Series B Preferred Stock Section 1.2(d)......................... 5 Shares............................ Section 3.2(a).........................
Series A Preferred Stock On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, as soon as practicable after the receipt of the approvals of the Board of Directors of the Company and the stockholders of the Company, including the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, referred to in Paragraph 5, the Company will amend the terms of the Series A Preferred Stock so that, as amended, the Series A Preferred Stock will have only such rights, preferences and privileges set forth on Exhibit A hereto (as so amended, the "New Preferred Stock"). As set forth in Exhibit A hereto, the New Preferred Stock will offer the holders thereof the options set forth in subparagraphs (a)-(c) below, as such holder may elect. All references herein to the Series A Preferred Stock or the New Preferred Stock shall be deemed to include all rights to dividends or other distributions in respect of such Series A Preferred Stock or the New Preferred Stock.
(a) OPTION 1 - CASH. The New Preferred Stock shall be exchangeable at the option of the holder thereof at any time prior to the date which is ten days after the Closing Date (as defined in Paragraph 5 below) for cash in amount equal to 50% of the face value of the New Preferred Stock plus all accrued but unpaid dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock, up to an aggregate amount of $6.4 million face value and accrued and unpaid dividends. If, in the judgment of the Board of Directors of the Company, the Company's financial condition and results of operations permit the Company to permit the exchange for cash of more than $6.4 million face value (plus accrued dividends) of the New Preferred Stock, the terms of the New Preferred Stock will permit the exchange for cash of up to $8.0 million face value (plus accrued and unpaid dividends) of the New Preferred Stock. To the extent that holders of Series A Preferred Stock desire to exchange in the aggregate a greater face value (plus accrued and unpaid dividends) of the New Preferred Stock than is permitted under the terms of the New Preferred Stock, New Preferred Stock will be accepted for exchange by the Company for cash on a pro rata basis based upon the aggregate face value (plus accrued and unpaid dividends) of the New Preferred Stock tendered for exchange.
Preferred Stock Directors Whenever, at any time or times, dividends payable on the shares of Designated Preferred Stock have not been paid for an aggregate of six quarterly Dividend Periods or more, whether or not consecutive, the authorized number of directors of the Issuer shall automatically be increased by two and the holders of the Designated Preferred Stock shall have the right, with holders of shares of any one or more other classes or series of Voting Parity Stock outstanding at the time, voting together as a class, to elect two directors (hereinafter the “Preferred Directors” and each a “Preferred Director”) to fill such newly created directorships at the Issuer’s next annual meeting of stockholders (or at a special meeting called for that purpose prior to such next annual meeting) and at each subsequent annual meeting of stockholders until all accrued and unpaid dividends for all past Dividend Periods, including the latest completed Dividend Period (including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount), on all outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock have been declared and paid in full at which time such right shall terminate with respect to the Designated Preferred Stock, except as herein or by law expressly provided, subject to revesting in the event of each and every subsequent default of the character above mentioned; provided that it shall be a qualification for election for any Preferred Director that the election of such Preferred Director shall not cause the Issuer to violate any corporate governance requirements of any securities exchange or other trading facility on which securities of the Issuer may then be listed or traded that listed or traded companies must have a majority of independent directors. Upon any termination of the right of the holders of shares of Designated Preferred Stock and Voting Parity Stock as a class to vote for directors as provided above, the Preferred Directors shall cease to be qualified as directors, the term of office of all Preferred Directors then in office shall terminate immediately and the authorized number of directors shall be reduced by the number of Preferred Directors elected pursuant hereto. Any Preferred Director may be removed at any time, with or without cause, and any vacancy created thereby may be filled, only by the affirmative vote of the holders a majority of the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding voting separately as a class together with the holders of shares of Voting Parity Stock, to the extent the voting rights of such holders described above are then exercisable. If the office of any Preferred Director becomes vacant for any reason other than removal from office as aforesaid, the remaining Preferred Director may choose a successor who shall hold office for the unexpired term in respect of which such vacancy occurred.
Preferred Stock The Board of Directors of the Corporation is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by law and the provisions of this Paragraph FOURTH, to provide for the issuance of the shares of Preferred Stock in series, and to establish from time to time the number of shares included in each such series, but not below the number of shares then issued, and to fix the designation, powers, preferences, and relative rights of the shares of each such series and the qualifications, or restrictions thereof. The authority of the Board of Directors with respect to each shall include, but not be limited to, determination of the following:
(a) The number of shares constituting that series and the distinctive designation of that series;
(b) The dividend rate on the shares of that series, whether dividends shall be cumulative, and, if so, from which date or dates, and the relative rights of priority, if any, of payments of dividends on shares of that series;
(c) Whether that 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 that series shall have conversion privileges, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion, including provisions for adjustment of the conversion rate in such events as the Board of Directors shall determine;
(e) Whether or not the shares of that series shall be redeemable, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such redemption, including the date or dates 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 rates;
(f) Whether that series shall have a sinking fund for the redemption or purchase of shares of that series, and, if so, the terms and amount of such sinking fund;
(g) The rights of the shares of that series in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, and the relative rights of priority, if any, of payment of shares of that series; and
(h) Any other relative rights, preferences and limitations of that series. FIFTH: The name and mailing address of the incorporator is as follows: Pxxxx Xxxx Dxxxxxxxx & Pxxxxxxx 900 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 SIXTH: The following provisions are inserted for the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation and for the purpose of creating, defining, limiting and regulating the powers of the Corporation and its directors and stockholders:
(a) The number of directors of the Corporation shall be fixed and may be altered from time to time in the manner provided in the By-Laws, and vacancies in the Board of Directors and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors may be filled, and directors maybe removed, as provided in the By-Laws.
(b) The election of directors may be conducted in any manner approved by the stockholders at the time when the election is held and need not be by written ballot.
(c) All corporate powers and authority of the Corporation (except as at the time otherwise provided by law, by this Certificate of Incorporation or by the By-Laws) shall be vested in and exercised by the Board of Directors.
(d) The Board of Directors shall have the power without the assent or vote of the stockholders to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the By-Laws of the Corporation, except to the extent that the By-Laws or this Certificate of Incorporation otherwise provide.
(e) The personal liability of the directors of the corporation is hereby eliminated to the fullest extent permitted by the provisions of paragraph (7) of subsection (b) of Section 102 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as the same may be amended and supplemented. Neither the amendment or repeal of this section nor the adoption of any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this section shall adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation existing at the time of such amendment, repeal or adoption.
(f) The Corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as the same may be amended and supplemented, or by any successor thereto, indemnify any and all persons whom it shall have power to indemnify under said section from and against any and all of the expenses, liabilities or other matters referred to in or covered by said section. The Corporation shall advance expenses to the fullest extent permitted by said Section. Such right to indemnification and advancement of expenses shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person. The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided for herein shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any By-Law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
Preferred Shares The Preferred Shares have been duly and validly authorized, and, when issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement, such Preferred Shares will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable, will not be issued in violation of any preemptive rights, and will rank pari passu with or senior to all other series or classes of Preferred Stock, whether or not issued or outstanding, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company.
Company Preferred Stock “Company Preferred Stock” shall mean the Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value per share, of the Company.
Preferred Stock Record Date Each person in whose name any certificate for a number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Convertible Preferred Stock As provided in the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement, upon the occurrence of an Unsuccessful Final Remarketing as of the Purchase Contract Settlement Date, each Holder of any Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Convertible Preferred Stock shall be deemed to have automatically delivered the related Convertible Preferred Stock to the Company in satisfaction of such Holder’s obligations under the related Purchase Contracts, as described in Section 5.02(b)(vii) of the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement, unless such Holder elects otherwise. The Company shall not be obligated to issue any shares of Common Stock in respect of a Purchase Contract or deliver any certificates therefor to the Holder unless it shall have received payment of the aggregate Purchase Price for the shares of Common Stock to be purchased thereunder in the manner set forth in the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement. Each Purchase Contract evidenced hereby and all obligations and rights of the Company and the Holder thereunder, including, without limitation, the rights of the Holders to receive and the obligation of the Company to pay any Contract Adjustment Payments, shall terminate if a Termination Event shall occur. Upon the occurrence of a Termination Event, the Company shall give written notice to the Purchase Contract Agent and to the Holders, at their addresses as they appear in the Security Register. Upon and after the occurrence of a Termination Event, the Collateral Agent shall release the Convertible Preferred Stock underlying the Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Convertible Preferred Stock or the Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio forming a part of each Corporate Unit from the Pledge. A Corporate Unit shall thereafter represent the right to receive the Convertible Preferred Stock underlying the Applicable Ownership Interest in the Convertible Preferred Stock or the Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement. Under the terms of the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement, the Purchase Contract Agent will be entitled to exercise the voting and any other consensual rights pertaining to the Convertible Preferred Stock underlying the Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Convertible Preferred Stock, but only to the extent instructed in writing by the Holders. Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which holders of Convertible Preferred Stock are entitled to vote or upon any solicitation of consents, waivers or proxies of holders of Convertible Preferred Stock, the Purchase Contract Agent shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, mail, first class, postage pre-paid, to the Holders of Corporate Units the notice required by the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement. The Corporate Units Certificates are issuable only in registered form and only in denominations of a single Corporate Unit and any integral multiple thereof. The transfer of any Corporate Units Certificate will be registered and Corporate Units Certificates may be exchanged as provided in the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement. A Holder who elects to substitute Treasury Securities or Cash for the Convertible Preferred Stock thereby creating Treasury Units or Cash Settled Units, shall be responsible for any fees or expenses payable in connection therewith. Except as provided in the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement, such Corporate Unit shall not be separable into its constituent parts, and the rights and obligations of the Holder of such Corporate Unit in respect of the Convertible Preferred Stock and Purchase Contract constituting such Corporate Unit may be transferred and exchanged only as a Corporate Unit. Subject to, and in compliance with, the conditions and terms set forth in the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement, the Holder of Corporate Units may effect a Collateral Substitution. From and after such Collateral Substitution, each Unit for which a Treasury Security secures the Holder’s obligations under the Purchase Contract shall be referred to as a “Treasury Unit”, and each Unit for which Pledged Cash secures the Holder’s obligations under the Purchase Contract shall be referred to as a “Cash Settled Units”. A Holder may make such Collateral Substitution only in integral multiples of 10 Corporate Units for 10 Treasury Units or 10 Cash Settled Units, as the case may be. Subject to and upon compliance with the provisions of, and certain exceptions described in, the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement, at the option of the Holder thereof, Purchase Contracts underlying Units may be settled early by effecting an Early Settlement or Fundamental Change Early Settlement as provided in the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement. Upon registration of transfer of this Corporate Units Certificate, the transferee shall be bound (without the necessity of any other action on the part of such transferee, except as may be required by the Purchase Contract Agent pursuant to the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement), under the terms of the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement and the Purchase Contracts evidenced hereby and the transferor shall be released from the obligations under the Purchase Contracts evidenced by this Corporate Units Certificate. The Company covenants and agrees, and the Holder, by its acceptance hereof, likewise covenants and agrees, to be bound by the provisions of this paragraph. The Holder of this Corporate Units Certificate, by its acceptance hereof, authorizes the Purchase Contract Agent to enter into and perform the related Purchase Contracts forming part of the Corporate Units evidenced hereby on its behalf as its attorney-in-fact, expressly withholds any consent to the assumption (i.e., affirmance) of the Purchase Contracts by the Company or its trustee in the event that the Company becomes the subject of a case under the Bankruptcy Code, agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions thereof, covenants and agrees to perform its obligations under such Purchase Contracts, consents to the provisions of the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement, authorizes the Purchase Contract Agent to enter into and perform the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement on its behalf as its attorney-in-fact, and consents to the Pledge of the Applicable Ownership Interests in Convertible Preferred Stock and the underlying Convertible Preferred Stock or the Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio, as the case may be, underlying this Corporate Units Certificate pursuant to the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement. The Holder further covenants and agrees that, to the extent and in the manner provided in the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement, but subject to the terms thereof, any payments with respect the Convertible Preferred Stock underlying the Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Convertible Preferred Stock or the Proceeds of the Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio, as the case may be, on the Purchase Contract Settlement Date equal to the aggregate Purchase Price for the related Purchase Contracts shall be paid by the Collateral Agent to the Company in satisfaction of such Holder’s obligations under the related Purchase Contracts and such Holder shall acquire no right, title or interest in such payments. Subject to certain exceptions, the provisions of the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement may be amended with the consent of the Holders of a majority of the Purchase Contracts. The Purchase Contracts shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to the conflicts of law provisions thereof to the extent a different law would govern as a result. The Purchase Contracts shall not, prior to the settlement thereof, entitle the Holder to any of the rights of a holder of shares of Common Stock or Common Stock. Prior to due presentment of this Certificate for registration of transfer, the Company, the Purchase Contract Agent and its Affiliates and any agent of the Company or the Purchase Contract Agent may treat the Person in whose name this Corporate Units Certificate is registered as the owner of the Corporate Units evidenced hereby for the purpose of receiving payments of dividends payable on the Convertible Preferred Stock underlying the Applicable Ownership Interests in Convertible Preferred Stock, if any, receiving payments of Contract Adjustment Payments (subject to any applicable record date) and payments of Contract Adjustment Payments (subject to any applicable record date), performance of the Purchase Contracts and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payments in respect thereof be overdue and notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, and neither the Company, the Purchase Contract Agent nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary. A copy of the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement is available for inspection at the offices of the Purchase Contract Agent during regular business hours.
Conversion of Company Preferred Stock The Company shall have completed the conversion of all issued and outstanding Company Preferred Stock to Company Common Stock.
Class B Shares (i) In consideration of the Underwriter's services as principal underwriter of each Fund's Class B shares pursuant to this Agreement and in accordance with the provisions of the Trust's Amended and Restated Distribution and Service Plan (the "Class B Plan") in respect of such shares each Fund agrees:
(I) to pay to the Underwriter or, at the Underwriter's direction, to a third party, monthly in arrears on or prior to the 5th business day of the following calendar month (A) a service fee (the "Service Fee") equal to 0.25 of 1% per annum of the average daily net asset value of the Class B shares of the Fund outstanding from time to time, and (B) the Underwriter's "Allocable Portion" (as hereinafter defined) of a fee (the "Distribution Fee") equal to 0.75% of 1% per annum of the average daily net asset value of the Class B shares of the Fund outstanding from time to time, and (II) to withhold from redemption proceeds in respect of Class B shares of the Fund the Underwriter's Allocable Portion of the Contingent Deferred Sales Charges ("CDSCs") payable in respect of such redemption as provided in the Prospectus of the Fund and to pay the same over to the Underwriter or, at the Underwriter's direction, to a third party, at the time the redemption proceeds in respect of such redemption are payable to the holder of the Class B shares redeemed.
(ii) The Underwriter will be deemed to have performed all services required to be performed in order to be entitled to receive its Allocable Portion of the Distribution Fee payable in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund upon the settlement date of each sale of a "Commission Share" (as defined in the Allocation Schedule attached hereto as Schedule A) of the Fund taken into account in determining the Underwriter's Allocable Portion of such Distribution Fees.
(iii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement of (to the extent waiver thereof is permitted thereby) applicable law, the Fund's obligation to pay the Underwriter's Allocable Portion of the Distribution Fees payable in respect to the Class B shares of the Fund shall not be terminated or modified for any reason (including a termination of this Agreement) except to the extent required by a change in the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder or the Conduct Rules of the NASD, in each case enacted or promulgated after December 29, 1997, or in connection with a "Complete Termination" (as hereinafter defined) of the Class B Plan.
(iv) The Fund will not take any action to waive or change any CDSC in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund, except as provided in the Fund's Prospectus or statement of additional information as in effect as of the date hereof, without the consent of the Underwriter and the permitted assigns of all or any portion of its rights to its Allocable Portion of the CDSCs.
(v) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, neither the termination of the Underwriter's role as principal distributor of the Class B shares of any fund, nor the termination of this Agreement nor the termination of the Class B Plan will terminate the Underwriter's right to its Allocable Portion of the CDSCs in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund.
(vi) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Underwriter may assign, sell or pledge (collectively, "Transfer") its rights to the Service Fees and its Allocable Portion of the Distribution Fees and CDSCs (but not its obligations to the Fund under this Agreement) to raise funds to make the expenditures related to the distribution of Class B shares of the Fund and in connection therewith, upon receipt of notice of such Transfer, the Fund shall pay, or cause to be paid, to the assignee, purchaser or pledgee (collectively with their subsequent transferees, "Transferees") such portion of the Underwriter's Service Fees, Allocable Portion of the Distribution Fees and CDSCs in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund so Transferred. Except as provided in (iii) above and notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth elsewhere in this Agreement, to the extent the Underwriter has Transferred its rights thereto to raise funds as aforesaid, the Fund's obligation to pay the Underwriter's Allocable Portion of the Distribution Fees and CDSCs payable in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be subject to dispute, offset, counterclaim or any defense whatsoever, at law or equity, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing based on the insolvency or bankruptcy of the Underwriter's right to the Distribution Fees and CDSCs in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund, which have been so transferred in connection with such Transfer). The Fund agrees that each such Transferee is a third party beneficiary of the provisions of this clause (vi) but only insofar as those provisions relate to Distribution Fees and CDSCs transferred to such Transferee.
(vii) For purposes of the Agreement, the term "Allocable Portion" of Distribution Fees and CDSCs payable in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund shall mean the portion of such Distribution Fees and CDSCs allocated to the Underwriter in accordance with the Allocation Schedule attached hereto as Schedule A.
(viii) For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Complete Termination" of the Plan in respect of the Fund means a termination of the Class B Plan involving the complete cessation of the payment of Distribution Fees in respect of all Class B shares of the Fund, and the termination of the Class B Plan and the complete cessation of the payment of distribution fees pursuant to any other distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund and any successor fund or the Fund acquiring a substantial portion of the assets of the Fund and for every future class of shares which has substantially similar characteristics to the Class B shares of the Fund taking into account the manner of payment and amount of sales charge, CDSC or other similar charges borne directly or indirectly by the holders of such shares.
