Exhibit 3.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF
EPLUS INC.
The present name of the corporation is ePlus inc. (the “Corporation”). The Corporation was incorporated under the name “MLC Holdings, Inc.” by filing of its original Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on August 27, 1996. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, which restates and integrates and also further amends the provisions of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation, was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Laws of the State of Delaware (particularly Chapter 1, Title 8 of the Delaware Code, as amended, and referred to as the “Delaware General Corporation Law”). The Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation is hereby amended, integrated and restated to read in its entirety as follows:
FIRST
The name of the Corporation is ePlus inc.
SECOND
The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, 19801, and the name of the Corporation’s registered agent in the State of Delaware is The Corporation Trust Company.
THIRD
The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the Delaware General Corporation Law.
FOURTH
The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is fifty-two million (52,000,000) shares consisting of fifty 50 million (50,000,000) shares of common stock having a par value of $.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) and two million (2,000,000) shares of preferred stock having a par value of $.01 per share (the “Preferred Stock”).
The Board of Directors of the Corporation is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by law, to provide by resolution or resolutions for the issuance of shares of the Preferred Stock as a class or in series, and, by filing a certificate of designations, pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law, setting forth a copy of such resolution or resolutions to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series and to fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of the class or of each such series and the qualifications, limitations, and restrictions thereof. The authority of the Board of Directors with respect to the class or each series shall include, but not be limited to, determination of the following:
a) the number of shares constituting any series and the distinctive designation of that series;
b) the dividend rate of the shares of the class or of any series, whether dividends shall be cumulative, and if so, from which date or dates, and the relative rights of priority, if any of payment of dividends on shares of the class or of that series;
c) whether the class or any series shall have voting rights, in addition to the voting rights provided by law, and if so, the terms of such voting rights;
d) whether the class or any series shall have conversion privileges and, if so, the terms and conditions of conversion, including provision for adjustment of the conversion rate in such events as the Board of Directors shall determine;
e) whether or not the shares of the class or of any series shall be redeemable, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such redemption, including the date or date upon or after which they shall be redeemable and the amount per share payable in case of redemption, which amount may vary under different conditions and at different redemption rates;
f) whether the class or any series shall have a sinking fund for the redemption or purchase of shares of the class or of that series, and if so, the terms and amount of such sinking fund;
g) the rights of the shares of the class or of any series in the event of voluntary or involuntary dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, and the relative rights of priority, if any, of payment of shares of the class or of that series; and
h) any other powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions of the class or of that series.
All rights accruing to the outstanding shares of the Corporation not expressly provided for to the contrary herein or in any certificate of designation shall be vested exclusively in the Common Stock.
FIFTH
The Corporation is to have perpetual existence.
SIXTH
In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors of the Corporation is expressly authorized to make, alter, or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation.
SEVENTH
No director or officer of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer, as applicable; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director or officer (i) for any breach of the director’s or officer’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) for any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit, or (iv) as applicable solely to directors, for any payment of a dividend or approval of a stock repurchase that is illegal under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. No amendment (including any amendment effected by operation of law, by merger, consolidation or otherwise) to or repeal of this paragraph shall apply to or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability of any director or officer of the Corporation for or with respect to any acts or omissions of such director or officer occurring prior to such amendment or repeal.
EIGHTH
The Corporation shall indemnify, in the manner and to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law (and in the case of any amendment thereto, to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than permitted prior thereto), any person (or the estate of any person) who is or was a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether or not by or in the right of the Corporation, and whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or otherwise, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan. The corporation may, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any such person against any liability which may be asserted against such person. To the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the indemnification provided herein may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement and any such expenses may be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the person seeking indemnification to repay such amounts if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified. The indemnification provided herein shall not be deemed to limit the right of the Corporation to indemnify any other person for any such expenses to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, nor shall it be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which any person seeking indemnification from the Corporation may be entitled under any agreement, the Corporation’s Bylaws, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. The Corporation may, but only to the extent that the Board of Directors may (but shall not be obligated to) authorize from time to time, grant rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to any employee or agent of the Corporation to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Article Eighth as they apply to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of directors and officers of the Corporation.
NINTH
From time to time any of the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation may be amended, altered, or repealed, and other provisions authorized by the laws of the State of Delaware at the time in force may be added or inserted in the manner and at the time prescribed by said laws, and all rights at any time conferred upon the stockholders of the Corporation by this Certificate of Incorporation are granted subject to the provisions of this Article Ninth.
