Exhibit 4.27
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
The following description of the common stock of OGE Energy Corp., an Oklahoma corporation, is a summary of the general terms thereof and is qualified in its entirety by the provisions of our certificate of incorporation, as amended and restated (the "Restated Certificate of Incorporation"), and bylaws, as amended and restated (the "Bylaws"), copies of both of which have been filed as exhibits to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the laws of the state of Oklahoma.
Authorized Shares
Under our Restated Certificate of Incorporation, we are authorized to issue 450,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which 200,229,215 shares were outstanding on January 31, 2023. We are also authorized to issue 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share. No shares of preferred stock are currently outstanding. Our common stock is our only security registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Without shareholder approval, we may issue preferred stock in the future in such series as may be designated by our board of directors. In creating any such series, our board of directors has the authority to fix the rights and preferences of each series with respect to, among other things, the dividend rate, redemption provisions, liquidation preferences, sinking fund provisions, conversion rights and voting rights. The terms of any series of preferred stock that we may issue in the future may provide the holders of such preferred stock with rights that are senior to the rights of the holders of our common stock.
Dividend Rights
Before we can pay any dividends on our common stock, the holders of our preferred stock that may be outstanding are entitled to receive their dividends at the respective rates as may be provided for the shares of their series. Currently, there are no shares of our preferred stock outstanding. Because we are a holding company and conduct all of our operations through our subsidiary, our cash flow and ability to pay dividends will be dependent on the earnings and cash flow of our subsidiary and the distribution or other payment of those earnings to us in the form of dividends. We expect to derive principally all of the funds required by us to enable us to pay dividends on our common stock from dividends paid by Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company ("OG&E") on its common stock. Our ability to receive dividends on OG&E's common stock is subject to the prior rights of the holders of any OG&E preferred stock that may be outstanding, any covenants of OG&E's certificate of incorporation and OG&E's debt instruments limiting the ability of OG&E to pay dividends and the ability of public utility commissions that regulate OG&E to effectively restrict the payment of dividends by OG&E.
Voting Rights
Each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote per share upon all matters upon which shareowners have the right to vote and generally will vote together as one class. Our board of directors has the authority to fix conversion and voting rights for any new series of preferred stock (including the right to elect directors upon a failure to pay dividends), provided that no share of preferred stock can have more than one vote per share.
Our Restated Certificate of Incorporation also contains "fair price" provisions, which require the approval by the holders of at least 80 percent of the voting power of our outstanding voting stock as a condition for mergers, consolidations, sales of substantial assets, issuances of capital stock and certain other business combinations and transactions involving us and any substantial (10 percent or more) holder of our voting stock unless the transaction is either approved by a majority of the members of our board of directors who are unaffiliated with the substantial holder or specified minimum price and procedural requirements are met. The provisions summarized in the foregoing sentence may be amended only by the approval of the holders of at least 80 percent of the voting power of our outstanding voting stock. Our voting stock consists of all outstanding shares entitled to vote generally in the election of directors and currently consists of our common stock.
Our voting stock does not have cumulative voting rights for the election of directors. Our Restated Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws currently contain provisions stating that: (1) directors may be removed only with the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of our shares generally entitled to vote; (2) any vacancy on the board of directors will be filled only by the remaining directors then in office, though less than a quorum; (3) advance notice of introduction by shareowners of business at annual shareowner meetings and of shareowner nominations for the election of directors must be given and that certain information must be provided with respect to such matters; (4) shareowner action may be taken only at an annual meeting of shareowners or a special meeting of shareowners called by the President or the board of directors; and (5) the foregoing provisions may be amended only by the approval of the holders of at least 80 percent of the voting power of the shares generally entitled to vote. These provisions, along with the "fair price" provisions discussed above, the business combination and control share acquisition provision discussed below, may deter attempts to cause a change in control of our company (by proxy contest, tender offer or otherwise) and will make more difficult a change in control that is opposed by our board of directors.
Liquidation Rights
Subject to possible prior rights of holders of preferred stock that may be issued in the future, in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of our common stock are entitled to receive the remaining assets and funds pro rata, according to the number of shares of common stock held.
Other Provisions
Oklahoma has enacted legislation aimed at regulating takeovers of corporations and restricting specified business combinations with interested shareholders. Under the Oklahoma General Corporation Act, a shareowner who acquires more than 15 percent of the outstanding voting shares of a corporation subject to the statute, but less than 85 percent of such shares, is prohibited from engaging in specified “business combinations” with the corporation for three years after the date that the shareowner became an interested stockholder. This provision does not apply if (1) before the acquisition date the corporation's board of directors has approved either the business combination or the transaction in which the shareowner became an interested shareowner or (2) the corporation's board of directors approves the business combination and at least two- thirds of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation not owned by the interested shareowner vote to authorize the business combination. The term “business combination” encompasses a wide variety of transactions with or caused by an interested shareowner in which the interested shareowner receives or could receive a benefit on other than a pro rata basis with other shareowners, including mergers, specified asset sales, specified issuances of additional shares to the interested shareowner, transactions with the corporation that increase the proportionate interest of the interested shareowner or transactions in which the interested shareowner receives certain other benefits.
Oklahoma law also contains control share acquisition provisions. These provisions generally require the approval of the holders of a majority of the corporation's voting shares held by disinterested shareowners before a person purchasing one-fifth or more of the corporation's voting shares can vote the shares in excess of the one-fifth interest. Similar shareholder approvals are required at one-third and majority thresholds.
The board of directors may allot and issue shares of common stock for such consideration, not less than the par value thereof, as it may from time to time determine. No holder of common stock has the preemptive right to subscribe for or purchase any part of any new or additional issue of stock or securities convertible into stock. Our common stock is not subject to further calls or to assessment by us.
Listing
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
Computershare is the Transfer Agent and Registrar for our common stock.
