foregoing are acting as a group or in concert for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting, or disposing of shares of Stock of the
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Corporation; (y) any Person who would otherwise be an Interested Stockholder either in connection with or because of a transfer, sale, assignment, conveyance, hypothecation, encumbrance, or other disposition of 5% or more of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Corporation (in one transaction or a series of transactions) by AE Industrial Partners or any of its affiliates or associates to such Person; provided, however, that such Person was not an Interested Stockholder prior to such transfer, sale, assignment, conveyance, hypothecation, encumbrance, or other disposition; or (z) any Person whose ownership of shares in excess of the 15% limitation set forth herein is the result of action taken solely by the Corporation, provided that, for purposes of this clause (z) only, such Person shall be an Interested Stockholder if thereafter such Person acquires additional shares of Voting Stock of the Corporation, except as a result of further action by the Corporation not caused, directly or indirectly, by such Person; provided, that, for the purpose of determining whether a Person is an Interested Stockholder, the Voting Stock of the Corporation deemed to be outstanding shall include Stock deemed to be owned by the Person through application of this definition of “owned” but shall not include any other unissued Stock of the Corporation which may be issuable pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, or understanding, or upon exercise of conversion rights, warrants, or options, or otherwise;
(f) “owner,” including the terms “own” and “owned,” when used with respect to any Stock, means a Person that individually or with or through any of its affiliates or associates beneficially owns such Stock, directly or indirectly; or has (A) the right to acquire such Stock (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants, or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the owner of Stock tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person or any of such Person’s affiliates or associates until such tendered Stock is accepted for purchase or exchange, (B) the right to vote such Stock pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the owner of any Stock because of such Person’s right to vote such Stock if the agreement, arrangement, or understanding to vote such Stock arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or more Persons, or (C) has any agreement, arrangement, or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent as described in (B) of this Section 4(f) of ARTICLE NINE), or disposing of such Stock with any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose affiliates or associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, such Stock;
(g) “Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association, or other entity;
(h) “Stock” means, with respect to any corporation, any capital stock of such corporation and, with respect to any other entity, any equity interest of such entity; and
(i) “Voting Stock” means, with respect to any corporation, Stock of any class or series entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, and, with respect to any entity that is not a corporation, any equity interest entitled to vote generally in the election of the governing body of such entity. Every reference to a percentage of Voting Stock shall refer to such percentage of the votes of such Voting Stock.
ARTICLE TEN
Section 1. Amendments to the Bylaws. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock then-outstanding, in furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by law, prior to the Trigger Date, the Bylaws may be amended, altered, or repealed and new bylaws made by (i) the Board, or (ii) in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation required herein (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock)
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and any other vote otherwise required by applicable law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of Voting Stock, voting together as a single class. On and after the Trigger Date, the Bylaws may be amended, altered, or repealed and new bylaws made by (i) the Board, or (ii) in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation required herein (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock), the Bylaws or applicable law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of the then-outstanding Voting Stock, voting together as a single class.
Section 2. Amendments to this Certificate. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock then-outstanding, and in addition to any other vote required by law or this Certificate, no provision of ARTICLE FIVE, ARTICLE SIX, ARTICLE SEVEN, ARTICLE EIGHT, ARTICLE TEN, or ARTICLE ELEVEN of this Certificate may be altered, amended, or repealed in any respect, nor may any provision of this Certificate or the Bylaws inconsistent therewith be adopted, unless (i) prior to the Trigger Date, such alteration, amendment, repeal, or adoption is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, and (ii) on and after the Trigger Date, such alteration, amendment, repeal, or adoption is approved by the affirmative vote of holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all outstanding shares of Voting Stock, voting together as a single class.
ARTICLE ELEVEN
Section 1. Exclusive Forum. Unless this Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District 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 current or former director, officer, employee, or stockholder 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 or as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, the Certificate or the Bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, this provision, including for any “derivative action,” will not apply to suits to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Exchange Act, or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Unless this Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States shall be the exclusive forum for resolutions of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act.
Section 2. Notice. Any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation (including, without limitation, shares of Common Stock) shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this ARTICLE ELEVEN.
ARTICLE TWELVE
If any provision or provisions of this Certificate 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 Certificate (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable) shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
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For the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of applying this Certificate to any contract authorized by Section 122(18) of the DGCL, a restriction, prohibition, or covenant in any such contract that relates to any specified action shall not be deemed contrary to this Certificate.
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I, THE UNDERSIGNED, being the sole incorporator hereinbefore named, for the purpose of forming a corporation pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, do make this certificate, hereby declaring and certifying that this is my act and deed and the facts stated herein are true, and accordingly have hereunto set my hand on the 28th day of January, 2026.
| /s/ Dirk Wallinger |
| Dirk Wallinger, Incorporator |
Exhibit 3.2
BYLAWS
OF
YORK SPACE SYSTEMS INC.
A Delaware corporation
(Adopted as of January 28, 2026)
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
Section 1. Offices. York Space Systems Inc. (the “Corporation”) may have an office or offices other than its registered office at such place or places, either within or outside the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require. The registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware shall be as stated in the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation as then in effect (as amended, restated, modified, and/or supplemented from time to time, including any certificate of designation relating to any series of preferred stock, the “Certificate of Incorporation”).
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1. Place of Meetings. The Board may designate a place, if any, either within or outside the State of Delaware, as the place of meeting for any annual meeting or for any special meeting of stockholders. The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that meetings of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may in addition to or instead be held solely by means of remote communication (including virtually) in accordance with Section 211(a)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).
Section 2. Annual Meeting. An annual meeting of the stockholders shall be held at such date and time as is specified by resolution of the Board. At the annual meeting, stockholders shall elect directors to succeed those whose terms expire at such annual meeting and transact such other business as properly may be brought before the annual meeting pursuant to Section 11 of this ARTICLE II of these bylaws (as amended, restated, modified, and/or supplemented from time to time, these “Bylaws”). The Board may postpone, reschedule, or cancel any annual meeting of stockholders previously scheduled by the Board.
Section 3. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the stockholders may only be called in the manner provided in the Certificate of Incorporation and may be held at such place, if any, either within or without the State of Delaware, and at such time and date as the Board or the Chair of the Board (the “Chair”) or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation (the “Chief Executive Officer”) shall determine and state in the notice of such meeting. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice. The Board may postpone, reschedule, or cancel any special meeting of stockholders previously scheduled by the Board; provided that prior to the Trigger Date (as defined in the Certificate of Incorporation) any special meeting called at the request of the Principal Stockholder or any Principal Stockholder Affiliate may not be postponed, rescheduled, or cancelled without the consent of the Principal Stockholder or such Principal Stockholder Affiliate, as the case may be, at whose request the meeting was originally called.
Section 4. Notice of Meetings. Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take action at a meeting, notice of the meeting, which shall state the place, if any, date, and time of the meeting of the stockholders, the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders not physically present 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 determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be given, not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the date on which the meeting is to be held, to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law (meaning, here and hereinafter, as required from time to time by the DGCL) or the Certificate of Incorporation.
(a) Form of Notice. All such notices shall be delivered in writing or by electronic transmission in the manner provided in Section 232 of the DGCL, or in any other manner permitted by the DGCL. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the stockholder at his, her, or its address as the same appears on the records of the Corporation. If delivered by courier service, notice shall be deemed given at the earlier of when the notice is received or left at such stockholder’s address as the same appears on the records of the Corporation. If given by electronic mail, notice shall be deemed given when directed to such stockholder’s electronic mail address unless the stockholder has notified the Corporation in writing or by electronic transmission of an objection to receiving notice by electronic mail or such notice is prohibited by the DGCL. Notice to stockholders may also be given by other forms of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder. If given by facsimile telecommunication, such notice shall be deemed given when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice by facsimile. If given by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, such notice shall be deemed given upon the later of: (A) such posting; and (B) the giving of such separate notice. If notice is given by any other form of electronic transmission, such notice shall be deemed given when directed to the stockholder. An affidavit of the secretary of the Corporation (the “Secretary”) or an assistant secretary of the Corporation (the “Assistant Secretary”), the transfer agent of the Corporation (the “Transfer Agent”), or any other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
(b) Waiver of Notice. Whenever notice is required to be given under any provisions of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws, a written waiver thereof, signed by the stockholder entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission given by the stockholder entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation need be specified in any waiver of notice of such meeting. Attendance of a stockholder of the Corporation at a meeting of such stockholders shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the stockholder attends 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 and does not further participate in the meeting.
Section 5. List of Stockholders. The Corporation shall prepare, at least 10 days before each 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 10 days before the meeting date, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the 10th day before the meeting date, arranged in alphabetical order and showing the address of each such stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each such stockholder. Nothing contained in this section shall require the Corporation to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least 10 days prior to the meeting: (A) 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 (B) during
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ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the Corporation. In the event 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, the list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. Except as otherwise provided by law, the list shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by this Section 5 or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.
Section 6. Quorum. The holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding capital stock entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders, except as otherwise provided by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws. If a quorum is not present, the chair of the meeting or the holders of a majority of the voting power present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote at the meeting may adjourn the meeting to another time and/or place from time to time until a quorum shall be present in person or represented by proxy. When a specified item of business requires a vote by a class or series (if the Corporation shall then have outstanding shares of more than one class or series) voting as a separate class or series, the holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding stock of such class or series shall constitute a quorum (as to such class or series) for the transaction of such item of business. A quorum once established at a meeting shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum.
Section 7. Adjourned Meetings. Any meeting of stockholders, annual or special, may adjourn from time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place (including an adjournment taken to address a technical failure to convene or continue a meeting using remote communication), notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are (i) announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, (ii) displayed, during the time scheduled for the meeting, on the same electronic network used to enable stockholders and proxy holders to participate in the meeting by means of remote communication or (iii) set forth in the notice of meeting given in accordance with these Bylaws. At the adjourned meeting the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 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 in accordance with these Bylaws, 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 fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.
Section 8. Vote Required. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock then-outstanding, when a quorum has been established, all matters other than the election of directors shall be determined by the affirmative vote of the majority of voting power of capital stock present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter, unless by express provisions of the DGCL or other applicable law, the rules of any stock exchange upon which the Corporation’s securities are listed, any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws a minimum or different vote is required, in which case such minimum or different vote shall be the required vote for such matter. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast.
Section 9. Voting Rights. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock then-outstanding, except as otherwise provided by the DGCL or the Certificate of Incorporation, each stockholder entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be entitled to one vote in person or by proxy for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder which has voting power upon the matter in question. Voting at meetings of stockholders need not be by written ballot.
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Section 10. Proxies. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent to corporate action without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. A duly executed 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 proxy may be made irrevocable regardless of whether the interest with which it is coupled is an interest in the stock itself or an interest in the Corporation generally.
Section 11. Advance Notice of Stockholder Business and Director Nominations.
(a) Nominations of Directors and Other Business at Annual Meetings of Stockholders.
(i) Only such business, including nominations of persons for election to the Board, shall be conducted at an annual meeting of the stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting: (A) as specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board or any duly authorized committee thereof; (B) by or at the direction of the Board or any duly authorized committee thereof; or (C) by any stockholder of the Corporation who (1) was a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice provided for in Section 11(a)(iii) of this ARTICLE II, on the record date for determination of stockholders of the Corporation entitled to vote at the meeting, and at the time of the annual meeting, (2) at the time of the meeting, is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (3) complies with the notice procedures set forth in Section 11(a) of this ARTICLE II. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing clause (C) of this Section 11(a)(i) of ARTICLE II shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or propose such business (other than business included in the Corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or nominations or business brought by AE Industrial Partners, LP (the “Principal Stockholder”) and any entity that controls, is controlled by, or under common control with the Principal Stockholder (other than the Corporation and any entity that is controlled by the Corporation), and any investment vehicles or funds managed or controlled, directly or indirectly, by or otherwise affiliated with the Principal Stockholder (the “Principal Stockholder Affiliates”) at any time prior to the Advance Notice Trigger Date (as defined herein)) before an annual meeting of stockholders.
(ii) For nominations or other business (other than nominations or other business brought by the Principal Stockholder and/or Principal Stockholder Affiliates at any time prior to the date when the Principal Stockholder and Principal Stockholder Affiliates cease to beneficially own or control, through share ownership and contractual arrangements (directly or indirectly) at least 10% of the voting power of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation then entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Advance Notice Trigger Date”)) to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder (any such stockholder of record, as required by Sections 11(a)(i) of this ARTICLE II, proposing business or nominating persons for election to the Board at a meeting of stockholders, the “Noticing Stockholder”), the Noticing Stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form as described in Section 11(a)(iii) of this ARTICLE II to the Secretary; any such proposed business other than nominations of persons for election to the Board must be a proper matter for stockholder action; and the Noticing Stockholder and any other stockholder, if any, on whose behalf the business is being proposed or the nomination is being made (collectively with the Noticing Stockholder, the “Holders” and each a “Holder”) must have acted in accordance with the representations set forth in the Solicitation Statement (as defined in Section 11(a)(iii) of this
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ARTICLE II) required by these Bylaws and otherwise complied with the requirements with respect to such nominations or business set forth in this ARTICLE II of these Bylaws. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice for such nominations or other business (other than such a notice by the Principal Stockholder and/or Principal Stockholder Affiliates prior to the Advance Notice Trigger Date, which may be delivered at any time prior to the mailing of the definitive proxy statement pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act related to the next annual meeting of stockholders) must be delivered by hand and received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation in proper written form not less than 90 days and not more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting of stockholders (which date shall, for purposes of the Corporation’s first annual meeting of stockholders after its shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 (“Common Stock”), are first publicly traded, be deemed to have occurred on January 28, 2026); provided, however, that if and only if the annual meeting is not scheduled to be held within a period that commences 30 days before such anniversary date and ends 70 days after such anniversary date, or if no annual meeting was held in the preceding year (other than for purposes of the Corporation’s first annual meeting of stockholders after its shares of Common Stock are first publicly traded), such stockholder’s notice must be delivered not earlier than the 120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting and by the later of: (A) the 10th day following the day the Public Announcement (as defined in Section 11(i) of this ARTICLE II) of the date of the annual meeting is first made; or (B) the date which is 90 days prior to the date of the annual meeting. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. Notices delivered pursuant to Section 11(a) of this ARTICLE II will be deemed received on any given day only if received prior to the Close of Business (as defined in Section 11(i) of this ARTICLE II) on such day (and otherwise shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day (as defined in Section 11(i) of this ARTICLE II)).
(iii) To be in proper written form, a Noticing Stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must set forth:
(A) as to any business that the Noticing Stockholder (as defined below) proposes to bring before the meeting:
(1) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting;
(2) the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting;
(3) a description of any direct or indirect material interest of any Holder or Stockholder Associated Person of such Holder in such business (whether by holdings of securities, or by virtue of being a creditor or contractual counterparty of the Corporation or of a third party, or otherwise);
(4) the text of the proposal or business (including the specific text of any resolutions or actions proposed for consideration and if such business includes a proposal to amend these Bylaws, the specific language of the proposed amendment), which business must be a proper subject for stockholder action; and
(5) a description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings between each Holder and any Stockholder Associated Person of such Holder and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by the Noticing Stockholder;
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(B) as to each Holder:
(1) the name, age, citizenship, and address of the Noticing Stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and, if different from the Corporation’s books, the name and address of the Noticing Stockholder;
(2) the name, age, citizenship, and address of such Holder and each Stockholder Associated Person of such Holder;
(3) as of the date of the notice (which information, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be updated and supplemented pursuant to Section 11(d)):
a. the class or series and number of shares of stock of the Corporation which are directly or indirectly held of record or beneficially owned by such Holder and each Stockholder Associated Person of such Holder (provided that, for the purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii)(B)(3), any such person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of stock of the Corporation as to which such person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time or the fulfillment of a condition or both)),
b. a description of all agreements, arrangements or understandings between such Holder and each Stockholder Associated Person of such Holder, on the one hand, and any other person or persons (naming such person or persons), on the other hand, in connection with such proposal of business and/or nomination, excluding engagements with financial, legal, strategic or other advisors in the ordinary course of business;
c. a description of any Derivative Instrument (as defined in Section 11(i) of this ARTICLE II) directly or indirectly held or beneficially held by such Holder and any Stockholder Associated Person of such Holder;
d. whether and to the extent to which a Hedging Transaction (as defined in Section 11(i) of this ARTICLE II) has been entered into by or on behalf of such Holder or any Stockholder Associated Person of such Holder;
e. a description of any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding, or relationship pursuant to which each Holder and any Stockholder Associated Person of such Holder has any right to vote or has granted a right to vote any shares of stock or any other security of the Corporation;
f. a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to any rights to dividends or payments in lieu of dividends on the shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by each Holder or any Stockholder Associated Person of such Holder that are separated or separable pursuant to such agreement, arraignment or understanding from the underlying shares of stock or other security of the Corporation;
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g. any direct or indirect legal, economic or financial interest (including Short Interest) of each Holder and each Stockholder Associated Person, if any, of such Holder in the outcome of any (x) vote to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation or (y) any meeting of stockholders of any other entity with respect to any matter that is related, directly or indirectly, to any nomination or business proposed by any Holder under these Bylaws; and
h. any material pending or threatened action, suit, or proceeding (whether civil, criminal, investigative, administrative, or otherwise) in which any Holder or any Stockholder Associated Person of such Holder is, or is reasonably expected to be made, a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers, directors or employees, or any Affiliate of the Corporation, or any officer, director or employee of such Affiliate (the information required by this subclause (3) shall be referred to as the “Specified Information”); provided, however, that the Specified Information shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who otherwise would be required to disclose Specified Information hereunder solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by this Section 11(a) on behalf of a beneficial owner;
(4) a representation by the Noticing Stockholder that such stockholder is a stockholder of record of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting on the nominations or other business proposed, that the Noticing Stockholder will continue to be a stockholder of record of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting on the matter proposed through the date of such meeting and that such Noticing Stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at such meeting to make such nominations or propose such business;
(5) all information that would be required to be set forth in a Schedule 13D filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(a) or an amendment pursuant to Rule 13d-2(a) if such a statement were required to be filed under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by each Holder and each Stockholder Associated Person, if any, of such Holder;
(6) any other information relating to each Holder and each Stockholder Associated Person, if any, of such Holder that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement and form of proxy or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;
(7) a representation by the Noticing Stockholder as to whether any Holder and/or any Stockholder Associated Person of such Holder intends or is part of a group which intends (A) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to elect the proposed nominee or approve or adopt the other business being proposed and/or (B) otherwise to solicit proxies or votes from stockholders in support of such nomination or other business (such representation, a ”Solicitation Statement”);
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(8) in connection with a nomination for any persons for election as director, a representation by the Noticing Stockholder whether any Holder intends, or is part of a group which intends, (x) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding shares of capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the nominee and/or (y) otherwise to solicit proxies or votes from stockholders in support of such proposal or nomination; and, if applicable, (z) to solicit proxies in support of any proposed nominee in accordance with Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the Exchange Act;
(9) a certification by the Noticing Stockholder that each Holder and any Stockholder Associated Person of such Holder has complied with all applicable federal, state and other legal requirements in connection with its acquisition of shares of capital stock or other securities of the Corporation and/or such person’s acts or omissions as a stockholder of the Corporation;
(10) the information and statement required by Rule 14a-19(b) of the Exchange Act (or any successor provision);
(11) to the extent known after reasonable investigation, the names and addresses of other stockholders (including beneficial owners) known by any Holder or Related Person of such Holder to provide financial or otherwise material support with respect to such proposal(s) or nomination(s) (it being understood that delivery of a revocable proxy with respect to such proposal or nomination shall not in itself require disclosure under this subclause (11)) and, to the extent known, the class and number of all shares of the Corporation’s capital stock owned beneficially or of record by such other stockholder(s) or other beneficial owner(s); and
(12) a representation by the Noticing Stockholder as to the accuracy of the information set forth in the notice.
(C) as to each person whom the Noticing Stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director:
(1) the name, age, citizenship and address (business and residential) of such person;
(2) a complete biography and statement of such person’s qualifications, including the principal occupation or employment of such person (at present and for the past five years);
(3) the Specified Information for such person as if such person were a Holder (except that no disclosure will be required hereunder with respect to any Stockholder Associated Person of any proposed nominee unless such Stockholder Associated Person is also a Stockholder Associated Person of any Holder);
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(4) a complete and accurate description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings between each Holder and any Stockholder Associated Person of such Holder, on the one hand, and such person, on the other hand, (at present and for the past three years) including, without limitation, a complete and accurate description of all direct and indirect compensation and other monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings at present and for the past three years between the person and such parties (including all biographical, related party transaction and other information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to the federal and state securities laws, including Rule 404 promulgated under Regulation S-K (“Regulation S-K”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) (or any successor provision), if any Holder or such Stockholder Associated Person were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and such person were a director or executive officer of such registrant);
(5) any other information relating to such person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or any other filings required to be made in connection with solicitation of proxies for the election of directors in a contested election or that is otherwise required pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14 of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (including such person’s written consent to being named in proxy statements as a proposed nominee of the Noticing Stockholder and to serving as a director if elected); and
(6) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement and any and all other information required by Section 11(d) of this ARTICLE II.
In addition, any Noticing Stockholder who submits a notice pursuant to Section 11(a) of this ARTICLE II is required to update and supplement the information disclosed in such notice, if necessary, in accordance with Section 11(c) of this ARTICLE II.
(iv) Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted or nominations made at an annual meeting except in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 11(a) of this ARTICLE II.
(v) Notwithstanding anything in Section 11(a)(ii) of this ARTICLE II to the contrary, if 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 Section 11(a)(ii) of this ARTICLE II and there is no Public Announcement naming the nominees for additional directorships at least 10 days prior to the last day a stockholder may deliver a notice of nomination in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) of this ARTICLE II, a stockholder’s notice required by Section 11(a)(ii) of this ARTICLE II shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for the additional directorships, if it shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the Close of Business on the 10th day following the day on which such Public Announcement is first made by the Corporation.
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(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 notice of meeting. Only persons who are nominated in accordance and compliance with the procedures set forth in this Section 11(b) of ARTICLE II shall be eligible for election to the Board at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected. Nominations of persons for election to the Board may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the notice of meeting only: (i) by or at the direction of the Board, any duly authorized committee thereof, or stockholders (if stockholders are permitted to call a special meeting of stockholders pursuant to Section 2 of ARTICLE SEVEN of the Certificate of Incorporation); or (ii) provided that the Board or stockholders (if stockholders are permitted to call a special meeting of stockholders pursuant to Section 2 of ARTICLE SEVEN of the Certificate of Incorporation) has determined that directors are to be elected at such special meeting, by any stockholder of the Corporation who: (A) was a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 11(b) of ARTICLE II, and at the time of the special meeting; (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting; and (C) complies with the notice procedures provided for in this Section 11(b) of ARTICLE II. For nominations to be properly brought by a stockholder at a special meeting of stockholders, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form as described in this Section 11(b) of ARTICLE II to the Secretary. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice for the nomination of persons for election to the Board (other than such a notice by the Principal Stockholder and/or Principal Stockholder Affiliates prior to the Advance Notice Trigger Date, which may be delivered at any time prior to the mailing of the definitive proxy statement pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act related to the special meeting of stockholders) must be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than 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 10th day following the day on which a 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. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of a special meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. Notices delivered pursuant to this Section 11(b) of ARTICLE II will be deemed received on any given day if received prior to the Close of Business on such day (and otherwise, on the next succeeding day). To be in proper written form, such stockholder’s notice shall set forth all of the information required by, and otherwise be in compliance with, Section 11(a)(iii) of this ARTICLE II. In addition, any stockholder who submits a notice pursuant to this Section 11(b) of ARTICLE II is required to update and supplement the information disclosed in such notice, if necessary, in accordance with Section 11(c) of this ARTICLE II and shall comply with Section 11(e) of this ARTICLE II. The number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the special meeting (or in the case of a stockholder giving the notice on behalf of a beneficial owner, the number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the special meeting on behalf of such beneficial owner) shall not exceed the number of directors to be elected at such special meeting.
(c) Update and Supplement of Stockholder’s Notice. Any stockholder who submits a notice of proposal for business or nomination for election pursuant to this Section 11 of ARTICLE II is required to update and supplement the information disclosed in such notice, if 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 the meeting of stockholders and as of the date that is 10 Business Days prior to the meeting of stockholders or any adjournment, recess, rescheduling or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five Business Days after the record date for the meeting of stockholders in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date, and not later than eight Business Days prior to the date for the meeting of stockholders or any adjournment, recess, rescheduling or postponement thereof in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of 10 Business Days prior to the meeting of stockholders or any adjournment, recess, rescheduling or postponement thereof. In addition, if the Noticing Stockholder has delivered to the Corporation a notice relating to the nomination of directors, the Noticing Stockholder shall deliver to the Corporation not later than eight Business Days prior to the date of the meeting or any adjournment, recess, rescheduling or postponement thereof (or, if not practicable, on the
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first practicable date prior to the date to which the annual meeting has been adjourned or postponed) reasonable evidence that it has complied with the requirements of Rule 14a-19 of the Exchange Act (or any successor provision). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these Bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding nominees, matters, business and/or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.
(d) Submission of Questionnaire, Representation, and Agreement. To be qualified to be a nominee for election or re-election as a director of the Corporation, a person must deliver (in the case of a person nominated by a stockholder in accordance with Sections 11(a) or 11(b) of this ARTICLE II, in accordance with the time periods prescribed for delivery of notice under such sections) to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation a written questionnaire with respect to the background and qualification of such person and the background of any other person or entity on whose behalf the nomination is being made (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Secretary upon written request of any stockholder of record identified by name within five Business Days of such written request) and a written representation and agreement (in the form provided by the Secretary upon written request of any stockholder of record identified by name within five Business Days of such written request) that such person: (i) is not and will not become a party to: (A) any agreement, arrangement, or understanding (whether written or oral) 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; (ii) 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 in connection with service or action as a director that has not been disclosed to the Corporation; and (iii) would be in compliance, and if elected as a director of the Corporation will comply, with all applicable publicly disclosed corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, and stock ownership and trading policies and guidelines of the Corporation that are publicly available.
(e) Update and Supplement of Nominee Information. The Corporation may also, as a condition to any such nomination or business being deemed properly brought before an annual meeting of stockholders, require any Holder or any proposed nominee to deliver to the Secretary, within five Business Days of any such request, such other information as may reasonably be requested by the Corporation, including: (i) such other information as may be reasonably required by the Board, in its sole discretion, to determine whether such proposed nominee is eligible under the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, or any law or regulation applicable to the Corporation to serve as a director of the Corporation; and (ii) such other information that the Board determines, in its sole discretion, could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such proposed nominee.
(f) Authority of Chair; General Provisions. Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws and subject to the supervision of the Board, the chair of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether any nomination or other business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or brought in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws (including whether the stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made or solicited (or is part of a group which solicited) or did not so solicit, as the case may be, proxies or votes in support of such stockholder’s nominee or proposal in compliance with such stockholder’s representation as required by Section 11(a)(iii)(B)(8) of this ARTICLE II) and, if any nomination or other business is not made or brought in compliance with these Bylaws, to declare that such nomination or proposal of other business be disregarded and not acted upon.
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(g) Compliance with Exchange Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of these Bylaws, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules, regulations, and schedules promulgated thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in these Bylaws; provided, however, that any references in these Bylaws to the Exchange Act or the rules, regulations, and schedules promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit the requirements applicable to any nomination or other business to be considered pursuant to Section 11 of this ARTICLE II.
(h) Effect on Other Rights. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to: (A) affect any rights of the stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act; (B) confer upon any stockholder a right to have a nominee or any proposed business included in the Corporation’s proxy statement, except as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws; (C) affect any rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock to elect directors pursuant to any applicable provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation; or (D) limit the exercise, the method, or timing of the exercise of the rights of any person granted by the Corporation to nominate directors (including pursuant to that Director Nomination Agreement, dated as of on or about January 28, 2026 (as amended and/or restated or supplemented from time to time, the “Director Nomination Agreement”)), by and among the Corporation and the investors named therein, which rights may be exercised without compliance with the provisions of Section 11 of this ARTICLE II.
(i) Definitions. For purposes of this Section 11 of ARTICLE II, the term:
(i) “Affiliate” has the meaning attributed to such term in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act;
(ii) “Associate” has the meaning attributed to such term in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act;
(iii) “Business Day” shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in Greenwood Village, CO or New York, NY are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close;
(iv) “Close of Business” shall mean 5:00 p.m. local time at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, and if an applicable deadline falls on the Close of Business on a day that is not a Business Day, then the applicable deadline shall be deemed to be the Close of Business on the immediately preceding Business Day;
(v) “Derivative Instrument” means any short position, profits interest, option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, or any derivative or synthetic arrangement having the characteristics of a long position in any class or series of shares of the Corporation, or any contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions designed to produce economic benefits and risks that correspond substantially to the ownership of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, including due to the fact that the value of such contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions is determined by reference to the price, value or volatility of
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any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument, contract or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of shares of the Corporation, through the delivery of cash or other property, or otherwise, and without regard to whether the stockholder and any Stockholder Related Person may have entered into transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such instrument, contract or right, or any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation;
(vi) “Hedging Transaction” means, with respect to a stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person, any hedging or other transaction (such as borrowed or loaned shares) or series of transactions, or any other agreement, arrangement, or understanding, the effect or intent of which is to increase or decrease the voting power or economic or pecuniary interest of such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person with respect to the Corporation’s securities;
(vii) “Public Announcement” means disclosure (a) in a press release released by the Corporation, provided such press release is released by the Corporation following its customary procedures, as reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press, Business Wire, PR Newswire or a comparable news service, or is generally available on internet news sites, or (b) in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act;
(viii) “Stockholder Associated Person” means, with respect to any Holder:
(A) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii)–(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A, or any successor instructions) with such Holder in a solicitation of proxies in respect of any business or director nomination proposed by such stockholder;
(B) any Affiliate or Associate of such Holder; and
(C) any person who is a member of a “group” (as such term is used in Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act (or any successor provision)) with such Holder; and
(ix) “Short Interest” means any agreement, arrangement, understanding relationship or otherwise, including any repurchase or similar so-called “stock borrowing” agreement or arrangement, involving any stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person, the purpose or effect of which is to mitigate loss to, reduce the economic risk (of ownership or otherwise) or any class or series of the shares of the Corporation by, manage the risk of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person with respect to any class or series of the shares or other securities of the Corporation, or which provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the price or value of any class or series of the shares or other securities of the Corporation; and
(x) For purposes of these Bylaws, the words “include,” “includes” or “including” is deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.” Where a reference in these Bylaws is made to any statue or regulation, such reference shall be to (1) the statute or regulation as amended from time to time (except as context may otherwise require) and (2) any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.
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Section 12. Requirement to Appear. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 11, if the stockholder that has provided timely notice of a nomination or item of business in accordance with Section 11 (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present such nomination or item of business, such proposed business shall not be transacted and such nomination shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that such proposed business or such nomination is set forth in the notice of meeting or other proxy materials and notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of these Bylaws, 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.
Section 13. Fixing a Record Date for Stockholder Meetings. 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 not be more than 60 days nor less than 10 days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is first given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting in conformity herewith; 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 with the foregoing provisions of this Section 13 of ARTICLE II at the adjourned meeting.
Section 14. Action by Stockholders Without a Meeting. So long as stockholders of the Corporation have the right to act by written consent in accordance with Section 1 of ARTICLE SEVEN of the Certificate of Incorporation, the following provisions shall apply:
(a) Record Date. For the purpose of determining the stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action without a meeting as may be permitted by the Certificate of Incorporation or the certificate of designation relating to any outstanding class or series of preferred stock, 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 by the Board, and which record date shall not be more than 10 (or the maximum number permitted by applicable law) days after the date on which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board. Any stockholder of record seeking to have the stockholders authorize or take action by consent in lieu of a meeting shall, by written notice delivered to the Secretary at the Corporation’s principal place of business during regular business hours, request that the Board fix a record date, which notice shall include the text of any proposed resolutions. Notices delivered pursuant to this Section 14(a) of ARTICLE II will be deemed received on any given day only if received prior to the close of business on such day (and otherwise, shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day). The Board shall promptly, but in all events within 10 days after the date on which such written notice is properly delivered to and deemed received by the Secretary, adopt a resolution fixing the record date (unless a record date has previously been fixed by the Board pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 14(a) of ARTICLE II). If no record date has been
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fixed by the Board pursuant to this Section 14(a) or otherwise within 10 days of receipt of a valid request by a stockholder, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board is required pursuant to applicable law, shall be the first date after the expiration of such 10 day time period on which a signed consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation pursuant to Section 14(b) of this ARTICLE II; provided, however, that if prior action by the Board is required by applicable law, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action without a meeting shall in such an event be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution taking such prior action.
(b) Generally. No consent shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless consents signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to take such action are delivered to the Corporation, in the manner required by this Section 14 of ARTICLE II, within 60 (or the maximum number permitted by applicable law) days of the first date on which a consent is delivered to the Corporation in the manner required by applicable law. The validity of any consent executed by a proxy for a stockholder pursuant to an electronic transmission transmitted to such proxy holder by or upon the authorization of the stockholder shall be determined by or at the direction of the Secretary. A written record of the information upon which the person making such determination relied shall be made and kept in the records of the proceedings of the stockholders. Any such consent shall be inserted in the minute book as if it were the minutes of a meeting of stockholders. Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous consent shall be given by the Corporation (at its expense) to those stockholders who have not consented 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 consents signed by a sufficient number of holders to take the action were delivered to the Corporation.
Section 15. Conduct of Meetings.
(a) Generally. Meetings of stockholders shall be presided over by the Chair, if any, or in the Chair’s absence or disability, by the Chief Executive Officer (the “CEO”), or in the CEO’s absence or disability, by the President of the Corporation (the “President”), or in the President’s absence or disability, by a Vice President of the Corporation (the “Vice President”) (in the order as determined by the Board), or in the absence or disability of the foregoing persons by a director or officer designated by the Board, or in the absence or disability of such person, by a chair chosen at the meeting. The Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in the Secretary’s absence or disability, the chair of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.
(b) Rules, Regulations, and Procedures. The Board may adopt by resolution such rules, regulations, and procedures for the conduct of any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation as it shall deem appropriate including, without limitation, such guidelines and procedures as it may deem appropriate regarding the participation by means of remote communication of stockholders and proxyholders not physically present at a meeting. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules, regulations, and procedures as adopted by the Board, the chair of any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations, and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chair, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations, or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the chair of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (ii) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (iii) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized and constituted proxies, or such other persons as the chair of the meeting shall determine; (iv) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; (v) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants; and (vi) restrictions on the use of mobile phones, audio or video recording devices, and similar devices at the meeting. The chair of the meeting of
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stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting, shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a nomination or matter or business was not properly brought before the meeting and if such chair should so determine, such chair shall so declare to the meeting and any such matter or business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted or considered. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the chair of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure. The chair of the meeting shall announce at the meeting when the polls for each matter to be voted upon at the meeting will be opened and closed. After the polls close, no ballots, proxies, or votes or any revocations or changes thereto may be accepted. The chair of the meeting shall have the power, right, and authority, for any or no reason, to convene, recess, and/or adjourn any meeting of stockholders.
(c) Inspectors of Elections. The Corporation may, and to the extent required by law shall, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more inspectors of election to act at the meeting and make a written report thereof. One or more other persons may be designated as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate is able to act at a meeting of stockholders, the chair of the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Unless otherwise required by law, inspectors may be officers, employees, or agents of the Corporation. No person who is a candidate for an office at an election may serve as an inspector at such election. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of such inspector’s duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of such inspector’s ability. The inspector shall have the duties prescribed by law and, when the vote is completed, shall make a certificate of the result of the vote taken and of such other facts as may be required by law.
Section 16. Remote Communication. If authorized by the Board in its sole discretion, and subject to such guidelines and procedures as the Board may adopt, stockholders and proxyholders not physically present at a meeting of stockholders may, by means of remote communication:
(a) participate in a meeting of stockholders; and
(b) be deemed present in person and vote at a meeting of stockholders whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication;
provided that
(c) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to verify that each person deemed present and permitted to vote at the meeting by means of remote communication is a stockholder or proxyholder;
(d) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to provide such stockholders and proxyholders a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the stockholders, including an opportunity to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting substantially concurrently with such proceedings; and
(e) if any stockholder or proxyholder votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of remote communication, a record of such vote or other action shall be maintained by the Corporation.
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ARTICLE III
DIRECTORS
Section 1. General Powers. Except as otherwise provided in this Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.
Section 2. Regular Meetings and Special Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board may be held without notice at such time and at such place as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Board and publicized among all directors. Special meetings of the Board may be called by: (i) the Chair, if any; (ii) by the Secretary upon the written request of a majority of the directors then in office; or (iii) if the Board then includes a director nominated or designated for nomination by the Principal Stockholder or any Principal Stockholder Affiliate, by any director so nominated or designated, and in each case shall be held at the place, if any, on the date and at the time as he, she, or they shall fix. Any and all business may be transacted at a special meeting of the Board.
Section 3. Notice of Meetings. Notice of regular meetings of the Board need not be given except as otherwise required by law or these Bylaws. Notice of each special meeting of the Board, and of each regular and annual meeting of the Board for which notice is required, shall be given by the Secretary as hereinafter provided in Section 4 of this ARTICLE III. Such notice shall state the date, time, and place, if any, of the meeting. Notice of any special meeting, and of any regular or annual meeting for which notice is required, shall be given to each director at least: (A) 24 hours before the meeting if by telephone or by being personally delivered or sent by overnight courier, telecopy, electronic transmission, email, or similar means; or (B) five days before the meeting if delivered by mail to the director’s residence or usual place of business. Such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail so addressed, with postage prepaid, or when transmitted if sent by telex, telecopy, electronic transmission, email, or similar means. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any special meeting of the Board need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting.
Section 4. Waiver of Notice. Any director may waive notice of any meeting of directors by a writing signed by the director or by electronic transmission. Any member of the Board or any committee thereof who is present at a meeting shall have waived notice of such meeting except when such member attends 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 and does not further participate in the meeting. Such member shall be conclusively presumed to have assented to any action taken unless his or her dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless his or her written dissent to such action shall be filed with the person acting as the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall be forwarded by registered mail to the Secretary immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to any member who voted in favor of such action.
Section 5. Chair of the Board, Quorum, Required Vote, and Adjournment. The Board may elect the Chair. The Chair must be a director and may be an officer of the Corporation. Subject to the provisions of these Bylaws and the direction of the Board, he, she, or they shall perform all duties and have all powers which are commonly incident to the position of Chair or which are delegated to him or her by the Board, preside at all meetings of the stockholders and Board at which he or she is present and have such powers and perform such duties as the Board may from time to time prescribe. If the Chair is not present at a meeting of the Board, the CEO (if the CEO is a director and is not also the Chair) shall preside at such meeting, and, if the CEO is not present at such meeting, a majority of the directors present at such meeting shall elect one of the directors present at the meeting to so preside. At all meetings of the Board, a majority of the directors then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, provided, however, that a quorum shall never be less than one-third the total number of directors. Unless by express provision
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of an applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws a different vote is required, the vote of a majority of directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board. At any meeting of the Board, business shall be transacted in such order and manner as the Board may from time to time determine. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board, the directors present thereat may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.
Section 6. Committees.
(a) The Board may designate one or more committees, including an executive committee, consisting of one or more of the directors of the Corporation, and any committees required by the rules and regulations of such exchange as any securities of the Corporation are listed. 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. Except to the extent restricted by applicable law or the Certificate of Incorporation, each such committee, to the extent provided by the DGCL and in the resolution creating it, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board. Each such committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Board. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board upon request.
(b) Each committee of the Board may fix its own rules of procedure and shall hold its meetings as provided by such rules, except as may otherwise be provided by a resolution of the Board designating such committee. Unless otherwise provided in such a resolution, the presence of at least a majority of the members of the committee shall be necessary to constitute a quorum. All matters shall be determined by a majority vote of the members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present. Unless otherwise provided in such a resolution, in the event that a member and that member’s alternate, if alternates are designated by the Board, of such committee is or are absent or disqualified, 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 place of any such absent or disqualified member.
Section 7. Action by Written Consent. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission. After the action is taken, the consent or consents relating thereto shall be filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee in the same paper form or electronic form as the minutes are maintained.
Section 8. Compensation. The Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation, including fees, reimbursement of expenses, and equity compensation, of directors for services to the Corporation in any capacity, including for attendance of meetings of the Board or participation on any committees. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.
Section 9. Reliance on Books and Records. A member of the Board, or a member of any committee designated by the Board, shall, in the performance of such member’s duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon records of the Corporation and upon such information, opinions, reports, or statements presented to the Corporation by any of the Corporation’s officers or employees, or committees of the Board, or by any other person as to matters the member reasonably believes are within such other person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Corporation.
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Section 10. Telephonic and Other Meetings. Unless restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, any one or more members of the Board or any committee thereof may participate in a meeting of the Board or such committee by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other. Participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
Section 1. Number and Election. Subject to the authority of the CEO to appoint officers as set forth in Section 11 of this ARTICLE IV, the officers of the Corporation shall be elected by the Board and may consist of a CEO, a President, one or more Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Chief Financial Officer (the “CFO”), a Treasurer (the “Treasurer”), and such other officers and assistant officers as may be deemed necessary or desirable by the Board. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. In its discretion, the Board may choose not to fill any office for any period as it may deem advisable.
Section 2. Term of Office. Each officer shall hold office until a successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, or removal as hereinafter provided.
Section 3. Removal. Any officer or agent of the Corporation may be removed with or without cause by the Board, a duly authorized committee thereof or by such officers as may be designated by a resolution of the Board, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed. Any officer appointed by the CEO in accordance with Section 11 of this ARTICLE IV may also be removed by the CEO in his or her sole discretion.
Section 4. Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification, or otherwise may be filled by the Board or the CEO in accordance with Section 11 of this ARTICLE IV.
Section 5. Compensation. Compensation of all executive officers shall be approved by the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof, and no officer shall be prevented from receiving such compensation by virtue of his or her also being a director of the Corporation.
Section 6. Chief Executive Officer. The CEO shall have the powers and perform the duties incident to that position. The CEO shall, in the absence of the Chair, or if a Chair shall not have been elected, preside at each meeting of (a) the Board if the CEO is a director and (b) the stockholders. Subject to the powers of the Board and the Chair, the CEO shall be in general and active charge of the entire business and affairs of the Corporation and shall be its chief policy-making officer. The CEO shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board or provided in these Bylaws. The CEO is authorized to execute bonds, mortgages, and other contracts requiring a seal under the seal of the Corporation, except where required or permitted by law to be otherwise signed and executed and except where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board to some other officer or agent of the Corporation. Whenever the President is unable to serve, by reason of sickness, absence, or otherwise, the CEO shall perform all the duties and responsibilities and exercise all the powers of the President.
Section 7. President. The President of the Corporation shall, subject to the powers of the Board, the Chair, and the CEO, have general charge of the business, affairs, and property of the Corporation, and, in the absence of the CEO, control over its officers, agents, and employees. The President shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board are carried into effect. The President is authorized, in the absence of the CEO, to execute bonds, mortgages, and other contracts requiring a seal under the seal of the
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Corporation, except where required or permitted by law to be otherwise signed and executed and except where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board to some other officer or agent of the Corporation. The President shall, in the absence of the CEO, act with all of the powers and be subject to all of the restrictions of the CEO. The President shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Chair, the CEO, the Board, or as may be provided in these Bylaws or otherwise are incident to the position of President.
Section 8. Vice Presidents. The Vice President, or if there shall be more than one, the Vice Presidents, in the order determined by the Board or the Chair, shall, perform such duties and have such powers as the Board, the Chair, the CEO, the President, or these Bylaws may, from time to time, prescribe or which otherwise are incident to the position of Vice President. The Vice Presidents may also be designated as Executive Vice Presidents or Senior Vice Presidents, as the Board may from time to time prescribe.
Section 9. Secretary and Assistant Secretaries. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board (other than executive sessions thereof) and all meetings of the stockholders and record all the proceedings of the meetings in a book or books to be kept for that purpose or shall ensure that his or her designee attends each such meeting to act in such capacity. Under the Board’s supervision, the Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, all notices required to be given by these Bylaws or by law; shall have such powers and perform such duties as the Board, the Chair, the CEO, the President, or these Bylaws may, from time to time, prescribe or which otherwise are incident to the position of Secretary; and shall have custody of the corporate seal of the Corporation. The Secretary, or an Assistant Secretary, shall have authority to affix the corporate seal to any instrument requiring it and when so affixed, it may be attested by his or her signature or by the signature of such Assistant Secretary. The Board may give general authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest the affixing by his or her signature. The Assistant Secretary, or if there be more than one, any of the Assistant Secretaries, shall in the absence or disability of the Secretary, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Secretary and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board, the Chair, the CEO, the President, or Secretary may, from time to time, prescribe.
Section 10. Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. The CFO shall have the custody of the corporate funds and securities; shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation as shall be necessary or desirable in accordance with applicable law or generally accepted accounting principles; shall deposit all monies and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Chair or the Board; shall receive, and give receipts for, moneys due and payable to the Corporation from any source whatsoever; shall cause the funds of the Corporation to be disbursed when such disbursements have been duly authorized, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements; and shall render to the Board, at its regular meeting or when the Board so requires, an account of the financial condition and operations of the Corporation; shall have such powers and perform such duties as the Board, the Chair, the CEO, the President, or these Bylaws may, from time to time, prescribe or which otherwise are incident to the position of CFO. The Treasurer shall in the absence or disability of the CFO, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the CFO, subject to the power of the Board. The Treasurer, if any, shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board may, from time to time, prescribe.
Section 11. Appointed Officers. In addition to officers designated by the Board in accordance with this ARTICLE IV, the CEO shall have the authority to appoint other officers below the level of Board appointed Vice President as the CEO may from time to time deem expedient and may designate for such officers titles that appropriately reflect their positions and responsibilities. Such appointed officers shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as may be assigned to them by the CEO or the senior officer to whom they report, consistent with corporate policies. An appointed officer shall serve until the earlier of such officer’s resignation or such officer’s removal by the CEO or the Board at any time, either with or without cause.
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Section 12. Other Officers, Assistant Officers, and Agents. Officers, assistant officers, and agents, if any, other than those whose duties are provided for in these Bylaws, shall have such authority and perform such duties as may from time to time be prescribed by resolution of the Board and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board.
Section 13. Officers’ Bonds or Other Security. If required by the Board, any officer of the Corporation shall give a bond or other security for the faithful performance of such officer’s duties, in such amount and with such surety as the Board may require.
Section 14. Delegation of Authority. The Board may by resolution delegate the powers and duties of such officer to any other officer or to any director, or to any other person whom it may select.
ARTICLE V
CERTIFICATES OF STOCK
Section 1. Form. The shares of stock of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board may provide by resolution that some or all of any or all classes or series of its stock shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation. If shares are represented by certificates, the certificates shall be in such form as required by applicable law and as determined by the Board. Each certificate shall certify the number of shares owned by such holder in the Corporation and shall be signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by two authorized officers of the Corporation including, but not limited to, the Chair (if an officer), the CEO, the President, a Vice President, the CFO, the Treasurer, the Secretary, and an Assistant Secretary. Any or all signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent, or registrar who has signed, or whose facsimile signature or signatures have been used on, any such certificate or certificates shall cease to be such officer, transfer agent, or registrar of the Corporation whether because of death, resignation, or otherwise before such certificate or certificates have been issued by the Corporation, such certificate or certificates may nevertheless be issued as though the person or persons who signed such certificate or certificates or whose facsimile signature or signatures have been used thereon had not ceased to be such officer, transfer agent, or registrar of the Corporation at the date of issue. All certificates for shares shall be consecutively numbered or otherwise identified. The Board may appoint a bank or trust company organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof to act as its transfer agent, registrar, or both in connection with the transfer of any class or series of securities of the Corporation. The Corporation, or its designated transfer agent or other agent, shall keep a book or set of books to be known as the stock transfer books of the Corporation, containing the name of each holder of record, together with such holder’s address and the number and class or series of shares held by such holder and the date of issue. When shares are represented by certificates, the Corporation shall issue and deliver to each holder to whom such shares have been issued or transferred, certificates representing the shares owned by such holder, and shares of stock of the Corporation shall only be transferred on the books of the Corporation by the holder of record thereof or by such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender to the Corporation or its designated transfer agent or other agent of the certificate or certificates for such shares endorsed by the appropriate person or persons, with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement, transfer, authorization, and other matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps. In that event, it shall be the duty of the Corporation to issue a new certificate to the person entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate or certificates, and record the transaction on its books. When shares are not represented by certificates, shares of stock of the Corporation shall only be transferred on the books of the Corporation by the holder of record thereof or by such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, with such evidence of the authenticity of such transfer, authorization, and other
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matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps, and within a reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of such shares, the Corporation shall, if required by applicable law, send the holder to whom such shares have been issued or transferred a written statement of the information required by applicable law. Unless otherwise provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, or any other instrument, the rights and obligations of the holders of uncertificated stock, and the rights and obligations of the holders of certificates representing stock of the same class and series shall be identical.
Section 2. Lost Certificates. The Corporation may issue or direct a new certificate or certificates or uncertificated shares to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates previously issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the owner of the lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate or certificates or uncertificated shares, the Corporation may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate or certificates, or his or her legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct, sufficient to indemnify the Corporation against any claim that may be made against the Corporation on account of the alleged loss, theft, or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares.
Section 3. Registered Stockholders. The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its records as the owner of shares of stock to receive dividends, to vote, to receive notifications, and otherwise to exercise all the rights and powers of an owner, except as otherwise required by applicable law. The Corporation shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares of stock on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise required by applicable law.
Section 4. Fixing a Record Date for Purposes Other Than Stockholder Meetings or Actions by Written Consent. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend, other distribution or allotment, or any rights, or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion, or exchange of stock, or for the purposes of any other lawful action (other than stockholder meetings and stockholder consents which are expressly governed by Sections 12, 13, and 14 of ARTICLE II hereof), the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.
ARTICLE VI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. Dividends. Subject to and in accordance with applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation and any certificate of designation relating to any series of preferred stock, dividends upon the shares of capital stock of the Corporation may be declared and paid by the Board in accordance with applicable law. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the Corporation’s capital stock, subject to the provisions of applicable law and the Certificate of Incorporation. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose. The Board may modify or abolish any such reserves in the manner in which they were created.
Section 2. Checks, Notes, Drafts, Etc. All checks, notes, drafts, or other orders for the payment of money of the Corporation shall be signed, endorsed, or accepted in the name of the Corporation by such officer, officers, person, or persons as from time to time may be designated by the Board, or by an officer or officers authorized by the Board to make such designation.
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Section 3. Contracts. In addition to the powers otherwise granted to officers pursuant to ARTICLE IV, the Board may authorize any officer or officers, or any agent or agents, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation to enter into or execute and deliver any and all deeds, bonds, mortgages, contracts, and other obligations or instruments, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.
Section 4. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board.
Section 5. Corporate Seal. The Board may provide a corporate seal which shall be in the form of a circle and shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation and the words “Corporate Seal, Delaware.” The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no seal shall be required by virtue of Section 5 of this ARTICLE VI.
Section 6. Voting Securities Owned By Corporation. Voting securities in any other corporation or entity held by the Corporation shall be voted by the Chair, CEO, the President, or the CFO, unless the Board specifically confers authority to vote with respect thereto, which authority may be general or confined to specific instances, upon some other person or officer. Any person authorized to vote securities shall have the power to appoint proxies, with general power of substitution.
Section 7. Facsimile/Electronic Signatures. In addition to the provisions for use of facsimile signatures elsewhere specifically authorized in these Bylaws, Docusign, facsimile, and other forms of electronic signatures of any officer or director of the Corporation may be used to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
Section 8. Section Headings. Section headings in these Bylaws are for convenience of reference only and shall not be given any substantive effect in limiting or otherwise construing any provision herein.
Section 9. Inconsistent Provisions. In the event that any provision (or part thereof) of these Bylaws is or becomes inconsistent with any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, the DGCL, any other applicable law, or the Director Nomination Agreement, the provision (or part thereof) of these Bylaws shall be construed to be consistent with such other provision or provisions, and to the extent such provision may not be so construed, such provision shall be deemed amended to incorporate such other provision so as to eliminate any such inconsistency and as so amended shall be given full force and effect. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing herein shall be construed as reducing, limiting or otherwise impairing any right or privilege granted to any party to the Director Nomination Agreement.
ARTICLE VII
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 1. Right to Indemnification and Advancement. Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved (including involvement, without limitation, as a witness) in any actual or threatened action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative (a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or 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, manager, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a
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director or officer or in any other capacity while serving as a director or officer, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL, 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 permitted prior thereto), against all expense, liability, and loss (including attorneys’ fees and related disbursements, judgments, fines, excise taxes, or penalties under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time (“ERISA”) and any other penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such indemnitee in connection therewith, and such indemnification shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee, or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the indemnitee’s heirs, executors, and administrators; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section 2 of this ARTICLE VII with respect to proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification and advance of expenses (as defined herein), 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 in the specific case by the Board of the Corporation. In addition to the right to indemnification conferred herein, an indemnitee shall also have the right, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition (an “advance of expenses”); provided, however, that if and to the extent that the DGCL requires, an advance of expenses shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (an “undertaking”), by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (a “final adjudication”) that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under Section 1 of this ARTICLE VII or otherwise. The Corporation may also, by action of its Board, provide indemnification and advancement to employees and agents of the Corporation. Any reference to an officer of the Corporation in this ARTICLE VII shall be deemed to refer exclusively to the Chair, CEO, President, CFO, Secretary, and Treasurer appointed pursuant to ARTICLE IV, and to any Vice President, Assistant Secretary, assistant treasurer, or other officer of the Corporation appointed by the Board pursuant to ARTICLE IV of these Bylaws, and any reference to an officer of any other enterprise shall be deemed to refer exclusively to an officer appointed by the Board or equivalent governing body of such other entity pursuant to the certificate of incorporation and bylaws or equivalent organizational documents of such other enterprise. The fact that any person who is or was an employee of the Corporation or an employee of any other enterprise has been given or has used the title of “Vice President” or any other title, including any title granted to such person by the CEO pursuant to Section 11 of ARTICLE IV, that could be construed to suggest or imply that such person is or may be an officer of the Corporation or of such other enterprise shall not result in such person being constituted as, or being deemed to be, an officer of the Corporation or of such other enterprise for purposes of this ARTICLE VII unless such person’s appointment to such office was approved by the Board pursuant to ARTICLE IV.
Section 2. Procedure for Indemnification. Any claim for indemnification or advance of expenses by an indemnitee under Section 2 of this ARTICLE VII shall be made promptly, and in any event within 45 days (or, in the case of an advance of expenses, 20 days, provided that the director or officer has delivered the undertaking contemplated by Section 1 of this ARTICLE VII if required), upon the written request of the indemnitee. If the Corporation denies a written request for indemnification or advance of expenses, in whole or in part, or if payment in full pursuant to such request is not made within 45 days (or, in the case of an advance of expenses, 20 days, provided that the indemnitee has delivered the undertaking contemplated by Section 1 of this ARTICLE VII if required), the right to indemnification or advances as granted by this ARTICLE VII shall be enforceable by the indemnitee in any court of competent jurisdiction. Such person’s costs and expenses incurred in connection with successfully establishing his or her right to indemnification, in whole or in part, in any such action shall also be indemnified by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for the advance of expenses where the undertaking required pursuant to Section 1 of this ARTICLE VII, if any, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the claimant has not met the
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applicable standard of conduct which makes it permissible under the DGCL for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proof shall be on the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including the Board, a committee thereof, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including the Board, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
Section 3. Insurance. The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on its own behalf and on behalf of any person who is or was or has agreed to become a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, partner, member, trustee, administrator, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, or other enterprise against any expense, liability, or loss asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expenses, liability, or loss under the DGCL.
Section 4. Service for Subsidiaries. Any person serving as a director, officer, partner, member, trustee, administrator, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise, at least 50% of whose equity interests are owned by the Corporation (a “subsidiary” for purposes of this ARTICLE VII) shall be conclusively presumed to be serving in such capacity at the request of the Corporation.
Section 5. Reliance. Persons who after the date of the adoption of this provision become or remain directors or officers of the Corporation or who, while a director or officer of the Corporation, become or remain a director, manager, officer, employee, or agent of a subsidiary, shall be conclusively presumed to have relied on the rights to indemnity, advance of expenses, and other rights contained in this ARTICLE VII in entering into or continuing such service. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the rights to indemnification and to the advance of expenses conferred in this ARTICLE VII shall apply to claims made against an indemnitee arising out of acts or omissions which occurred or occur both prior and subsequent to the adoption hereof. Any amendment, alteration, or repeal of this ARTICLE VII 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. Non-Exclusivity of Rights; Continuation of Rights of Indemnification. The rights to indemnification and to the advance of expenses conferred in this ARTICLE VII shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under the Certificate of Incorporation or under any statute, bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise. All rights to indemnification under this ARTICLE VII shall be deemed to be a contract between the Corporation and each director or officer of the Corporation who serves or served in such capacity at any time while this ARTICLE VII is in effect. Any repeal or modification of this ARTICLE VII or repeal or modification of relevant provisions of the DGCL or any other applicable laws shall not in any way diminish any rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses of such director or officer or the obligations of the Corporation arising hereunder with respect to any proceeding arising out of, or relating to, any actions, transactions, or facts occurring prior to the final adoption of such repeal or modification.
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Section 7. Merger or Consolidation. For purposes of this ARTICLE VII, references to the “Corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under this ARTICLE VII with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he or she would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
Section 8. Savings Clause. To the fullest extent permitted by law, if this ARTICLE VII or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify and advance expenses to each person entitled to indemnification under Section 1 of this ARTICLE VII as to all expense, liability, and loss (including attorneys’ fees and related disbursements, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties, and any other penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred or suffered by such person and for which indemnification and advancement of expenses is available to such person pursuant to this ARTICLE VII to the fullest extent permitted by any applicable portion of this ARTICLE VII that shall not have been invalidated.
ARTICLE VIII
AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be amended, altered, changed, or repealed or new Bylaws adopted only in accordance with Section 1 of ARTICLE TEN of the Certificate of Incorporation.
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Exhibit 10.1
TAX RECEIVABLE AGREEMENT
by and among
YORK SPACE SYSTEMS INC.,
YELLOWSTONE GP, LLC,
and
THE PERSONS NAMED HEREIN
Dated as of January 28, 2026
TAX RECEIVABLE AGREEMENT
This TAX RECEIVABLE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of January 28, 2026, is hereby entered into by and between York Space Systems Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Yellowstone GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Yellowstone GP”), in its capacity as the initial Rights Holder Representative (as defined below)), each of the undersigned parties and the other persons who agree to become party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 2.3(c) hereof and who shall thereafter be listed on Schedule A attached hereto from time to time (each a “Rights Holder” and collectively, the “Rights Holders”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company intends, but is not required, to consummate the IPO;
WHEREAS, after the Measurement Date, the Measurement Date Tax Assets may reduce the liability for taxes that the Company and its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company Group” and each a “Company Group Member”) might otherwise be required to pay;
WHEREAS, the parties to this Agreement desire to provide for certain payments and to make certain arrangements with respect to the effect of the Measurement Date Tax Assets on the liability for taxes of the Company Group; and
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the respective covenants and agreements set forth in this Agreement, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 Definitions.
As used in this Agreement, the terms set forth in this Article I shall have the following meanings.
“Actual Tax Liability” means, with respect to any Taxable Year, the sum of (a) actual liability of the Company Group for U.S. federal income taxes (if applicable, determined in accordance with a Determination or Amended Schedule and by assuming any state and local income taxes relevant to calculating such U.S. federal income taxes are determined in accordance with the following clause) and (b) the product of the U.S. federal taxable income (not below zero) for such Taxable Year (if applicable, determined in accordance with a Determination or Amended Schedule) and the Blended S/L Rate.
“Affiliate” of any particular Person means any other Person controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person, where for purposes of this definition, “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct the management and policies of a Person whether through the ownership of voting securities, its capacity as a sole or managing member or otherwise. For purposes of this Agreement, no Rights Holder shall be considered to be an Affiliate of any Company Group Member.
“Agreed Rate” means a per annum rate of SOFR plus 300 basis points.
“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“Amended Schedule” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(b).
“Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Rights Holder, the percentage set forth opposite such Person’s name on Schedule A, as amended from time to time to reflect any Permitted Assignment.
“Blended S/L Rate” means, with respect to any Taxable Year, the sum of the apportionment-weighted effective rates of tax imposed on the aggregate net income of the Company Group in each U.S. state and local jurisdiction in which one or more Company Group Members files Tax Returns for such Taxable Year, with the maximum effective rate in any state or local jurisdiction being equal to the product of (i) the apportionment factor on the income or franchise Tax Return in such jurisdiction for such Taxable Year and (ii) the maximum applicable corporate income tax rate in effect in such jurisdiction in such Taxable Year. As an illustration of the calculation of Blended S/L Rate for a Taxable Year, if the Company Group solely files Tax Returns in State 1 and State 2 in a Taxable Year, the maximum applicable corporate income tax rates in effect in such states in such Taxable Year are 6.5% and 5.5%, respectively, and the apportionment factors for such states in such Taxable Year are 60% and 40%, respectively, then the Blended S/L Rate for such Taxable Year is equal to 6.10% (i.e., the sum of (a) 6.5% multiplied by 60%, plus (b) 5.5% multiplied by 40%).
“Business Day” means any day except a Saturday, a Sunday and any other day on which commercial banks are required or authorized to close in the State of New York.
“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any one of the following events:
(i) a merger, reorganization, consolidation or similar form of business transaction (or series of related transactions) directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries unless, immediately following such transaction (or series of related transactions), more than 50% of the voting power of the then outstanding voting stock or other equity securities of the Company resulting from consummation of such transaction (including any parent or ultimate parent corporation of such Person that as a result of such transaction owns directly or indirectly the Company and all or substantially all of the Company’s assets) is held by the then-existing equityholders of the Company (determined immediately prior to such transaction and related transactions);
(ii) a transaction (or series of related transactions) in which the Company, directly or indirectly, sells, assigns, conveys, transfers, leases or otherwise disposes of all or substantially all of its direct or indirect assets to another Person other than an Affiliate;
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(iii) a transaction (or series of related transactions) in which there is an acquisition of control of the Company by a Person or group of Persons. For purposes of this definition, the term “control” shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to either (A) vote more than 50% of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors (or comparable positions in the case of partnerships and limited liability companies), or (B) direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether by contract or otherwise (for the avoidance of doubt, consent rights do not constitute “control” for the purpose of this definition); or
(iv) the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a “Change of Control” shall be deemed not to have occurred as a result of an IPO.
“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Company” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“Company Group” and “Company Group Member” have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“Covered Tax Assets” means (A) the Tax Credits, the Deferred Deductions and NOLs, in each case, generated by the Company Group on or prior to the Measurement Date, (B) the Tax Amortization Assets, and (C) the IPO Deductible Expenses.
“Covered Taxes” means any and all U.S. federal, state, and local taxes, assessments or similar charges and any interest related thereto.
“Default Rate” means a per annum rate of SOFR plus 500 basis points.
“Deferred Deductions” mean any deductions that have accrued for U.S. federal, state, and local income tax purposes by the Company Group and for which the applicable deductions have been deferred by reason of Code Sections 163(e), 163(j), 170(d), 267 or other applicable section of the Code (or analogous or similar provision of law).
“Determination” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Code Section 1313(a) or a similar applicable provision of state or local income tax law or any other event (including the execution of IRS Form 870-AD) that finally and conclusively establishes the amount of any liability for tax.
“Divestiture” means in one or a series of related transactions, the sale, divestiture or other transfer of (i) any Company Group Member or (ii) any assets or group of assets held by any Company Group Member, other than any sale that is, or is part of, a Change of Control.
“Divestiture Acceleration Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.2(c) of this Agreement.
“Divestiture Acceleration Schedule” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(e) of this Agreement.
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“Early Termination Date” means, with respect to an Early Termination Event, the date that the Early Termination Notice is delivered pursuant to Section 4.1(b) or deemed to be delivered pursuant to Section 4.1(c) or (d).
“Early Termination Event” means any event or circumstance (or group of events or circumstances) giving rise to an Early Termination Payment pursuant to Section 4.1(b), (c) or (d).
“Early Termination Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(b).
“Early Termination Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.2(b).
“Early Termination Rate” means a per annum rate of SOFR plus 100 basis points.
“Early Termination Schedule” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(b).
“Expert” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.10.
“Hypothetical Tax Liability” means, with respect to any Taxable Year, the hypothetical liability of the Company Group for Covered Taxes calculated in accordance with the definition of Actual Tax Liability using the same methods, elections, conventions, and similar practices used on the relevant Tax Return, but calculated without regard to any Measurement Date Tax Assets.
“Independent Directors” means the members of the Board of Directors of the Company who are “independent” under the standards of the principal U.S. securities exchange on which the common stock of the Company is traded or quoted.
“IPO” means the initial public offering of common stock of the Company pursuant to the registration statement on Form S-1 of the Company.
“IPO Deductible Expenses” means any tax deductions available to the Company Group that relate to (i) costs and expenses incurred by the Company Group, or by or on behalf of the initial Rights Holders (in their capacity as direct or indirect pre-IPO shareholders) (to the extent such amounts are a liability of the Company Group), as a result of the consummation of the IPO; (ii) all success-based fees of professionals (including investment bankers and other consultants and advisors) paid by or on behalf of the Company Group (calculated taking into account any applicable election made pursuant to Revenue Procedure 2011-29 for any fees to which it applies) in connection with the IPO; (iii) the capitalized financing costs and expenses and any prepayment premium as a result of the satisfaction of any indebtedness in connection with the IPO; (iv) all sale, “stay-around,” retention, change of control or similar bonuses or payments paid to current or former employees, directors or consultants of the Company Group in connection with the IPO; (v) the exercise or cancellation of any option in connection with the IPO; (vi) any management agreement termination fees paid by or on behalf of the Company Group in connection with the consummation of the IPO; and (vii) any employment or social security taxes imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
“IRS” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
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“ITR Payment” means any Tax Benefit Payment, Early Termination Payment or Divestiture Acceleration Payment (or other payment pursuant to Section 4.1) required to be made by the Company to the Rights Holders under this Agreement.
“Measurement Date” means the date of the IPO.
“Measurement Date Tax Assets” means the Covered Tax Assets; provided, that:
(i) in order to determine whether any item is a Measurement Date Tax Asset, the Taxable Year of the relevant Company Group Member that includes the Measurement Date (the “Straddle Year”) shall be deemed to end as of the end of the Measurement Date on a closing of the books basis;
(ii) for the avoidance of doubt, with respect to any Straddle Year, NOLs and Deferred Deductions included in Covered Tax Assets shall, in each case, be determined by assuming that such Straddle Year ended at the end of the Measurement Date, and, as a result, no such amounts shall be reduced by any income or gain realized by an applicable Company Group Member in a portion of a Straddle Year beginning after the Measurement Date; and
(iii) for the avoidance of doubt, Measurement Date Tax Assets shall include (A) any Measurement Date Tax Assets that become NOLs following the Measurement Date as a result of such Measurement Date Tax Asset not being fully utilized and (B) any Deferred Deductions generated in a taxable period (or portion thereof) ending after the Measurement Date that would not have been Deferred Deductions but for the Measurement Date Tax Assets; and
(iv) in order to determine the IPO Deductible Expenses (including any NOLs attributable to IPO Deductible Expenses) included in the Measurement Date Tax Assets, the IPO Deductible Expenses shall be deemed to arise on or prior to the Measurement Date such that they are Measurement Date Tax Assets.
“Net Tax Benefit” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(b)(ii).
“NOLs” mean all net operating loss carryforwards for U.S. federal, state, and local income tax purposes, including, for the avoidance of doubt, any NOLs attributable to or generated by any IPO Deductible Expenses.
“Objection Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a).
“Offer Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(c).
“Offer Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(c).
“Offeree” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(c).
“Permitted Assignment” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.6(a).
“Person” means any natural person, sole proprietorship, partnership, trust, unincorporated association, corporation, limited liability company, entity or governmental entity.
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“Realized Tax Benefit” means, for a Taxable Year, the excess, if any, of the Hypothetical Tax Liability over the Actual Tax Liability. If all or a portion of the Actual Tax Liability for the Taxable Year arises as a result of an audit or similar proceeding by a Taxing Authority of any Taxable Year, such liability shall not be included in determining the Realized Tax Benefit unless and until there has been a Determination.
“Reconciliation Dispute” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.10.
“Reconciliation Procedures” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a).
“Rights Holder(s)” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“Rights Holder Representative” means, Yellowstone GP or its designated Affiliate unless Yellowstone GP or such designated Affiliate resigns as the Rights Holder Representative by delivering written notice to the Company, the Person appointed by the Rights Holders holding more than fifty (50%) of the Applicable Percentages.
“Schedule” means any of the following: (i) a Tax Benefit Schedule, (ii) an Early Termination Schedule, (iii) a Divestiture Acceleration Schedule, and, in each case, any amendments thereto.
“SOFR” means for each month (or portion thereof), the forward looking term rate based on the secured overnight financing rate administered by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate) for a one-month period, on the date two days prior to the first day of such month, as published on an information service as selected by the Rights Holder Representative from time to time in its reasonable discretion, provided that if (i) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining SOFR and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary or (ii) the supervisor for the administrator of SOFR or a governmental authority having jurisdiction over the Rights Holder Representative or any member of the Company Group has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which SOFR shall no longer be used for determining interest rates for loans, then the Company or the Rights Holder Representative shall endeavor to establish an alternate rate of interest to SOFR that gives due consideration to the then prevailing market convention for determining a comparable rate of interest in the United States at such time, and shall enter into an amendment to this Agreement to reflect such alternate rate of interest and such other related changes to this Agreement as may be applicable, provided further that the alternate rate of interest shall be no less than the interest rate equal to SOFR of the prior month.
“Straddle Year” has the meaning set forth in the definition of Measurement Date Tax Assets.
“Subsidiaries” means, of any Person, any corporation, association, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity of which more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power or equity is owned or controlled directly or indirectly by such Person, or one (1) or more of the Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof.
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“Tax Amortization Assets” means any U.S. federal, state, and local income amortization and depreciation deductions attributable to any assets owned by the Company Group on the Measurement Date including, for the avoidance of doubt, (x) items arising with respect to “amortizable section 197 intangibles” (as defined in Code Sections 197(c) and (d) (or analogous or similar provision of law)) and/or Code Section 174 (or analogous or similar provision of law) and (y) items attributable to assets not owned by the Company Group on the Measurement Date but the basis of which is determined in whole or in part by reference to the basis of any assets owned by the Company Group on the Measurement Date.
“Tax Benefit Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(b)(i).
“Tax Benefit Schedule” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2.
“Tax Claim” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.1(b).
“Tax Credits” mean any tax credits and credit carryforwards of the Company Group, including any foreign tax credits allowed under Code Sections 901 or 960 (or analogous or similar provision of law) and any research and development tax credit carryforward allowed under Code Section 41 (or analogous or similar provision of law).
“Tax Return” means any return, declaration, report, information returns, claims for refund, disclosures or similar statement filed or required to be filed with respect to or in connection with taxes (including any related or supporting schedules, attachments, statements or information filed or required to be filed with respect thereto), including any amendments thereof and declarations of estimated tax.
“Taxable Year” means a taxable year of any Company Group Member as defined in Section 441(b) of the Code or comparable section of U.S. state, or local income tax law (and which may include a period of more or less than twelve (12) months for which a Tax Return is made), in each case, that ends on or after the Measurement Date.
“Taxing Authority” means any domestic, federal, national, state, county or municipal or other local government, any subdivision, agency, commission or authority thereof, or any quasi-governmental body, in each case, exercising any taxing authority or any other authority or jurisdiction of any kind in relation to tax matters.
“Ticker Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(b)(iii).
“Transferred Tax Asset” means, with respect to any Divestiture, (i) the Measurement Date Tax Assets of or attributable to any member of the Company Group that are transferred in such Divestiture to the extent such Measurement Date Tax Assets are transferred with such member of the Company Group or (ii) any Covered Tax Asset that is actually transferred in connection with the sale of assets by a member of the Company Group (in each case, disregarding any limitation on the use of such Measurement Date Tax Assets as a result of the Divestiture) and do not remain under applicable tax law with the Company Group (other than the members of the Company Group that are sold or transferred in such Divestiture or any Transferred Tax Assets that are not part of the Company Group but remain with a tax-transparent Subsidiary of a Company Group Member).
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“Valuation Assumptions” means, for purposes of calculating the Early Termination Payment associated with an Early Termination Event, the assumptions that (i) in each Taxable Year ending on or after the Early Termination Date (and each prior Taxable Year with respect to which a Tax Benefit Schedule has not been finalized pursuant to Section 2.3(a) or Section 7.10), (a) the Company Group will generate taxable income sufficient to fully utilize all of the Measurement Date Tax Assets, (b) the utilization of the Measurement Date Tax Assets for such Taxable Year or future Taxable Years, as applicable, will be determined based on the tax laws in effect on the Early Termination Date, (c) the U.S. federal income tax rates will be those specified for each such Taxable Year by the Code and other applicable laws as in effect on the Early Termination Date, (d) the combined U.S. state and local income tax rates (but not, for the avoidance of doubt, U.S. federal income tax rates) for each Taxable Year shall be the Blended S/L Rate for the Taxable Year that includes the Early Termination Date, (e) all taxable income of the Company Group will be subject to the maximum applicable tax rates for each Covered Tax throughout the relevant period; provided, the combined tax rate for U.S. state and local income taxes (but not, for the avoidance of doubt, federal income taxes) shall be the Blended S/L Rate, (f) Tax Amortization Assets that are available in the Taxable Year that includes the Early Termination Date will be fully utilized by the Company Group on a pro rata basis from such Early Termination Date through the earlier of (x) the scheduled expiration date (if any) of such Tax Amortization Assets and (y) the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Early Termination Date, and (g) any NOLs or loss carryovers generated by deductions arising from any Tax Benefit Payment that are available as of the date of such Early Termination Date will be used by the Company Group on a pro rata basis from the date of such Early Termination Date through the earlier of (1) the scheduled expiration date under applicable tax law of such NOLs or loss carryovers or (2) the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Early Termination Date, (ii) all Tax Benefit Payments would be paid on the due date (without extensions) provided in Section 3.1(a) and (iii) in the case of an Early Termination Event relating to a Change of Control or Divestiture, the use of Measurement Date Tax Assets shall not be limited by any limitation on the use of Measurement Date Tax Assets or changes in any Company Group Member’s stand-alone tax position, in each case, that would or might result from the transaction giving rise to the Change of Control or Divestiture (including but not limited to changes pursuant to Code Section 382 or any analogous provisions of U.S. state or local tax law).
“Yellowstone GP” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
ARTICLE II
DETERMINATION OF REALIZED TAX BENEFIT
Section 2.1 Measurement Date Tax Assets. The Company, on the one hand, and the Rights Holders, on the other hand, acknowledge that the Company Group may utilize the Measurement Date Tax Assets to reduce the amount of taxes that the Company Group would otherwise be required to pay after the Measurement Date.
Section 2.2 Tax Benefit Schedule. Within forty-five (45) calendar days after the date of filing of the Company’s U.S. federal income Tax Return for a Taxable Year ending after the Measurement Date, the Company shall provide to the Rights Holder Representative a schedule showing, in reasonable detail, (i) the calculation of the Realized Tax Benefit (if any) for such Taxable Year, (ii) the calculation of any payment to be made to the Rights Holders pursuant to Article III or Article IV with respect to such Taxable Year (collectively, a “Tax Benefit
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Schedule”), and (iii) in connection with the first Tax Benefit Schedule provided to the Rights Holder Representative pursuant to the foregoing, the Company’s calculation of the Measurement Date Tax Assets. Each Tax Benefit Schedule (including Amended Schedules) shall be calculated in United States dollars with respect to the Covered Tax Assets (and any Realized Tax Benefits relating thereto). The Tax Benefit Schedule will become final as provided in Section 2.3(a) and may be amended as provided in Section 2.3(b) (subject to the procedures set forth in Section 2.3(a)).
Section 2.3 Procedures, Amendments.
(a) Procedure. Each time the Company delivers to the Rights Holder Representative an applicable Schedule under this Agreement, including any Amended Schedule delivered pursuant to Section 2.3(b), any Early Termination Schedule or any amended Early Termination Schedule, the Company shall also (x) deliver to the Rights Holder Representative supporting schedules and work papers, as determined by the Company or as reasonably requested by the Rights Holder Representative, that provide a reasonable level of detail regarding the data and calculations that were relevant for purposes of preparing the Schedule and (y) allow the Rights Holder Representative reasonable access at no cost to the appropriate representatives at the Company in connection with a review of such Schedule. Without limiting the generality of the preceding sentence, the Company shall ensure that any Tax Benefit Schedule or Early Termination Schedule that is delivered to the Rights Holder Representative, along with any supporting schedules, valuation reports and work papers, provides a reasonably detailed presentation of the calculation of the Actual Tax Liability (the “with” calculation) and the Hypothetical Tax Liability (the “without” calculation) and identifies any assumptions or operating procedures or principles that were used for purposes of such calculations. An applicable Schedule or amendment thereto shall become final and binding on all parties unless the Rights Holder Representative, within thirty (30) calendar days after receiving any Schedule or amendment thereto, provides the Company with a notice of an objection to such Schedule or amendment thereto (“Objection Notice”) or such earlier date as the Rights Holder Representative provides written notice to the Company that it has no objections to the Schedule. If the Company and Rights Holder Representative, for any reason, are unable to successfully resolve the issues raised in any Objection Notice within thirty (30) calendar days after the Rights Holder Representative gives the Company such Objection Notice, the Company and the Rights Holder Representative shall employ the reconciliation procedures described in Section 7.10 (the “Reconciliation Procedures”), in which case such Schedule or Amended Schedule shall become binding in accordance with Section 7.10.
(b) Amended Schedule. The applicable Schedule for any Taxable Year may be amended from time to time by the Company (i) in connection with a Determination affecting such Schedule, (ii) to correct material inaccuracies in the Schedule, including those identified as a result of the receipt of additional factual information relating to a Taxable Year after the date the Schedule was provided to the Rights Holder Representative, (iii) to comply with an Expert’s determination under the Reconciliation Procedures, (iv) to reflect a material change in the Realized Tax Benefit for such Taxable Year attributable to a carryback or carryforward of a loss or other tax item to such Taxable Year or (v) to reflect a material change in the Realized Tax Benefit for such Taxable Year attributable to an amended Tax Return filed for such Taxable Year (any such Schedule, an “Amended Schedule”); provided, however, that an amendment under clause (i) attributable to an audit of a Tax Return by a Company Group Member shall not be made on an
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Amended Schedule unless and until there has been a Determination with respect to such change. The Company shall provide an Amended Schedule to the Rights Holder Representative within thirty (30) calendar days of the occurrence of an event referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of the preceding sentence, and any such Amended Schedule shall be subject to the approval procedures described in Section 2.3(a).
(c) Additional Rights Holders. The Company may deliver a notice (e-mail being sufficient) to any one or more direct or indirect equityholders of the Company (each, an “Offeree”) offering such Offeree the right to become a Rights Holders hereunder, which notice shall (i) include a copy of this Agreement, (ii) inform such Offeree of the rights and obligations of a Rights Holder under this Agreement and (iii) indicate that such Offeree can accept such rights and obligations of a Rights Holder by affirmatively responding to such notice in the manner set forth in such notice (such notice, an “Offer Notice”). An Offeree shall be deemed to have accepted such offer and thereafter become a Rights Holder for all purposes hereunder by satisfying the conditions for becoming a Rights Holder pursuant to such notice in the manner set forth in such notice within not less than 10 Business Days (the “Offer Period”). To the extent such Offeree satisfies the conditions for becoming a Rights Holder in the manner set forth in such notice before the expiration of the Offer Period, such Offeree shall automatically and without the need for any further action be joined to this Agreement as a Rights Holder hereunder and be deemed to have accepted the rights and obligations set forth in this Agreement, and in connection therewith, Schedule A shall be accordingly amended to reflect such treatment and such Offeree shall be assigned an Applicable Percentage, and the Applicable Percentages of the other Rights Holders shall be adjusted accordingly, as determined by the Company in its sole discretion.
ARTICLE III
TAX BENEFIT PAYMENTS
Section 3.1 Payments.
(a) Timing of Payments. Within five (5) Business Days of a Tax Benefit Schedule becoming final in accordance with Section 2.3(a), the Company shall pay to each Rights Holder for such Taxable Year its share (based on such Rights Holder’s Applicable Percentage) of the Tax Benefit Payment determined pursuant to Section 3.1(b) associated with such Tax Benefit Schedule (net of any reasonable, documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Company in paying such amounts to the Rights Holders). Each such Tax Benefit Payment shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the bank account previously designated by the applicable Rights Holder to the Company, or as otherwise agreed by the Company and such Rights Holder. For the avoidance of doubt, no Tax Benefit Payment shall be made in respect of estimated tax payments. No Rights Holder shall be required under any circumstances to make a payment or return a payment to the Company in respect of any portion of any Tax Benefit Payment previously paid by the Company to such Rights Holder (including any portion of any Early Termination Payment).
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(b) For purposes of this Agreement:
(i) A “Tax Benefit Payment” means an amount, not less than zero, equal to eighty-five percent (85%) of the sum of (i) the Net Tax Benefit and (ii) the associated Ticker Amount.
(ii) The “Net Tax Benefit” shall equal: (i) the Company’s Realized Tax Benefit, if any, for a Taxable Year plus (ii) the amount of the excess (if any) of the Realized Tax Benefit reflected on an Amended Schedule for a previous Taxable Year over the Realized Tax Benefit reflected on the Tax Benefit Schedule for such previous Taxable Year, minus (iii) the excess (if any) of the Realized Tax Benefit reflected on a Tax Benefit Schedule for a previous Taxable Year over the Realized Tax Benefit reflected on the Amended Schedule for such previous Taxable Year; provided, however, that, (A) to the extent of the amounts described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of this definition were taken into account in determining any Tax Benefit Payment in a preceding Taxable Year, such amounts shall not be taken into account in determining a Tax Benefit Payment attributable to any other Taxable Year.
(iii) The “Ticker Amount” with respect to any Net Tax Benefit shall equal an amount equivalent to interest on a sum equal to the Net Tax Benefit, calculated at the Agreed Rate in respect of the portion of the Net Tax Benefit attributable to the Covered Tax Assets, from the due date (without extensions) for filing IRS Form 1120 (or any successor or similar or analogous form) with respect to the Company Group Members for the applicable Taxable Year until the due date for payment of the associated Tax Benefit Payment under Section 3.1(a). For the avoidance of doubt, for tax purposes, the Ticker Amount shall not be treated as interest but shall instead be treated as a Tax Benefit Payment, unless otherwise required by applicable law.
Section 3.2 No Duplicative Payments. It is intended that the provisions of this Agreement will not result in duplicative payment of any amount (including interest) required under this Agreement. It is also intended that the provisions of this Agreement will result in 85% of the Realized Tax Benefits of the Company Group, and the Ticker Amounts thereon, being paid to the Rights Holders pursuant to this Agreement. The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed in the appropriate manner so that these fundamental results are achieved.
Section 3.3 Payments in United States Dollars. All payments to be made under this Agreement shall be made in United States dollars.
ARTICLE IV
TERMINATION
Section 4.1 Termination of Agreement; Elective Early Termination; Automatic Early Termination; Divestiture.
(a) In General. This Agreement shall terminate at the time that all Tax Benefit Payments have been made to the Rights Holders under this Agreement.
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(b) Elective Early Termination. Notwithstanding Section 4.1(a), with the written approval of a majority of the Independent Directors, the Company may terminate this Agreement by paying to the Rights Holders the Early Termination Payment together with the other amounts required by this paragraph. If the Company chooses to exercise its right of early termination pursuant to this Section 4.1(b), the Company shall deliver to the Rights Holder Representative irrevocable written notice of such decision to exercise such right (“Early Termination Notice”) and a schedule (the “Early Termination Schedule”) showing in reasonable detail the calculation of the Early Termination Payment. The Early Termination Schedule shall become final and binding on all parties in accordance with the procedures set forth Section 2.3(a). Upon finalization of the Early Termination Schedule, the Company shall pay to the Rights Holders (based on their Applicable Percentages) at the time set forth in Section 4.2 (1) the Early Termination Payment, (2) the Tax Benefit Payment due and payable but unpaid as of the date of the Early Termination Notice and (3) the Tax Benefit Payment due for a Taxable Year ending prior to, with or including the date of the Early Termination Notice (except to the extent that such amount is included in the Early Termination Payment).
(c) Acceleration Upon Material Breach of this Agreement. In the event that the Company breaches any of its material obligations under this Agreement, whether as a result of a failure to make a payment when due, failure to honor any other material obligations required hereunder or by operation of law as a result of the rejection of this Agreement in a case commenced under bankruptcy laws or otherwise, then all obligations hereunder shall be accelerated, the Company shall be deemed to have delivered an Early Termination Notice on the first date of such breach and the Company shall pay to the Rights Holders at the time specified in Section 4.2 (1) the Early Termination Payment, (2) any Tax Benefit Payment that is due and payable but unpaid as of such date and (3) any Tax Benefit Payment due for the Taxable Year ending prior to, with or including such date (except to the extent that such amount is included in the Early Termination Payment). The parties agree that the failure to make any payment due pursuant to this Agreement within three (3) months of the date such payment is due shall be deemed to be a breach of a material obligation under this Agreement for all purposes of this Agreement.
(d) Acceleration Upon Change of Control. In the event of a Change of Control, all obligations hereunder shall be accelerated, the Company shall be deemed to have delivered an Early Termination Notice on the date of such Change of Control and the Company shall pay to the Rights Holders at the time specified in Section 4.2 (1) the Early Termination Payment, (2) any Tax Benefit Payment that is due and payable but unpaid as such date and (3) any Tax Benefit Payment due for the Taxable Year ending prior to, with or including such date (except to the extent that such amount is included in the Early Termination Payment). The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to provide to the Rights Holder Representative an Early Termination Schedule showing in reasonable detail the calculation of the Early Termination Payment with respect to an expected Change of Control as far in advance as is reasonably practicable of such Change of Control (but no more than thirty (30) Business Days in advance) so as to enable the calculation of the Early Termination Payment to be finalized pursuant to Section 2.3(a) prior to the effective date of the Change of Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, where the parties anticipate a Change of Control but are not certain of the date on which such Change of Control will occur, the Company and the Rights Holder Representative may agree to base the calculations contemplated by this Section 4.1(d) on a date other than the effective date of the Change of Control.
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(e) Divestiture Acceleration Payment. In the event of a Divestiture, the Company shall pay to the Rights Holders at the time specified in Section 4.2 the Divestiture Acceleration Payment in respect of such Divestiture. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to provide to the Rights Holder Representative a schedule (a “Divestiture Acceleration Schedule”) showing in reasonable detail the calculation of the Divestiture Acceleration Payment with respect to an expected Divestiture as far in advance as is reasonably practicable of such Divestiture (but no more than thirty (30) Business Days in advance) so as to enable the calculation of the Divestiture Acceleration Payment to be finalized pursuant to Section 2.3(a) prior to the effective date of the Divestiture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, where the parties anticipate a Divestiture but are not certain of the date on which such Divestiture will occur, the Company and the Rights Holder Representative may agree to base the calculations contemplated by this Section 4.1(e) on a date other than the effective date of the Divestiture. The Divestiture Acceleration Schedule shall be finalized pursuant to Section 2.3(a).
Section 4.2 Payment upon Early Termination Event or Divestiture.
(a) Any amount required to be paid pursuant to Section 4.1(b) or Section 4.1(c) shall be paid within five (5) Business Days after the corresponding Early Termination Schedule is finalized pursuant to Section 2.3. Any amount required to be paid pursuant to Section 4.1(d) or Section 4.1(e) shall be paid on the date of the corresponding Change of Control or Divestiture, as applicable. All such payments shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Rights Holders, or as otherwise agreed by the Company and the Rights Holder Representative.
(b) The “Early Termination Payment” with respect to an Early Termination Event shall equal the present value as of the corresponding Early Termination Date, discounted at the Early Termination Rate as of such date, of all Tax Benefit Payments that would be required to be paid by the Company to the Rights Holders beginning from the Early Termination Date, calculated by applying the Valuation Assumptions. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a Change of Control, the Early Termination Payment shall be calculated without giving effect to any limitation on the use of Measurement Date Tax Assets resulting from such Change of Control.
(c) The “Divestiture Acceleration Payment” with respect to a Divestiture shall equal the present value, discounted at the Early Termination Rate as of the date of such Divestiture, of the Tax Benefit Payments resulting solely from the Transferred Tax Assets that would be required to be paid by the Company to the Rights Holders beginning from the date of such Divestiture, calculated by applying the Valuation Assumptions. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a Divestiture, the Divestiture Acceleration Payment shall be calculated without giving effect to any limitation on the use of Measurement Date Tax Assets resulting from such Divestiture.
ARTICLE V
PAYMENT MECHANICS AND COMPLIANCE WITH INDEBTEDNESS
Section 5.1 Pro Rata Payments. All payments under this Agreement made to the Rights Holders in their capacity as such, including under Articles III and IV, shall be made pro rata to the Rights Holders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages.
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Section 5.2 Excess Payments. To the extent the Company makes a payment to a Rights Holder in respect of a particular Taxable Year under this Agreement in an amount in excess of the amount of such payment that should have been made to such Rights Holder in respect of such Taxable Year, then (i) such Rights Holder shall not receive further payments under this Agreement until such Rights Holder has foregone an amount of payments equal to such excess and (ii) the Company will pay the amount of such Rights Holder’s foregone payments to the other Rights Holders in a manner such that each such Rights Holder has, to the maximum extent possible, received aggregate payments under this Agreement in the amount it would have received if there had been no excess payment to the first such Rights Holder.
Section 5.3 Late Payments. The amount of all or any portion of any ITR Payment not made to the Rights Holders when due under the terms of this Agreement shall be payable together with any interest thereon, computed at the Default Rate, and commencing from the date on which such ITR Payment was due and payable.
Section 5.4 Compliance with Indebtedness. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary provided herein, if, at the time any amounts become due and payable hereunder, the Company is not permitted, pursuant to the terms of the Company Group’s debt documentation, to pay such amounts, or the Company Group Members are not permitted, pursuant to the terms of the Company Group’s debt documentation, to make dividends, loans or other transfers to the Company to allow the Company to pay such amounts, then the Company shall by notice to the Rights Holder Representative be permitted to defer the payment of such amounts until each condition rendering the payment of such amounts impermissible as described in this Section 5.4 is no longer applicable. At the time such condition is no longer applicable and no other such condition exists, such amounts (together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon as described in the immediately following sentence) shall become due and payable immediately. If the Company defers the payment of any such amounts pursuant to the first sentence in this Section 5.4, such amounts shall accrue interest at the Agreed Rate from the date that such amounts originally became due and owing pursuant to the terms hereof to the date that such amounts are paid. For the avoidance of doubt, any payment not made due to the preceding sentence shall not be deemed a breach under Section 4.1(c) of this Agreement unless and until such payment remains unpaid thirty (30) calendar days after the date on which such condition described in this Section 5.4 is no longer applicable. The Company agrees to take commercially reasonable actions to cause the Company Group Members to pay dividends or make loans (including, to the extent commercially reasonable, granting access to any revolving credit facility or other source of liquidity to facilitate the payment of such dividends or loans), to the extent consistent with the terms of their outstanding indebtedness and any applicable law, to the extent necessary to make payments hereunder.
Section 5.5 Conflicting Agreements. Unless the Rights Holder Representative otherwise agrees in writing, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts not to, and shall cause the Company Group Members to use commercially reasonable efforts not to, enter into any agreement or indenture or any amendment or other modification to any agreement or indenture (including, in each case, in connection with any refinancing) that would, directly or indirectly, impede (or further impede) its ability to make payments under this Agreement in accordance with its terms, including any agreement that would, directly or indirectly, impede (or further impede) the ability of the Company to pay amounts payable under this Agreement or the ability of the Company Group Members to upstream cash (by dividend, loan or other transfer) to the Company to fund amounts payable by the Company under this Agreement.
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ARTICLE VI
NO DISPUTES; CONSISTENCY; COOPERATION
Section 6.1 Participation in the Company’s Tax Matters.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the applicable member(s) of the Company Group shall have full responsibility for, and sole discretion over, all tax matters concerning the Company Group, including the preparation, filing or amending of any Tax Return and defending, contesting or settling any issue pertaining to taxes, subject to a requirement that the Company Group Members act in good faith in connection with their direct or indirect control of any matter which is reasonably expected to affect the Rights Holders’ rights and obligations under this Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall notify the Rights Holder Representative in writing of the commencement of, and keep the Rights Holder Representative reasonably informed with respect to, any tax audit or tax administrative or judicial proceeding of any Company Group Member by a Taxing Authority either (x) relating to a Measurement Date Tax Asset or (y) the outcome of which could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the timing of, or the amount of, any Tax Benefit Payment (any “Tax Claim”), and shall give the Rights Holder Representative reasonable opportunity to provide information and participate in the applicable portion of such Tax Claim, including attending any meetings with any Taxing Authority, employing counsel separate from the counsel employed by the Company and having the opportunity to reasonably comment on and approve all material submissions made by the Company Group to any Taxing Authority. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, without the consent of the Rights Holder Representative, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, the Company shall not, and shall cause each other Company Group Member not to, (i) change any accounting method, or amend or take any position inconsistent with a previously-filed Tax Return of any Company Group Member, in each case, if such action could materially and adversely affect the Measurement Date Tax Assets, (ii) seek any guidance from, or initiate any communication with, the IRS or any other Taxing Authority (whether written, verbal or otherwise) at any time concerning the Measurement Date Tax Assets, or (iii) settle or otherwise resolve any Tax Claim, if such settlement could have a materially adverse effect on a Rights Holder’s rights (including the right to receive payments) under this Agreement.
Section 6.2 Cooperation. Each of the Company and the Rights Holder Representative shall (a) furnish to the other party in a timely manner such information, documents and other materials as the other party may reasonably request for purposes of making or approving any determination or computation necessary or appropriate under this Agreement, preparing any Tax Return or contesting, participating in, or defending any audit, examination or controversy with any Taxing Authority including pursuant to Section 6.1, (b) make itself available to the other party and its representatives to provide explanations of documents and materials and such other information as the requesting party or its representatives may reasonably request in connection with any of the matters described in clause (a) above, and (c) reasonably cooperate in connection with any such matter, and the requesting party shall reimburse the other party for any reasonable third-party costs and expenses incurred pursuant to this Section 6.2.
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Section 6.3 Consistency. Each of the Company, the Rights Holders and the Rights Holder Representative acknowledge and agree that for U.S. federal, state, and local income tax purposes, the execution of this Agreement is intended to be treated as a distribution of property by the Company to the Rights Holders described in Section 301 of the Code. The Company Group and the Rights Holders shall not take any position on any Tax Return, or in front of any Taxing Authority, or in connection with any tax audit, enquiry, assessment or tax administrative or judicial proceeding, inconsistent with such intended tax treatment, unless otherwise required by a contrary Determination. In addition, the Company shall, and shall cause the Company Group Members to, use reasonable best efforts to defend such intended tax treatment in any tax audit, enquiry, assessment, or tax administrative or judicial proceeding.
ARTICLE VII
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 7.1 Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications to be given or delivered under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given (a) when personally delivered (or, if delivery is refused, upon presentment) or received by email (with confirmation of transmission) prior to 5:00 p.m. eastern time on a Business Day and, if otherwise, on the next Business Day, (b) one (1) Business Day following delivery by reputable overnight express courier (charges prepaid) or (c) three (3) calendar days following mailing by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid and return receipt requested. Unless another address is specified in writing pursuant to the provisions of this Section 7.1, notices, demands and other communications shall be sent to the addresses indicated below:
If to the Company, to:
York Space Systems Inc.
c/o Yellowstone GP, LLC
6700 Broken Sound Parkway NW
Boca Raton, FL 33487
Attn: Kirk Konert; Tyler Letarte; and Matthew Friendly
Email: ****; ****; and ****
with a copy, in any case, to:
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
98 S.E. 7th Street, Suite 700
Miami, Florida 33131
Attn: Jeremy S. Liss, P.C.; Matthew S. Arenson, P.C.
Email: ****; ****
and
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Kirkland & Ellis LLP
333 West Wolf Point Plaza
Chicago, IL 60654
Attn: Andrew Struckmeyer
Email: ****
If to the Rights Holder Representative, to:
Yellowstone GP, LLC
6700 Broken Sound Parkway NW
Boca Raton, FL 33487
Attn: Kirk Konert, Tyler Letarte and Matthew Friendly
Email: ****; ****; and ****
with a copy to:
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
98 S.E. 7th Street, Suite 700
Miami, Florida 33131
Attn: Jeremy S. Liss, P.C.; Matthew S. Arenson, P.C.
Email: ****; ****
Section 7.2 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other parties, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Agreement by facsimile transmission shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Agreement.
Section 7.3 Entire Agreement; No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, whether written or oral, relating to such subject matter in any way. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.
Section 7.4 Governing Law. The law of the State of Delaware shall govern (a) all claims or matters related to or arising from this Agreement (including any tort or non-contractual claims) and (b) any questions concerning the construction, interpretation, validity and enforceability of this Agreement, and the performance of the obligations imposed by this Agreement, in each case without giving effect to any choice-of-law or conflict-of-law rules or provisions (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the law of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.
Section 7.5 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable by any governmental entity, all other provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect. Upon such determination that any provision is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible.
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Section 7.6 Successors; Assignment; Amendments; Waivers.
(a) No Rights Holder may assign its rights under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the Rights Holder Representative, provided further, that, unless otherwise determined by the Company in its sole discretion, any approved assignee shall execute and deliver a joinder to this Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A. Any assignment of any such assignee’s rights meeting the requirements of Section 7.6(a) shall be referred to herein as a “Permitted Assignment” and Schedule A hereto shall be amended to reflect such Permitted Assignment and the change in the Applicable Percentage of the assignor and assignee.
(b) No provision of this Agreement may be amended unless such amendment is approved in writing by the Company and the Rights Holder Representative. No provision of this Agreement may be waived unless such waiver is in writing and signed by the party against whom the waiver is to be effective; provided that, the Rights Holder Representative may waive any provision on behalf of the Rights Holders.
(c) All of the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon, shall inure to the benefit and burden of and shall be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors, administrators and legal representatives, including any permitted assignee pursuant to a Permitted Assignment. The Company shall require and cause any direct or indirect successor (whether by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, by written agreement, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
Section 7.7 Headings, Titles, and Subtitles. The headings, titles, and subtitles of the sections and subsections of this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and are not to be considered in construing this Agreement.
Section 7.8 Waiver of Jury Trial; Jurisdiction. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LITIGATION, ACTION, PROCEEDING, CROSS-CLAIM, OR COUNTERCLAIM IN ANY COURT (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF, RELATING TO OR IN CONNECTION WITH (A) THIS AGREEMENT OR THE VALIDITY, PERFORMANCE, INTERPRETATION, COLLECTION OR ENFORCEMENT HEREOF OR (B) THE ACTIONS OF THE PARTIES IN THE NEGOTIATION, AUTHORIZATION, EXECUTION, DELIVERY, ADMINISTRATION, PERFORMANCE OR ENFORCEMENT HEREOF.
Section 7.9 Resolution of Disputes.
(a) Other than with respect to any disputes under Section 2.3, Section 4.1, Section 4.2 (which are to be resolved pursuant to Section 7.10), any and all disputes which cannot be settled amicably between or among the Company, any Rights Holder and/or the Rights Holder
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Representative, including any ancillary claims of any party, arising out of, relating to or in connection with the validity, negotiation, execution, interpretation, performance or non-performance of this Agreement (including the validity, scope and enforceability of this arbitration provision) shall be finally settled by arbitration conducted by a single arbitrator in accordance with the then existing Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce. The place of arbitration shall be New York, New York. The parties to such arbitration shall jointly select a single arbitrator who shall have the authority to hold hearings and to render a decision in accordance with the then existing Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce. If the parties to such arbitration fail to agree on the selection of an arbitrator within thirty (30) calendar days of the receipt of the request for arbitration, the arbitrator shall be selected by the International Chamber of Commerce. The arbitrator shall be a lawyer. The arbitration shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. Section 1, et seq., and judgment on the award may be entered by any court having jurisdiction thereof. Performance under this Agreement shall continue if reasonably possible during any arbitration proceedings.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 7.9(a), either the Company or the Rights Holders or Rights Holder Representative may bring an action or special proceeding in any court of competent jurisdiction for the purpose of compelling a party to arbitrate in accordance with Section 7.9(a), seeking temporary or preliminary relief in aid of an arbitration hereunder, and/or enforcing an arbitration award and, for the purposes of this Section 7.9(b), the Rights Holders or Rights Holder Representative (i) expressly consents to the application of Section 7.9(c) to any such action or proceeding, and (ii) irrevocably appoints the Company as its agent for service of process in connection with any such action or proceeding and agrees that service of process upon such agent, who shall promptly advise the Rights Holders or Rights Holder Representative of any such service of process, shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Rights Holders or Rights Holder Representative in any such action or proceeding.
(c) THE COMPANY AND THE RIGHTS HOLDERS AND RIGHTS HOLDER REPRESENTATIVE EACH HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF COURTS LOCATED IN NEW YORK AND AGREES THAT ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 7.9(B) SHALL BE BROUGHT AND DETERMINED EXCLUSIVELY IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND ANY STATE APPELLATE COURT THEREFROM WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW YORK (OR, IF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK REFUSES TO ACCEPT JURISDICTION OVER A PARTICULAR MATTER, ANY STATE OR FEDERAL COURT WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW YORK).
(d) The parties acknowledge that the forum designated by Section 7.9(c) has a reasonable relation to this Agreement and to the parties’ relationship with one another.
Section 7.10 Reconciliation. In the event that the Company and the Rights Holder Representative are unable to resolve a disagreement with respect to the matters governed by Section 2.3, Section 4.1, and Section 4.2 within the relevant period designated in this Agreement (including the finalization of any Schedule or the amount of any ITR Payment) (a “Reconciliation Dispute”), the Reconciliation Dispute shall be submitted for determination to a nationally recognized expert in the particular area of disagreement (the “Expert”) mutually acceptable to both parties. The Expert shall be a partner in a nationally recognized accounting firm or a law firm
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and the Expert shall not, and the firm that employs the Expert shall not, have any material relationship with the Company or the Rights Holder Representative or any other actual or potential conflict of interest. If the Reconciliation Dispute is not resolved before any payment that is the subject of the Reconciliation Dispute is due or any Tax Return reflecting the subject of the Reconciliation Dispute is due, such payment shall be made on the date prescribed by this Agreement and such Tax Return may be filed as prepared by the Company, subject to adjustment or amendment upon resolution. The costs and expenses relating to the engagement of such Expert or the amendment of any Tax Return shall be borne by the Company, except as provided in the next sentence. Each of the Company and the Rights Holder Representative shall bear its own costs and expenses of such proceeding. Any dispute as to whether a dispute is a Reconciliation Dispute, within the meaning of this Section 7.10 shall be decided by the Expert. The Expert shall finally determine any Reconciliation Dispute and the determinations of the Expert pursuant to this Section 7.10 shall be binding on the Company and the Rights Holder Representative and may be entered and enforced in any court having jurisdiction.
Section 7.11 Withholding. The Company shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from any payment payable pursuant to this Agreement such amounts as the Company is required to deduct and withhold with respect to the entering into this Agreement or the making of such payment under the Code, or any applicable provision of state, local or non-U.S. tax law, provided, that, with respect to any taxes required to be withheld with respect to the entering into this Agreement, the Company shall be entitled to deduct and withhold such required taxes out of future distributions to which the applicable Rights Holder would otherwise be entitled, provided further, that the Company (i) gives ten (10) days advance written notice of its intention to make such withholding to the Rights Holder Representative, (ii) identifies the legal basis requiring such withholding and (iii) gives the Rights Holder Representative a reasonable opportunity to establish that such withholding is not legally required or may be reduced. To the extent that amounts are so withheld and paid over to the appropriate Taxing Authority by the Company, such withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the applicable Rights Holder. The Company shall provide evidence of such payments to the Rights Holders to the extent that such evidence is available. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a withholding obligation arises as a result of a Change of Control, any amount payable to the Rights Holders under this Agreement shall be increased such that after all required deductions and withholdings have been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this sentence) the Rights Holders receives an amount equal to the sum that it would have received had no such deductions or withholdings been made. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary above, the Company and the Rights Holders agree that, absent a change in law or a contrary Determination, no tax withholding is required (and no tax withholding shall be applied) with respect to any ITR Payment (excluding any amounts treated as interest payable pursuant to made to the Rights Holders under this Agreement provided that, absent a change in law, no withholding shall be made with respect to any Rights Holder that had delivered an IRS Form W-9 or another applicable form or certification evidencing an exemption from or reduction in withholding.)
Each Rights Holder shall deliver to the Company at (i) the time such Rights Holder becomes a Rights Holder and (ii) the reasonable request of the Company, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Company as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding (including IRS Form W-9 or the appropriate IRS Form W-8, as applicable).
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Section 7.12 Confidentiality.
(a) The Rights Holders and the Rights Holder Representative acknowledge and agree that the information of the Company Group is confidential and, except in the course of performing any duties as necessary for the Company Group, as required by law or legal process or to enforce the terms of this Agreement, shall keep and retain in confidence and not disclose to any Person any confidential matters of the Company Group acquired pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) This Section 7.12 shall not apply to (i) any information that has been made publicly available by the Company Group, becomes public knowledge (except as a result of an act of any Rights Holder, the Rights Holder Representative or any of their Affiliates in violation of this Agreement) or is generally known to the business community, (ii) the disclosure of information to the extent reasonably necessary for any Rights Holder or its Affiliates to prepare and file its Tax Returns, to respond to any inquiries regarding the same from any Taxing Authority or to prosecute or defend any action, proceeding or audit by any Taxing Authority with respect to such Tax Returns or (iii) the disclosure of information to any direct or indirect limited partners of any Rights Holder so long as such Persons are apprised of the confidential nature thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, each Rights Holder (and each employee, representative or other agent of such Rights Holder, as applicable) may disclose the tax treatment and tax structure of (A) the Company Group, (B) the transactions, if any, entered into in connection with this Agreement, (C) this Agreement, and (D) any of the transactions of the Company Group, and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided to the Rights Holders relating to such tax treatment and tax structure.
(c) If the Rights Holders or the Rights Holder Representative breaches any of the provisions of this Section 7.12, the Company shall have the right to seek to have the provisions of this Section 7.12 specifically enforced by injunctive relief by any court of competent jurisdiction without the need to post any bond or other security, it being acknowledged and agreed that any such breach shall cause irreparable injury to the Company Group and that money damages alone shall not provide an adequate remedy to such Persons. Such rights and remedies shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other rights and remedies available at law or in equity.
Section 7.13 Rules of Construction. Unless otherwise specified herein:
(a) For purposes of interpretation of this Agreement:
(i) the words “herein,” “hereto,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision thereof;
(ii) any accounting term used and not otherwise defined in this Agreement has the meaning assigned to such term in accordance with GAAP;
(iii) unless specified otherwise, references to an Article, Section or clause refer to the appropriate Article, Section or clause in this Agreement;
(iv) the terms “include” or “including” are by way of example and not limitation and shall be deemed followed by the words “without limitation”;
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(v) the word “if” and other words of similar import when used herein shall be deemed in each case to be followed by the phrase “and only if”;
(vi) the term “documents” includes any and all instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, notices, reports, financial statements and other writings, however evidenced, whether in physical or electronic form;
(b) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including”, the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding” and the word “through” means “to and including.”
(c) Section headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement.
(d) Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, references to any law (including the Code) include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such law.
Section 7.14 Rights Holder Representative.
(a) Appointment. Without further action of any of the Company, the Rights Holder Representative or any Rights Holder, and as partial consideration of the benefits conferred by this Agreement, the Rights Holder Representative is hereby irrevocably constituted and appointed to act as the sole representative, agent, and attorney-in-fact (coupled with an interest) for the Rights Holders and their successors and assigns with respect to the taking by the Rights Holder Representative of any and all actions and the making of any decisions required or permitted to be taken by the Rights Holder Representative or Rights Holders under this Agreement, including but not limited to, and unless otherwise expressly and specifically agreed in writing between the Rights Holder Representative and any Rights Holder: (i) execution of the documents and certificates required pursuant to this Agreement (including any amendment or waiver hereto or thereto (without the prior approval of the Rights Holders)) and consummating the transactions contemplated herein and therein; (ii) receipt and forwarding of notices and communications pursuant to this Agreement, receipt and disbursement to any Rights Holders of any funds received on behalf of such Rights Holder under this Agreement or otherwise and withholding any amounts received on behalf of a Rights Holder pursuant to this Agreement or to satisfy any and all obligations or liabilities of any Rights Holder or the Rights Holder Representative in the performance of any of their commitments hereunder; (iii) administration of the provisions of this Agreement including cancellations of amounts due hereunder; (iv) giving or agreeing to, on behalf of the Rights Holders, any and all consents, waivers, amendments, or modifications deemed by the Rights Holder Representative, in its sole and absolute discretion, to be necessary or appropriate under this Agreement and the execution or delivery of any documents that may be necessary or appropriate in connection therewith; (v) taking actions the Rights Holder Representative is expressly authorized to take pursuant to the other provisions of this Agreement; (vi) pursuing, negotiating and/or compromising, on behalf of the Rights Holders or Rights Holder Representative, any claim or dispute that may arise under, and exercising or refraining from exercising any remedies available under, this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby and executing, on behalf of the Rights Holders, any settlement agreement, release or other document with respect to such dispute or remedy; (vii) transferring, assigning or otherwise
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disposing of this Agreement or any rights or obligations arising hereunder or herefrom; (viii) engaging attorneys, accountants, agents or consultants on behalf of the Rights Holders in connection with this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby and paying any fees related thereto; and (ix) taking all other actions to be taken by or on behalf of any Rights Holder in connection with this Agreement and the other agreements, instruments and documents contemplated hereby or executed in connection herewith. The power of attorney granted herein is coupled with an interest and is irrevocable without the consent of the Rights Holder Representative, may be delegated by the Rights Holder Representative and shall survive the death, incapacity, bankruptcy, dissolution or liquidation of each Rights Holder. No bond shall be required of the Rights Holder Representative, and the Rights Holder Representative shall receive no compensation for its services.
(b) Expenses. If at any time the Rights Holder Representative shall incur out of pocket expenses in connection with the exercise of its duties hereunder, upon written notice to the Company from the Rights Holder Representative of documented costs and expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel, accountants, and other third parties) incurred by the Rights Holder Representative in connection with the performance of its rights or obligations under this Agreement and the taking of any and all actions in connection therewith, (x) first, the Company shall reduce any future payments (if any) due to the Rights Holders hereunder pro rata (based on their respective Applicable Percentages) by the amount of such expenses which it shall instead remit directly to the Rights Holder Representative and (y) then, any remaining unreimbursed expenses shall be reimbursed by each Rights Holder severally (based on their respective Applicable Percentages), and not jointly. In connection with the performance of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the taking of any and all actions in connection therewith, the Rights Holder Representative shall not be required to expend any of its own funds (though, for the avoidance of doubt, it may do so at any time and from time to time in its sole discretion).
(c) Limitation on Liability. The Rights Holder Representative shall not be liable to any Rights Holder for any act of the Rights Holder Representative arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of its obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent any liability, loss, damage, penalty, fine, cost, or expense is actually incurred by such Rights Holder as a proximate result of the fraud or willful misconduct of the Rights Holder Representative (it being understood that any act done or omitted pursuant to the advice of legal counsel, accountants, or other such experts selected by it shall be conclusive evidence of such good faith and reasonable judgment). Without any further act of any of the Rights Holders, the Rights Holder Representative and its Affiliates shall be indemnified, held harmless and reimbursed by each Rights Holder severally (based on their respective Applicable Percentages), and not jointly, against all costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid or incurred by the Rights Holder Representative and its Affiliates in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding to which the Rights Holder Representative or such other Person is made a party by reason of the fact that it is or was acting as the Rights Holder Representative pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. Any and all amounts paid or incurred by the Rights Holder Representative and its Affiliates in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding to which the Rights Holder Representative or such other Person is made a party by reason of the fact that it is or was acting as the Rights Holder Representative pursuant to the terms of this Agreement are on behalf of the Rights Holder (and, not for the avoidance, on behalf of the Rights Holder Representative in any other capacity, as a Rights Holder or otherwise).
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(d) Actions of the Rights Holder Representative. Any decision, act, consent, or instruction of the Rights Holder Representative shall constitute a decision of all Rights Holders and shall be final, binding, and conclusive upon each Rights Holder, and the Company may rely upon any decision, act, consent, or instruction of the Rights Holder Representative as being the decision, act, consent, or instruction of each Rights Holder. The Company is hereby relieved from any liability to any person for any acts done by the Company in accordance with any such decision, act, consent, or instruction of the Rights Holder Representative.
Section 7.15 Certain Acknowledgments. Without limiting the generality of Section 2.3(c) or Section 7.6(a), any Person who or which accepts the rights and obligations of a Rights Holder under this Agreement shall be treated as a Rights Holder hereunder pursuant to the terms hereof, and such Person shall be deemed to have adhered to and agreed to be bound by the terms of this Agreement as a Rights Holder without further action or the execution of any additional documents or instruments, including any counterpart signature page to this Agreement or joinder to this Agreement. Further, each such Person shall be deemed to have agreed not to assert any claim that it is not bound by the terms of this Agreement and acknowledges that in no circumstance can such Person be a Rights Holder, or be entitled to the rights of a Rights Holder hereunder, if it is not bound by all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the obligations to which a Rights Holder is subject hereunder.
[Signature Pages Follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Tax Receivable Agreement as of the date first written above.
| COMPANY:
YORK SPACE SYSTEMS INC. | ||
| By: |
/s/ Dirk Wallinger | |
| Name: |
Dirk Wallinger | |
| Title: |
Chief Executive Officer | |
| YELLOWSTONE GP:
YELLOWSTONE GP, LLC | ||
| By: |
/s/ Kirk Konert | |
| Name: |
Kirk Konert | |
| Title: |
President | |
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| RIGHTS HOLDER:
| ||
| [Rights Holder signatures on file with Company.] | ||
Exhibit A
Form of Joinder to Tax Receivable Agreement
This JOINDER (this “Joinder”) to the Tax Receivable Agreement dated [●], 2026 (the “Tax Receivable Agreement”) by and among York Space Systems Inc. or its successors for U.S. federal income tax purposes (the “Company”), Yellowstone GP, LLC, and the persons listed on Schedule A attached thereto from time to time, is made and entered into as of the date on the signature page hereto (the “Effective Date”) by and among the Company, the “Transferor” set forth on the signature page hereto (“Transferor”) and the “Permitted Transferee” set forth on the signature page hereto (“Permitted Transferee”).
WHEREAS, on the Effective Date, Permitted Transferee desires to acquire a certain portion of the Transferor’s right to receive payments that may become due and payable under the Tax Receivable Agreement (the “Acquired Interests”) from Transferor (the “Acquisition”); and
WHEREAS, Transferor, in connection with the Acquisition, has required Permitted Transferee to execute and deliver this Joinder pursuant to Section 7.6 of the Tax Receivable Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the respective covenants and agreements set forth herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
Section 1.1 Definitions. To the extent capitalized words used in this Joinder are not defined in this Joinder, such words shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Tax Receivable Agreement.
Section 1.2 Acquisition. For good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged by the Transferor and the Permitted Transferee, the Transferor hereby transfers and assigns absolutely to the Permitted Transferee all of the Acquired Interests.
Section 1.3 Joinder. Permitted Transferee hereby acknowledges and agrees (i) that it has received and read the Tax Receivable Agreement, (ii) that the Permitted Transferee is acquiring the Acquired Interests in accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions of the Tax Receivable Agreement and (iii) to become a Rights Holder for all purposes of the Tax Receivable Agreement upon execution of this Joinder.
Section 1.4 Notice. Any notice, request, consent, claim, demand, approval, waiver or other communication hereunder to Permitted Transferee shall be delivered or sent to Permitted Transferee at the address set forth on the signature page hereto in accordance with Section 7.1 of the Tax Receivable Agreement.
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Section 1.5 Miscellaneous. This Joinder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware. This Joinder may be executed in separate counterparts each of which shall be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Facsimile and scanned and emailed counterpart signatures to this Joinder shall be acceptable and binding.
[Signature Pages Follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Joinder has been duly executed and delivered by parties hereto as of , 202 .
| COMPANY:
YORK SPACE SYSTEMS INC. | ||
| By: |
||
| Name: |
||
| Title: |
||
| TRANSFEROR:
[TRANSFEROR] | ||
| By: |
||
| Name: |
||
| Title: |
||
| PERMITTED TRANSFEREE:
[PERMITTED TRANSFEREE] | ||
| By: |
||
| Name: |
||
| Title: |
||
| Address for notices: | ||
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Exhibit 10.2
YORK SPACE SYSTEMS INC.
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of January 30, 2026 among York Space Systems Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), each of the investors listed on the signature pages hereto under the caption “Sponsor Investors” (collectively, the “Sponsor Investors”), and each Person listed on the signature pages under the caption “Other Investors” or who executes a Joinder as an “Other Investor” (collectively, the “Other Investors”). Except as otherwise specified herein, all capitalized terms used in this Agreement are defined in Exhibit A attached hereto.
In consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties to this Agreement hereby agree as follows:
Section 1 Demand Registrations.
(a) Requests for Registration.
(i) At any time and from time to time, the Sponsor Investors may request registration under the Securities Act of all or any portion of their Registrable Securities on Form S-1 or any similar long-form registration statement (“Long-Form Registrations”) or on Form S-3 or any similar short-form registration statement (“Short-Form Registrations”), if available (any such requested registration, a “Demand Registration”). The Sponsor Investors may request that any Demand Registration be made pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (a “Shelf Registration”) and (if the Company is a WKSI at the time any such request is submitted to the Company or will become one by the time of the filing of such Shelf Registration) that such Shelf Registration be an automatic shelf registration statement (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) (an “Automatic Shelf Registration Statement”). Each request for a Demand Registration must specify the approximate number or dollar value of Registrable Securities requested to be registered by the requesting Holders and (if known) the intended method of distribution. The Sponsor Investors will be entitled to request an unlimited number of Demand Registrations. The Company will pay all Expenses (as defined below), whether or not any such registration is consummated.
(ii) At any time and from time to time, the Blackrock Investors may request one (1) Long-Form Registration or Short-Form Registration. The Blackrock Investors may request that the Demand Registration be a Shelf Registration and (if the Company is a WKSI at the time any such request is submitted to the Company or will become one by the time of the filing of such Shelf Registration) that such Shelf Registration be an automatic shelf registration statement. Any request for a Demand Registration must specify the approximate number or dollar value of Registrable Securities requested to be registered by the requesting Holders and (if known) the intended method of distribution. The Blackrock Investors will be entitled to request one (1) Demand Registration; provided that (a) if the Blackrock Investors request a Shelf Registration and the Blackrock Investors are unable to sell all of the Registrable Securities included therein, such request shall not count as a Demand Registration for the purposes of this Section 1(ii), and (b) if the Blackrock Investors request a Demand Registration other than a Shelf Registration and the Blackrock Investors are unable to sell at least 50% of the Registrable Securities included therein, such request shall not count as a Demand Registration for the purposes of this Section 1(ii). For the avoidance of doubt, the participation by the Blackrock Investors in any Demand Registration initiated by any holder of Registrable Securities other than a Blackrock Investor shall not count as a Demand Registration by the Blackrock Investors. The Company will pay all Expenses (as defined below) in connection with any Demand Registration permitted by this Section 1(ii), whether or not any such registration is consummated.
(iii) Following the date on which the Company becomes eligible to register securities for resale pursuant to a Short-Form Registration, the holders of Registrable Securities issued upon conversion of the Class P Units of the Company’s limited liability company predecessor (the “Crossover Registrable Securities”) shall be entitled to request the filing and effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement (as defined herein) covering the resale of the Crossover Registrable Securities held by such holders (the “Crossover Shelf Registration”). Any holder of Crossover Registrable Securities may make such request, or such registration may be initiated by the Company on behalf of the holders of the Crossover Registrable Securities. The Company shall not be required to effect more than one (1) Crossover Shelf Registration and any holder declining to participate in such initial Crossover Shelf Registration shall have no further rights to initiate any registration pursuant to this Section 1(a)(iii).
(b) Notice to Other Holders. Within four (4) Business Days after receipt of any such request, the Company will give written notice of the Demand Registration to all other Holders and, subject to the terms of Section 1(e), will include in such Demand Registration (and in all related registrations and qualifications under state blue sky laws and in any related underwriting) all Registrable Securities with respect to which the Company has received written requests for inclusion therein within ten (10) days after the receipt of the Company’s notice; provided that, with the written consent of the Sponsor Investor, the Company may, or at the written request of the Sponsor Investors, the Company shall, instead provide notice of the Demand Registration to all other Holders within three (3) Business Days following the non-confidential filing of the registration statement with respect to the Demand Registration so long as such registration statement is not an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement.
(c) Form of Registrations. All Long-Form Registrations will be underwritten registrations unless otherwise approved by the Sponsor Investors. Demand Registrations will be Short-Form Registrations whenever the Company is permitted to use any applicable short form unless otherwise requested by the Sponsor Investors.
(d) Shelf Registrations.
(i) For so long as a registration statement for a Shelf Registration (a “Shelf Registration Statement”) is and remains effective, the Sponsor Investors will have the right at any time or from time to time to elect to sell pursuant to an offering (including an underwritten offering) Registrable Securities available for sale pursuant to such registration statement (“Shelf Registrable Securities”). If the Sponsor Investors desire to sell Registrable Securities pursuant to an underwritten offering, then the Sponsor Investors may deliver to the Company a written notice (a “Shelf Offering Notice”) specifying the number of Shelf Registrable Securities that the Sponsor Investors desire to sell pursuant to such underwritten offering (the “Shelf Offering”). As promptly as practicable, but in no event later than two (2) Business Days after receipt of a Shelf Offering Notice, the Company will give written notice of such Shelf Offering Notice to all other Holders of Shelf Registrable Securities that have been identified as selling stockholders in such Shelf Registration Statement and are otherwise permitted to sell in such Shelf Offering, which such notice shall request that each such Holder specify, within seven (7) days after the Company’s receipt of the Shelf Offering Notice, the maximum number of Shelf Registrable Securities such Holder desires to be disposed of in such Shelf Offering. The Company, subject to Section 1(e) and Section 7, will include in such Shelf Offering all Shelf Registrable Securities with respect to which the Company has received timely written requests for inclusion. The Company will, as expeditiously as possible (and in any event within fourteen (14) days after the receipt of a Shelf Offering Notice), but subject to Section 1(e), use its best efforts to consummate such Shelf Offering.
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(ii) If the Sponsor Investors desire to engage in an underwritten block trade or bought deal pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement (either through filing an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement or through a take-down from an already existing Shelf Registration Statement) (each, an “Underwritten Block Trade”), then notwithstanding the time periods set forth in Section 1(d)(i), the Sponsor Investors may notify the Company of the Underwritten Block Trade not less than two (2) Business Days prior to the day such offering is first anticipated to commence. If requested by the Sponsor Investors, the Company will promptly notify other Holders of such Underwritten Block Trade and such notified Holders (each, a “Potential Participant”) may elect whether or not to participate no later than the next Business Day (i.e. one (1) Business Day prior to the day such offering is to commence) (unless a longer period is agreed to by the Sponsor Investors), and the Company will as expeditiously as possible use its best efforts to facilitate such Underwritten Block Trade (which may close as early as two (2) Business Days after the date it commences); provided further that, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1(d)(i), no Holder (other than Holders of Sponsor Investor Registrable Securities) will be permitted to participate in an Underwritten Block Trade without the written consent of the Sponsor Investors. Any Potential Participant’s request to participate in an Underwritten Block Trade shall be binding on the Potential Participant.
(iii) All determinations as to whether to complete any Shelf Offering and as to the timing, manner, price and other terms of any Shelf Offering contemplated by this Section 1(d) shall be determined by the Sponsor Investors, and the Company shall use its best efforts to cause any Shelf Offering to occur in accordance with such determinations as promptly as practicable.
(iv) The Company will, at the request of the Sponsor Investors, file any prospectus supplement or any post-effective amendments and otherwise take any action necessary to include therein all disclosure and language deemed necessary or advisable by the Sponsor Investors to effect such Shelf Offering.
(e) Priority on Demand Registrations and Shelf Offerings. The Company will not include in any Demand Registration any securities that are not Registrable Securities without the prior written consent of the Sponsor Investors. If a Demand Registration or a Shelf Offering is an underwritten offering and the managing underwriters advise the Company in writing that in their opinion the number of Registrable Securities and (if permitted hereunder) other securities requested to be included in such offering exceeds the number of Registrable Securities and other securities (if any), which can be sold therein without adversely affecting the marketability, proposed offering price, timing or method of distribution of the offering, then the Company will include in such offering (prior to the inclusion of any securities which are not Registrable Securities) the number of Registrable Securities requested to be included by any Holder which, in the opinion of such underwriters, can be sold, without any such adverse effect, pro rata among such Holders on the basis of the number of Registrable Securities owned by each such Holder.
(f) Restrictions on Demand Registration and Shelf Offerings.
(i) The Company may postpone, for up to 60 days (or with the consent of the Sponsor Investors, a longer period) from the date of the request (the “Suspension Period”), the filing or the effectiveness of a registration statement for a Demand Registration or suspend the use of a prospectus that is part of a Shelf Registration Statement (and therefore suspend sales of the Shelf Registrable Securities) by providing written notice to the Holders if the following conditions are met: (A) the Company determines that the offer or sale of Registrable Securities would
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reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on any proposal or plan by the Company or any Subsidiary to engage in any material acquisition of assets or stock (other than in the ordinary course of business) or any material merger, consolidation, tender offer, recapitalization, reorganization, financing or other transaction involving the Company and (B) upon advice of counsel, the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement would require disclosure of material non-public information not otherwise required to be disclosed under applicable law, and either (x) the Company has a bona fide business purpose for preserving the confidentiality of such transaction or (y) such transaction renders the Company unable to comply with SEC requirements, in each case under circumstances that would make it impractical or inadvisable to cause the registration statement (or such filings) to become effective or to promptly amend or supplement the registration statement on a post effective basis, as applicable. The Company may delay or suspend the effectiveness of a Demand Registration or Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to this Section 1(f)(i) only once in any twelve (12)-month period (for avoidance of doubt, in addition to the Company’s rights and obligations under Section 4(a)(vi)) unless additional delays or suspensions are approved by the Sponsor Investors.
(ii) In the case of an event that causes the Company to suspend the use of a Shelf Registration Statement as set forth in Section 1(f)(i) above or pursuant to Section 4(a)(vi) (a “Suspension Event”), the Company will give a notice to the Holders whose Registrable Securities are registered pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement (a “Suspension Notice”) to suspend sales of the Registrable Securities and such notice must state generally the basis for the notice and that such suspension will continue only for so long as the Suspension Event or its effect is continuing. Each Holder agrees not to effect any sales of its Registrable Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement (or such filings) at any time after it has received a Suspension Notice from the Company and prior to receipt of an End of Suspension Notice. A Holder may recommence effecting sales of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement (or such filings) following further written notice to such effect (an “End of Suspension Notice”) from the Company, which End of Suspension Notice will be given by the Company to the Holders promptly following the conclusion of any Suspension Event (and in any event during the permitted Suspension Period).
(g) Selection of Underwriters. The investment banker(s) and manager(s) to administer any underwritten offering in connection with any Demand Registration or Shelf Offering, and any legal counsel required for such offering, shall be selected by the Sponsor Investors.
(h) Other Registration Rights. Except as provided in this Agreement, the Company will not grant to any Person(s) the right to request the Company or any Subsidiary to register any equity securities of the Company or any Subsidiary, or any securities convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for such securities, without the prior written consent of the Sponsor Investors.
(i) Revocation of Demand Notice or Shelf Offering Notice. At any time prior to the effective date of the registration statement relating to a Demand Registration or the “pricing” of any offering relating to a Shelf Offering Notice, the Sponsor Investors who initiated such Demand Registration or Shelf Offering may revoke or withdraw such notice of a Demand Registration or Shelf Offering Notice on behalf of all Holders participating in such Demand Registration or Shelf Offering without liability to such Holders (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the other Participating Sponsor Investors), in each case by providing written notice to the Company.
(j) Confidentiality. Each Holder agrees to treat as confidential the receipt of any notice hereunder (including notice of a Demand Registration, a Shelf Offering Notice and a Suspension Notice) and the information contained therein, and not to disclose or use the information contained in any such
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notice (or the existence thereof) without the prior written consent of the Company until such time as the information contained therein is or becomes available to the public generally (other than as a result of disclosure by such Holder in breach of the terms of this Agreement), except for such Holder’s Affiliates, advisors, financing sources, lenders or as required by law or applicable legal process.
Section 2 Piggyback Registrations.
(a) Right to Piggyback. Whenever the Company proposes to register any of its equity securities under the Securities Act (including primary and secondary registrations, and other than pursuant to an Excluded Registration) (a “Piggyback Registration”), the Company will give prompt written notice (and in any event within three (3) Business Days after the public filing of the registration statement relating to the Piggyback Registration) to all Holders of its intention to effect such Piggyback Registration and, subject to the terms of Section 2(b) and Section 2(c), will include in such Piggyback Registration (and in all related registrations or qualifications under blue sky laws and in any related underwriting) all Registrable Securities with respect to which the Company has received written requests for inclusion therein within ten (10) days after delivery of the Company’s notice. Any Participating Sponsor Investor may withdraw its request for inclusion at any time prior to executing the underwriting agreement, or if none, prior to the applicable registration statement becoming effective.
(b) Priority on Primary Registrations. Other than the securities the Company proposes to register on its own behalf, the Company will not include in any Piggyback Registration any securities that are not Registrable Securities without the prior written consent of the Sponsor Investors. If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten primary registration on behalf of the Company, and the managing underwriters advise the Company in writing that in their opinion the number of securities requested to be included in such registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without adversely affecting the marketability, proposed offering price, timing or method of distribution of the offering, the Company will include in such registration (i) first, the securities the Company proposes to sell; (ii) second, the Sponsor Investor Registrable Securities and Other Registrable Securities requested to be included in such registration which, in the opinion of the underwriters, can be sold without any such adverse effect, pro rata among the Participating Sponsor Investors and Other Investors on the basis of the number of Sponsor Investor Registrable Securities and Other Registrable Securities owned by each such Participating Sponsor Investor and Other Investor, as applicable; and (iii) third, other securities requested to be included in such registration which, in the opinion of the underwriters, can be sold without any such adverse effect.
(c) Priority on Secondary Registrations. Other than the securities the Company proposes to register on its own behalf, the Company will not include in any Piggyback Registration any securities that are not Registrable Securities without the prior written consent of the Sponsor Investors. If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten secondary registration on behalf of holders of the Company’s equity securities (other than pursuant to Section 1 hereof), and the managing underwriters advise the Company in writing that in their opinion the number of securities requested to be included in such registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without adversely affecting the marketability, proposed offering price, timing or method of distribution of the offering, the Company will include in such registration (i) first, the securities requested to be included therein by the holders initially requesting such registration which, in the opinion of the underwriters, can be sold without any such adverse effect; (ii) second, the Sponsor Investor Registrable Securities and the Other Registrable Securities requested to be included in such registration, pro rata among the Participating Sponsor Investors and Other Investors holding such Sponsor Investor Registrable Securities and Other Registrable Securities on the basis of the number of Sponsor Investor Registrable Securities and Other Registrable Securities owned by each such Participating Sponsor Investor and Other Investor, as applicable, which, in the opinion of the underwriters, can be sold without any such adverse effect; and (iii) third, other securities requested to be included in such registration which, in the opinion of the underwriters, can be sold without any such adverse effect.
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(d) Right to Terminate Registration. The Company will have the right to terminate or withdraw any registration initiated by it under this Section 2, whether or not any holder of Registrable Securities has elected to include securities in such registration.
(e) Selection of Underwriters. If any Piggyback Registration is an underwritten offering, the investment banker(s) and manager(s) for the offering shall be selected by the Company, which selections shall be reasonably acceptable to the holders of at least a majority of the Registrable Securities proposed to be included therein.
Section 3 Stockholder Lock-Up Agreements and Company Holdback Agreement.
(a) Stockholder Lock-up Agreements. In connection with any underwritten Public Offering, each Holder will enter into any lock-up, holdback or similar agreements requested by the underwriter(s) managing such offering, in each case with such modifications and exceptions as may be approved by the Sponsor Investors; provided, however, that any such lock-up, holdback or similar agreement shall be in customary form and consistent with this Section 3(a) and the period of such lock-up, holdback or other restriction shall not exceed 90 days. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Holder hereby agrees that in connection with any Demand Registration, Shelf Offering or Piggyback Registration that is an underwritten Public Offering, not to (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (including sales pursuant to Rule 144), directly or indirectly, any equity securities of the Company outstanding immediately before the effective date of the registration statement for such offering (including any such equity securities of the Company that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by such Holder in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC) (collectively, “Securities”), or any securities, options or rights convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Securities (collectively, “Other Securities”), (ii) enter into a transaction which would have the same effect as described in clause (i) above, (iii) enter into any swap, hedge or other arrangement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences or ownership of any Securities or Other Securities, whether such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such Securities or Other Securities, in cash or otherwise (each of (i), (ii) and (iii) above, a “Sale Transaction”), or (iv) publicly disclose the intention to enter into any Sale Transaction, commencing on the earlier of (A) the date on which the Company gives notice to the Holders that a preliminary prospectus for such underwritten Public Offering has been circulated to potential investors or (B) the “pricing” of such offering, and continuing to the date that is 90 days following the date of the final prospectus in the case of such underwritten Public Offering (each such period, or such shorter period as agreed to by the managing underwriters, a “Holdback Period”), with such modifications and exceptions as may be approved by the Sponsor Investors. Any discretionary waiver or termination of the restrictions set forth in this Section 3(a) with respect to any Demand Registration, Shelf Offering or Piggyback Registration that is an underwritten Public Offering that permits, in the aggregate, transfers of more than 1% of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock (other than transfers solely for estate planning), shall apply pro rata to all Holders, based on the number of shares subject to such restrictions hereunder. The Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to any Securities or Other Securities subject to the restrictions set forth in this Section 3(a) until the end of such Holdback Period. This Section 3(a) shall not apply to the Company’s initial Public Offering and any lock-up or similar agreements entered into pursuant to pre-existing contractual obligations or otherwise (an “IPO Lock-Up Agreement”) in effect as of the date hereof shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with the terms thereof.
(b) Company Holdback Agreement. The Company (i) will not file any registration statement for a Public Offering or cause any such registration statement to become effective, or effect any public sale or distribution of its Securities or Other Securities during any Holdback Period (other than as part of such underwritten Public Offering, or a registration on Form S-4 or Form S-8 or any successor or similar form which is (x) then in effect or (y) shall become effective upon the conversion, exchange or exercise of any then outstanding Other Securities) and (ii) will cause each of its directors and executive
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officers to agree not to effect any Sale Transaction during any Holdback Period, except as part of such underwritten registration (if otherwise permitted), unless approved in writing by the Sponsor Investors and the underwriters managing the Public Offering and to enter into any lock-up, holdback or similar agreements requested by the underwriter(s) managing such offering, in each case with such modifications and exceptions as may be approved by the Sponsor Investors.
Section 4 Registration Procedures.
(a) Company Obligations. Whenever the Holders have requested that any Registrable Securities be registered pursuant to this Agreement or have initiated a Shelf Offering, the Company will use its best efforts to effect the registration and the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof, and pursuant thereto the Company will as expeditiously as possible:
(i) prepare and file with (or submit confidentially to) the SEC a registration statement, and all amendments and supplements thereto and related prospectuses, with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective, all in accordance with the Securities Act and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (provided that before filing or confidentially submitting a registration statement or prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto, the Company will furnish to the counsel selected by the Sponsor Investors covered by such registration statement copies of all such documents proposed to be filed or submitted, which documents will be subject to the review and comment of such counsel);
(ii) notify each Holder of (A) the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, (B) the receipt by the Company or its counsel of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose, and (C) the effectiveness of each registration statement filed hereunder;
(iii) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such registration statement effective for a period ending when all of the securities covered by such registration statement have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of distribution by the sellers thereof set forth in such registration statement (but not in any event before the expiration of any longer period required under the Securities Act or, if such registration statement relates to an underwritten Public Offering, such longer period as in the opinion of counsel for the underwriters a prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with sale of Registrable Securities by an underwriter or dealer) and comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such registration statement during such period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the sellers thereof set forth in such registration statement;
(iv) furnish, without charge, to each seller of Registrable Securities thereunder and each underwriter, if any, such number of copies of such registration statement, each amendment and supplement thereto, the prospectus included in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus) (in each case including all exhibits and documents incorporated by reference therein), each amendment and supplement thereto, each Free Writing Prospectus and such other documents as such seller or underwriter, if any, may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such seller (the Company hereby consenting
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to the use in accordance with all applicable laws of each such registration statement, each such amendment and supplement thereto, and each such prospectus (or preliminary prospectus or supplement thereto) or Free Writing Prospectus by each such seller of Registrable Securities and the underwriters, if any, in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement or prospectus);
(v) use its best efforts to register or qualify such Registrable Securities under such other securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any seller reasonably requests and do any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such seller to consummate the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities owned by such seller (provided that the Company will not be required to (A) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this subparagraph, (B) consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction or (C) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction);
(vi) notify in writing each seller of such Registrable Securities (A) promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the date and time when such registration statement and each post-effective amendment thereto has become effective or a prospectus or supplement to any prospectus relating to a registration statement has been filed and when any registration or qualification has become effective under a state securities or blue sky law or any exemption thereunder has been obtained, (B) promptly after receipt thereof, of any request by the SEC for the amendment or supplementing of such registration statement or prospectus or for additional information, (C) at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event or of any information or circumstances as a result of which the prospectus included in such registration statement contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits any fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and, subject to Section 1(f), if required by applicable law or to the extent requested by the Sponsor Investor, the Company will use its best efforts to promptly prepare and file a supplement or amendment to such prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (D) if at any time the representations and warranties of the Company in any underwriting agreement, securities sale agreement, or other similar agreement, relating to the offering shall cease to be true and correct;
(vii) (A) use best efforts to cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed and, if not so listed, to be listed on a securities exchange and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to arrange for at least two market markers to register as such with respect to such Registrable Securities with FINRA, and (B) comply (and continue to comply) with the requirements of any self-regulatory organization applicable to the Company, including without limitation all corporate governance requirements;
(viii) use best efforts to provide a transfer agent and registrar for all such Registrable Securities not later than the effective date of such registration statement;
(ix) enter into and perform such customary agreements (including, as applicable, underwriting agreements in customary form) and take all such other actions as the Sponsor Investors or the underwriters, if any, reasonably request in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities (including, without limitation, making available the executive officers of the Company and participating in “road shows,” investor presentations, marketing events and other selling efforts and effecting a stock or unit split or combination, recapitalization or reorganization);
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(x) make available for inspection by any seller of Registrable Securities, any underwriter participating in any disposition or sale pursuant to such registration statement and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by any such seller or underwriter, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate and business documents and properties of the Company as will be necessary to enable them to exercise their due diligence responsibility, and cause the Company’s officers, directors, employees, agents, representatives and independent accountants to supply all information reasonably requested by any such seller, underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with such registration statement and the disposition of such Registrable Securities pursuant thereto;
(xi) take all actions to ensure that any Free-Writing Prospectus utilized in connection with any Demand Registration or Piggyback Registration or Shelf Offering hereunder complies in all material respects with the Securities Act, is filed in accordance with the Securities Act to the extent required thereby, is retained in accordance with the Securities Act to the extent required thereby and, when taken together with the related prospectus, prospectus supplement and related documents, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(xii) otherwise use its best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC, and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve (12) months beginning with the first day of the Company’s first full calendar quarter after the effective date of the registration statement, which earnings statement will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder;
(xiii) permit any Holder which, in its sole and exclusive judgment, might be deemed to be an underwriter or a controlling person of the Company, to participate in the preparation of such registration or comparable statement and to allow such Holder to provide language for insertion therein, in form and substance satisfactory to the Company, which in the reasonable judgment of such Holder and its counsel should be included;
(xiv) use best efforts to (A) make Short-Form Registration available for the sale of Registrable Securities and (B) prevent the issuance of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a registration statement, or the issuance of any order suspending or preventing the use of any related prospectus or suspending the qualification of any Common Equity included in such registration statement for sale in any jurisdiction use, and in the event any such order is issued, best efforts to obtain promptly the withdrawal of such order;
(xv) use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to enable the sellers thereof to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities;
(xvi) cooperate with the Holders covered by the registration statement and the managing underwriter or agent, if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates (not bearing any restrictive legends) representing securities to be sold under the registration statement, or the removal of any restrictive legends associated with any account at which such securities are held, and enable such securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as the managing underwriter, or agent, if any, or such Holders may request;
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(xvii) if requested by any managing underwriter, include in any prospectus or prospectus supplement updated financial or business information for the Company’s most recent period or current quarterly period (including estimated results or ranges of results) if required for purposes of marketing the offering in the view of the managing underwriter;
(xviii) take no direct or indirect action prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that to the extent that any prohibition is applicable to the Company, the Company will take such action as is necessary to make any such prohibition inapplicable;
(xix) cooperate with each Holder covered by the registration statement and each underwriter or agent participating in the disposition of such Registrable Securities and their respective counsel in connection with the preparation and filing of applications, notices, registrations and responses to requests for additional information with FINRA, the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq or any other national securities exchange on which the shares of Common Equity are or are to be listed, and (B) to the extent required by the rules and regulations of FINRA, retain a Qualified Independent Underwriter acceptable to the managing underwriter;
(xx) in the case of any underwritten offering, use its best efforts to obtain, and deliver to the underwriter(s), in the manner and to the extent provided for in the applicable underwriting agreement, one or more cold comfort letters from the Company’s independent public accountants in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by cold comfort letters;
(xxi) use its best efforts to provide (A) a legal opinion of the Company’s outside counsel, dated the effective date of such registration statement addressed to the Company, (B) on the date that such Registrable Securities are delivered to the underwriters for sale in connection with a Demand Registration or Shelf Offering, if such securities are being sold through underwriters, or, if such securities are not being sold through underwriters, on the closing date of the applicable sale, (1) one or more legal opinions of the Company’s outside counsel, dated such date, in form and substance as customarily given to underwriters in an underwritten public offering or, in the case of a non-underwritten offering, to the broker, placement agent or other agent of the Holders assisting in the sale of the Registrable Securities and (2) one or more “negative assurances letters” of the Company’s outside counsel, dated such date, in form and substance as is customarily given to underwriters in an underwritten public offering or, in the case of a non-underwritten offering, to the broker, placement agent or other agent of the Holders assisting in the sale of the Registrable Securities, in each case, addressed to the underwriters, if any, or, if requested, in the case of a non-underwritten offering, to the broker, placement agent or other agent of the Holders assisting in the sale of the Registrable Securities and (3) customary certificates executed by authorized officers of the Company as may be requested by any Holder or any underwriter of such Registrable Securities;
(xxii) if the Company files an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement covering any Registrable Securities, use its best efforts to remain a WKSI (and not become an ineligible issuer (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act)) during the period during which such Automatic Shelf Registration Statement is required to remain effective;
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(xxiii) if the Company does not pay the filing fee covering the Registrable Securities at the time an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement is filed, pay such fee at such time or times as the Registrable Securities are to be sold;
(xxiv) if the Automatic Shelf Registration Statement has been outstanding for at least three (3) years, at the end of the third year, refile a new Automatic Shelf Registration Statement covering the Registrable Securities, and, if at any time when the Company is required to re-evaluate its WKSI status the Company determines that it is not a WKSI, use its best efforts to refile the Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 and, if such form is not available, Form S-1 and keep such registration statement effective during the period during which such registration statement is required to be kept effective; and
(xxv) if requested by any Participating Sponsor Investor, cooperate with such Participating Sponsor Investor and with the managing underwriter or agent, if any, on reasonable notice to facilitate any Charitable Gifting Event and to prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and supplements to such Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to permit any such recipient Charitable Organization to sell in the underwritten offering if it so elects.
(b) Officer Obligations. Each Holder that is an officer of the Company agrees that if and for so long as he or she is employed by the Company or any Subsidiary thereof, he or she will participate fully in the sale process in a manner customary for persons in like positions and consistent with his or her other duties with the Company, including the preparation of the registration statement and the preparation and presentation of any road shows.
(c) Automatic Shelf Registration Statements. If the Company files any Automatic Shelf Registration Statement for the benefit of the holders of any of its securities other than the Holders, and the Sponsor Investors or the Blackrock Investors do not request that their Registrable Securities be included in such Shelf Registration Statement, the Company agrees that, at the request of the Sponsor Investors or the Blackrock Investors, it will include in such Automatic Shelf Registration Statement such disclosures as may be required by Rule 430B in order to ensure that the Sponsor Investors and the Blackrock Investors may be added to such Shelf Registration Statement at a later time through the filing of a prospectus supplement rather than a post-effective amendment. If the Company has filed any Automatic Shelf Registration Statement for the benefit of the holders of any of its securities other than the Holders, the Company shall, at the request of the Sponsor Investors or the Blackrock Investors, file any post-effective amendments necessary to include therein all disclosure and language necessary to ensure that the holders of Registrable Securities may be added to such Shelf Registration Statement.
(d) Additional Information. The Company may require each seller of Registrable Securities as to which any registration is being effected to furnish the Company such information regarding such seller and the distribution of such securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing, as a condition to such seller’s participation in such registration.
(e) In-Kind Distributions. If any Sponsor Investor (and/or any of their Affiliates) or the Blackrock Investors seeks to effectuate an in-kind distribution of all or part of their Registrable Securities to their respective direct or indirect equityholders, the Company will, subject to any applicable lock-ups, reasonably cooperate with and assist such stockholder, such equityholders and the Company’s transfer agent to facilitate such in-kind distribution in the manner reasonably requested by such Stockholder (including the delivery of instruction letters by the Company or its counsel to the Company’s transfer agent, the delivery of customary legal opinions by counsel to the Company and the delivery of Company Shares without restrictive legends, to the extent no longer applicable).
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(f) Suspended Distributions. Each Person participating in a registration hereunder agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 4(a)(vi), such Person will immediately discontinue the disposition of its Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement until such Person’s receipt of the copies of a supplemented or amended prospectus as contemplated by Section 4(a)(vi), subject to the Company’s compliance with its obligations under Section 4(a)(vi).
(g) Registerable Securities Transactions. If requested by any Holder in connection with any transaction involving any Registrable Securities (including any sale or other transfer of such securities without registration under the Securities Act, any margin loan with respect to such securities and any pledge of such securities), the Company agrees to provide such Holder with customary and reasonable assistance to facilitate such transaction, including, without limitation, (i) such action as such Holder may reasonably request from time to time to enable such Holder to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act and (ii) entering into an “issuer’s agreement” in connection with any margin loan with respect to such securities in customary form.
(h) Other. To the extent that any of the Participating Sponsor Investors is or may be deemed to be an “underwriter” of Registrable Securities pursuant to any SEC comments or policies, the Company agrees that (i) the indemnification and contribution provisions contained in Section 6 shall be applicable to the benefit of such Participating Sponsor Investor in their role as an underwriter or deemed underwriter in addition to their capacity as a holder and (ii) such Participating Sponsor Investor shall be entitled to conduct the due diligence which they would normally conduct in connection with an offering of securities registered under the Securities Act, including without limitation receipt of customary opinions and comfort letters addressed to such Participating Sponsor Investor.
Section 5 Expenses.
Except as expressly provided herein, all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Company or any Sponsor Investor in connection with the performance of or compliance with this Agreement and/or in connection with any sale, transfers, distributions or other disposition of Registrable Securities by any Sponsor Investor, including pursuant to a Demand Registration, Piggyback Registration or Shelf Offering, whether or not the same shall become effective, shall be paid by the Company, including, without limitation: (i) all registration and filing fees, and any other fees and expenses associated with filings required to be made with the SEC or FINRA, (ii) all fees and expenses in connection with compliance with any securities or “blue sky” laws, (iii) all expenses associated with filings required to be made with the SEC by any Sponsor Investors reporting a change in beneficial ownership, (iv) all printing, duplicating, word processing, messenger, telephone, facsimile and delivery expenses (including expenses of printing certificates for the Registrable Securities in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company or other depositary and of printing prospectuses and Company Free Writing Prospectuses), (v) all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and of all independent certified public accountants of the Company (including the expenses of any special audit and cold comfort letters required by or incident to such performance), (vi) Securities Act liability insurance or similar insurance if the Company so desires or the underwriters so require in accordance with then-customary underwriting practice, (vii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange on which similar securities of the Company are then listed (or on which exchange the Registrable Securities are proposed to be listed in the case of the initial Public Offering), (viii) all applicable rating agency fees with respect to the Registrable Securities, (ix) all fees and disbursements of legal counsel for the Company, (x) all reasonable fees and disbursements of one legal counsel for selling Holders selected by the Sponsor Investors (which may be the same counsel as selected for the Company) together with any necessary local counsel as may be required by the Sponsor Investors, (xi) any fees and disbursements of underwriters customarily paid by issuers or sellers of securities, (xii) all fees and expenses of any special experts or other
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Persons retained by the Company or the Sponsor Investors in connection with any Registration, (xiii) all of the Company’s internal expenses (including all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties) and (xiv) all expenses related to the “road-show” for any underwritten offering, including all travel, meals and lodging. All such expenses are referred to herein as “Expenses.” The Company shall not be required to pay, and each Person that sells securities pursuant to a Demand Registration, Shelf Offering or Piggyback Registration hereunder will bear and pay, all underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Registrable Securities sold for such Person’s account and all transfer taxes (if any) attributable to the sale of Registrable Securities.
Section 6 Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) By the Company. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by law and without limitation as to time, each Holder, such Holder’s officers, directors employees, agents, fiduciaries, stockholders, managers, partners, members, Affiliates, direct and indirect equityholders, consultants and representatives, and any successors and assigns thereof, and each Person who controls such holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act) (the “Indemnified Parties”) against all losses, claims, actions, damages, liabilities and expenses (including with respect to actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, and including reasonable attorney fees and expenses) (collectively, “Losses”) caused by, resulting from, arising out of, based upon or related to any of the following (each, a “Violation”) by the Company: (i) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in (A) any registration statement, prospectus, preliminary prospectus or Free-Writing Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or (B) any application or other document or communication (in this Section 6, collectively called an “application”) executed by or on behalf of the Company or based upon written information furnished by or on behalf of the Company filed in any jurisdiction in order to qualify any securities covered by such registration under the “blue sky” or securities laws thereof, (ii) any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (iii) any Violation or alleged Violation by the Company of the Securities Act or any other similar federal or state securities laws or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder applicable to the Company and relating to action or inaction required of the Company in connection with any such registration, qualification or compliance. In addition, the Company will reimburse such Indemnified Party for any legal or any other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Losses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such Losses result from, arise out of, are based upon, or relate to an untrue statement, or omission , made in such registration statement, any such prospectus, preliminary prospectus or Free-Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any application, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information prepared and furnished in writing to the Company by such Indemnified Party expressly for use therein or by such Indemnified Party’s failure to deliver a copy of the registration statement or prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto after the Company has furnished such Indemnified Party with a sufficient number of copies of the same. In connection with an underwritten offering, the Company will indemnify such underwriters, their officers and directors, and each Person who controls such underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Indemnified Parties or as otherwise agreed to in the underwriting agreement executed in connection with such underwritten offering. Such indemnity and reimbursement of expenses shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Indemnified Party and shall survive the transfer of such securities by such seller.
(b) By Holders. In connection with any registration statement in which a Holder is participating, each such Holder will furnish to the Company in writing such information and affidavits as the Company reasonably requests for use in connection with any such registration statement or prospectus and, to the extent permitted by law, will indemnify the Company, its officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives, and each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning of the Securities Act)
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against any Losses resulting from (as determined by a final and appealable judgment, order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction) any untrue statement of material fact contained in the registration statement, prospectus or preliminary prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information or affidavit so furnished in writing by such Holder expressly for use therein; provided that the obligation to indemnify will be individual, not joint and several, for each Holder and will be limited to the net amount of proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such registration statement.
(c) Claim Procedure. Any Person entitled to indemnification hereunder will (i) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification (provided that the failure to give prompt notice will impair any Person’s right to indemnification hereunder only to the extent such failure has prejudiced the indemnifying party) and (ii) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist with respect to such claim, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. If such defense is assumed, the indemnifying party will not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim will not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of any indemnified party a conflict of interest may exist between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified parties with respect to such claim. In such instance, the conflicted indemnified parties will have a right to retain one separate counsel, chosen by the majority of the conflicted indemnified parties involved in the indemnification and approved by the Sponsor Investor, at the expense of the indemnifying party.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to, or is insufficient to hold harmless, an indemnified party or is otherwise unenforceable with respect to any Loss referred to herein, then such indemnifying party will contribute to the amounts paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such Loss, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party on the one hand and of the indemnified party on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Loss as well as any other relevant equitable considerations or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) of this Section 6(d) is not permitted by applicable law, then in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative fault but also the relative benefit of the Company on the one hand and of the sellers of Registrable Securities and any other sellers participating in the registration statement on the other in connection with the statement or omissions which resulted in such Losses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; provided that the maximum amount of liability in respect of such contribution will be limited, in the case of each seller of Registrable Securities, to an amount equal to the net proceeds actually received by such seller from the sale of Registrable Securities effected pursuant to such registration. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and of the indemnified party will be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue (or, as applicable alleged) untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the indemnifying party or by the indemnified party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just or equitable if the contribution pursuant to this Section 6(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account such equitable considerations. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the Losses referred to herein will be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending against any action or claim which is the subject hereof. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any Person who is not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
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(e) Release. No indemnifying party will, except with the consent of the indemnified party, consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement that does not include as an unconditional term thereof giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation.
(f) Non-exclusive Remedy; Survival. The indemnification and contribution provided for under this Agreement will be in addition to any other rights to indemnification or contribution that any indemnified party may have pursuant to law or contract (and the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be considered the indemnitors of first resort in all such circumstances to which this Section 6 applies) and will remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any officer, director or controlling Person of such indemnified party and will survive the transfer of Registrable Securities and the termination or expiration of this Agreement.
Section 7 Cooperation with Underwritten Offerings. No Person may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder unless such Person (i) agrees to sell such Person’s securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Person or Persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements (including, without limitation, pursuant to the terms of any over-allotment or “green shoe” option requested by the underwriters; provided that no Holder will be required to sell more than the number of Registrable Securities such Holder has requested to include in such registration) and (ii) completes, executes and delivers all questionnaires, powers of attorney, stock powers, custody agreements, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents and agreements required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements or as may be reasonably requested by the Company and the lead managing underwriter(s). To the extent that any such agreement is entered into pursuant to, and consistent with, Section 3, Section 4 and/or this Section 7, the respective rights and obligations created under such agreement will supersede the respective rights and obligations of the Holders, the Company and the underwriters created thereby with respect to such registration.
Section 8 Subsidiary Public Offering. If, after an initial Public Offering of the common equity securities of one of its Subsidiaries, the Company distributes securities of such Subsidiary to its equityholders, then the rights and obligations of the Company pursuant to this Agreement will apply, mutatis mutandis, to such Subsidiary, and the Company will cause such Subsidiary to comply with such Subsidiary’s obligations under this Agreement as if it were the Company hereunder.
Section 9 Joinder. The Company may from time to time (with the prior written consent of the Sponsor Investors) permit any Person who acquires Common Equity (or rights to acquire Common Equity) to become a party to this Agreement and to be entitled to and be bound by all of the rights and obligations as a Holder by obtaining an executed joinder to this Agreement from such Person in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto (a “Joinder”). Upon the execution and delivery of a Joinder by such Person, the Common Equity held by such Person shall become the category of Registrable Securities (i.e. Sponsor Investor Registrable Securities or Other Investor Registrable Securities), and such Person shall be deemed the category of Holder (i.e. Sponsor Investor or Other Investor), in each case as set forth on the signature page to such Joinder.
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Section 10 General Provisions.
(a) Amendments and Waivers. Except as otherwise provided herein, the provisions of this Agreement may be amended, modified or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company and the Sponsor Investors who are then Holders; provided that no such amendment, modification or waiver that would treat a specific Holder or group of Holders of Registrable Securities (i.e., Sponsor Investors or Other Investors) in a manner materially and adversely different than any other Holder or group of Holders will be effective against such Holder or group of Holders without the consent of the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities that are held by the group of Holders that is materially and adversely affected thereby. The failure or delay of any Person to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement will in no way be construed as a waiver of such provisions and will not affect the right of such Person thereafter to enforce each and every provision of this Agreement in accordance with its terms. A waiver or consent to or of any breach or default by any Person in the performance by that Person of his, her or its obligations under this Agreement will not be deemed to be a consent or waiver to or of any other breach or default in the performance by that Person of the same or any other obligations of that Person under this Agreement.
(b) Remedies. The parties to this Agreement will be entitled to enforce their rights under this Agreement specifically (without posting a bond or other security), to recover damages caused by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all other rights existing in their favor. The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that a breach of this Agreement would cause irreparable harm and money damages would not be an adequate remedy for any such breach and that, in addition to any other rights and remedies existing hereunder, any party will be entitled to specific performance and/or other injunctive relief from any court of law or equity of competent jurisdiction (without posting any bond or other security) in order to enforce or prevent violation of the provisions of this Agreement.
(c) Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be prohibited, invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or regulation in any jurisdiction, such prohibition, invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect the validity, legality or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement in such jurisdiction or in any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such prohibited, invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.
(d) Entire Agreement. Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement contains the complete agreement and understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and preempts any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties hereto, written or oral, which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way (including, without limitation, the Yellowstone Midco Holdings II, LLC Amended and Restated Limited Liability Agreement and the Yellowstone Ultimate Holdings, LP Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership).
(e) Successors and Assigns. Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement will bind and inure to the benefit and be enforceable by the Company and its successors and permitted assigns. Each of the Sponsor Investors and the Blackrock Investors may assign its rights hereunder to its Affiliates; provided, that such purchaser or transferee shall, as a condition to the effectiveness of such assignment, be required to cause such prospective transferee to execute and deliver to the Company a Joinder. Except as otherwise provided herein, the rights under this Agreement are personal to the Holders and are not assignable without the prior written consent of each of the Company and the Sponsor Investors.
(f) Notices. Any notice, demand or other communication to be given under or by reason of the provisions of this Agreement will be in writing and will be deemed to have been given (i) when delivered personally to the recipient, (ii) when sent by confirmed electronic mail if sent during normal business hours of the recipient; but if not, then on the next Business Day, (iii) one Business Day after it is sent to the recipient by reputable overnight courier service (charges prepaid) or (iv) three Business Days after it is mailed to the recipient by first class mail, return receipt requested. Such notices, demands and other communications will be sent to the Company at the address specified on the signature page hereto or
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any Joinder and to any holder, or at such address or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party has specified by prior written notice to the sending party. Any party may change such party’s address for receipt of notice by giving prior written notice of the change to the sending party as provided herein. The Company’s address is:
York Space Systems Inc.
6060 S Willow Drive
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Attn: Monica Palko, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer
Email: ****; ****
With a copy to:
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
333 West Wolf Point Plaza
Chicago, IL 60654
Attn: Robert Hayward, Kevin M. Frank, Ashley Sinclair
Email: ****, ****, ****
or to such other address or to the attention of such other person as the recipient party has specified by prior written notice to the sending party.
(g) Business Days. If any time period for giving notice or taking action hereunder expires on a day that is not a Business Day, the time period will automatically be extended to the Business Day immediately following such Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday.
(h) Governing Law. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforcement of this Agreement and the exhibits and schedules hereto will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.
(i) MUTUAL WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. AS A SPECIFICALLY BARGAINED FOR INDUCEMENT FOR EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT (AFTER HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSULT WITH COUNSEL), EACH PARTY HERETO EXPRESSLY WAIVES THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LAWSUIT OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO OR ARISING IN ANY WAY FROM THIS AGREEMENT OR THE MATTERS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
(j) CONSENT TO JURISDICTION AND SERVICE OF PROCESS. EACH OF THE PARTIES IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE, FOR THE PURPOSES OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR OTHER PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT, ANY RELATED AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO FURTHER AGREES THAT SERVICE OF ANY PROCESS, SUMMONS, NOTICE OR DOCUMENT BY U.S. REGISTERED MAIL TO SUCH PARTY’S RESPECTIVE ADDRESS SET FORTH ABOVE WILL BE EFFECTIVE SERVICE OF PROCESS FOR ANY ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO ANY MATTERS TO WHICH IT HAS SUBMITTED TO JURISDICTION IN THIS PARAGRAPH. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT, ANY RELATED DOCUMENT OR
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THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE, AND HEREBY AND THEREBY FURTHER IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES AND AGREES NOT TO PLEAD OR CLAIM IN ANY SUCH COURT THAT ANY SUCH ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM.
(k) No Recourse. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company and each Holder agrees and acknowledges that no recourse under this Agreement or any documents or instruments delivered in connection with this Agreement, will be had against any current or future director, officer, employee, general or limited partner or member of any Holder or any Affiliate or assignee thereof, whether by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding, or by virtue of any statute, regulation or other applicable law, it being expressly agreed and acknowledged that no personal liability whatsoever will attach to, be imposed on or otherwise be incurred by any current or future officer, agent or employee of any Holder or any current or future member of any Holder or any current or future director, officer, employee, partner or member of any Holder or of any Affiliate or assignee thereof, as such for any obligation of any Holder under this Agreement or any documents or instruments delivered in connection with this Agreement for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation.
(l) Descriptive Headings; Interpretation. The descriptive headings of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and do not constitute a part of this Agreement. The use of the word “including” in this Agreement will be by way of example rather than by limitation.
(m) No Strict Construction. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties hereto to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction will be applied against any party.
(n) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, any one of which need not contain the signature of more than one party, but all such counterparts taken together will constitute one and the same agreement.
(o) Electronic Delivery. This Agreement, the agreements referred to herein, and each other agreement or instrument entered into in connection herewith or therewith or contemplated hereby or thereby, and any amendments hereto or thereto, to the extent executed and delivered by means of a photographic, photostatic, facsimile or similar reproduction of such signed writing using a facsimile machine or electronic mail will be treated in all manner and respects as an original agreement or instrument and will be considered to have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof delivered in person. At the request of any party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument, each other party hereto or thereto will re-execute original forms thereof and deliver them to all other parties. No party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument will raise the use of a facsimile machine or electronic mail to deliver a signature or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through the use of a facsimile machine or electronic mail as a defense to the formation or enforceability of a contract and each such party forever waives any such defense.
(p) Further Assurances. In connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, each Holder agrees to execute and deliver any additional documents and instruments and perform any additional acts that may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate and perform the provisions of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.
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(q) Dividends, Recapitalizations, Etc. If at any time or from time to time there is any change in the capital structure of the Company by way of a stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification, or through a merger, consolidation, reorganization or recapitalization, or by any other means, appropriate adjustment will be made in the provisions hereof so that the rights and privileges granted hereby will continue.
(r) No Third-Party Beneficiaries. No term or provision of this Agreement is intended to be, or shall be, for the benefit of any Person not a party hereto, and no such other Person shall have any right or cause of action hereunder, except as otherwise expressly provided herein.
(s) Current Public Information. At all times after the Company has filed a registration statement with the SEC pursuant to the requirements of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, the Company will file all reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and will take such further action as the Sponsor Investors may reasonably request, all to the extent required to enable such Holders to sell Registrable Securities pursuant to Rule 144 that may at any time permit a Holder to sell securities of the Company to the public without registration or pursuant to a registration on Form S-3, the Company shall:
(i) make and keep available adequate current public information, as defined in Rule 144;
(ii) use commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act; and
(iii) furnish to any Holder upon request, so long as the Holder owns any Registrable Securities, a written statement regarding the Company’s compliance with the conditions set forth in paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 144.
* * * * *
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.
| York Space Systems Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Dirk Wallinger | |
| Name: | Dirk Wallinger | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
| SPONSOR INVESTORS:
AE Industrial Partners Fund II, LP By: AE Industrial Partners Fund II GP, LP Its: General Partner
By: AeroEquity GP, LLC Its: General Partner
| ||
| By: |
/s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: |
Michael Greene | |
| Title: |
Authorized Person | |
| AE Industrial Partners Fund II-A, LP By: AE Industrial Partners Fund II GP, LP Its: General Partner
By: AeroEquity GP, LLC Its: General Partner | ||
| By: |
/s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: |
Michael Greene | |
| Title: |
Authorized Person | |
| AE Industrial Partners Fund II-B, LP By: AE Industrial Partners Fund II GP, LP Its: General Partner
By: AeroEquity GP, LLC Its: General Partner
| ||
| By: |
/s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: |
Michael Greene | |
| Title: |
Authorized Person | |
[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]
| AE Industrial Partners Fund III, LP By: AE Industrial Partners Fund III GP, LP Its: General Partner
By:AeroEquity GP, LLC Its: General Partner | ||
| By: |
/s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: |
Michael Greene | |
| Title: |
Authorized Person | |
| AE Industrial Partners Fund III-A, LP By: AE Industrial Partners Fund III GP, LP Its: General Partner
By:AeroEquity GP, LLC Its: General Partner | ||
| By: |
/s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: |
Michael Greene | |
| Title: |
Authorized Person | |
| AE Aerospace Opportunities Fund By: AE Industrial Partners Aerospace Opportunities GP, LP Its: General Partner
By:AeroEquity GP, LLC Its: General Partner | ||
| By: |
/s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: |
Michael Greene | |
| Title: |
Authorized Person | |
| AE Co-Investment Partners Fund III-Y, LP (CIV) By: AE Industrial Partners Fund III GP, LP Its: General Partner
By:AeroEquity GP, LLC Its: General Partner | ||
| By: |
/s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: |
Michael Greene | |
| Title: |
Managing Partner | |
[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]
| AE Co-Investment Partners Fund III Y-2, LP By: AE Industrial Partners Fund III GP, LP Its: General Partner
By: AeroEquity GP, LLC Its: General Partner | ||
| By: |
/s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: |
Michael Greene | |
| Title: |
Authorized Person | |
| AE Industrial PSO Equity Partners, LP
By: AE Industrial PSO Equity Partners GP, LLC Its: General Partner | ||
| By: |
/s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: |
Michael Greene | |
| Title: |
Authorized Person | |
| AE Industrial Partners PBCI Aggregator, LP
By: AE Industrial Partners PBCI Aggregator GP, LP Its: General Partners
By: AeroEquity GP, LLC Its: General Partner | ||
| By: |
/s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: |
Michael Greene | |
| Title: |
Authorized Person | |
| OTHER INVESTORS: | ||
| [Other Investor signatures on file with Company.] | ||
[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]
EXHIBIT A
DEFINITIONS
Capitalized terms used in this Agreement have the meanings set forth below.
“Affiliate” of any Person means any other Person controlled by, controlling, managing, managed by or under common control with such Person and, in the case of an individual, also includes any member of such individual’s Family Group; provided that the Company and its Subsidiaries will not be deemed to be Affiliates of any holder of Registrable Securities. As used in this definition, “control” (including, with its correlative meanings, “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) will mean possession, directly or indirectly, of power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies (whether through ownership of securities, by contract or otherwise).
“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Automatic Shelf Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(a).
“Blackrock Investors” means each of BlackRock Private Equity Co-Investments 2021 Aggregator Cayman Ltd., BlackRock Growth Equity Fund Master Cayman Aggregator Ltd., BR POF IV CAYMAN MASTER FUND, L.P., BlackRock Private Opportunities Fund IV, L.P., BlackRock Private Opportunities Fund IV Master SCSp, TSCL Private Markets Cayman Fund Ltd., 1885 Private Opportunities Cayman Fund, Ltd., Heathrow Forest Opportunities Fund, L.P., Lincoln Pension Private Equity BR, L.P., NHRS Private Opportunities Fund, L.P., NDSIB Private Opportunities Fund Cayman Ltd., Mutual of Omaha OF Cayman, Ltd., BlackRock ERI Private Opportunities Master SCSp, Sullivan Way POF Cayman, Ltd, Total Alternatives Fund - Private Equity (B) LP, Total Alternatives Fund - Private Equity LP, 1824 Private Equity Fund, L.P., Tango Capital Opportunities Fund, L.P., BlackRock Private Investments Fund, OV Private Opportunities Cayman, Ltd., SONJ Opportunities Cayman, Ltd., Red River Direct Investment Fund III, L.P., MB BlackRock Holdings Cayman Ltd., LFR Capital Management, L.P. - 2023-14, Hilltop Investment Partners, LLC and LTIC Direct LLC; provided that any decision to be made under this Agreement by the Blackrock Investors shall be made by the holders of a majority of all Blackrock Registrable Securities.
“Blackrock Registrable Securities” means (i) any Common Equity held (directly or indirectly) by any Blackrock Investor or any of its Affiliates, and (ii) any equity securities of the Company or any Subsidiary issued or issuable with respect to the securities referred to in clause (i) above by way of dividend, distribution, split or combination of securities, or any recapitalization, merger, consolidation or other reorganization.
“Business Day” means a day that is not a Saturday or Sunday or a day on which banks in New York City are authorized or requested by law to close.
“Charitable Gifting Event” means any transfer by an Sponsor Investor, or any subsequent transfer by such holder’s members, partners or other employees, in connection with a bona fide gift to any Charitable Organization on the date of, but prior to, the execution of the underwriting agreement entered into in connection with any underwritten offering.
“Charitable Organization” means a charitable organization as described by Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as in effect from time to time.
A-1
“Common Equity” means the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share. In the event of a Corporate Conversion, Common Equity will thereafter mean the common stock issued upon conversion or in exchange for the Company’s Common Equity.
“Company” has the meaning set forth in the preamble and shall include its successor(s).
“Crossover Registrable Securities” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(a)(ii).
“Crossover Shelf Registration” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(a)(ii).
“Demand Registrations” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(a).
“End of Suspension Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(f)(ii).
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, or any successor federal law then in force, together with all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Excluded Registration” means any registration (i) pursuant to a Demand Registration (which is addressed in Section 1(a)), or (ii) in connection with registrations on Form S-4 or S-8 promulgated by the SEC or any successor or similar forms).
“Expenses” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.
“Family Group” means with respect to any individual, such individual’s current or former spouse, their respective parents, descendants of such parents (whether natural or adopted) and the spouses of such descendants, any trust, limited partnership, corporation or limited liability company established solely for the benefit of such individual or such individual’s current or former spouse, their respective parents, descendants of such parents (whether natural or adopted) or the spouses of such descendants.
“FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
“Free Writing Prospectus” means a free-writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405.
“Holdback Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).
“Holder” means a holder of Registrable Securities who is a party to this Agreement (including by way of Joinder).
“Indemnified Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 6(a).
“Joinder” has the meaning set forth in Section 9(a).
“Long-Form Registrations” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(a).
“Losses” has the meaning set forth in Section 6(c).
“Other Investors” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Other Investor Registrable Securities” means (i) any Common Equity held (directly or indirectly) by any Other Investors or any of their Affiliates, and (ii) any equity securities of the Company or any Subsidiary issued or issuable with respect to the securities referred to in clause (i) above by way of dividend, distribution, split or combination of securities, or any recapitalization, merger, consolidation or other reorganization.
A-2
“Participating Sponsor Investors” means any Sponsor Investor(s) participating in the request for a Demand Registration, Shelf Offering, Piggyback Registration or Underwritten Block Trade.
“Person” means an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a limited liability company, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization and a governmental entity or any department, agency or political subdivision thereof.
“Piggyback Registrations” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
“Public Offering” means any sale or distribution by the Company, one of its Subsidiaries and/or Holders to the public of Common Equity or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Equity pursuant to an offering registered under the Securities Act.
“Qualified Independent Underwriter” has the meaning set forth by FINRA in Section 5121(f)(12), or any successor provision thereto.
“Registrable Securities” means Sponsor Investor Registrable Securities or Other Investor Registrable Securities. As to any particular Registrable Securities, such securities will cease to be Registrable Securities when they have been (a) sold or distributed pursuant to a Public Offering, (b) sold in compliance with Rule 144, (c) distributed to the direct or indirect partners or members of a Sponsor Investor or (d) repurchased by the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company. For purposes of this Agreement, a Person will be deemed to be a holder of Registrable Securities, and the Registrable Securities will be deemed to be in existence, whenever such Person has the right to acquire, directly or indirectly, such Registrable Securities (upon conversion or exercise in connection with a transfer of securities or otherwise, but disregarding any restrictions or limitations upon the exercise of such right), whether or not such acquisition has actually been effected, and such Person will be entitled to exercise the rights of a holder of Registrable Securities hereunder (it being understood that a holder of Registrable Securities may only request that Registrable Securities in the form of Common Equity be registered pursuant to this Agreement). Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Registrable Securities held by any Person (other than any Sponsor Investor or its Affiliates) that may be sold under Rule 144(b)(1)(i) without limitation under any of the other requirements of Rule 144 will be deemed not to be Registrable Securities.
“Rule 144”, “Rule 158”, “Rule 405”, “Rule 415”, “Rule 403B” and “Rule 462” mean, in each case, such rule promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor provision) by the SEC, as the same will be amended from time to time, or any successor rule then in force.
“Sale of the Company” means any transaction or series of transactions pursuant to which any Person(s) or a group of related Persons (other than any Sponsor Investor and/or its Affiliates) in the aggregate acquires: (i) Common Equity of the Company entitled to vote (other than voting rights accruing only in the event of a default, breach, event of noncompliance or other contingency) to elect directors with a majority of the voting power of the Company’s board of directors (whether by merger, consolidation, reorganization, combination, sale or transfer of the Company’s Common Equity) or (ii) all or substantially all of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ assets determined on a consolidated basis; provided that a Public Offering will not constitute a Sale of the Company.
“Sale Transaction” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).
“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
A-3
“Securities” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, or any successor federal law then in force, together with all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Shelf Offering” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(d)(i).
“Shelf Offering Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(d)(i).
“Shelf Registration” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(a).
“Shelf Registrable Securities” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(d)(i).
“Shelf Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(d).
“Short-Form Registrations” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(a).
“Sponsor Investors” has the meaning set forth in the recitals; provided that any decision to be made under this Agreement by the Sponsor Investors shall be made by the holders of a majority of all Sponsor Investor Registrable Securities.
“Sponsor Investor Registrable Securities” means (i) any Common Equity held (directly or indirectly) by any Sponsor Investor or any of its Affiliates, and (ii) any equity securities of the Company or any Subsidiary issued or issuable with respect to the securities referred to in clause (i) above by way of dividend, distribution, split or combination of securities, or any recapitalization, merger, consolidation or other reorganization.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to the Company, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity of which (i) if a corporation, a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of the Company or a combination thereof, or (ii) if a limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity, a majority of the limited liability company, partnership or other similar ownership interest thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company or one or more Subsidiaries of the Company or a combination thereof. For purposes hereof, a Person or Persons will be deemed to have a majority ownership interest in a limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity if such Person or Persons will be allocated a majority of limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity gains or losses or will be or control the managing director or general partner of such limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity.
“Suspension Event” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(f)(ii).
“Suspension Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(f)(ii).
“Suspension Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(f)(i).
“Violation” has the meaning set forth in Section 6(a).
“WKSI” means a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined under Rule 405.
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EXHIBIT B
The undersigned is executing and delivering this Joinder pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement dated as of , 20 (as amended, modified and waived from time to time, the “Registration Agreement”), among York Space Systems Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the other persons named as parties therein (including pursuant to other Joinders). Capitalized terms used herein have the meaning set forth in the Registration Agreement.
By executing and delivering this Joinder to the Company, the undersigned hereby agrees to become a party to, to be bound by, and to comply with the provisions of, the Registration Agreement as a Holder in the same manner as if the undersigned were an original signatory to the Registration Agreement, and the undersigned will be deemed for all purposes to be a Holder, an [Sponsor Investor/Other Investor thereunder] and the undersigned’s shares of Common Equity will be deemed for all purposes to be a [Sponsor Investor // \Other Investor] Registrable Securities under the Registration Agreement.
Accordingly, the undersigned has executed and delivered this Joinder as of the day of , 20 .
| Signature | ||
| Print Name | ||
| Address: | ||
| Agreed and Accepted as of |
| , 20 : |
| YORK SPACE SYSTEMS INC. |
| By: ________________________ |
| Its: ________________________ |
B-5
Exhibit 10.3
DIRECTOR NOMINATION AGREEMENT
THIS DIRECTOR NOMINATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of January 28, 2026, by and among York Space Systems Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), each of the AE Industrial Holders (collectively, “AE Industrial”) and each of the Persons listed on Schedule I hereto (collectively, the “Founder Stockholders” and together with AE Industrial, the “Nominating Parties”). This Agreement shall become effective (the “Effective Date”) upon the closing of the Company’s initial public offering (the “IPO”) of shares of its Common Stock (as defined below).
WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, AE Industrial Beneficially Owns (as defined below) a majority of the equity interests in the Company;
WHEREAS, AE Industrial is contemplating causing the Company to effect an IPO;
WHEREAS, the Founder Stockholders currently hold the right to appoint one supervisor to the board of supervisors of Yellowstone Ultimate Holdings, LP, the primary stockholder of the Company prior to the IPO;
WHEREAS, the AE Industrial Holders and the Founder Stockholders desire to enter into this Agreement to set forth their agreements and understandings with respect the voting of shares of the Common Stock held by them following the Effective Time as set forth below;
WHEREAS, in consideration of the foregoing, the Company has agreed to permit AE Industrial and the Founder Stockholders to designate persons for nomination for election to the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) following the Effective Date on the terms and conditions set forth herein;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, each of the parties to this Agreement agrees as follows:
1. Board Nomination Rights.
(a) From the Effective Date, AE Industrial shall have the right, but not the obligation, to nominate to the Board a number of designees equal to at least: (i) 100% of the Total Number of Directors (as defined below) (excluding the Founder Nominee (as defined below)), so long as AE Industrial Beneficially Owns shares of Common Stock representing at least 40% of its Original Amount (as defined below); (ii) 40% of the Total Number of Directors, in the event that AE Industrial Beneficially Owns shares of Common Stock representing at least 30% but less than 40% of its Original Amount; (iii) 30% of the Total Number of Directors, in the event that AE Industrial Beneficially Owns shares of Common Stock representing at least 20% but less than 30% of its Original Amount; (iv) 20% of the Total Number of Directors, in the event that AE Industrial Beneficially Owns shares of Common Stock representing at least 10% but less than 20% of its Original Amount; and (v) one (1) Director, in the event that AE Industrial Beneficially Owns shares of Common Stock representing at least 5% of its Original Amount (such persons, the “AE Nominees”). For purposes of calculating the Total Number of Directors that AE Industrial is entitled to designate pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence, any fractional amounts shall automatically be rounded up to the nearest whole number (e.g., 11⁄4 Directors shall equate to 2 Directors) and any such calculations shall be made after taking into account any increase in the Total Number of Directors.
(b) From the Effective Date, the Founder Stockholders shall have the right, but not the obligation, to nominate to the Board one (1) director so long as the Founder Stockholders collectively Beneficially Own at least 60% of their aggregated Original Amount (such person, the “Founder Nominee”). The Founder Nominee shall be deemed to be Dirk Wallinger for as long as he serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and thereafter the Founder Nominee shall be as designated by the Founder Stockholders in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in the event that Mr. Wallinger is removed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company for Cause, Mr. Wallinger shall resign from the Board and the Founder Stockholders shall immediately cease to have any right to nominate a director to the Board pursuant to this Agreement.
(c) In the event that any Nominating Party has designated less than the total number of designees that such Nominating Party shall be entitled to designate pursuant to Section 1(a) or Section 1(b), as applicable, such Nominating Party shall have the right, at any time, to designate such additional designees to which it is entitled, in which case, the Company shall take, and the Company hereby covenants that the Directors shall take, all necessary corporation action to (i) enable such Nominating Party to designate and effect the election or appointment of such additional individuals, whether by increasing the size of the Board, or otherwise and (ii) appoint such additional individuals designated by such Nominating Party to fill such newly created directorships or to fill any other existing vacancies in accordance with Section 1(f) of this Agreement.
(d) If the size of the Board is expanded, AE Industrial shall be entitled to designate a number of Nominees to fill the newly created directorships such that the total number of Nominees serving on the Board following such expansion will be equal to that number of Nominees that AE Industrial would be entitled to designate in accordance with Section 1(a) if such expansion occurred immediately prior to any meeting of the stockholders of the Company called with respect to the election of members of the Board. The Company shall take, and the Company hereby covenants that the Directors shall take, all necessary corporation action to (i) enable AE Industrial to designate and effect the election or appointment of additional designees in accordance with the preceding sentence and (ii) appoint such additional designees in accordance with Section 1(f) of this Agreement.
(e) In the event that any Nominee shall cease to serve as a Director for any reason (other than removal for Cause in the case of the Founder Nominee), the Nominating Party appointing such Nominee shall be entitled to designate such person’s successor in accordance with this Agreement (regardless of the number of shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned by such Nominating Party at the time of such vacancy). The Company shall take, and the Company hereby covenants that the Directors shall take, all necessary corporation action to (i) enable the applicable Nominating Party to designate and effect the election or appointment of successor designees in accordance with the preceding sentence and (ii) appoint such successor designees in accordance with Section 1(f) of this Agreement. It is understood that any such designee shall serve the remainder of the term of the Director whom such designee replaces.
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(f) In each case where the Company has covenanted that the Directors shall take action to appoint a Nominee as a Director pursuant to any of Sections 1(a) through 1(d) of this Agreement:
(i) The Directors shall appoint such Nominee unless the Board determines, in good faith and after consultation with qualified legal counsel, that appointing such Nominee would cause the Directors to breach their fiduciary duties to the Company or its stockholders, in which case the Company shall provide the appointing Nominating Party with a notice explaining in reasonable detail the basis for the Board’s determination, and such Nominating Party shall have the right to designate an alternative Nominee in accordance with Sections 1(a) through Section 1(e) of this Agreement; and
(ii) The Company hereby covenants that the Directors shall not fill any vacant or newly created directorship for which AE Industrial or the Founder Stockholders are entitled to designate a Nominee other than in accordance with Sections 1(a) through Section 1(e) of this Agreement.
For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing clauses (i) or (ii) shall only govern the appointment of a Nominee in connection with a vacancy or newly created directorship and shall not govern the obligations of the Company and the Directors in connection with the election by stockholders of directors, which shall be governed by Section 3 hereof.
Without limiting the remedies available against the Company for breach of its covenants set forth in this Agreement, during any time that the Directors have failed to appoint a Nominee as a Director (including without limitation for the reasons set forth in the foregoing clauses (i) or (ii)), or if the Directors have appointed a person as a Director in lieu of a Nominee that a Nominating Party has designated in accordance with this Agreement:
(x) the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Nominating Parties, consummate (and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law shall not enter into) any transaction that would constitute a “Business Combination” under any of clauses (i) through (iii) of Section 4(c) of Article Nine of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, except for purposes of applying this sentence the term “Interested Stockholder” shall mean any person or entity, whether or not a record or beneficial owner of stock of the Company, other than AE Industrial and any other Nominating Party acting in concert with AE Industrial; and
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(y) the Company shall, promptly following a written request from the appointing Nominating Party, (i) call a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of appointing a nominee to fill the vacant or newly created directorship that has resulted in such Nominating Party’s right to designate a Nominee pursuant to this Agreement; (ii) shall prepare a proxy statement and proxy card in connection with such special meeting, and shall include each Nominee nominated by a Nominating Party in such proxy statement (together with a supporting statement provided by such Nominating Party), including in the notice of meeting transmitted therewith, and proxy card as a nominee for Director; and (iii) reimburse such Nominating Party for any expenses it reasonably incurs in connection with preparing its own proxy statement and proxy card and soliciting proxies or votes to appoint one or more Nominees as Directors in connection with such meeting. For the avoidance of doubt, the Nominees included on the proxy card pursuant to this section shall not be subject to any advance notice provisions included in the Company’s governing documents.
(g) In addition to the nomination rights set forth in Section 1(a) above, or so long as AE Industrial Beneficially Owns shares of Common Stock representing at least 5% of its Original Amount, AE Industrial shall have the right, but not the obligation, to designate a person (a “Non-Voting Observer”) to attend meetings of the Board (including any meetings of any committees thereof) in a non-voting observer capacity. Any such Non-Voting Observer shall be permitted to attend all meetings of the Board. AE Industrial shall have the right to remove and replace its Non-Voting Observer at any time and from time to time. The Company shall furnish to any Non-Voting Observer (i) notices of Board meetings no later than, and using the same form of communication as, notice of Board meetings are furnished to Directors and (ii) copies of any materials prepared for meetings of the Board that are furnished to the Directors no later than the time such materials are furnished to the Directors; provided that failure to deliver notice, or materials, to such Non-Voting Observer in connection with such Non-Voting Observer’s right to attend and/or review materials with respect to, any meeting of the Board shall not, by itself, impair the validity of any action taken by such Board at such meeting. Such Non-Voting Observer shall be required to execute or otherwise become subject to any codes of conduct or confidentiality agreements of the Company generally applicable to the Directors or as the Company reasonably requests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company reserves the right to withhold any information and to exclude the Non-Voting Observer from receiving any materials and/or attending any meeting or portion thereof if access to such information or attendance at such meeting could adversely affect the attorney-client privilege between the Company and its counsel.
(h) The Company shall pay all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Nominees and the Non-Voting Observer in connection with the performance of his or her duties as a director or his or her service as a Non-Voting Observer and in connection with his or her attendance at any meeting of the Board or any committee thereof.
(i) No reduction in the number of shares of Common Stock that AE Industrial Beneficially Owns shall shorten the term of any incumbent director. At the Effective Date, the Board shall be comprised of seven members and the initial AE Nominees shall be Kirk Konert, Tyler Letarte, Reggie Brothers, Andrew Boyd and General (Ret.) James McConville, and the initial Founder Nominee shall be Mr. Wallinger.
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(j) So long as any Nominating Party has the right to nominate Nominees under Sections 1(a) through 1(e), or any such Nominee is serving on the Board, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to maintain in effect at all times directors and officers indemnity insurance coverage reasonably satisfactory to Nominating Parties, and the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and/or Bylaws (each as may be further amended, supplemented or waived in accordance with its terms) shall at all times provide for indemnification, exculpation and advancement of expenses to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law.
(k) At any time the Company is not a “controlled company” and is required by applicable law or the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) listing standards to have a majority of the Board comprised of “independent directors” (subject, in each case, to any applicable phase-in periods), AE Industrial shall include a number of persons that qualify as “independent directors” under applicable law and the Exchange listing standards such that, together with any other “independent directors” then serving on the Board that are not AE Nominees, the Board is comprised of a majority of “independent directors.”
(l) At any time that any Nominating Party shall have any designation rights under Section 1, the Company shall not take any action and the Company hereby covenants that the Directors shall not take any action, (including in each case effecting any amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws), that could reasonably be expected to adversely affect such Nominating Party’s rights under this Agreement, in each case without the prior written consent of such Nominating Party.
2. Definitions.
(a) “AE Industrial Holders” means AE Industrial Partners Fund II, LP, AE Industrial Partners Fund II-A, LP, AE Industrial Partners Fund II-B, LP, AE Industrial Partners Fund III, LP, AE Industrial Partners Fund III-A, LP, AE Aerospace Opportunities Fund, AE Co-Investment Partners Fund III-Y, LP (CIV), AE Co-Investment Partners Fund III Y-2, LP, AE Industrial PSO Equity Partners, LP, AE Industrial Partners PBCI Aggregator, LP and each of their respective Permitted Transferees
(b) “Affiliate” of any person shall mean any other person controlled by, controlling or under common control with such person; where “control” (including, with its correlative meanings, “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means possession, directly or indirectly, of power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies (whether through ownership of securities, by contract or otherwise).
(c) “Beneficially Own” shall mean that a specified person has or shares the right, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, to vote shares of capital stock of the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, AE Industrial shall be deemed to Beneficially Own any shares in respect of which it has received duly executed voting proxies or otherwise has the right to direct the voting of such shares with respect to the election of direction of the Company.
(d) “Cause” means (i) fraud, embezzlement or other act of material willful misconduct against the Company or any of its Affiliates, (ii) conviction of a felony, or (iii) willful and knowing material violation of any written policies of the Company.
(e) “Common Stock” means shares of Common Stock of the Company, $0.0001 par value per share or capital stock convertible thereto.
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(f) “Director” means any member of the Board.
(g) “Nominee” means either an AE Nominee or a Founder Nominee. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Nominee” shall refer to any person validly designated by a Nominating Party to serve on the Board pursuant to Section 1(a) or 1(b) hereof, notwithstanding any determination by the Board that the appointment, recommendation or endorsement of such person could cause the Board to breach its fiduciary duties to the Company or its stockholders.
(h) “Original Amount” means the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly, by the applicable Nominating Parties immediately following the completion of the IPO, as such number may be adjusted from time to time for any reorganization, recapitalization, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar changes in the Company’s capitalization.
(i) “Permitted Transferee” means, with respect to any person, (i) any Affiliate of such Person, (ii) if such person is a corporation, limited liability company, partnership or trust, the stockholders, partners, members, equityholders or beneficiaries of such Person, and (iii) any investment fund, the sole owner of which is or, if not the sole owner, the primary investment manager of which is such Person or one or more of its Affiliates.
(j) “Total Number of Directors” means the total number of Directors comprising the Board.
3. Company Obligations.
(a) The Company agrees to use all necessary corporation action to ensure that prior to the date that any Nominating Party ceases to hold rights to nominate directors pursuant to this Agreement, (i) each Nominee is included in the Company’s slate of nominees to be recommended to the stockholders (the “Company’s Slate”) for each election of directors unless the Board determines, in good faith and after consultation with qualified legal counsel, that the inclusion of a Nominee in the Company’s Slate would result in the Board breaching its fiduciary duties to the Company or its stockholders, in which case, any Nominating Party whose Nominee is not included in the Company’s Slate shall have the right to designate an alternate Nominee for inclusion in the Company’s Slate; and (ii) whether or not a Nominee is included in the Company’s Slate, each Nominee shall be included in the notice of meeting and proxy statement (together with a supporting statement provided by the Nominating Parties) prepared by management of the Company in connection with soliciting proxies for every meeting of the stockholders of the Company called with respect to the election of members of the Board (each, a “Director Election Proxy Statement”), and at every adjournment or postponement thereof, and on every action or approval by written consent of the stockholders of the Company or the Board with respect to the election of members of the Board. For the avoidance of doubt, the Nominees included on the proxy card pursuant to this section shall not be subject to any advance notice provisions included in the Company’s governing documents. In order to notify the Company its obligations pursuant to this Section 3 have ended (x) AE Industrial will promptly provide reporting to the Company after AE Industrial ceases to Beneficially Own shares of Common Stock representing at least 5% of its Original Amount and (y) the
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Founding Stockholders will promptly provide reporting to the Company after the Founding Stockholders cease to Beneficially Own shares of Common Stock representing at least 60% of their Original Amount. The calculation of the number of Nominees that each Nominating Party is entitled to nominate to the Company’s Slate for any election of directors shall be based on the percentage of the Original Amount then Beneficially Owned by such Nominating Party immediately prior to the mailing to shareholders of the Director Election Proxy Statement relating to such election (or, if earlier, the filing of the definitive Director Election Proxy Statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”)). Unless a Nominating Party notifies the Company otherwise prior to the mailing to shareholders of the Director Election Proxy Statement relating to an election of directors, the Nominees for such election shall be presumed to be the same Nominees currently serving on the Board, and no further action shall be required of the Nominating Parties for the Company to include such Nominees in the Director Election Proxy Statement; provided, that, in the event AE Industrial is no longer entitled to nominate the full number of AE Nominees then serving on the Board, AE Industrial shall provide advance written notice to the Company stating which currently serving AE Nominee(s) shall be excluded from the Company’s Slate and of any other changes to the list of AE Nominees and if AE Industrial fails to provide such notice prior to the mailing to shareholders of the Director Election Proxy Statement relating to such election (or, if earlier, the filing of the definitive Director Election Proxy Statement with the Commission), a majority of the independent directors then serving on the Board shall determine which of the AE Nominees then serving on the Board will be included in the Company’s Slate.
(b) Furthermore, the Company agrees for so long as the Company qualifies as a “controlled company” under the rules of the Exchange, the Company will elect to be a “controlled company” for purposes of the Exchange and will disclose in its annual meeting proxy statement that it is a “controlled company” and the basis for that determination. The Company and each Nominating Party acknowledge and agree that, as of the Effective Date, the Company is a “controlled company.” The Company agrees to provide written notice of the preparation of a Director Election Proxy Statement to each Nominating Party at least 20 business days, but no more than 40 business days, prior to the earlier of the mailing and the filing date of any Director Election Proxy Statement.
4. Voting Obligations.
(a) Nominating Party Obligations. Each Nominating Party agrees, at any time it is then entitled to vote for the election of directors to the Board (including on behalf of other stockholders pursuant to a proxy or voting agreement), to take all necessary action, including casting all votes to which such Nominating Party is entitled in respect of its shares of Common Stock that it Beneficially Owns, whether at any annual or special meeting, by written consent, proxy or otherwise, so as to ensure that the composition of the Board complies with (and includes all of the requisite Nominees in accordance with) Sections 1(a), 1(b) and 3 and to otherwise effect the intent of this Agreement. Each Nominating Party then entitled to vote for the election of any successor as a director agrees to take all necessary action, including casting all votes to which such Nominating Party is entitled in respect of its shares of Common Stock that it Beneficially Owns, whether at any
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annual or special meeting, by written consent, proxy or otherwise, so as to ensure that any such successor determined in accordance with Section 1 or Section 3 is elected to the Board as promptly as practicable. Each Nominating Party agrees not to grant, or enter into a binding agreement with respect to, any proxy to any Person in respect of its shares of Common Stock that it Beneficially Owns that would prohibit such Nominating Party from casting votes in respect of such shares of Common Stock in accordance with this Section 4.
(b) Company Obligations. The Company acknowledges and agrees that each voting agreement or other form of voting proxy delivered to it by stockholders of the Company in connection with the IPO (such agreements, together with any similar agreements subsequently received by the Company, the “Voting Agreements”) are to be held and exercised for the benefit of AE Industrial and the Company shall not issue any voting instructions or otherwise exercise any rights under the Voting Agreements except upon direction of AE Industrial. The Company further agrees that until AE Industrial ceases to have any director nomination rights under this Agreement, it shall not take any action to amend, modify or terminate any of the Voting Agreements unless expressly consented to or instructed by AE Industrial.
5. Committees. From and after the Effective Date hereof until such time as AE Industrial and its Affiliates cease to Beneficially Own shares of Common Stock representing at least 5% of the Original Amount, the Company hereby covenants that the Board shall not form or designate any committee of the Board unless AE Industrial has consented to such formation or designation. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the consent of AE Industrial shall not be required if:
(a) AE Industrial has been provided the opportunity to designate a number of members of each committee of the Board equal to the nearest whole number greater than the product obtained by multiplying: (i) the percentage of the Original Amount of AE Industrial then Beneficially Owned by AE Industrial and (ii) the number of positions, including any vacancies, on the applicable committee; or
(b) none of the Directors designated by AE Industrial pursuant to this Agreement are eligible to serve on the applicable committee under applicable law or listing standards of the Exchange, including any applicable independence requirements (subject in each case to any applicable exceptions, including those for newly public companies and for “controlled companies,” and any applicable phase-in periods).
The Company hereby covenants that the Nominees designated to serve on a Board committee shall have the right to remain on such committee until the next election of Directors, regardless of the percentage of the Original Amount of AE Industrial Beneficially Owned by AE Industrial following such designation. Unless AE Industrial notifies the Company otherwise prior to the time the Board takes action to change the composition of a Board committee, and to the extent AE Industrial has the requisite percentage of the Original Amount of AE Industrial to designate a Board committee member at the time the Board takes action to change the composition of any such Board committee, any Nominee currently designated by AE Industrial to serve on a committee shall be presumed to be re-designated for such committee. Without limiting the remedies available to AE Industrial, the Company shall not consummate any act or transaction approved or recommended by a committee of the Board formed or designated in a manner inconsistent with this Section 5 without the prior written consent of AE Industrial.
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6. Amendment and Waiver. Any provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived if, but only if, such amendment or waiver is in writing and is signed by the Company, AE Industrial and the Founder Stockholders; provided that the consent of the Founder Stockholders shall not be required for any amendment which would not have an effect on the Founder Stockholders. No failure or delay by any party in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies herein provided shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law. The Nominating Parties shall not be obligated to nominate all (or any) of the Nominees they are entitled to nominate pursuant to this Agreement for any election of Directors but the failure to do so shall not constitute a waiver of their rights hereunder with respect to future elections; provided, however, that, subject to the last sentence of Section 3(a), in the event any Nominating Party fails to nominate all (or any) of the Nominees it is entitled to nominate pursuant to this Agreement prior to the mailing to shareholders of the Director Election Proxy Statement relating to such election (or, if earlier, the filing of the definitive Director Election Proxy Statement with the Commission), the Compensation and Nominating Committee of the Board shall be entitled to nominate individuals in lieu of such Nominees for inclusion in the Company’s Slate and the applicable Director Election Proxy Statement with respect to the election for which such failure occurred and such Nominating Party shall be deemed to have waived its rights hereunder with respect to such election. The rights and remedies herein provided shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law.
7. Benefit of Parties. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company and the Founding Stockholders may not assign any of their rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of AE Industrial. Except as otherwise expressly provided in Section 6, nothing herein contained shall confer or is intended to confer on any third party or entity that is not a party to this Agreement any rights under this Agreement.
8. Assignment. Upon written notice to the Company, any member of AE Industrial may assign to any Affiliate (other than a portfolio company) all of its rights hereunder and, following such assignment, such assignee shall be deemed to be a member of AE Industrial for all purposes hereunder.
9. Termination. This Agreement shall terminate, (i) with respect to the rights and obligations of AE Industrial, on the date upon which AE Industrial Beneficially Owns shares of Common Stock representing less than 5% of its Original Amount and, (ii) with respect to the rights and obligations of the Founder Stockholders, on the date upon which the Founder Stockholders Beneficially Own shares of Common Stock representing less than 60% of their Original Amount. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of Sections 12 through 21 shall survive the termination of this Agreement. No termination of this Agreement shall relieve any party from liability for any breach of this Agreement prior to such termination.
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10. Indemnification.
(a) The Company shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless AE Industrial, its Affiliates, partners, employees, agents, directors, managers, officers and controlling Persons (collectively, the “Indemnified Parties”) from and against any and all actions, causes of action, suits, claims, liabilities, losses, damages, costs, expenses, or obligations of any kind or nature (whether accrued or fixed, absolute or contingent) in connection therewith (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) incurred by the Indemnified Parties before or after the date of this Agreement (each, an “Action”) arising directly or indirectly out of, or in any way relating to, (i) AE Industrial’s or its respective Affiliates’ Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company or control or ability to influence the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than any such Actions (x) that are finally determined by nonappealable judicial order to have constituted an intentional breach of this Agreement by an Indemnified Party or its Affiliates or the breach of any fiduciary duty of such Indemnified Party to the Company or its equity holders or (y) that are finally determined by nonappealable judicial order to have been the result of such Person’s willful misconduct), (ii) the business, operations, properties, assets or other rights or liabilities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) any services provided prior, on or after the date of this Agreement by AE Industrial or its respective Affiliates to the Company or any of its subsidiaries. The Company shall defend at its own cost and expense in respect of any Action which may be brought against the Company and/or its Affiliates and the Indemnified Parties.
(b) The Company shall defend at its own cost and expense any and all Actions which may be brought in which the Indemnified Parties may be impleaded with others upon any Action by the Indemnified Parties, except that if such damage shall be proven to be the direct result of gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct by any of the Indemnified Parties, then such Indemnified Party shall reimburse the Company for the costs of defense and other costs incurred by the Company in proportion to such Indemnified Party’s culpability as proven. In the event of the assertion against any Indemnified Party of any Action or the commencement of any Action, the Company shall be entitled to participate in such Action and in the investigation of such Action and, after written notice from the Company to such Indemnified Party, to assume the investigation or defense of such Action with counsel of the Company’s choice at the Company’s expense; provided, however, that such counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company may retain one firm of counsel to represent all Indemnified Parties in such Action; provided, however, that the Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ a single firm of separate counsel (and any necessary local counsel) and to participate in the defense or investigation of such Action and the Company shall bear the expense of such separate counsel (and local counsel, if applicable), if (x) in the opinion of counsel to the Indemnified Party use of counsel of the Company’s choice could reasonably be expected to give rise to a conflict of interest, (y) the Company shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the Indemnified Party to represent the Indemnified Party within a reasonable time after notice of the assertion of any such Action or (z) the Company shall authorize the Indemnified Party to employ separate counsel at the Company’s expense. The Company further agrees that with respect to any Indemnified Party who is employed, retained or otherwise associated with, or appointed or nominated by, AE Industrial or any of its respective Affiliates and who acts or serves as a director, officer, manager, fiduciary, employee, consultant, advisor or agent of, for or to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, that the Company or such subsidiaries, as applicable, shall be primarily liable for all indemnification, reimbursements, advancements or similar payments (the “Indemnity Obligations”) afforded to such Indemnified Party acting in such capacity or capacities on behalf or at the request of the Company, whether the Indemnity Obligations are created by law, organizational or constituent documents, contract (including this Agreement) or otherwise.
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(c) The Company hereby agrees that in no event shall the Company or any of its subsidiaries have any right or claim against AE Industrial for contribution or have rights of subrogation against AE Industrial through an Indemnified Party for any payment made by the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to any Indemnity Obligation. In addition, the Company hereby agrees that in the event that any Nominating Party pays or advances an Indemnified Party any expenses with respect to an Indemnity Obligation, the Company will, or will cause its subsidiaries to, as applicable, promptly reimburse such Nominating Party, for such payment or advance upon request; subject to the receipt by the Company of a written undertaking executed by the Indemnified Party and such Nominating Party, that makes such payment or advance to repay any such amounts if it shall ultimately be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that such Indemnified Party was not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. The foregoing right to indemnity shall be in addition to any rights that any Indemnified Party may have at common law or otherwise and shall remain in full force and effect following the completion or any termination of the engagement. If for any reason the foregoing indemnification is unavailable to any Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold it harmless as and to the extent contemplated by this Section 10, then the Company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the Indemnified Party as a result of such Action in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Indemnified Party, as the case may be, on the other hand, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
(d) The Company hereby acknowledges that certain of the Indemnified Parties have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance provided by investment funds managed by AE Industrial and certain of their Affiliates (collectively, the “Fund Indemnitors”). The Company hereby agrees with respect to any indemnification, hold harmless obligation, expense advancement or reimbursement provision or any other similar obligation whether pursuant to or with respect to this Agreement, the organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any other agreement, as applicable, (i) that the Company and its subsidiaries are the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., their obligations to the Indemnified Parties are primary and any obligation of the Fund Indemnitors to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for claims, expenses or obligations arising out of the same or similar facts and circumstances suffered by any Indemnified Party are secondary), (ii) that the Company shall be required to advance the full amount of expenses incurred by any Indemnified Party and shall be liable for the full amount of all expenses, liabilities, obligations, judgments, penalties, fines, and amounts paid in settlement to the extent legally permitted and as required by the terms of this Agreement, the organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any other agreement, as applicable, without regard to any rights any Indemnified Party may have against the Fund Indemnitors, and (iii) that the Company, on behalf of itself and each of its subsidiaries, irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases the Fund Indemnitors from any and all Actions against the Fund Indemnitors for contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect thereof. The Company further agrees that no advancement or payment by the Fund Indemnitors on behalf of any Indemnified Party with respect to any Action for which any Indemnified Party has sought indemnification from the Company shall affect the foregoing and the Fund Indemnitors shall have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of any Indemnified Party against the Company. The Company agrees that the Fund Indemnitors are express third-party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section 10.
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11. Headings. Headings are for ease of reference only and shall not form a part of this Agreement.
12. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of Delaware without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws thereof.
13. Jurisdiction. Any suit, action or proceeding seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of or in connection with, this Agreement may be brought against any of the parties in any federal court located in the State of Delaware or any Delaware state court, and each of the parties hereby consents to the exclusive jurisdiction of such court (and of the appropriate appellate courts) in any such suit, action or proceeding and waives any objection to venue laid therein. Process in any such suit, action or proceeding may be served on any party anywhere in the world, whether within or without the jurisdiction of any such court. Without limiting the foregoing, each of the parties agrees that service of process upon such party at the address referred to in Section 20, together with written notice of such service to such party, shall be deemed effective service of process upon such party.
14. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT.
15. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, understandings and negotiations, both written and oral among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.
16. Counterparts; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original. This Agreement shall become effective when each party shall have received a counterpart hereof signed by each of the other parties. An executed copy or counterpart hereof delivered by facsimile shall be deemed an original instrument.
17. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any person or circumstance shall be invalid or unenforceable to any extent, the remainder of this Agreement and the application of such provisions to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby and shall be enforced to the greatest extent permitted by law.
18. Further Assurances. Each of the parties hereto shall execute and deliver such further instruments and do such further acts and things as may be required to carry out the intent and purpose of this Agreement.
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19. Specific Performance. Each of the parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur if any provision of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement or to enforce specifically the performance of the terms and provisions hereof in any federal or state court located in the State of Delaware, in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity.
20. Notices. All notices, requests and other communications to any party or to the Company shall be in writing (including telecopy or similar writing) and shall be given,
If to the Company:
York Space Systems Inc.
6060 S Willow Drive
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Attention: Monica J. Palko, Chief Legal & Administration Officer
Email: ****; ****
With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
333 West Wolf Point Plaza
Chicago, IL 60654
Attention: Robert Hayward, Kevin M. Frank, Ashley Sinclair
Email: ****
****
****
If to any member of AE Industrial or any AE Industrial Nominee:
c/o the AE Industrial Partners, LP
6700 Broken Sound Parkway NW
Boca Raton, FL 33487
Attention: Matthew J. Friendly, General Counsel
Email: ****
With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
333 West Wolf Point Plaza
Chicago, IL 60654
Attention: Robert Hayward, Kevin M. Frank, Ashley Sinclair
Email: ****
****
****
If to any Founder Stockholder or to the Founder Nominee:
The address set forth on Schedule I hereto.
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or to such other address or telecopier number as such party or the Company may hereafter specify for the purpose by notice to the other parties and the Company. Each such notice, request or other communication shall be effective when delivered at the address specified in this Section 20 during regular business hours.
21. Enforcement. Each of the parties hereto covenant and agree that the disinterested members of the Board have the right to enforce, waive or take any other action with respect to this Agreement on behalf of the Company.
* * * * *
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the date first above written.
| York Space Systems Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Kevin Messerle | |
| Name: | Kevin Messerle | |
| Title: | Chief Financial Officer | |
| AE Industrial Partners Fund II, LP | ||
| By: AE Industrial Partners Fund II GP, LP | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By: AeroEquity GP, LLC | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By: | /s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: | Michael Greene | |
| Title: | Authorized Person | |
| AE Industrial Partners Fund II-A, LP | ||
| By: AE Industrial Partners Fund II GP, LP | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By: AeroEquity GP, LLC | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By: | /s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: | Michael Greene | |
| Title: | Authorized Person | |
| AE Industrial Partners Fund II-B, LP | ||
| By: AE Industrial Partners Fund II GP, LP | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By: AeroEquity GP, LLC | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By: | /s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: | Michael Greene | |
| Title: | Authorized Person | |
[Signature Page to Director Nomination Agreement]
| AE Industrial Partners Fund III, LP | ||
| By: AE Industrial Partners Fund III GP, LP | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By:AeroEquity GP, LLC | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By: | /s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: | Michael Greene | |
| Title: | Authorized Person | |
| AE Industrial Partners Fund III-A, LP | ||
| By: AE Industrial Partners Fund III GP, LP | ||
| Its: General Partners | ||
| By:AeroEquity GP, LLC | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By: | /s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: | Michael Greene | |
| Title: | Authorized Person | |
| AE Aerospace Opportunities Fund | ||
| By: AE Industrial Partners Aerospace Opportunities GP, LP | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By:AeroEquity GP, LLC | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By: | /s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: | Michael Greene | |
| Title: | Authorized Person | |
| AE Co-Investment Partners Fund III-Y, LP (CIV) | ||
| By: AE Industrial Partners Fund III GP, LP | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By:AeroEquity GP, LLC | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By: | /s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: | Michael Greene | |
| Title: | Authorized Person | |
[Signature Page to Director Nomination Agreement]
| AE Co-Investment Partners Fund III Y-2, LP | ||
| By: AE Industrial Partners Fund III GP, LP | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By:AeroEquity GP, LLC | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By: |
/s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: |
Michael Greene | |
| Title: |
Authorized Person | |
| AE Industrial PSO Equity Partners, LP | ||
| By: AE Industrial PSO Equity Partners GP, LLC | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By: |
/s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: |
Michael Greene | |
| Title: |
Authorized Person | |
| AE Industrial Partners PBCI Aggregator, LP | ||
| By: AE Industrial Partners PBCI Aggregator GP, LP | ||
| Its: General Partners | ||
| By: AeroEquity GP, LLC | ||
| Its: General Partner | ||
| By: |
/s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: |
Michael Greene | |
| Title: |
Authorized Person | |
| Dirk Wallinger | ||
| By: | /s/ Dirk Wallinger | |
| Name: | Dirk Wallinger | |
| Ghostrider 117 LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Dirk Wallinger | |
| Name: | Dirk Wallinger | |
| Title: | CEO | |
[Signature Page to Director Nomination Agreement]
| DHW Irrevocable Trust | ||
| By: | /s/ Robin Dolezal | |
| Name: | Robin Dolezal | |
| Title: | TTEE | |
[Signature Page to Director Nomination Agreement]
Schedule I
Founder Stockholders
Dirk Wallinger
Ghostrider 117 LLC
DHW Irrevocable Trust
Address:
****
Exhibit 10.5
AMENDED AND RESTATED CONSULTING AGREEMENT
This AMENDED AND RESTATED CONSULTING AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of January 30, 2026 (the “Effective Date”), is entered into by and among York Space Systems Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), AE Industrial Operating Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“AE Operating Partners”) and AE Industrial Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“AEI” and, together with AE Operating Partners, the “Consultants”). The Company and the Consultants are referred to herein as the “Parties.”
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Parties entered into that certain Consulting Agreement, dated as of November 10, 2022 (the “Prior Agreement”);
WHEREAS, the Consultants have been providing the Company consulting services pursuant to the terms of the Prior Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Company desires to continue receiving consulting services from the Consultants and to continue obtaining the benefit of the experience of the Consultants in business and financial management;
WHEREAS, the Consultants desire to continue providing consulting services to the Company;
WHEREAS, the fee and expense arrangements set forth in this Agreement are designed to pay the Consultants for providing such financial and management consulting services to the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Parties desire to amend and restate the Prior Agreement in its entirety as set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements hereinafter set forth, the Parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Agreement; Term.
(a) The Company hereby retains the Consultants to perform, and the Consultants agree to render to the Company and its current and future direct and indirect subsidiaries, if any (each a “Subsidiary” and collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), on the terms herein set forth, consulting services regarding the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries and such other services relating to the Company and the Subsidiaries as may from time to time be reasonably requested by the board of directors or managers or executive officers of the Company or any Subsidiary and agreed to by the Consultants. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Parties currently contemplate that these services shall include general business, financial and management consulting services and operational advice in connection with day-to-day operations.
(b) It is expressly understood and agreed that the Consultants shall devote only so much time, and shall consult with and advise the officers, directors and managers of the Company and/or any Subsidiary, only to such extent and at such times and places as may be mutually convenient to the Company and/or such Subsidiary and the Consultants. The Consultants shall be free to provide similar services to such other business enterprises or activities as the Consultants may deem fit without any limitation or restriction whatsoever.
(c) The term of this Agreement shall commence as of the Effective Date and shall continue until the earlier of (i) the second anniversary of the consummation of the initial public offering (the “Initial Public Offering”) of the equity securities of the Company, its successor or any parent entity of the Company or such successor and (ii) the date on which AEI beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, less than ten percent of the outstanding voting securities of the Company, its successor, or any parent entity of the Company or such successor (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any securities for which AEI or its Affiliates have received duly executed voting proxies); provided that the Consultants have the irrevocable right to terminate this Agreement and all outstanding obligations hereunder at any time by written notice to the Company. In the event of a termination of this Agreement, the Company will pay to the Consultants any fees that are due and owing under this Agreement as of the date of delivery of the written notice from the Consultants described above (but no other fees under this Agreement). Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, (i) the Company’s obligation to pay amounts due with respect to periods prior to the termination hereof and (ii) the provisions of Sections 3 through 15 hereof, in each case, shall survive any termination of this Agreement unless expressly terminated by joint written agreement of the Parties specifically referencing each such provision.
(d) During the term of this Agreement, in order for the Consultants to perform the consulting services contemplated hereby, the Company will promptly (i) furnish the Consultants with such data, materials or other information regarding the business, financial condition and prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries as the Consultants reasonably request and (ii) inform the Consultants of any material developments or matters affecting the business, financial condition and prospects of the Company or the Subsidiaries that occur. In performing its services hereunder, the Consultants shall be entitled to rely without investigation upon all data, materials or other information supplied to them by, or on behalf of, the Company and the Subsidiaries, and the Consultants shall not in any respect be responsible for the accuracy or completeness of, or have any obligation to verify, any of such data, materials or other information.
2. Fees and Expenses.
(a) For the services to be rendered by the Consultants hereunder, the Consultants shall be paid an annual fee (the “Annual Consulting Fee”) of $2,400,000. The Company shall pay the Annual Consulting Fee in equal quarterly installments in advance on the first business day of each calendar quarter. The Company shall pay, or cause to be paid, the Consulting Fee as follows: (i) 70% of the Consulting Fee to AEI, and (ii) 30% of the Consulting Fee to AE Operating Partners (or in such other proportions as the Consultants may from time to time notify the Company in writing).
(b) The Company shall reimburse each Consultant and/or any of their respective Affiliates (each, a “Consultant Affiliate”) from time to time at the request of any Consultant and/or any Consultant Affiliate for the cost (not to exceed, in the aggregate, $350,000 during any fiscal year without the written approval of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company) of all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and expenses incurred by such Consultant and/or any Consultant Affiliate in the performance of the services hereunder and all matters related thereto. Such out-of-pocket costs shall include the costs of any service providers, attorneys, accountants, investment bankers, management, or restructuring, real estate or other consultants, or other similar agents, advisors, or representatives engaged by either of the Consultants or any Consultant Affiliate in connection with the performance of services hereunder and matters related thereto, or for the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s benefit. The aforementioned expenses will be payable promptly, but in no event more than ten business days following the date which such Consultant or any Consultant Affiliate submits to the Company an invoice for such fees and expenses (which may be more than once per month), by the Company to the Consultants and/or such Consultant Affiliate, as applicable. All such services provided by a Consultant Affiliate shall be covered by the terms hereof and the Consultants and each Consultant Affiliate shall be considered a Consultant Indemnitee (as defined below) with respect to such services provided. The Company agrees that each Consultant Affiliate shall also be a third-party beneficiary hereunder. For purposes of this Agreement, “Affiliate” of any particular entity means any other person or entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with such particular entity, where “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct the management and policies of any such entity whether through the ownership of voting securities, contract or otherwise.
3. Relationship of the Parties. The Consultants are providing services hereunder as independent contractors. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to constitute the Parties as joint venturers, joint employers, single employers, alter egos, partners or participants in an unincorporated business or other separate entity, nor in any manner create any employer-employee or principal-agent relationship between the Company and/or any of the Subsidiaries on the one hand, and the Consultants or any of their members, managers, agents, subcontractors, officers or employees on the other hand (notwithstanding the fact that the Company and the Consultants may have in common any officers, directors, stockholders, members, managers, employees, or other personnel).
4. Managers and Officers. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to relieve the directors, managers or officers of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries from the performance of their respective duties or limit the exercise of their powers in accordance with the Company’s or such Subsidiary’s, as applicable, charter, bylaws, operating agreement, other constituent documents, applicable law or otherwise. The activities of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries shall at all times be subject to the control and direction of their respective directors, managers and officers. The Consultants shall not, and shall have no authority to, control the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or the Company’s or any of the Subsidiaries’ day-to-day operations by virtue of this Agreement.
5. Limitation of Liability. Neither the Consultants nor any of their respective Affiliates, nor any of their respective past, current or future equityholders, members, managers, partners, directors, officers, employees, agents and/or controlling persons, nor any successor by operation of law (including by merger) of any such person, nor any entity that acquires all or substantially all of the assets of any such person in a single transaction or series of related transactions (all of the foregoing, collectively, the “Consultant Indemnitees”) shall be liable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any of the security holders or creditors of the Company or any of its Affiliates for any act, alleged act, omission or alleged omission hereunder (collectively “Liabilities”) that does not constitute willful misconduct of a Consultant Indemnitee, as determined by a final, non-appealable determination of a court of competent jurisdiction. The Consultants make no representations or warranties, express or implied, in respect of the services provided by any Consultant Indemnitee and all such representations and warranties are hereby disclaimed.
6. Indemnification; Advancement. The Company shall reimburse, defend, indemnify and hold the Consultant Indemnitees, and each of them, harmless from and against any Liabilities arising out of, related to, caused by, based upon or in connection with (a) any act or omission of, or on behalf of, the Company, any of the Subsidiaries, the Consultants or any of the Consultant Indemnitees, except to the extent proven to result directly and primarily from the willful misconduct of the person seeking indemnification, (b) any act or omission made at the direction of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, or (c) any breach by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement (collectively, the items in (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 6, “Claims”). The Company shall defend at its own cost and expense any and all suits or actions (just or unjust) which may be brought against the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or any Consultant Indemnitee or in which any Consultant Indemnitee may be impleaded with others upon any Claims, or upon any matter, directly or indirectly arising out of, related to, caused by, based upon or in connection with this Agreement or the performance (or failure of performance) hereof by any Consultant Indemnitee. Reasonable and documented expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by a Consultant Indemnitee entitled to be indemnified under this Section 6 who was, is or is threatened to be made subject to a Claim shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of the Claim upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Consultant Indemnitee to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he, she or it is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. The Company hereby acknowledges that the Consultant Indemnitees have certain rights to advancement and/or indemnification by certain Affiliates of AeroEquity GP, LLC (collectively, the “Fund Indemnitors”). The Company hereby agrees that with respect to any Claims, (i) the Company is the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., its obligations to the Consultant Indemnitees are primary and those of the Fund Indemnitors are secondary), (ii) the Company shall be liable for the full amount of payments of indemnification required by any organizational document of such entity or any agreement to which such entity is a party, and (iii) the Company irrevocably and unconditionally waives any claims against the Fund Indemnitors for contribution, subrogation, exoneration, reimbursement or any other recovery of any kind for which it is liable pursuant to any organizational document or agreement including this Agreement. The Company further agrees that no payment for indemnification by the Fund Indemnitors on behalf of any Consultant Indemnitee with respect to any Claim for which a Consultant Indemnitee has sought payment from it shall affect the foregoing, and the Fund Indemnitors, to the extent of such payment, shall be subrogated to all of the rights of recovery of such Consultant Indemnitee against it.
7. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications permitted or required to be given or delivered under or by reason of the provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed conclusively to have been given (i) when personally delivered, (ii) when sent by electronic mail (with hard copy to follow) during a business day (or on the next business day if sent after the close of normal business hours or on any non-business day), (iii) one business day after being sent by reputable overnight express courier (charges prepaid) or (iv) three business days following mailing by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid and return receipt requested. Unless another address is specified in writing, notices, requests, demands and communications to the Parties shall be sent to the addresses indicated below:
If to the Company:
York Space Systems Inc.
6060 S Willow Drive
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Attention: Dirk Wallinger
Email: ****
with a mandatory copy (which shall not constitute notice to the Company) to:
AE Industrial Operating Partners, LLC
c/o AE Industrial Partners, LP
6700 Broken Sound Parkway NW
Boca Raton, FL 33487
Attention: Kirk Konert and Tyler Letarte
Email: **** and ****
and
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
333 West Wolf Point Plaza
Chicago, IL 60654
Attention: Robert M. Hayward, P.C., Kevin M. Frank and Ashley Sinclair
Email: ****
****
****
If to the Consultants:
AE Industrial Partners, LP
AE Industrial Operating Partners, LLC
6700 Broken Sound Parkway NW
Boca Raton, FL 33487
Attention: Kirk Konert and Tyler Letarte
Email: **** and ****
with a mandatory copy (which shall not constitute notice to the Consultant) to:
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
333 West Wolf Point Plaza
Chicago, IL 60654
Attention: Robert M. Hayward, P.C., Kevin M. Frank and Ashley Sinclair
Email: ****
****
****
8. Assignment; Successors and Assigns. This Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of the Company and the Subsidiaries hereunder may not be assigned or delegated by the Company or any Subsidiary without the prior written consent of the Consultants. All covenants, promises and agreements by or on behalf of the Parties contained in this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and permitted assigns.
9. Amendments. The Prior Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety by this Agreement, provided that for the avoidance of doubt, references to this Agreement include (with respect to periods prior to the date hereof) the Prior Agreement. No modification, amendment or supplement of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Parties. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the waiving Party.
10. Applicable Law; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to principles of conflicts of law or choice of law that would compel the application of the substantive laws of any other jurisdiction. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LITIGATION, ACTION, PROCEEDING, CROSS-CLAIM OR COUNTERCLAIM IN ANY COURT (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF, RELATING TO OR IN CONNECTION WITH (I) THIS AGREEMENT OR THE VALIDITY, PERFORMANCE, INTERPRETATION, COLLECTION OR ENFORCEMENT HEREOF OR (II) THE ACTIONS OF THE PARTIES IN THE NEGOTIATION, AUTHORIZATION, EXECUTION, DELIVERY, ADMINISTRATION, PERFORMANCE OR ENFORCEMENT HEREOF.
11. Section Headings. The headings of each section are contained herein for convenience of reference only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
12. Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement of the Parties with regard to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and replaces all prior agreements, understandings and representations, oral or written, with regard to such matters.
13. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or application thereof under any circumstances is adjudicated to be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision or application of this Agreement which can be given effect without the invalid or unenforceable provision or application and shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision or application in any other jurisdiction. If any provision is held void, invalid or unenforceable with respect to particular circumstances, it shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect in all other circumstances.
14. Counterparts. This Agreement and any signed agreement or instrument entered into in connection with this Agreement, and any amendments hereto or thereto, may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument.
15. Outside Activities. The Company hereby acknowledges that one or more of the Consultant Indemnitees have had, and from time to time may have, outside activities or interests that conflict or may conflict with the best interests of the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their Affiliates (collectively, “Outside Activities”), including, without limitation, investment opportunities or investments in, ownership of, or participation in entities that are or could be complementary to, or competitive with, the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their Affiliates or for which the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates could have an expectancy, interest or desire to engage. The Company hereby approves and consents to all such Outside Activities, and no Consultant Indemnitee shall be liable to the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their Affiliates for breach of any duty (contractual or otherwise), including without limitation any fiduciary duties, by reason of any such activities or of such person’s participation therein. No Consultant Indemnitee shall have any duty to communicate or offer any opportunity or the existence of any Outside Activities to the Company, its Subsidiaries or its Affiliates, and no Consultant Indemnitee shall have any duty to refrain therefrom (directly, indirectly or through any assignee or transferee). In the event that any Consultant Indemnitee acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter that may be a corporate opportunity for both the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their Affiliates, on the one hand, and any Consultant Indemnitee, on the other hand, no Consultant Indemnitee shall have any duty (contractual or otherwise), including without limitation any fiduciary duties, to communicate, present or offer such corporate opportunity to the Company or such Subsidiary or Affiliates and, notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, shall not be liable to the Company or such Subsidiary or Affiliates for breach of any duty (contractual or otherwise), including, without limitation any fiduciary duties, by reason of the fact that any Consultant Indemnitee directly or indirectly pursued or acquired such opportunity for itself, directed such opportunity to another person, or did not present or communicate such opportunity to the Company or such Subsidiary or Affiliates, even though such corporate opportunity may be of a character that, if presented to the Company or such Subsidiary or Affiliates, could be taken by the Company or such Subsidiary or Affiliates, as applicable. The Company and each Subsidiary hereby renounce any interest, right, or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any such opportunity not offered to them by any Consultant Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law, including pursuant to Section 122(17) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Consulting Agreement as of the date first written above.
| AE INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS, LP | ||
| By: | AeroEquity GP, LLC | |
| Its: | General Partner | |
| By: | /s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: | Michael Greene | |
| Title: | Authorized Signatory | |
| AE INDUSTRIAL OPERATING PARTNERS, LLC | ||
| By: | AE Industrial Partners, LP | |
| Its: | Managing Member | |
| By: | AeroEquity GP, LLC | |
| Its: | General Partner | |
| By: | /s/ Michael Greene | |
| Name: | Michael Greene | |
| Title: | Authorized Signatory | |
Signature Page to Amended and Restated Consulting Agreement
| YORK SPACE SYSTEMS INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Dirk Wallinger | |
| Name: | Dirk Wallinger | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
Signature Page to Amended and Restated Consulting Agreement
Exhibit 10.7
YORK SPACE SYSTEMS INC.
2026 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN
ARTICLE I
PURPOSE
The purpose of this York Space Systems Inc. 2026 Omnibus Incentive Plan (this “Plan”) is to promote the success of the Company’s business for the benefit of its stockholders by enabling the Company to offer Eligible Individuals cash and stock-based incentives in order to attract, retain, and reward such individuals and strengthen the mutuality of interests between such individuals and the Company’s stockholders. This Plan is effective as of the date set forth in Article XIV.
ARTICLE II
DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this Plan, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
2.1 “Affiliate” means a corporation or other entity controlled by, controlling, or under common control with the Company. The term “control” (including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as applied to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting or other securities, by contract or otherwise.
2.2 “Applicable Law” means the requirements relating to the administration of equity-based awards and the related shares under U.S. state corporate law, U.S. federal and state securities laws, the rules or requirements of any stock exchange or quotation system on which the shares are listed or quoted, and any other applicable laws, including tax laws, of any U.S. or non-U.S. jurisdictions where Awards are, or will be, granted under this Plan.
2.3 “Award” means any award under this Plan of any Stock Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Award, Other Stock-Based Award, or Cash Award. All Awards shall be evidenced by and subject to the terms of an Award Agreement.
2.4 “Award Agreement” means the written or electronic agreement, contract, certificate, or other instrument or document evidencing the terms and conditions of an individual Award. Each Award Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan.
2.5 “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
2.6 “Cash Award” means an Award granted to an Eligible Individual pursuant to Section 9.3 of this Plan and payable in cash at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.
1
2.7 “Cause” means, unless otherwise determined by the Committee in the applicable Award Agreement, with respect to a Participant’s Termination of Service, the following: (a) in the case where there is no employment agreement, offer letter, consulting agreement, change in control agreement, or similar agreement in effect between the Company or an Affiliate and the Participant at the time of the grant of the Award (or where there is such agreement in effect but it does not define “cause” (or words of like import)), the Participant’s: (i) conviction of a felony, an indictable offense or another criminal offense involving fraud (or dishonesty or disloyalty to the Company or any Affiliate), (ii) conduct that causes material financial harm to the Company or any Affiliate or brings the Company or any Affiliate into substantial public disgrace or disrepute or otherwise injures the integrity, character or reputation of the Company or any Affiliate in any material respect, or (iii) willful failure to perform Participant’s duties with the Company or any Affiliate (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness), or gross negligence or gross misconduct in the performance of such duties; provided that, if the conduct that constitutes Cause pursuant to clause (iii) is curable by Participant, no removal of Participant shall be deemed to be for Cause unless the Company has given Participant notice of the conduct that constitutes Cause and Participant has failed to cure such conduct within ten days following delivery of such notice; provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Participant’s right to cure shall not apply in the event of habitual or repeated breaches of such provision by Participant; or (b) in the case where there is an employment agreement, offer letter, consulting agreement, change in control agreement, or similar agreement in effect between the Company or an Affiliate and the Participant at the time of the grant of the Award that defines “cause” (or words of like import), “cause” as defined under such agreement; provided, however, that with regard to any agreement under which the definition of “cause” only applies on occurrence of a change in control, such definition of “cause” shall not apply until a change in control (as defined in such agreement) actually takes place and then only with regard to a termination thereafter.
2.8 “Change in Control” means and includes each of the following, unless otherwise determined by the Committee or defined in the applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement with a Participant approved by the Committee:
(a) any Person (other than the Company, any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under any employee benefit plan of the Company, or any company owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company), becoming the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities, excluding for purposes herein, acquisitions pursuant to a Business Combination (as defined below) that does not constitute a Change in Control as defined in Section 2.8(b);
(b) a merger, reorganization, or consolidation of the Company or in which equity securities of the Company are issued (each, a “Business Combination”), other than a merger, reorganization or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or its direct or indirect parent) more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity (or, as applicable, a direct or indirect parent of the Company or such surviving
2
entity) outstanding immediately after such merger, reorganization or consolidation; provided, however, that a merger, reorganization or consolidation effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no Person (other than those covered by the exceptions in Section 2.8(a)) acquires more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities shall not constitute a Change in Control;
(c) during the period of two (2) consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new director(s) (other than a director designated by a Person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Sections 2.8(a) or (b)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the two (2) year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or
(d) a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or the consummation of a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets other than the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to a Person or Persons who beneficially own, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the Company at the time of the sale.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Award that is characterized as “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, an event shall not be considered to be a Change in Control under this Plan for purposes of payment of such Award unless such event is also a “change in ownership,” a “change in effective control,” or a “change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets” of the Company within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.
2.9 “Change in Control Price” means the highest price per Share paid in any transaction related to a Change in Control as determined by the Committee in its discretion.
2.10 “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. Any reference to any section of the Code shall also be a reference to any successor provision and any guidance and treasury regulation promulgated thereunder.
2.11 “Committee” means any committee of the Board duly authorized by the Board to administer this Plan; provided, however, that unless otherwise determined by the Board, the Committee shall consist solely of two or more members of the Board who are each (a) a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3(b), and (b) “independent” under the listing standards or rules of the securities exchange upon which the Common Stock is traded, but only to the extent such independence is required in order to take the action at issue pursuant to such standards or rules. If no committee is duly authorized by the Board to administer this Plan, the term “Committee” shall be deemed to refer to the Board for all purposes under this Plan. The Board may abolish any Committee or re-vest in itself any previously delegated authority from time to time, and will retain the right to exercise the authority of the Committee to the extent consistent with Applicable Law.
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2.12 “Common Stock” means the common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of the Company.
2.13 “Company” means York Space Systems Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its successors by operation of law.
2.14 “Consultant” means any natural person who is an advisor or consultant or other service provider to the Company or any of its Affiliates.
2.15 “Detrimental Conduct” means, as determined by the Company, a Participant’s serious misconduct or unethical behavior, including any of the following: (a) any violation by the Participant of a restrictive covenant agreement that the Participant has entered into with the Company or any Affiliate (covering, for example, confidentiality, non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disparagement, etc.); (b) any conduct by the Participant that could result in the Participant’s Termination of Service for Cause; (c) the commission of a criminal act by the Participant, whether or not performed in the workplace, that subjects, or if generally known would subject, the Company or any Affiliate to public ridicule or embarrassment, or other improper or intentional conduct by the Participant causing reputational harm to the Company, any Affiliate, or a client or former client of the Company or any Affiliate; (d) the Participant’s breach of a fiduciary duty owed to the Company or any Affiliate or a client or former client of the Company or any Affiliate; (e) the Participant’s intentional violation, or grossly negligent disregard, of the Company’s or any Affiliate’s policies, rules, or procedures; or (f) the Participant taking or maintaining trading positions that result in a need to restate financial results in a subsequent reporting period or that result in a significant financial loss to the Company or any Affiliate.
2.16 “Disability” means, unless otherwise determined by the Committee in the applicable Award Agreement, with respect to a Participant’s Termination of Service, that the Participant is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment, after accounting for reasonable accommodations (if applicable and required by Applicable Law); provided, however, for purposes of an Incentive Stock Option, the term Disability shall have the meaning ascribed to it under Section 22(e)(3) of the Code. The determination of whether an individual has a Disability shall be determined by the Committee, and the Committee may rely on any determination that a Participant is disabled for purposes of benefits under any long-term disability plan in which a Participant participates that is maintained by the Company or any Affiliate.
2.17 “Dividend Equivalent Rights” means a right granted to a Participant under this Plan to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Shares) of dividends paid on Shares.
2.18 “Effective Date” means the effective date of this Plan as defined in Article XIV.
2.19 “Eligible Employee” means each employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates. An employee on a leave of absence may be an Eligible Employee.
2.20 “Eligible Individual” means an Eligible Employee, Non-Employee Director, or Consultant who is designated by the Committee in its discretion as eligible to receive Awards subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein.
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2.21 “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time. Reference to a specific section of the Exchange Act or regulation thereunder shall include such section or regulation, any valid regulation or interpretation promulgated under such section, and any comparable provision of any future legislation or regulation amending, supplementing, or superseding such section or regulation.
2.22 “Fair Market Value” means, for purposes of this Plan, unless otherwise required by any applicable provision of the Code or any regulations issued thereunder, as of any date and except as provided below, the last sales price reported for the Common Stock on the applicable date: (a) as reported on the principal national securities exchange in the United States on which it is then traded, listed or otherwise reported or quoted or (b) if the Common Stock is not traded, listed, or otherwise reported or quoted, the Committee shall determine in good faith the Fair Market Value in whatever manner it considers appropriate, taking into account the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. For purposes of the grant of any Award, the applicable date shall be the trading day immediately prior to the date on which the Award is granted. For purposes of the exercise of any Award, the applicable date shall be the date a notice of exercise is received by the Committee or, if not a date on which the applicable market is open, the next day that it is open. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Award granted on the pricing date of the Company’s initial public offering, the Fair Market Value shall mean the initial public offering price of a Share as set forth in the Company’s final prospectus relating to its initial public offering filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
2.23 “Family Member” means “family member” as defined in Section A.1.(a)(5) of the general instructions of Form S-8.
2.24 “Incentive Stock Option” means any Stock Option granted to an Eligible Employee who is an employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries under this Plan and that is intended to be, and is designated as, an “Incentive Stock Option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
2.25 “Non-Employee Director” means a director on the Board who is not an employee of the Company.
2.26 “Non-Qualified Stock Option” means any Stock Option granted under this Plan that is not an Incentive Stock Option.
2.27 “Other Stock-Based Award” means an Award granted under Article IX of this Plan that is valued in whole or in part by reference to, or is payable in or otherwise based on, Shares, but may be settled in the form of Shares or cash.
2.28 “Parent” means any parent corporation of the Company within the meaning of Section 424(e) of the Code.
2.29 “Participant” means an Eligible Individual to whom an Award has been granted pursuant to this Plan.
2.30 “Performance Award” means an Award granted under Article VIII of this Plan.
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2.31 “Performance Goals” means goals established by the Committee as contingencies for Awards to vest and/or become exercisable or distributable.
2.32 “Performance Period” means the designated period during which the Performance Goals must be satisfied with respect to the Award to which the Performance Goals relate.
2.33 “Person” means any “person” as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act.
2.34 “Restricted Stock” means an Award of Shares granted under Article VII of this Plan.
2.35 “Restricted Stock Unit” means an unfunded, unsecured right to receive, on the applicable settlement date, one Share or an amount in cash or other consideration determined by the Committee to be of equal value as of such settlement date, subject to certain vesting conditions and other restrictions.
2.36 “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act as then in effect or any successor provision.
2.37 “Section 409A of the Code” means the nonqualified deferred compensation rules under Section 409A of the Code and any applicable treasury regulations and other official guidance thereunder.
2.38 “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Reference to a specific section of the Securities Act or regulation thereunder shall include such section or regulation, any valid regulation or interpretation promulgated under such section, and any comparable provision of any future legislation or regulation amending, supplementing, or superseding such section or regulation.
2.39 “Shares” means shares of Common Stock.
2.40 “Stock Appreciation Right” means a stock appreciation right granted under Article VI of this Plan.
2.41 “Stock Option” or “Option” means any option to purchase Shares granted pursuant to Article VI of this Plan.
2.42 “Subsidiary” means any subsidiary corporation of the Company within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code.
2.43 “Ten Percent Stockholder” means a Person owning stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company, its Parent or its Subsidiaries.
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2.44 “Termination of Service” means the termination of the applicable Participant’s employment with, or performance of services for, the Company and its Affiliates. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, (a) if a Participant’s employment or services with the Company and its Affiliates terminates but such Participant continues to provide services to the Company and its Affiliates in a non-employee capacity, such change in status shall not be deemed a Termination of Service with the Company and its Affiliates and (b) a Participant employed by, or performing services for an Affiliate that ceases to be an Affiliate shall also be deemed to have incurred a Termination of Service provided the Participant does not immediately thereafter become an employee of the Company or another Affiliate. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this definition, with respect to any Award that constitutes a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, a Participant shall not be considered to have experienced a “Termination of Service” unless the Participant has experienced a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.
ARTICLE III
ADMINISTRATION
3.1 Authority of the Committee. This Plan shall be administered by the Committee. Subject to the terms of this Plan and Applicable Law, the Committee shall have full authority to grant Awards to Eligible Individuals under this Plan. In particular, the Committee shall have the authority to:
(a) determine whether and to what extent Awards, or any combination thereof, are to be granted hereunder to one or more Eligible Individuals;
(b) determine the number of Shares to be covered by each Award granted hereunder;
(c) determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan, of any Award granted hereunder (including, but not limited to, the exercise or purchase price (if any), any restriction or limitation, any vesting schedule or acceleration thereof, or any forfeiture restrictions or waiver thereof, regarding any Award and the Shares, if any, relating thereto, based on such factors, if any, as the Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion);
(d) determine the amount of cash to be covered by each Award granted hereunder;
(e) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances grants of Options and other Awards under this Plan are to operate on a tandem basis and/or in conjunction with or apart from other awards made by the Company outside of this Plan;
(f) determine whether and under what circumstances an Award may be settled in cash, Shares, other property, or a combination of the foregoing;
(g) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances cash, Shares, or other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award under this Plan shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the Participant;
(h) modify, waive, amend, or adjust the terms and conditions of any Award, at any time or from time to time, including but not limited to Performance Goals;
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(i) determine whether a Stock Option is an Incentive Stock Option or Non-Qualified Stock Option;
(j) determine whether to require a Participant, as a condition of the granting of any Award, to not sell or otherwise dispose of Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise or vesting of an Award for a period of time as determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion, following the date of the acquisition of such Award or Shares;
(k) modify, extend, or renew an Award, subject to Article XI and Section 6.8(g) of this Plan; and
(l) determine how the Disability, death, retirement, authorized leave of absence or any other change or purported change in a Participant’s status affects an Award and the extent to which, and the period during which, the Participant, the Participant’s legal representative, conservator, guardian or beneficiary may exercise rights under the Award, if applicable.
3.2 Guidelines. Subject to Article XI of this Plan, the Committee shall have the authority to adopt, alter, and repeal such administrative rules, guidelines, and practices governing this Plan and perform all acts, including the delegation of its responsibilities (to the extent permitted by Applicable Law and applicable stock exchange rules), as it shall, from time to time, deem advisable; to construe and interpret the terms and provisions of this Plan and any Award issued under this Plan (and any agreements or sub-plans relating thereto); and to otherwise supervise the administration of this Plan. The Committee may correct any defect, supply any omission, or reconcile any inconsistency in this Plan or in any agreement relating thereto in the manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary to effectuate the purpose and intent of this Plan. The Committee may adopt special rules, sub-plans, guidelines, and provisions for persons who are residing in or employed in, or subject to, the taxes of any domestic or foreign jurisdictions to satisfy or accommodate applicable foreign laws or to qualify for preferred tax treatment of such domestic or foreign jurisdictions.
3.3 Decisions Final. Any decision, interpretation, or other action made or taken in good faith by or at the direction of the Company, the Board, or the Committee (or any of its members) arising out of or in connection with this Plan shall be within the absolute discretion of all and each of them, as the case may be, and shall be final, binding, and conclusive on the Company and all employees and Participants and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns.
3.4 Designation of Consultants/Liability; Delegation of Authority.
(a) The Committee may employ such legal counsel, consultants, and agents as it may deem desirable for the administration of this Plan and may rely upon any opinion received from any such counsel or consultant and any computation received from any such consultant or agent. Expenses incurred by the Committee or the Board in the engagement of any such counsel, consultant, or agent shall be paid by the Company. The Committee, its members, and any person designated pursuant to this Section 3.4 shall not be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to this Plan. To the maximum extent permitted by Applicable Law, no officer of the Company or member or former member of the Committee or of the Board shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to this Plan or any Award granted under it.
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(b) The Committee may delegate any or all of its powers and duties under this Plan to a subcommittee of directors or to any officer of the Company, including the power to perform administrative functions (including executing agreements or other documents on behalf of the Committee) and grant Awards; provided, that such delegation does not (i) violate Applicable Law, or (ii) result in the loss of an exemption under Rule 16b-3(d)(1) for Awards granted to Participants subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act in respect of the Company. Upon any such delegation, all references in this Plan to the “Committee,” shall be deemed to include any subcommittee or officer of the Company to whom such powers have been delegated by the Committee. Any such delegation shall not limit the right of such subcommittee members or such an officer to receive Awards; provided, however, that such subcommittee members and any such officer may not grant Awards to himself or herself, a member of the Board, or any executive officer of the Company or an Affiliate, or take any action with respect to any Award previously granted to himself or herself, a member of the Board, or any executive officer of the Company or an Affiliate. The Committee may also designate employees or professional advisors who are not executive officers of the Company or members of the Board to assist in administering this Plan, provided, however, that such individuals may not be delegated the authority to grant or modify any Awards that will, or may, be settled in Shares.
3.5 Indemnification. To the maximum extent permitted by Applicable Law and to the extent not covered by insurance directly insuring such person, each current and former officer or employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates and member or former member of the Committee or the Board shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against any cost or expense (including reasonable fees of counsel acceptable to the Committee) or liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim with the approval of the Committee), and advanced amounts necessary to pay the foregoing at the earliest time and to the fullest extent permitted, arising out of any act or omission to act in connection with the administration of this Plan, except to the extent arising out of such officer’s, employee’s, member’s, or former member’s own fraud or bad faith. Such indemnification shall be in addition to any right of indemnification that the current or former employee, officer or member may have under Applicable Law or under the by-laws of the Company or any of its Affiliates. Notwithstanding anything else herein, this indemnification will not apply to the actions or determinations made by an individual with regard to Awards granted to such individual under this Plan.
ARTICLE IV
SHARE LIMITATION
4.1 Shares. The aggregate number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to this Plan shall not exceed 12,694,439 Shares (subject to any increase or decrease pursuant to this Article IV), which may be either authorized and unissued Shares or Shares held in or acquired for the treasury of the Company or both. The number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to this Plan shall be subject to an annual increase on January 1 of each calendar year beginning in 2027, and ending and
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including 2036, equal to the lesser of (a) 5% of the aggregate number of Shares outstanding on December 31 of the immediately preceding calendar year and (b) such smaller number of Shares as is determined by the Board. The aggregate number of Shares that may be issued or used with respect to any Incentive Stock Option shall not exceed 12,694,439 Shares (subject to any increase or decrease pursuant to Section 4.3). Any Award under this Plan settled in cash shall not be counted against the foregoing maximum share limitations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Shares subject to an Award under this Plan shall again be made available for issuance or delivery under this Plan if such Shares are (i) Shares delivered, withheld or surrendered in payment of the exercise or purchase price of an Award, (ii) Shares delivered, withheld, or surrendered to satisfy any tax withholding obligation or (iii) Shares subject to a stock-settled Award that expires or is canceled, forfeited, or terminated without issuance of the full number of Shares to which the Award related.
4.2 Substitute Awards. In connection with an entity’s merger or consolidation with the Company or the Company’s acquisition of an entity’s property or stock, the Committee may grant Awards in substitution for any options or other stock or stock-based awards granted before such merger or consolidation by such entity or its affiliate (“Substitute Awards”). Substitute Awards may be granted on such terms as the Committee deems appropriate, notwithstanding limitations on Awards in this Plan. Substitute Awards will not count against the Shares authorized for grant under this Plan (nor shall Shares subject to a Substitute Award be added to the Shares available for Awards under this Plan as provided under Section 4.1 above), except that Shares acquired by exercise of substitute Incentive Stock Options will count against the maximum number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options under this Plan, as set forth in Section 4.1 above. Additionally, in the event that a Person acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by stockholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grants pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under this Plan and shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under this Plan (and Shares subject to such Awards shall not be added to the Shares available for Awards under this Plan as provided under Section 4.1 above); provided that Awards using such available shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not Eligible Employees or Non-Employee Directors prior to such acquisition or combination.
4.3 Adjustments.
(a) The existence of this Plan and the Awards granted hereunder shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Board or the stockholders of the Company to make or authorize (i) any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization, or other change in the Company’s capital structure or its business, (ii) any merger or consolidation of the Company or any Affiliate, (iii) any issuance of bonds, debentures, or preferred or prior preference stock ahead of or affecting the Shares, (iv) the dissolution or liquidation of the Company or any Affiliate, (v) any sale or transfer of all or part of the assets or business of the Company or any Affiliate, or (vi) any other corporate act or proceeding.
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(b) Subject to the provisions of Section 10.1:
(i) If the Company at any time subdivides (by any split, recapitalization or otherwise) the outstanding Shares into a greater number of Shares, or combines (by reverse split, combination, or otherwise) its outstanding Shares into a lesser number of Shares, then the respective exercise prices for outstanding Awards that provide for a Participant-elected exercise and the number of Shares covered by outstanding Awards shall be appropriately adjusted by the Committee to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights granted to, or available for, Participants under this Plan; provided, that the Committee in its sole discretion shall determine whether an adjustment is appropriate.
(ii) Excepting transactions covered by Section 4.3(b)(i), if the Company effects any merger, consolidation, statutory exchange, spin-off, reorganization, sale or transfer of all or substantially all the Company’s assets or business, or other corporate transaction or event in such a manner that the Company’s outstanding Shares are converted into the right to receive (or the holders of Common Stock are entitled to receive in exchange therefor), either immediately or upon liquidation of the Company, securities or other property of the Company or other entity, then, subject to the provisions of Section 10.1, (A) the aggregate number or kind of securities that thereafter may be issued under this Plan, (B) the number or kind of securities or other property (including cash) to be issued pursuant to Awards granted under this Plan (including as a result of the assumption of this Plan and the obligations hereunder by a successor entity, as applicable), or (C) the exercise or purchase price thereof, shall be appropriately adjusted by the Committee to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights granted to, or available for, Participants under this Plan.
(iii) If there shall occur any change in the capital structure of the Company other than those covered by Section 4.3(b)(i) or 4.3(b)(ii), any conversion, any adjustment, or any issuance of any class of securities convertible or exercisable into, or exercisable for, any class of equity securities of the Company, then the Committee shall adjust any Award and make such other adjustments to this Plan to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights granted to, or available for, Participants under this Plan.
(iv) In the event of any pending stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other extraordinary transaction or change affecting the Shares or the Share price, including any securities offering or other similar transaction, for administrative convenience, the Committee may refuse to permit the exercise of any Award for up to sixty (60) days before or after such transaction.
(v) The Committee may adjust the Performance Goals applicable to any Awards to reflect any unusual or non-recurring events and other extraordinary items, impact of charges for restructurings, discontinued operations, and the cumulative effects of accounting or tax changes, each as defined by generally accepted accounting principles or as identified in the Company’s financial statements, notes to the financial statements, management’s discussion and analysis, or other Company public filing.
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(vi) Any such adjustment determined by the Committee pursuant to this Section 4.3(b) shall be final, binding, and conclusive on the Company and all Participants and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and permitted assigns. Any adjustment to, or assumption or substitution of, an Award under this Section 4.3(b) shall be intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and Treasury Regulation §1.424-1 (and any amendments thereto), to the extent applicable. Except as expressly provided in this Section 4.3 or in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant shall have no additional rights under this Plan by reason of any transaction or event described in this Section 4.3.
4.4 Annual Limit on Non-Employee Director Compensation. In each calendar year during any part of which this Plan is in effect, a Non-Employee Director may not receive Awards for such individual’s service on the Board that, taken together with any cash fees paid to such Non-Employee Director during such calendar year for such individual’s service on the Board, have a value in excess of $750,000 calculating the value of any such Awards based on the grant date fair value of such Awards for financial reporting purposes; provided, that (a) the Committee may make exceptions to this limit, except that the Non-Employee Director receiving such additional compensation may not participate in the decision to award such compensation or in other contemporaneous decisions involving compensation for Non-Employee Directors and (b) for any calendar year in which a Non-Employee Director (i) first commences service on the Board, (ii) serves on a special committee of the Board, or (iii) serves as lead director or non-executive chair of the Board, such limit shall be increased to $1,000,000; provided, further, that the limit set forth in this Section 4.4 shall be applied without regard to Awards or other compensation, if any, provided to a Non-Employee Director during any period in which such individual was an employee of the Company or any Affiliate or was otherwise providing services to the Company or to any Affiliate other than in the capacity as a Non-Employee Director.
ARTICLE V
ELIGIBILITY
5.1 General Eligibility. All current and prospective Eligible Individuals are eligible to be granted Awards. Eligibility for the grant of Awards and actual participation in this Plan shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. No Eligible Individual will automatically be granted any Award under this Plan.
5.2 Incentive Stock Options. Notwithstanding the foregoing, only Eligible Employees who are employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries are eligible to be granted Incentive Stock Options under this Plan. Eligibility for the grant of an Incentive Stock Option and actual participation in this Plan shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.
5.3 General Requirement. The vesting and exercise of Awards granted to a prospective Eligible Individual are conditioned upon such individual actually becoming an Eligible Employee, Consultant, or Non-Employee Director, as applicable.
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ARTICLE VI
STOCK OPTIONS; STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
6.1 General. Stock Options or Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted alone or in addition to other Awards granted under this Plan. Each Stock Option granted under this Plan shall be of one of two types: (a) an Incentive Stock Option or (b) a Non-Qualified Stock Option. Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights granted under this Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement and subject to the terms, conditions and limitations in this Plan, including any limitations applicable to Incentive Stock Options.
6.2 Grants. The Committee shall have the authority to grant to any Eligible Individual one or more Incentive Stock Options, Non-Qualified Stock Options, and/or Stock Appreciation Rights; provided, however, that Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to an Eligible Employee who is an employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries. To the extent that any Stock Option does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option (whether because of its provisions or the time or manner of its exercise or otherwise), such Stock Option or the portion thereof which does not so qualify shall constitute a separate Non-Qualified Stock Option.
6.3 Exercise Price. The exercise price per Share subject to a Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be determined by the Committee at the time of grant, provided that the per share exercise price of a Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall not be less than 100% (or, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Stockholder, 110%) of the Fair Market Value at the time of grant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right that is a Substitute Award, the exercise price per Share for such Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be less than the Fair Market Value on the date of grant; provided, that, such exercise price is determined in a manner consistent with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code and, if applicable, Section 424(a) of the Code.
6.4 Term. The term of each Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be fixed by the Committee, provided that no Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable more than ten (10) years (or, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Stockholder, five (5) years) after the date on which the Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, is granted.
6.5 Exercisability. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.5, Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights granted under this Plan shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the Committee at the time of grant. The Committee may, but shall not be required to, provide for an acceleration of vesting and exercisability upon the occurrence of a specified event. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, if the exercise of a Non-Qualified Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right within the permitted time periods is prohibited because such exercise would violate the registration requirements under the Securities Act or any other Applicable Law or the rules of any securities exchange or interdealer quotation system, the Company’s insider trading policy (including any blackout periods) or a “lock-up” agreement entered into in connection with the issuance of securities by the Company, then the expiration of such Non-Qualified Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be extended until the date that is thirty (30) days after the end of the period during which the exercise of the Non-Qualified Stock Option or Stock
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Appreciation Right would be in violation of such registration requirement or other Applicable Law or rules, blackout period or lock-up agreement, as determined by the Committee; provided, however, that in no event shall any such extension result in any Non-Qualified Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right remaining exercisable after the ten (10)-year term of the applicable Non-Qualified Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right.
6.6 Method of Exercise. Subject to any applicable waiting period or exercisability provisions under Section 6.5, to the extent vested, Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised in whole or in part at any time during the term of the applicable Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right, by giving written notice of exercise (which may be electronic) to the Company specifying the number of Stock Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, as applicable, being exercised. Such notice shall be accompanied by payment in full of the exercise price (which shall equal the product of such number of Shares to be purchased multiplied by the applicable exercise price). The exercise price for the Stock Options may be paid upon such terms and conditions as shall be established by the Committee and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, the Committee may establish payment terms for the exercise of Stock Options pursuant to which the Company may withhold a number of Shares that otherwise would be issued to the Participant in connection with the exercise of the Stock Option having a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the exercise price, or that permit the Participant to deliver cash or Shares with a Fair Market Value equal to the exercise price on the date of payment, or through a simultaneous sale through a broker of Shares acquired on exercise, all as permitted by Applicable Law. No Shares shall be issued until payment therefor, as provided herein, has been made or provided for. Upon the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right a Participant shall be entitled to receive, for each right exercised, up to, but no more than, an amount in cash and/or Shares (as chosen by the Committee in its sole discretion) equal in value to the excess of the Fair Market Value of one (1) Share on the date that the right is exercised over the Fair Market Value of one (1) Share on the date that the right was awarded to the Participant.
6.7 Non-Transferability. No Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be transferable by the Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and all Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights shall be exercisable, during the Participant’s lifetime, only by the Participant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may determine, in its sole discretion, at the time of grant or thereafter that a Non-Qualified Stock Option that is otherwise not transferable pursuant to this Section 6.7 is transferable to a Family Member of the Participant in whole or in part and in such circumstances, and under such conditions, as specified by the Committee. A Non-Qualified Stock Option that is transferred to a Family Member pursuant to the preceding sentence (a) may not be subsequently transferred other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and (b) remains subject to the terms of this Plan and the applicable Award Agreement. Any Shares acquired upon the exercise of a Non-Qualified Stock Option by a permissible transferee of a Non-Qualified Stock Option or a permissible transferee pursuant to a transfer after the exercise of the Non-Qualified Stock Option shall be subject to the terms of this Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.
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6.8 Termination. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee at grant or, if no rights of the Participant are reduced, thereafter, subject to the provisions of the applicable Award Agreement and this Plan, upon a Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason, Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights may remain exercisable following a Participant’s Termination of Service as follows:
(a) Termination by Death or Disability. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, or otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of grant or, if no rights of the Participant are reduced, thereafter, if a Participant’s Termination of Service is by reason of death or Disability, all Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights that are held by such Participant that are vested and exercisable at the time of the Participant’s Termination of Service may be exercised by the Participant (or in the case of the Participant’s death, by the legal representative of the Participant’s estate) at any time within a period of one (1) year from the date of such Termination of Service, but in no event beyond the expiration of the stated term of such Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights; provided, however, that, in the event of a Participant’s Termination of Service by reason of Disability, if the Participant dies within such exercise period, all unexercised Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights held by such Participant shall thereafter be exercisable, to the extent to which they were exercisable at the time of death, for a period of one (1) year from the date of such death, but in no event beyond the expiration of the stated term of such Stock Options and/or Stock Appreciation Rights.
(b) Involuntary Termination Without Cause. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of grant or, if no rights of the Participant are reduced, thereafter, if a Participant’s Termination of Service is by involuntary termination by the Company without Cause, all Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights that are held by such Participant that are vested and exercisable at the time of the Participant’s Termination of Service may be exercised by the Participant at any time within a period of ninety (90) days from the date of such Termination of Service, but in no event beyond the expiration of the stated term of such Stock Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.
(c) Voluntary Resignation. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of grant or, if no rights of the Participant are reduced, thereafter, if a Participant’s Termination of Service is voluntary (other than a voluntary termination described in Section 6.8(d) hereof), all Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights that are held by such Participant that are vested and exercisable at the time of the Participant’s Termination of Service may be exercised by the Participant at any time within a period of thirty (30) days from the date of such Termination of Service, but in no event beyond the expiration of the stated term of such Stock Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.
(d) Termination for Cause. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or determined by the Committee at the time of grant, or if no rights of the Participant are reduced, thereafter, if a Participant’s Termination of Service (i) is for Cause or (ii) is a voluntary Termination of Service (as provided in Section 6.8(c)) after the occurrence of an event that would be grounds for a Termination of Service for Cause, all Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, whether vested or not vested, that are held by such Participant shall thereupon immediately terminate and expire as of the date of such Termination of Service.
(e) Unvested Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or determined by the Committee at the time of grant or, if no rights of the Participant are reduced, thereafter, Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights that are not vested as of the date of a Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason shall terminate and expire as of the date of such Termination of Service.
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(f) Incentive Stock Option Limitations. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the time of grant) of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by an Eligible Employee during any calendar year under this Plan and/or any other stock option plan of the Company, any Parent or any Subsidiary exceeds $100,000, such Options shall be treated as Non-Qualified Stock Options. In addition, if an Eligible Employee does not remain employed by the Company, any Parent or any Subsidiary at all times from the time an Incentive Stock Option is granted until three (3) months prior to the date of exercise thereof (or such other period as required by Applicable Law), such Stock Option shall be treated as a Non-Qualified Stock Option. Should any provision of this Plan not be necessary in order for the Stock Options to qualify as Incentive Stock Options, or should any additional provisions be required, the Committee may amend this Plan accordingly, without the necessity of obtaining the approval of the stockholders of the Company.
(g) Modification, Extension and Renewal of Stock Options. The Committee may (i) modify, extend, or renew outstanding Stock Options granted under this Plan (provided that the rights of a Participant are not reduced without such Participant’s consent and provided, further that such action does not subject the Stock Options to Section 409A of the Code without the consent of the Participant), and (ii) accept the surrender of outstanding Stock Options (to the extent not theretofore exercised) and authorize the granting of new Stock Options in substitution therefor (to the extent not theretofore exercised).
6.9 Automatic Exercise. The Committee may include a provision in an Award Agreement providing for the automatic exercise of a Non-Qualified Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right on a cashless basis on the last day of the term of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right if the Participant has failed to exercise the Non-Qualified Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right as of such date, with respect to which the Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying the Non-Qualified Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right exceeds the exercise price of such Non-Qualified Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right on the date of expiration of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, subject to Section 13.4.
6.10 Dividends. No dividends or Dividend Equivalent Rights shall be granted with respect to Stock Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.
6.11 Other Terms and Conditions. As the Committee shall deem appropriate, Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights may be subject to additional terms and conditions or other provisions, which shall not be inconsistent with any of the terms of this Plan.
ARTICLE VII
RESTRICTED STOCK; RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS
7.1 Awards of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units. Shares of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units may be granted alone or in addition to other Awards granted under this Plan. The Committee shall determine the Eligible Individuals to whom, and the time or times at which, grants of Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units shall be made, the number of
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shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units to be awarded, the price (if any) to be paid by the Participant (subject to Section 7.2), the time or times within which such Awards may be subject to forfeiture, the vesting schedule and rights to acceleration thereof, and all other terms and conditions of the Awards. The Committee shall determine and set forth in the Award Agreement the terms and conditions for each Award of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units, subject to the conditions and limitations contained in this Plan, including any vesting or forfeiture conditions.
The Committee may condition the grant or vesting of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units upon the attainment of specified Performance Goals or such other factor as the Committee may determine in its sole discretion.
7.2 Awards and Certificates. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units granted under this Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement and subject to the following terms and conditions and shall be in such form and contain such additional terms and conditions not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan, as the Committee shall deem desirable:
(a) Restricted Stock.
(i) Purchase Price. The purchase price of Restricted Stock shall be fixed by the Committee. The purchase price for shares of Restricted Stock may be zero to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, and, to the extent not so permitted, such purchase price may not be less than par value.
(ii) Legend. Each Participant receiving Restricted Stock shall be issued a stock certificate in respect of such shares of Restricted Stock, unless the Committee elects to use another system, such as book entries by the Company’s transfer agent, as evidencing ownership of shares of Restricted Stock. Such certificate shall be registered in the name of such Participant, and shall, in addition to such legends required by Applicable Law, bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock.
(iii) Custody. If stock certificates are issued in respect of shares of Restricted Stock, the Committee may require that any stock certificates evidencing such shares be held in custody by the Company until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed, and that, as a condition of any grant of Restricted Stock, the Participant shall have delivered a duly signed stock power or other instruments of assignment (including a power of attorney), each endorsed in blank with a guarantee of signature if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Company, which would permit transfer to the Company of all or a portion of the shares subject to the Award of Restricted Stock in the event that such Award is forfeited in whole or part.
(iv) Rights as a Stockholder. Except as provided in Section 7.3(a) and this Section 7.2(a) or as otherwise determined by the Committee in an Award Agreement, the Participant shall have, with respect to the shares of Restricted Stock, all of the rights of a holder of Shares, including, without limitation, the right to receive dividends, the right to vote such shares, and, subject to and conditioned upon the full vesting of shares of Restricted Stock, the right to tender such shares; provided that the Award Agreement shall specify on what terms and conditions the applicable Participant shall be entitled to dividends payable on the Shares.
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(v) Lapse of Restrictions. If and when the Restriction Period expires without a prior forfeiture of the Restricted Stock, the certificates for such Shares shall be delivered to the Participant. All legends shall be removed from said certificates at the time of delivery to the Participant, except as otherwise required by Applicable Law or other limitations imposed by the Committee.
(b) Restricted Stock Units.
(i) Settlement. The Committee may provide that settlement of Restricted Stock Units will occur upon or as soon as reasonably practical after the Restricted Stock Units vest or will instead be deferred, on a mandatory basis or at the Participant’s election, in a manner intended to comply with Section 409A of the Code.
(ii) Rights as a Stockholder. A Participant will have no rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares subject to any Restricted Stock Unit unless and until Shares are delivered in settlement of the Restricted Stock Units.
(iii) Dividend Equivalent Rights. If the Committee so provides, a grant of Restricted Stock Units may provide a Participant with the right to receive Dividend Equivalent Rights. Dividend Equivalent Rights may be paid currently or credited to an account for the Participant, settled in cash or Shares, and subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the Restricted Stock Units with respect to which the Dividend Equivalent Rights are granted and subject to other terms and conditions as set forth in the Award Agreement.
7.3 Restrictions and Conditions.
(a) Restriction Period.
(i) The Participant shall not be permitted to transfer shares of Restricted Stock awarded under this Plan or vest in Restricted Stock Units during the period or periods set by the Committee (the “Restriction Period”) commencing on the date of such Award, as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement and such agreement shall set forth a vesting schedule and any event that would accelerate vesting of the Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units. Within these limits, based on service, attainment of Performance Goals pursuant to Section 7.3(a)(i), and/or such other factors or criteria as the Committee may determine in its sole discretion, the Committee may condition the grant or provide for the lapse of such restrictions in installments in whole or in part, or may accelerate the vesting of all or any part of any Award of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units and/or waive the deferral limitations for all or any part of any Award of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units.
(ii) If the grant of shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units or the lapse of restrictions or vesting schedule is based on the attainment of Performance Goals, the Committee shall establish the objective Performance Goals and the applicable vesting percentage applicable to each Participant or class of Participants in the applicable Award Agreement prior to the beginning of the applicable fiscal year or at such later date as otherwise determined by the Committee and while the outcome of the Performance Goals are substantially uncertain. Such Performance Goals may incorporate provisions for disregarding (or adjusting for) changes in accounting methods, corporate transactions (including, without limitation, dispositions and acquisitions), and other similar types of events or circumstances.
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(b) Termination. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or determined by the Committee at grant or, if no rights of the Participant are reduced, thereafter, upon a Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason during the relevant Restriction Period, all Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units still subject to restriction will be forfeited in accordance with the terms and conditions established by the Committee at grant or thereafter.
ARTICLE VIII
PERFORMANCE AWARDS
The Committee may grant a Performance Award to a Participant payable upon the attainment of specific Performance Goals either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under this Plan. The Performance Goals to be achieved during the Performance Period and the length of the Performance Period shall be determined by the Committee upon the grant of each Performance Award. The conditions for grant or vesting and the other provisions of Performance Awards (including, without limitation, any applicable Performance Goals) need not be the same with respect to each Participant. Performance Awards may be paid in cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, in the sole discretion of the Committee as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.
ARTICLE IX
OTHER STOCK-BASED AND CASH AWARDS
9.1 Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee is authorized to grant to Eligible Individuals Other Stock-Based Awards that are payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to Shares, including but not limited to, Shares awarded purely as a bonus and not subject to restrictions or conditions, Shares in payment of the amounts due under an incentive or performance plan sponsored or maintained by the Company, stock equivalent units, and Awards valued by reference to the book value of Shares. Other Stock-Based Awards may be granted either alone or in addition to or in tandem with other Awards granted under this Plan.
Subject to the provisions of this Plan, the Committee shall have authority to determine the Eligible Individuals, to whom, and the time or times at which, such Other Stock-Based Awards shall be made, the number of Shares to be awarded pursuant to such Awards, and all other conditions of the Awards. The Committee may also provide for the grant of Shares under such Awards upon the completion of a specified Performance Period. The Committee may condition the grant or vesting of Other Stock-Based Awards upon the attainment of specified Performance Goals as the Committee may determine, in its sole discretion.
9.2 Terms and Conditions. Other Stock-Based Awards made pursuant to this Article IX shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement and subject to the following terms and conditions and shall be in such form and contain such additional terms and conditions not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan, as the Committee shall deem desirable:
(a) Non-Transferability. Subject to the applicable provisions of the Award Agreement and this Plan, Shares subject to Other Stock-Based Awards may not be transferred prior to the date on which the Shares are issued or, if later, the date on which any applicable restriction, performance, or deferral period lapses.
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(b) Dividends. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of the grant of an Other Stock-Based Award, subject to the provisions of the Award Agreement and this Plan, the recipient of an Other Stock-Based Award shall not be entitled to receive, currently or on a deferred basis, dividends or Dividend Equivalent Rights in respect of the number of Shares covered by the Other Stock-Based Award.
(c) Vesting. Any Other Stock-Based Award and any Shares covered by any such Other Stock-Based Award shall vest or be forfeited to the extent so provided in the Award Agreement, as determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion.
(d) Price. Shares under this Article IX may be issued for no cash consideration. Shares purchased pursuant to a purchase right awarded pursuant to an Other Stock-Based Award shall be priced, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.
9.3 Cash Awards. The Committee may from time to time grant Cash Awards to Eligible Individuals in such amounts, on such terms and conditions, and for such consideration, including no consideration or such minimum consideration as may be required by Applicable Law, as it shall determine in its sole discretion. Cash Awards may be granted subject to the satisfaction of vesting conditions or may be awarded purely as a bonus and not subject to restrictions or conditions, and if subject to vesting conditions, the Committee may accelerate the vesting of such Awards at any time in its sole discretion. The grant of a Cash Award shall not require a segregation of any of the Company’s assets for satisfaction of the Company’s payment obligation thereunder.
ARTICLE X
CHANGE IN CONTROL PROVISIONS
10.1 Benefits. In the event of a Change in Control of the Company, and except as otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award Agreement or any applicable employment agreement, offer letter, consulting agreement, change in control agreement, or similar agreement in effect between the Company or an Affiliate and the Participant, a Participant’s unvested Awards shall not vest automatically and a Participant’s Awards shall be treated in accordance with one or more of the following methods as determined by the Committee:
(a) Awards, whether or not then vested, shall be continued, be assumed, or have new rights substituted therefor, as determined by the Committee in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, and restrictions to which shares of Restricted Stock or any other Award granted prior to the Change in Control are subject shall not lapse upon a Change in Control and the Restricted Stock or other Award shall, where appropriate in the sole discretion of the Committee, receive the same distribution as other Shares on such terms as determined by the Committee; provided that the Committee may decide to award additional Restricted Stock or other Awards in lieu of any cash distribution. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, for purposes of Incentive Stock Options, any assumed or substituted Stock Option shall comply with the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.424-1 (and any amendment thereto).
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(b) The Committee, in its sole discretion, may provide for the purchase of any Awards by the Company for an amount of cash equal to the excess (if any) of the Change in Control Price of the Shares covered by such Awards, over the aggregate exercise price of such Awards; provided, however, that if the exercise price of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right exceeds the Change in Control Price, such Award may be cancelled for no consideration.
(c) The Committee may, in its sole discretion, terminate all outstanding and unexercised Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, or any Other Stock-Based Award that provides for a Participant-elected exercise, effective as of the date of the Change in Control, by delivering notice of termination to each Participant at least twenty (20) days prior to the date of consummation of the Change in Control, in which case during the period from the date on which such notice of termination is delivered to the consummation of the Change in Control, each such Participant shall have the right to exercise in full all of such Participant’s Awards that are then outstanding (without regard to any limitations on exercisability otherwise contained in the Award Agreements), but any such exercise shall be contingent on the occurrence of the Change in Control, and, provided that, if the Change in Control does not take place within a specified period after giving such notice for any reason whatsoever, the notice and exercise pursuant thereto shall be null and void.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision herein to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide for accelerated vesting or lapse of restrictions, of an Award at any time.
ARTICLE XI
TERMINATION OR AMENDMENT OF PLAN
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan, the Board or the Committee may at any time, and from time to time, amend, in whole or in part, any or all of the provisions of this Plan (including any amendment deemed necessary to ensure that the Company may comply with any Applicable Law), or suspend or terminate it entirely, retroactively or otherwise; provided, however, that, unless otherwise required by Applicable Law or specifically provided herein, the rights of a Participant with respect to Awards granted prior to such amendment, suspension, or termination may not be materially impaired without the consent of such Participant and, provided, further, that without the approval of the holders of the Shares entitled to vote in accordance with Applicable Law, no amendment may be made that would (a) increase the aggregate number of Shares that may be issued under this Plan (except by operation of Section 4.1); or (b) change the classification of individuals eligible to receive Awards under this Plan. In addition, the Board or the Committee shall, without the approval of the holders of the Shares entitled to vote in accordance with Applicable Law, have the authority to (i) amend any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right to reduce its exercise price per Share or (ii) cancel any Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Board or the Committee may amend this Plan or any Award Agreement at any time without a Participant’s consent to comply with Applicable Law, including Section 409A of the Code. The Committee may amend the terms of any Award theretofore granted, prospectively or retroactively, but, subject to Article IV or as otherwise specifically provided herein, no such amendment or other action by the Committee shall materially impair the rights of any Participant without the Participant’s consent.
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ARTICLE XII
UNFUNDED STATUS OF PLAN
This Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. With respect to any payment as to which a Participant has a fixed and vested interest but which is not yet made to a Participant by the Company, nothing contained herein shall give any such Participant any right that is greater than those of a general unsecured creditor of the Company.
ARTICLE XIII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
13.1 Lock-Up; Legend. The Committee may require each person receiving Shares pursuant to a Stock Option or other Award under this Plan to represent to and agree with the Company in writing that the Participant is acquiring the Shares without a view to distribution thereof. The Company may, in connection with registering the offering of any Company securities under the Securities Act, prohibit Participants from, directly or indirectly, selling or otherwise transferring any Shares or other Company securities during any period determined by the underwriter or the Company. In addition to any legend required by this Plan, the certificates for such Shares may include any legend that the Committee deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on transfer. All certificates for Shares delivered under this Plan shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any stock exchange upon which the Common Stock is then listed or any national securities exchange system upon whose system the Common Stock is then quoted, and any Applicable Law, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. If the Shares are held in book-entry form, then the book-entry will indicate any restrictions on such Shares.
13.2 Other Plans. Nothing contained in this Plan shall prevent the Board from adopting other or additional compensation arrangements, subject to stockholder approval if such approval is required, and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.
13.3 No Right to Employment/Directorship/Consultancy. Neither this Plan nor the grant of any Award hereunder shall give any Participant or other employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director any right with respect to continuance of employment, consultancy or directorship by the Company or any Affiliate, nor shall there be a limitation in any way on the right of the Company or any Affiliate by which an employee is employed or a Consultant or Non-Employee Director is retained to terminate such employment, consultancy, or directorship at any time.
13.4 Withholding of Taxes. A Participant shall be required to pay to the Company or one of its Affiliates, as applicable, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Company regarding the payment of, any income tax, social insurance contribution or other applicable taxes that are required to be withheld in respect of an Award. The Committee may (but is not obligated to), in its sole discretion, permit or require a Participant to satisfy all or any portion of the applicable taxes that are required to be withheld with respect to an Award by (a) the delivery of Shares (which are not subject to any pledge or other security interest) that have been both held by the Participant and vested for
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at least six (6) months (or such other period as established from time to time by the Committee in order to avoid adverse accounting treatment under applicable accounting standards) having an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to such withholding liability (or portion thereof); (b) having the Company withhold from the Shares otherwise issuable or deliverable to, or that would otherwise be retained by, the Participant upon the grant, exercise, vesting, or settlement of the Award, as applicable, a number of Shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such withholding liability; or (c) by any other means specified in the applicable Award Agreement or otherwise determined by the Committee.
13.5 Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to this Plan. The Committee shall determine whether cash, additional Awards, or other securities or property shall be used or paid in lieu of fractional Shares or whether any fractional shares should be rounded, forfeited, or otherwise eliminated.
13.6 No Assignment of Benefits. No Award or other benefit payable under this Plan shall, except as otherwise specifically provided in this Plan or under Applicable Law or permitted by the Committee, be transferable in any manner, and any attempt to transfer any such benefit shall be void, and any such benefit shall not in any manner be liable for or subject to the debts, contracts, liabilities, engagements, or torts of any person who shall be entitled to such benefit, nor shall it be subject to attachment or legal process for or against such person.
13.7 Clawbacks; Detrimental Conduct.
(a) Clawbacks. All awards, amounts, or benefits received or outstanding under this Plan will be subject to clawback, cancellation, recoupment, rescission, payback, reduction, or other similar action in accordance with any Company clawback or similar policy or any Applicable Law related to such actions. A Participant’s acceptance of an Award will constitute the Participant’s acknowledgement of and consent to the Company’s application, implementation, and enforcement of any applicable Company clawback or similar policy that may apply to the Participant, whether adopted before or after the Effective Date, and any Applicable Law relating to clawback, cancellation, recoupment, rescission, payback, or reduction of compensation, and the Participant’s agreement that the Company may take any actions that may be necessary to effectuate any such policy or Applicable Law, without further consideration or action.
(b) Detrimental Conduct. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, notwithstanding any other term or condition of this Plan, if a Participant engages in Detrimental Conduct, whether during or after the Participant’s service, in addition to any other penalties or restrictions that may apply under this Plan, Applicable Law or otherwise, the Participant must forfeit or pay to the Company the following:
(i) any and all outstanding Awards granted to the Participant, including Awards that have become vested or exercisable;
(ii) any cash or Shares received by the Participant in connection with this Plan within the 36-month period immediately before the date the Company determines the Participant has engaged in Detrimental Conduct; and
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(iii) the profit realized by the Participant from the sale, or other disposition for consideration, of any Shares received by the Participant under this Plan within the 36-month period immediately before the date the Company determines the Participant has engaged in Detrimental Conduct.
13.8 Listing and Other Conditions.
(a) Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, as long as the Common Stock is listed on a national securities exchange or system sponsored by a national securities association, the issuance of Shares pursuant to an Award shall be conditioned upon such Shares being listed on such exchange or system. The Company shall have no obligation to issue such Shares unless and until such Shares are so listed, and the right to exercise any Option or other Award with respect to such Shares shall be suspended until such listing has been effected.
(b) If at any time counsel to the Company advises the Company that any sale or delivery of Shares pursuant to an Award is or may in the circumstances be unlawful or result in the imposition of excise taxes on the Company under Applicable Law, the Company shall have no obligation to make such sale or delivery, or to make any application or to effect or to maintain any qualification or registration under the Securities Act or otherwise, with respect to Shares or Awards, and the right to exercise any Option or other Award shall be suspended until, based on the advice of said counsel, such sale or delivery shall be lawful or will not result in the imposition of excise taxes on the Company.
(c) Upon termination of any period of suspension under this Section 13.8, any Award affected by such suspension which shall not then have expired or terminated shall be reinstated as to all Shares available before such suspension and as to Shares which would otherwise have become available during the period of such suspension, but no such suspension shall extend the term of any Award.
(d) A Participant shall be required to supply the Company with certificates, representations, and information that the Company requests and otherwise cooperate with the Company in obtaining any listing, registration, qualification, exemption, consent, or approval that the Company deems necessary or appropriate.
13.9 Governing Law. This Plan and actions taken in connection herewith shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without reference to principles of conflict of laws.
13.10 Construction. Wherever any words are used in this Plan in the masculine gender they shall be construed as though they were also used in the feminine gender in all cases where they would so apply, and wherever words are used herein in the singular form they shall be construed as though they were also used in the plural form in all cases where they would so apply.
13.11 Other Benefits. No Award granted or paid out under this Plan shall be deemed compensation for purposes of computing benefits under any retirement plan of the Company or its Affiliates or affect any benefit or compensation under any other plan now or subsequently in effect under which the availability or amount of benefits is related to the level of compensation.
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13.12 Costs. The Company shall bear all expenses associated with administering this Plan, including expenses of issuing Shares pursuant to Awards hereunder.
13.13 No Right to Same Benefits. The provisions of Awards need not be the same with respect to each Participant, and such Awards to individual Participants need not be the same in subsequent years.
13.14 Death/Disability. The Committee may in its discretion require the transferee of a Participant to supply it with written notice of the Participant’s death or Disability and to supply it with a copy of the will (in the case of the Participant’s death) or such other evidence as the Committee deems necessary to establish the validity of the transfer of an Award. The Committee may also require the agreement of the transferee to be bound by all of the terms and conditions of this Plan.
13.15 Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act. It is the intent of the Company that this Plan satisfy, and be interpreted in a manner that satisfies, the applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3 as promulgated under Section 16 of the Exchange Act so that Participants will be entitled to the benefit of Rule 16b-3, or any other rule promulgated under Section 16 of the Exchange Act, and will not be subject to short-swing liability under Section 16 of the Exchange Act. Accordingly, if the operation of any provision of this Plan would conflict with the intent expressed in this Section 13.15, such provision to the extent possible shall be interpreted and/or deemed amended so as to avoid such conflict.
13.16 Deferral of Awards. The Committee may establish one or more programs under this Plan to permit selected Participants the opportunity to elect to defer receipt of consideration upon exercise of an Award, satisfaction of performance criteria, or other event that absent the election would entitle the Participant to payment or receipt of Shares or other consideration under an Award. The Committee may establish the election procedures, the timing of such elections, the mechanisms for payments of, and accrual of interest or other earnings, if any, on amounts, Shares or other consideration so deferred, and such other terms, conditions, rules, and procedures that the Committee deems advisable for the administration of any such deferral program.
13.17 Section 409A of the Code. This Plan and Awards are intended to comply with or be exempt from the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code and shall be limited, construed, and interpreted in accordance with such intent. To the extent that any Award is subject to Section 409A of the Code, it shall be paid in a manner that will comply with Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any provision in this Plan that is inconsistent with Section 409A of the Code shall be deemed to be amended to comply with or be exempt from Section 409A of the Code and, to the extent such provision cannot be amended to comply therewith or be exempt therefrom, such provision shall be null and void. The Company shall have no liability to a Participant, or any other party, if an Award that is intended to be exempt from, or compliant with, Section 409A of the Code is not so exempt or compliant or for any action taken by the Committee or the Company and, in the event that any amount or benefit under this Plan becomes subject to penalties under Section 409A of the Code, responsibility for payment of such penalties shall rest solely with the affected Participants and not with the Company. Notwithstanding any contrary provision in this Plan or Award Agreement, any payment(s) of “nonqualified deferred compensation” (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) that are otherwise required to be
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made under this Plan to a “specified employee” (as defined under Section 409A of the Code) as a result of such employee’s separation from service (other than a payment that is not subject to Section 409A of the Code) shall be delayed for the first six (6) months following such separation from service (or, if earlier, until the date of death of the specified employee) and shall instead be paid (in a manner set forth in the Award Agreement) upon expiration of such delay period.
13.18 Data Privacy. As a condition of receipt of any Award, each Participant explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use, and transfer, in electronic or other form, of personal data as described in this Section 13.18 by and among, as applicable, the Company and its Affiliates, for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering, and managing this Plan and Awards and the Participant’s participation in this Plan. In furtherance of such implementation, administration, and management, the Company and its Affiliates may hold certain personal information about a Participant, including, but not limited to, the Participant’s name, home address, telephone number, date of birth, social security or insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title(s), information regarding any securities of the Company or any of its Affiliates, and details of all Awards (the “Data”). In addition to transferring the Data amongst themselves as necessary for the purpose of implementation, administration, and management of this Plan and Awards and the Participant’s participation in this Plan, the Company and its Affiliates may each transfer the Data to any third parties assisting the Company in the implementation, administration, and management of this Plan and Awards and the Participant’s participation in this Plan. Recipients of the Data may be located in the Participant’s country or elsewhere, and the Participant’s country and any given recipient’s country may have different data privacy laws and protections. By accepting an Award, each Participant authorizes such recipients to receive, possess, use, retain, and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the purposes of assisting the Company in the implementation, administration, and management of this Plan and Awards and the Participant’s participation in this Plan, including any requisite transfer of such Data as may be required to a broker or other third party with whom the Company or the Participant may elect to deposit any shares of Common Stock. The Data related to a Participant will be held only as long as is necessary to implement, administer, and manage this Plan and Awards and the Participant’s participation in this Plan. A Participant may, at any time, view the Data held by the Company with respect to such Participant, request additional information about the storage and processing of the Data with respect to such Participant, recommend any necessary corrections to the Data with respect to the Participant, or refuse or withdraw the consents herein in writing, in any case without cost, by contacting his or her local human resources representative. The Company may cancel the Participant’s eligibility to participate in this Plan, and in the Committee’s discretion, the Participant may forfeit any outstanding Awards if the Participant refuses or withdraws the consents described herein. For more information on the consequences of refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, Participants may contact their local human resources representative.
13.19 Successor and Assigns. This Plan shall be binding on all successors and permitted assigns of a Participant, including, without limitation, the estate of such Participant and the executor, administrator, or trustee of such estate.
13.20 Severability of Provisions. If any provision of this Plan shall be held invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions hereof, and this Plan shall be construed and enforced as if such provisions had not been included.
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13.21 Headings and Captions. The headings and captions herein are provided for reference and convenience only, shall not be considered part of this Plan, and shall not be employed in the construction of this Plan.
ARTICLE XIV
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN
This Plan shall become effective on January 28, 2026, which is the date of its adoption by the Board, subject to the approval of this Plan by the stockholders of the Company in accordance with the requirements of the laws of the State of Delaware.
ARTICLE XV
TERM OF PLAN
No Award shall be granted pursuant to this Plan on or after the tenth (10th) anniversary of the earlier of the date that this Plan is adopted by the Board or the date of stockholder approval, but Awards granted prior to such tenth (10th) anniversary may extend beyond that date.
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