DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES
Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (“Academy,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or the “Company”) has one class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended: our common stock.
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
The following summary description of the material terms of our capital stock is qualified in its entirety by our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (our “Certificate of Incorporation”) and our Amended and Restated Bylaws (as amended and/or restated from time to time, our “Bylaws”). The summary is not complete, and is qualified in their entirety by reference to our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws, each as in effect as of the date of this Annual Report, copies of which are filed as exhibits to this Annual Report and are incorporated by reference herein. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Company is deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws. We encourage you to read our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws and the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) for additional information.
Authorized Shares of Capital Stock
Our authorized capital stock consists of 300 million shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 50 million shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share.
Common Stock
Voting Rights
Holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders. The holders of our common stock vote to elect our directors by a plurality of the votes cast. On all other matters other than those specified in our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws, where a 662/3% vote of the then outstanding shares of our common stock is required, the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of shares present at a meeting of the holders of our common stock is required.
Dividends
Holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends when and if declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available therefor, subject to any statutory or contractual restrictions on the payment of dividends and to any restrictions on the payment of dividends imposed by the terms of any outstanding preferred stock.
The DGCL permits a corporation to declare and pay dividends out of “surplus” or, if there is no “surplus,” out of its net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or the preceding fiscal year. “Surplus” is defined as the excess of the net assets of the corporation over the amount determined to be the capital of the corporation by the board of directors. The capital of the corporation is typically calculated to be (and cannot be less than) the aggregate par value of all issued shares of capital stock. Net assets equal the fair value of the total assets minus total liabilities. The DGCL also provides that dividends may not be paid out of net profits if, after the payment of the dividend, capital is less than the capital represented by the outstanding stock of all classes having a preference upon the distribution of assets.
Declaration and payment of any dividend will be subject to the discretion of our board of directors. The time and amount of dividends will be dependent upon our financial condition, operations, cash requirements and availability, debt repayment obligations, capital expenditure needs and restrictions in our debt instruments, industry trends, the provisions of Delaware law affecting the payment of dividends to stockholders and any other factors our board of directors may consider relevant.
Rights upon Liquidation
Upon our dissolution or liquidation or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, after payment in full of all amounts required to be paid to creditors and to the holders of preferred stock having liquidation preferences, if any, the holders of shares of our common stock will be entitled to receive our remaining assets available for distribution.
No Preemptive, Subscription, or Conversion Rights; No Redemption or Sinking Fund Provisions
Holders of shares of our common stock do not have preemptive, subscription or conversion rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc.
Listing
Our common stock is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “ASO.”
Preferred Stock
We do not currently have any preferred stock outstanding. However, our Certificate of Incorporation authorizes our board of directors to establish one or more series of preferred stock (including convertible preferred stock). Unless required by law or by Nasdaq, the authorized shares of preferred stock are available for issuance without further action by you. Our board of directors is able to determine, with respect to any series of preferred stock, the terms and rights of that series, including:
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| | 1) | the designation of the series; |
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| | 2) | the number of shares of the series, which our board of directors may, except where otherwise provided in the preferred stock designation, increase (but not above the total number of authorized shares of the class) or decrease (but not below the number of shares then outstanding); |
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| | 3) | whether dividends, if any, will be cumulative or non-cumulative and the dividend rate of the series; |
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| | 4) | the dates at which dividends, if any, will be payable; |
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| | 5) | the redemption rights and price or prices, if any, for shares of the series; |
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| | 6) | the terms and amounts of any sinking fund provided for the purchase or redemption of shares of the series; |
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| | 7) | the amounts payable on shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the affairs of the Company; |
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| | 8) | whether the shares of the series will be convertible into shares of any other class or series, or any other security, of the Company or any other corporation and, if so, the specification of the other class or series or other security, the conversion price or prices or rate or rates, any rate adjustments, the date or dates as of which the shares will be convertible and all other terms and conditions upon which the conversion may be made; |
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| | 9) | restrictions on the issuance of shares of the same series or of any other class or series; and |
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| | 10) | the voting rights, if any, of the holders of the series. |
We could issue a series of preferred stock that could, depending on the terms of the series, impede or discourage an acquisition attempt or other transaction that some, or a majority, of the holders of our common stock might believe to be in their best interests or in which the holders of our common stock might receive a premium for their common stock over the market price of the common stock. In addition, the issuance of preferred stock may adversely affect the holders of our common stock by restricting dividends on the common stock, diluting the voting
power of the common stock or subordinating the liquidation rights of the common stock. As a result of these or other factors, the issuance of preferred stock may have an adverse impact on the market price of our common stock.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Our Certificate of Incorporation and Our Bylaws and Certain Provisions of Delaware Law; and Provisions that May Impact a Change of Control
Our Certificate of Incorporation, our Bylaws and the DGCL, which are summarized in the following paragraphs, contain provisions that are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors. These provisions are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, reduce our vulnerability to a hostile change of control and enhance the ability of our board of directors to maximize stockholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire us. However, these provisions may have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, deter or prevent a merger or acquisition of the Company by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or other takeover attempt that a stockholder might consider is in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the prevailing market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.
Authorized but Unissued Capital Stock
Delaware law does not require stockholder approval for any issuance of authorized shares. However, the listing requirements of Nasdaq, which would apply if and so long as our common stock remains listed on Nasdaq, require stockholder approval of certain issuances equal to or exceeding 20% of the then-outstanding voting power or then-outstanding number of shares of common stock. These additional shares may be used for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings to raise additional capital or to facilitate acquisitions.
Our board of directors may issue shares of preferred stock on terms calculated to discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of the Company or the removal of our management. Moreover, our authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock will be available for future issuances without stockholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, acquisitions or employee benefit plans.
One of the effects of the existence of unissued and unreserved common stock or preferred stock may be to enable our board of directors to issue shares to persons friendly to current management, which issuance could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of the Company by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise, and thereby protect the continuity of our management and possibly deprive our stockholders of opportunities to sell their shares of common stock at prices higher than prevailing market prices.
Classified Board of Directors
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that our board of directors be divided into three classes of directors, with the classes to be as nearly equal in number as possible, and with the directors serving three-year terms. As a result, approximately one-third of our board of directors is elected each year. The classification of directors has the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of our board of directors. Our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws provide that, subject to any rights of holders of preferred stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors will be fixed from time to time exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board of directors.
Business Combinations
We have opted out of Section 203 of the DGCL; however, our Certificate of Incorporation contains similar provisions providing that we may not engage in certain “business combinations” with any “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that the stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:
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| | • | | prior to such time, our board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; |
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| | • | | upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding certain shares; or |
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| | • | | at or subsequent to that time, the business combination is approved by our board of directors and by the affirmative vote of holders of at least 662/3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder. |
Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset or stock sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Subject to certain exceptions, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with that person’s affiliates and associates, owns, or within the previous three years owned, 15% or more of our voting stock. For purposes of this section only, “voting stock” has the meaning given to it in Section 203 of the DGCL.
Under certain circumstances, this provision makes it more difficult for a person who would be an “interested stockholder” to effect various business combinations with a corporation for a three-year period. This provision may encourage companies interested in acquiring the Company to negotiate in advance with our board of directors because the stockholder approval requirement would be avoided if our board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which results in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder. These provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our board of directors and may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions which stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that any investment entities owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P., (collectively, the “KKR Stockholders”) and their affiliates and any of their respective direct or indirect transferees and any group as to which such persons are a party do not constitute “interested stockholders” for purposes of this provision.
Removal of Directors; Vacancies
Under the DGCL, unless otherwise provided in our Certificate of Incorporation, directors serving on a classified board may be removed by the stockholders only for cause. Our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws provide that directors may be removed with or without cause upon the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of all outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class; provided, however, at any time when KKR Stockholders and their affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 40% of the voting power of all outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, directors may only be removed for cause and only by the affirmative vote of holders of at least 662/3% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class. In addition, our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws also provide that, subject to the rights granted to one or more series of preferred stock then outstanding or the rights granted to KKR Stockholders under the stockholders agreement, any vacancies on our board of directors will be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, even if less than a quorum, by a sole remaining director or by the stockholders; provided, however, at any time when KKR Stockholders and their affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 40% of the voting power of all outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any newly created directorship on the board of directors that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancy occurring on the board of directors may only be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (and not by the stockholders).
No Cumulative Voting
Under Delaware law, the right to vote cumulatively does not exist unless the certificate of incorporation specifically authorizes cumulative voting. Our Certificate of Incorporation does not authorize cumulative voting. Therefore, stockholders holding a majority in voting power of the shares of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors are able to elect all our directors.
Special Stockholder Meetings
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that special meetings of our stockholders may be called at any time only by or at the direction of our board of directors or the chairman of the board of directors; provided, however, that KKR Stockholders and their affiliates are permitted to call special meetings of our stockholders for so long as they hold, in the aggregate, at least 40% of the voting power of all outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors. Our Bylaws prohibit the conduct of any business at a special meeting other than as specified in the notice for such meeting. These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying or discouraging hostile takeovers, or changes in control or management of the Company.
Requirements for Advance Notification of Director Nominations and Stockholder Proposals
Our Bylaws establishes advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of our board of directors or a committee of our board of directors. In order for any matter to be “properly brought” before a meeting, a stockholder has to comply with advance notice requirements and provide us with certain information. Generally, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received at our principal executive offices no later than the close of business on the 90th day and not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders. Our Bylaws also specifies requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice, including various information and representations related to stockholder proposed nominee(s) for election as a director, the stockholder giving the notice and beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made and certain of their proponent persons (as defined in the Bylaws). Our Bylaws allows the chairman of the meeting at a meeting of the stockholders to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings which may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the rules and regulations are not followed and to disregard any nomination or proposal that is not submitted in compliance with our advance notice provisions. These provisions may defer, delay or discourage a potential acquiror from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquiror’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to influence or obtain control of the Company.
Stockholder Action by Written Consent
Pursuant to Section 228 of the DGCL, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the 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 our stock entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, unless our Certificate of Incorporation provides otherwise. Our Certificate of Incorporation precludes stockholder action by written consent once KKR Stockholders and their affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 40% of the voting power of all outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.
Supermajority Provisions
Our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws provide that our board of directors is expressly authorized to make, alter, amend, change, add to, rescind or repeal, in whole or in part, our Bylaws without a stockholder vote in any matter not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Delaware or our Certificate of Incorporation. For as long as KKR Stockholders and their affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least 40% of the voting power of all outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any amendment, alteration, change, addition, rescission or repeal of our Bylaws by our stockholders require the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of our stock present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting of stockholders and entitled to vote on such amendment, alteration, change, addition, rescission or repeal. At any time when KKR Stockholders and their affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 40% of the voting power of all outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any amendment, alteration, change, addition, rescission or repeal of our Bylaws by our stockholders require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 662/3% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.
The DGCL provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, is required to amend a corporation’s certificate of incorporation, unless the certificate of incorporation requires a greater percentage.
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that once KKR Stockholders and their affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 40% of the voting power of all outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, the following provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation may be amended, altered, repealed or rescinded only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 662/3% in the voting power of all outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class:
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| | • | | the provision requiring a 662/3% supermajority vote for stockholders to amend our Bylaws; |
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| | • | | the provisions providing for a classified board of directors (the election and term of our directors); |
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| | • | | the provisions regarding resignation and removal of directors; |
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| | • | | the provisions regarding competition and corporate opportunities; |
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| | • | | the provisions regarding entering into business combinations with interested stockholders; |
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| | • | | the provisions regarding stockholder action by written consent; |
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| | • | | the provisions regarding calling special meetings of stockholders; |
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| | • | | the provisions regarding filling vacancies on our board of directors and newly created directorships; |
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| | • | | the provisions eliminating monetary damages for breaches of fiduciary duty by a director; and |
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| | • | | the amendment provision requiring that the above provisions be amended only with a 662/3% supermajority vote. |
The combination of the classification of our board of directors, the lack of cumulative voting and the supermajority voting requirements makes 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. Because 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 supermajority provisions may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers, delaying or preventing changes in control of our management or the Company, such as a merger, reorganization or tender offer. These supermajority provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continued stability in the composition of our board of directors and its policies and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened acquisition of the Company. These supermajority provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. The supermajority provisions are also intended to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such supermajority provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and, as a consequence, they also may inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our shares that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. Such supermajority provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in management.
Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal and Payment
Under the DGCL, with certain exceptions, our stockholders have appraisal rights in connection with a merger or consolidation of us. Pursuant to the DGCL, stockholders who properly request and perfect appraisal rights in connection with such merger or consolidation have the right to receive payment of the fair value of their shares as determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery.
Stockholders’ Derivative Actions
Under the DGCL, any of our stockholders may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action, provided that the stockholder bringing the action is a holder of our shares at the time of the transaction to which the action relates or such stockholder’s stock thereafter devolved by operation of law.
Exclusive Forum
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides, subject to limited exceptions, that unless we consent to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any (i) derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (ii) action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee or stockholder of the Company to the Company or our stockholders, creditors or other constituents, (iii) action asserting a claim against the Company or any director or officer of the Company arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our Certificate of Incorporation or our Bylaws or as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or (iv) action asserting a claim against the Company or any director or officer of the Company governed by the internal affairs doctrine; provided that, the exclusive forum provision does not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act, which already provides that such claims must be brought exclusively in the federal courts. Our Certificate of Incorporation also provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the U.S. federal district courts will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any actions or proceedings asserting claims arising under the Securities Act. While the Delaware Supreme Court has upheld the validity of similar provisions under the DGCL, there is uncertainty as to whether a court in another state would enforce such a forum selection provision. Our exclusive forum provision does not relieve us of our duties to comply with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder, and our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with these laws, rules and regulations. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Company are deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation.
Conflicts of Interest
Delaware law permits corporations to adopt provisions renouncing any interest or expectancy in certain opportunities that are presented to the corporation or its officers, directors or stockholders. Our Certificate of Incorporation, to the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Delaware law, renounces any interest or expectancy that we have in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, specified business opportunities that are from time to time presented to our officers, directors or stockholders or their respective affiliates, other than those officers, directors, stockholders or affiliates who are our or our subsidiaries’ employees. Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any of KKR Stockholders or any of their affiliates or any director who is not employed by us (including any non-employee director who serves as one of our officers in both his or her director and officer capacities) or his or her affiliates do not have any duty to refrain from (1) engaging in a corporate opportunity in the same or similar lines of business in which we or our affiliates now engage or propose to engage or (2) otherwise competing with us or our affiliates. In addition, to the fullest extent permitted by law, in the event that any of KKR Stockholders or any of their affiliates or any non-employee director acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for itself or himself or its or his affiliates or for us or our affiliates, such person has no duty to communicate or offer such transaction or business opportunity to us or any of our affiliates and they may take any such opportunity for themselves or offer it to another person or entity. Our Certificate of Incorporation does not renounce our interest in any business opportunity that is expressly offered to a non-employee director solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Company. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no business opportunity will be deemed to be a potential corporate opportunity for us unless we would be permitted to undertake the opportunity under our Certificate of Incorporation, we have sufficient financial resources to undertake the opportunity and the opportunity would be in line with our business.
Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
The DGCL authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors’ fiduciary duties, subject to certain
exceptions. Our Certificate of Incorporation includes a provision that eliminates the personal liability of directors for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL. The effect of these provisions is to eliminate the rights of us and our stockholders, through stockholders’ derivative suits on our behalf, to recover monetary damages from a director for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, including breaches resulting from grossly negligent behavior. However, exculpation does not apply to any director if the director has acted in bad faith, knowingly or intentionally violated the law, authorized illegal dividends or redemptions or derived an improper benefit from his or her actions as a director.
Our Bylaws provides that we must generally indemnify, and advance expenses to, our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL. We also are expressly authorized to carry directors’ and officers’ liability insurance providing indemnification for our directors, officers and certain employees for some liabilities. We have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors, which agreements require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified. We believe that these indemnification and advancement provisions and insurance are useful to attract and retain qualified directors and officers.
The limitation of liability, indemnification and advancement provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. In addition, your investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
There is currently no pending material litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers or employees for which indemnification is sought.
