DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES
REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
NVIDIA Corporation (“we,” “our,” “us,” or the “Company”) has one class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”): our common stock.
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK
General
The following summary of the terms of our common stock is based upon our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws. This summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by express reference to, the applicable provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws, which are filed as exhibits to our Annual Report on Form 10-K, of which this Exhibit 4.7 is a part, and are incorporated by reference herein. We encourage you to read our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our amended and restated bylaws, and the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) for more information.
Our authorized capital stock consists of 2,000,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value, and 2,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value.
Common Stock
The holders of common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders. The holders of common stock are not entitled to cumulative voting rights with respect to the election of directors, and as a consequence, minority stockholders are not able to elect directors on the basis of their votes alone. Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any shares of preferred stock currently outstanding or issued in the future, holders of common stock are entitled to receive ratably such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available therefor. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of liabilities and the liquidation preference of any then outstanding preferred stock. Holders of common stock have no preemptive rights and no right to convert their common stock into any other securities. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of Delaware Law and Our Charter Documents
Certificate of Incorporation
Stockholders have no cumulative voting rights.
Our certificate of incorporation also requires that any action required or permitted to be taken by our stockholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of the stockholders and may not be effected by a consent in writing and that the stockholders may amend our bylaws or adopt new bylaws only by the affirmative vote of 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting securities. A special meeting of the stockholders may be called by our Chairman, our Chief Executive Officer or a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors. These provisions may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control.
The lack of cumulative voting could make it more difficult for our existing stockholders to replace our board of directors as well as for another party to obtain control of us by replacing our board of directors. Since our board of directors has the power to retain and discharge our officers, these provisions could also make it more difficult for existing stockholders or another party to effect a change in management.
These and other provisions may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers or delaying changes in control or management. These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continued stability in the composition of our board of directors and in the policies of our board of directors and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened change in control. These provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. The provisions also are intended to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy rights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and, as a consequence, such provisions also may inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our shares that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. Such provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our management.
Section 203 of the DGCL
We are subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, which, subject to certain exceptions, prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with any “interested stockholder” for a period of three years following the time that such stockholder became an “interested stockholder,” unless:
•prior to such time, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested holder;
•upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding those shares owned (a) by persons who are directors and also officers and (b) by employee stock plans 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
•at or subsequent to such time, the business combination is approved by the board of directors 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 the interested stockholder.
In general, Section 203 of the DGCL defines “business combination” to include the following:
•any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder;
•any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation involving the interested stockholder;
•subject to certain exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder;
•any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock or any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; or
•the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation.
In general, Section 203 of the DGCL defines “interested stockholder” as an entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by such entity or person.
Certain Transactions
Our bylaws provide that we indemnify our directors and executive officers to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL and any other applicable law. We are also empowered under our bylaws to indemnify other officers, employees and other agents as set forth in the DGCL or any other applicable law and to enter into indemnification contracts with our directors and executive officers and to purchase insurance on behalf of any person whom we are required or permitted to indemnify.
In addition, our certificate of incorporation provides that the liability of our directors for monetary damages shall be eliminated to the fullest extent permissible under Delaware law. Pursuant to Delaware law, our directors shall not be liable for monetary damages for breach of the directors’ fiduciary duty of care to us and our stockholders. However, this provision does not eliminate the duty of care, and in appropriate circumstances, equitable remedies such as injunctive or other forms of non-monetary relief that will remain available under Delaware law. In addition, each director will continue to be subject to liability for (1) breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders, (2) acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) violating Section 174 of the DGCL, or (4) any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. The provision also does not affect a director’s responsibilities under any other law, such as the federal securities laws or state or federal environmental laws.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
Computershare is the transfer agent and registrar for our common stock. Computershare’s address is 150 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021.
Listing
Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “NVDA”.
