Frontier Communications Parent (FYBR) 10-K2020 FY Annual report

Exhibit 4.41



Description of Securities Registered
Pursuant to Section 12 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934





As of March 4, 2021, Frontier has common stock, par value $0.25 per share (“Common Stock”), and preferred stock purchase rights (“Rights”) registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The following description of our Common Stock is based upon our Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended through the date hereof (“Certificate of Incorporation”), our By‑Laws, as amended and restated, effective as of May 7, 2019 (“By‑Laws”) and applicable provisions of law. We have summarized certain portions of the Certificate of Incorporation and By‑Laws below. The following description of our Rights is based upon the Section 382 Rights Agreement, dated July 1, 2019, between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. as rights agent (the “Rights Agreement”) and the Certificate of Designations of Series B Preferred Stock, dated July 1, 2019 (the “Certificate of Designations”). These summaries are not complete. The Certificate of Incorporation, By‑Laws, Rights Agreement and Certificate of Designations are incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Annual Report on Form 10-K to which this exhibit is a part. You should read the Certificate of Incorporation, By‑Laws and Rights Agreement for the provisions that are important to you.  References in this section to “Frontier,” “we,” “us” and “our” are to Frontier Communications Corporation, unless otherwise stated or the context so requires.



General



Under our Certificate of Incorporation our total authorized capital stock consists of 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Preferred Stock”), and 1,750,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.25 per share (“Common Stock”).



Common Stock



Holders of shares of our Common Stock are entitled to receive dividends and other distributions in cash, stock or property of Frontier as may be declared by our board of directors, or the Board, from time to time at its sole discretion out of our assets or funds legally available for dividends or other distributions. Dividends on our Common Stock are not cumulative.



Our Common Stock is not redeemable, does not have any conversion rights and is not subject to call. Holders of shares of Common Stock have no preemptive rights to maintain their percentage of ownership in future offerings or sales of our stock. Holders of Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record and may not cumulate votes for the election of directors. Except as otherwise required by Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) and our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws, action requiring stockholder approval may be taken by a vote of the holders of a majority of the Common Stock at a meeting at which a quorum is present.



In the event of our voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of shares of our Common Stock will be entitled to share in our assets remaining after payment of all debts and other liabilities, subject to the liquidation preference of any outstanding Preferred Stock.  Holders of Common Stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of Preferred Stock that we may designate and issue in the future.



The transfer agent and registrar for our Common Stock is the Computershare Trust Company, N.A.



Bankruptcy Proceedings

On April 14, 2020, we and all of our subsidiaries (the “Company Parties”) (i) entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement with certain of our noteholders to facilitate the financial restructuring of the existing debt of, existing equity interests in, and certain other obligations of the Company Parties; and (ii) commenced cases under Chapter 11 of title 11 of the United States Code  in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the “Bankruptcy Court.”) 



On August 27, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court entered the Order Confirming the Fifth Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization of Frontier Communications Corporation and its Debtor Affiliates Pursuant to Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code (the “Plan”), which approved and confirmed the Plan. The effective date of the Plan will occur once all conditions precedent to the Plan have been satisfied (the Effective Date). Pursuant to the Plan, the holders of our equity interests, including the holders of the outstanding shares of our preferred stock and common stock, will be entitled to no recovery.



Preferred Stock Purchase Rights

On July 1, 2019, our Board declared a dividend of one Right, payable on July 11, 2019, for each share of Common Stock outstanding. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from us one one-thousandth of a share of Series B Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Frontier (the “Preferred Shares”) at a price of $6.25 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share represented by a Right, subject to adjustment.



The purpose of the Rights Agreement is to protect value by preserving Frontier’s ability to use its Tax Attributes (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) to offset potential future income taxes for federal income tax purposes. The Rights Agreement is intended to reduce the likelihood of an ownership change under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code by deterring any Person (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) or group of affiliated or associated Persons from acquiring beneficial ownership of 4.9% or more of the outstanding Common Shares.



The Rights are in all respects subject to and governed by the provisions of the Rights Agreement. The following description of the Rights Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Rights Agreement.



Distribution Date; Exercisability; Expiration



Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Share certificates (or other evidence of book-entry or other uncertificated ownership) and no separate certificates evidencing the Rights (“Right Certificates”) will be issued. Until the Distribution Date (as defined below), the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. As long as the Rights are attached to the Common Shares, the Company will issue one Right with each new Common Share so that all such Common Shares will have Rights attached (subject to certain limited exceptions).



The Rights will separate and begin trading separately from the Common Shares, and Right Certificates will be caused to evidence the Rights, on the earlier to occur of (i) the Close of Business (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) on the tenth day following a public announcement, or the public disclosure of facts indicating (or the Board of Directors becoming aware), that a Person or group of affiliated or associated Persons has acquired Beneficial Ownership of 4.9% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (an “Acquiring Person”) (or, in the event that the Board of Directors determines to effect an exchange in accordance with Section 24 of the Rights Agreement and the Board of Directors determines that a later date is advisable, then such later date) and (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) (or such later date as may be

determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or the first public announcement of the intention to commence, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the Beneficial Ownership by a Person or group of 4.9% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates, the “Distribution Date”). As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, unless the Rights are recorded in book-entry or other uncertificated form, the Company will prepare and cause the Right Certificates to be sent to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Distribution Date.



An “Acquiring Person” will not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such employee benefit plan or (v) any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) of such Person, at the time of the first public announcement of the Rights Agreement, is a Beneficial Owner of 4.9% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding (a “Grandfathered Stockholder”). However, if a Grandfathered Stockholder becomes, after such time, the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares (regardless of whether, thereafter or as a result thereof, there is an increase, decrease or no change in the percentage of Common Shares then outstanding Beneficially Owned (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) by such Grandfathered Stockholder) then such Grandfathered Stockholder shall be deemed to be an Acquiring Person unless, upon such acquisition of Beneficial Ownership of additional Common Shares, such person is not the Beneficial Owner of 4.9% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding. In addition, upon the first decrease of a Grandfathered Stockholder’s Beneficial Ownership below 4.9%, such Grandfathered Stockholder will no longer be deemed to be a Grandfathered Stockholder. In the event that after the time of the first public announcement of the Rights Agreement, any agreement, arrangement or understanding pursuant to which any Grandfathered Stockholder is deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares expires, is settled in whole or in part, terminates or no longer confers any benefit to or imposes any obligation on the Grandfathered Stockholder, any direct or indirect replacement, extension or substitution of such agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to the same or different Common Shares that confers Beneficial Ownership of Common Shares shall be considered the acquisition of Beneficial Ownership of additional Common Shares by the Grandfathered Stockholder and render such Grandfathered Stockholder an Acquiring Person for purposes of the Rights Agreement unless, upon such acquisition of Beneficial Ownership of additional Common Shares, such person is not the Beneficial Owner of 4.9% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.



“Beneficial Ownership” is defined in the Rights Agreement to include any securities (i) which a Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates (a) actually owns (directly or indirectly) or would be deemed to actually or constructively own for purposes of Section 382 of the Code or the Treasury Regulations (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) promulgated thereunder, including any coordinated acquisition of securities by any Persons who have a formal or informal understanding with respect to such acquisition (to the extent ownership of such securities would be attributed to such Persons under Section 382 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder), (b) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, within the meaning of Rules 13d-3 or 13d-5 promulgated under the Exchange Act or (c) has the right or ability to vote, or the right to acquire, pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (except under limited circumstances), (ii) which are directly or indirectly Beneficially Owned by any other Person with which a Person has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding or voting such securities, or obtaining, changing or influencing control of the Company or (iii) in respect of which a Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has a derivative position which is capable of being settled, in whole or in part, through delivery of cash or Common Shares (whether on a required or optional basis, and whether such settlement may occur immediately or only after the passage of time, the occurrence of conditions, the satisfaction of regulatory requirements or otherwise). In addition, Persons are not deemed to be part of a group that would constitute an Acquiring Person based on participation in discussions, negotiations or transactions with another Person for the purposes of restructuring the Company’s debt.



The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on the earliest to occur of (i) the Close of Business on the day following the certification of the voting results of the Company’s 2020 annual meeting of stockholders, if at such stockholder meeting a proposal to approve the Rights Agreement has not been passed by the affirmative vote of the majority of the votes cast at the 2020 annual meeting of stockholders or any other meeting of stockholders of the Company duly held prior to July 1, 2020, (ii) the date on which the Board of Directors determines in its sole discretion that (x) the Rights Agreement is no longer necessary for the preservation of material valuable Tax Attributes or (y) the Tax Attributes have been fully utilized and may no longer be carried forward and (iii) the Close of Business on July 1, 2022  (the “Final Expiration Date”).



Exempt Persons and Transactions



The Board of Directors may, in its sole and absolute discretion, determine that a Person is exempt from the Rights Agreement (an “Exempt Person”), so long as such determination is made prior to such time as such Person becomes an Acquiring Person. Any Person will cease to be an Exempt Person if the Board of Directors makes a contrary determination with respect to such Person regardless of the reason therefor. In addition, the Board of Directors may, in its sole and absolute discretion, exempt any transaction from triggering the Rights Agreement, so long as the determination in respect of such exemption is made prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person. Any Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, who proposes to acquire 4.9% or more of the outstanding Common Shares may apply to the Board of Directors in advance for an exemption in accordance with and pursuant to the terms of the Rights Agreement.



Flip-in Event



If a Person or group becomes an Acquiring Person at any time after the date of the Rights Agreement (with certain limited exceptions), the Rights will become exercisable for Common Shares having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. From and after the announcement that any Person has become an Acquiring Person, if the Rights evidenced by a Right Certificate are or were acquired or Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become void, and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights. If the Board of Directors so elects, the Company may deliver upon payment of the exercise price of a Right an amount of cash, securities or other property equivalent in value to the Common Shares issuable upon exercise of a Right.



Exchange



At any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by any Person which have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of  two Common Shares per Right (subject to adjustment). The Company may issue, transfer or deposit such Common Shares (or other property as permitted under the Rights Agreement) to or into a trust or other entity created upon such terms as the Board of Directors may determine and may direct that all holders of Rights receive such Common Shares or other property only from the trust. In the event the Board of Directors determines, before the Distribution Date, to effect an exchange, the Board of Directors may delay the occurrence of the Distribution Date to such time as it deems advisable.



Flip-over Event



If, at any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, (i) the Company consolidates with, or merges with, any other Person (or any Person consolidates with, or merges with, the Company) and, in connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of the Common Shares are or will be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other property or (ii)

50% or more of the Company’s consolidated assets or Earning Power (as defined in the Rights Agreement) is sold, then proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.



Redemption



At any time prior to the earlier to occur of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as defined in the Rights Agreement) (or, if the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the Close of Business on the Record Date) and (ii) the Final Expiration Date, the Board of Directors may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (the “Redemption Price”). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

Amendment



The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except that from and after such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other than the Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and Associates).



Preferred Stock Rights



Each one thousandth of a Preferred Share will entitled the holder thereof to the same dividends and liquidation rights as if the holder held one Common Share and will be treated the same as a Common Share in the event of a merger, consolidation or other share exchange.



Rights of Holders



Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.



Certain Anti-Takeover Effects of Delaware Law and Frontier’s Certificate of Incorporation, By-laws



Certain provisions of the DGCL and our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws could delay or discourage some transactions involving an actual or potential change in control of us or our management and may limit the ability of our stockholders to remove current management or approve transactions that our stockholders may deem to be in their best interests. These provisions:



Frontier is subject to Section 203 of the DGCL. Subject to specific exceptions, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the time the person became an interested stockholder unless (a) the interested stockholder attained such status with the approval of the corporation’s board of directors, (b) 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, exclusive of shares owned by directors who are also officers and by certain employee stock plans or (c) at or subsequent to such time, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized by the affirmative vote at a stockholders’ meeting, and not by written consent, of at least 66-2/3% of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder. A “business combination” includes, among other things, a merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the “interested stockholder” and the sale of more than 10% of the corporation’s assets. In general, an “interested stockholder” is any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock, and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by such entity or person.



These restrictions could prohibit or delay the mergers or other takeover or change in control attempts with respect to Frontier and, therefore, may discourage attempts to acquire Frontier.