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SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
(RULE 14A-101)
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Filed by the Registrant ¨
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ¨
Check the appropriate box:
¨ Preliminary Proxy Statement | ¨ Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) | |
x Definitive Proxy Statement | ||
¨ Definitive Additional Materials | ||
¨ Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12 |
QUEST SOFTWARE, INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
x No fee required.
¨ Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.
(1) | Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: |
(2) | Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
(3) | Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined): |
(4) | Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
(5) | Total fee paid: |
¨ | Fee paid previously with preliminary materials: |
¨ | Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the form or schedule and the date of its filing. |
(1) | Amount Previously Paid: |
(2) | Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
(3) | Filing Party: |
(4) | Date Filed: |
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January 15, 2009
To our Shareholders:
We invite you to attend a Special Meeting of Shareholders, which will be held on February 13, 2009, at 9:00 a.m., local time, at our principal executive offices located at 5 Polaris Way, Aliso Viejo, CA, 92656.
The actions to be taken at the Special Meeting are described in detail in the enclosed Proxy Statement and Notice of Special Meeting. We encourage you to read these materials.
Please use this opportunity to take part in the affairs of Quest Software by voting on the business to come before the Special Meeting. Whether or not you plan to attend the Special Meeting, please complete, sign, date and return the accompanying proxy card promptly, using the enclosed postage-prepaid envelope. You can also vote by telephone or via the Internet. See the information contained under the heading “Information about the Special Meeting and Voting” in the Proxy Statement for more details and follow the instructions on your proxy card.
All shareholders who attend the meeting will be required to present valid picture identification, such as a driver’s license. Registration will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. on the morning of the Special Meeting.
We look forward to seeing you at our Special Meeting.
Sincerely, |
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Douglas F. Garn, President and Chief Executive Officer |
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NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
To Be Held February 13, 2009
A Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Special Meeting”) of Quest Software, Inc., a California corporation (“Quest” or the “Company”), will be held on February 13, 2009 at 9:00 a.m., Pacific time, at our principal executive offices located at 5 Polaris Way, Aliso Viejo, California 92656. At the Special Meeting, you will be asked to consider and vote upon the following proposals:
1. | Reincorporation Proposal: To approve the principal terms of a certain Agreement and Plan of Merger between Quest and a wholly-owned Delaware subsidiary of Quest by which we will effect the reincorporation of the Company from California to Delaware (the “Reincorporation”); and |
2. | Adjournment Proposal: To consider and vote on a proposal to approve, if necessary, adjournment or postponement of the Special Meeting to solicit additional proxies. |
The foregoing items of business are more fully described in the Proxy Statement accompanying this Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders. Only shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 31, 2008 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Special Meeting.
All shareholders are invited to attend the Special Meeting in person. However, to ensure your representation at the Special Meeting, you are urged to mark, sign, date and return the enclosed proxy card as promptly as possible in the envelope provided for that purpose, or to vote electronically via the Internet or by telephone. Instructions for electronic voting are provided on page 2 of the Proxy Statement. Any shareholder attending the Special Meeting may vote in person even if he or she has previously returned a proxy card by following the instructions in the Proxy Statement.
The accompanying Proxy Statement provides you with detailed information about the Special Meeting and the proposal to change the Company’s corporate domicile from California to Delaware. After careful consideration, the board of directors of the Company has unanimously approved the Reincorporation Proposal and recommends that you vote “FOR” such proposal.
Your vote is important.Whether or not you plan to attend the Special Meeting, please take the time to vote by completing and mailing the enclosed proxy card or by voting via the Internet or telephone according to the instructions on the proxy card. If you sign, date and mail your proxy card without indicating how you wish to vote, your proxy will be counted as a vote “FOR” the proposal. Whether or not you plan to attend the Special Meeting, please vote as soon as possible to make sure that your shares are represented at the Special Meeting. Voting by proxy will not prevent you from voting in person if you choose to attend the Special Meeting. However, if you do not vote, it will have the same effect as a vote against the proposal.
Important Notice Regarding The Availability of Proxy Materials for the Special Meeting of Shareholders to Be Held on February 13, 2009: The Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders and Proxy Statement are available on our website at http://www.quest.com/investor_relations/.
By order of the Board of Directors, |
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David P. Cramer, Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary |
Aliso Viejo, California
January 15, 2009
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QUEST SOFTWARE, INC.
PROXY STATEMENT
This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of Quest Software, Inc., a California corporation (“Quest” or the “Company”), for Quest’s Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Special Meeting”) to be held on February 13, 2009 at 9:00 a.m., Pacific time, and at any adjournment or postponement thereof. The Special Meeting will be held at our principal executive offices located at 5 Polaris Way, Aliso Viejo, California 92656, and the telephone number at that location is (949) 754-8000.
Definitive copies of these proxy solicitation materials were first mailed to shareholders entitled to vote on or about January 15, 2009.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPECIAL MEETING AND VOTING
What is the purpose of the Special Meeting?
At our Special Meeting, our shareholders will be asked to:
• | Reincorporation Proposal: Approve the principal terms of a certain Agreement and Plan of Merger between Quest and a wholly owned Delaware subsidiary of Quest by which we will effect the reincorporation of the Company from California to Delaware (the “Reincorporation”); and |
• | Adjournment Proposal: Consider and vote on a proposal to approve, if necessary, adjournment or postponement of the Special Meeting to solicit additional proxies. |
The Reincorporation Proposal and Adjournment Proposal to be considered and acted upon at the Special Meeting are set forth in the accompanying Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders and are described in more detail in this Proxy Statement.
Who is entitled to vote at the Special Meeting?
Our Board of Directors set December 31, 2008 as the record date (the “Record Date”) for the meeting. Only shareholders of record as of the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to vote at the Special Meeting.
How many votes do I have?
On each matter presented at the Special Meeting, you are entitled to one vote for each share of Quest’s common stock owned by you at the close of business on the Record Date.
What is the difference between holding shares as a shareholder of record and a beneficial owner?
Most Quest shareholders hold their shares through a broker or other nominee rather than directly in their own name. As summarized below, there are some distinctions between shares held of record and those owned beneficially.
Shareholder of Record. If your shares are registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., you are considered the shareholder of record with respect to those shares, and these proxy materials are being sent directly to you by Quest. As the shareholder of record, you have the right to grant your voting proxy directly to us or to vote in person at the Special Meeting. We have enclosed a proxy card for you to use.
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Beneficial Owner. If your shares are held in a brokerage account or by a bank or other nominee, you are considered the beneficial owner of shares held in “street name,” and these proxy materials are being forwarded to you by your broker or other nominee who is considered the shareholder of record with respect to those shares. As the beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker or other nominee on how to vote and are also invited to attend the Special Meeting. However, since you are not the shareholder of record, you may not vote these shares in person at the Special Meeting, unless you obtain a proxy from your broker or other nominee and present it to the inspector of elections at the Special Meeting with your ballot. Your broker or other nominee has enclosed a voting instruction card for you to use in directing the broker or other nominee regarding how to vote your shares.
How many votes must be present to hold the Special Meeting?
For business to be conducted at the Special Meeting, holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote at the Special Meeting must be present at the Special Meeting, either in person or by proxy. This is called a quorum. Abstentions and broker non-votes (i.e., shares held in “street name” as to which voting instructions have not been received from the beneficial owners or persons entitled to vote) are counted as present for purposes of establishing a quorum.
How do I vote?
Generally, you may vote by telephone, on the Internet, by mail or by attending the Special Meeting and voting by ballot in person, each as described below. If you are a shareholder of record, you may vote by submitting a proxy. If you hold shares beneficially in street name, you may vote by submitting voting instructions by returning the voter instruction form to your broker or other nominee. For directions on how to vote, please refer to the instructions below and those included on your proxy card or, for shares held beneficially in street name, the voting instruction form provided by your broker or other nominee.
Internet Voting. Shareholders of record of Quest common stock with Internet access may submit proxies on the Internet by following the instructions on their proxy cards. Most Quest shareholders who hold shares beneficially in street name may vote by accessing the web site specified on the voting instruction form provided by their brokers or other nominees. Please check the voting instruction form for Internet voting availability.
Telephone Voting. Shareholders of record of Quest common stock may submit proxies by telephone by following the instructions on their proxy cards. Most Quest shareholders who hold shares beneficially in street name may vote by phone by calling the number specified on the voting instruction form provided by their brokers or other nominees. Please check the voting instruction form for telephone voting availability.
Voting By Mail. Shareholders not wishing to vote electronically on the Internet or by telephone, or whose voting instruction form does not reference Internet or telephone voting information, should follow these instructions for voting by mail. Shareholders of record of Quest common stock may submit proxies by completing, signing and dating their proxy cards and mailing them in the accompanying pre-addressed envelopes. Quest shareholders who hold shares beneficially in street name may vote by mail by completing, signing and dating the voting instruction form provided by their brokers or other nominees and mailing them in the accompanying pre-addressed envelopes.
Voting in Person. Shareholders of record of Quest common stock may also vote their shares in person at the Special Meeting. However, if your shares are held beneficially in street name and you wish to vote in person atthe Special Meeting, you must obtain a proxy issued in your name from the record holder (e.g., your broker or other nominee) and bring it with you to the Special Meeting. Signing and returning your proxy card or submitting your vote on the Internet or by telephone does not affect your right to vote in person at the Special Meeting.
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What is the deadline for Internet and telephone voting?
The deadline for voting on the Internet or by telephone is 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time on February 13, 2009.
How will my votes be counted?
If you return your properly signed proxy card or voting instruction form but do not mark selections, it will be voted in accordance with the recommendations of the Board of Directors. If you indicate a choice with respect to any matter to be acted upon on your proxy card or voting instruction form, the shares will be voted in accordance with your instructions.
If you are a beneficial owner and hold your shares in street name through a broker or other nominee and do not return the voting instruction form, the broker or other nominee will determine if it has the discretionary authority to vote on the particular matter. Under applicable rules, brokers have the discretion to vote on “routine” matters, such as the uncontested election of directors and the ratification of the selection of accounting firms, but do not have discretion to vote on matters that are not considered “routine”. The Reincorporation is not considered a routine matter.
The enclosed proxy card or voting instruction form also grants the proxy holders discretionary authority to vote on any other business that may properly come before the meeting as well as any procedural matters.
Can I change or revoke my vote?
Yes. You may change your vote at any time prior to the vote at the Special Meeting. If you are the shareholder of record, you may change your vote by granting a new proxy bearing a later date (which automatically revokes the earlier proxy), by providing a written notice of revocation to Quest’s Corporate Secretary prior to your shares being voted, or by attending the Special Meeting and voting in person. Attendance at the meeting will not cause your previously granted proxy to be revoked unless you specifically so request. For shares you hold beneficially in street name, you may change your vote by submitting new voting instructions to your broker or other nominee or, if you have obtained a legal proxy from your broker or other nominee giving you the right to vote your shares, by attending the meeting and voting in person.
If you voted by telephone or Internet you may also change your vote by delivering a new proxy bearing a later date by telephone or, as the case may be, provided that we receive such later-dated proxy by 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time on February 13, 2009.
Who will bear the cost of soliciting proxies for the Special Meeting?
Quest will bear the cost of this solicitation. Quest has retained the services of MacKenzie Partners, Inc. to assist in obtaining proxies from brokers and other nominees of shareholders for the Special Meeting. The estimated cost of such services is $5,000, plus out-of-pocket expenses. In addition, Quest will reimburse brokerage firms and other persons representing beneficial owners of shares for their reasonable expenses in forwarding solicitation material to such beneficial owners. Certain of Quest’s directors, officers and regular employees may solicit proxies personally or by telephone, facsimile or telegram, without additional compensation.
Where can I find the voting results?
We intend to announce preliminary voting results at the Special Meeting and publish final results in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ending March 31, 2009.
What if I receive more than one set of these proxy solicitation materials?
If you have received more than one proxy card or voting instruction form, it is likely because your shares are held in multiple accounts or registered in different names or addresses. Please be sure to complete, sign, date and return each proxy card or voting instruction form to ensure that all of your shares will be voted.
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What is the procedure to submit a proposal for consideration at Quest’s 2009 Annual Meeting of Shareholders?
Shareholders who intend to present proposals at the 2009 Annual Meeting of Shareholders must send such proposals to Quest for receipt no later than December 12, 2008 for such proposals to be considered for inclusion in the Proxy Statement and form of proxy relating to such meeting; provided, however, if our 2009 Annual Meeting of Shareholders is held before April 8, 2009 or after May 7, 2009, then the deadline is a reasonable amount of time prior to the date we begin to print and mail our proxy statement for the 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Such proposals must also comply with Securities and Exchange Commission regulations under Rule 14a-8 regarding the inclusion of shareholder proposals in company-sponsored proxy materials. Please address any shareholder proposals to our Corporate Secretary at Quest Software, Inc., 5 Polaris Way, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656.
Our current Bylaws also include an advance notice procedure for shareholders who wish to present a proposal before any annual meeting of shareholders. To comply with this advance notice provision, a shareholder must have given timely written notice to our Corporate Secretary not less than 60 nor more than 90 calendar days prior to the anniversary of the date on which Quest first mailed the proxy materials for its immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders (as specified in the proxy materials for the immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders). To be timely for our 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, our Corporate Secretary must receive a shareholder’s notice at our principal executive offices not earlier than January 11, 2009 and not later than February 10, 2009. Our Bylaws following the Reincorporation will contain the same advanced notice provision.
In addition, the proxies solicited by the Board for the 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders will confer discretionary authority to vote on any shareholder proposal presented at that meeting, unless the Company is provided with notice of such proposal no later than February 25, 2009.
What happens if additional matters are presented at the Special Meeting?
Our Bylaws provide that at a special meeting of shareholders, only such business may be conducted or considered as is properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before a special meeting, business must be (i) specified in the notice of the meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Chairman of the Board, the President, a Vice President or the Secretary or (ii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by the presiding officer or by or at the direction of a majority of the Board of Directors. We do not currently anticipate that any other matters will be presented for consideration at the Special Meeting. However, the accompanying proxy confers discretionary authority to vote on any such other matters as may properly come before the Special Meeting. If any other matters are properly presented for consideration at the Special Meeting, the persons named as proxies will have discretion to vote on such matters in accordance with their best judgment. The persons named as proxies intend to vote the shares they represent as Quest’s Board of Directors may recommend.
How may I obtain a separate set of proxy materials or request a single set for my household?
If you share an address with another shareholder, you may only receive one copy of our proxy materials. If you wish to receive additional copies of our proxy materials now or in the future, please write or call Quest:
Quest Software, Inc.
Investor Relations
5 Polaris Way
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
(949) 754-8000
Similarly, if you share an address with another shareholder and have received multiple copies of the proxy materials, you may write or call us to request delivery of a single copy of these materials in the future.
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GENERAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE REINCORPORATION
Why is the Company electing to reincorporate from California to Delaware?
The Board of Directors believes that the Reincorporation in Delaware will give Quest enhanced flexibility to make distributions to shareholders (i.e., stock repurchases and dividends) and a greater measure of flexibility in corporate governance than is currently available in California law, and will help Quest attract and retain its directors and officers. Quest’s Board of Directors also believes Delaware’s corporate laws are generally more modern, flexible, highly developed and more predictable than California’s corporate laws. Delaware corporate laws are also periodically revised to be responsive to the changing legal and business needs of corporations. For this reason, many public corporations have initially incorporated in Delaware or have changed their corporate domiciles to Delaware in a manner similar to that proposed by Quest. The principal reasons for the Reincorporation are described in greater detail on page 9 of this Proxy Statement under the heading “Principal Reasons for the Reincorporation”.
Will the Company change its name as a result of the Reincorporation?
No. The Company will retain the name “Quest Software, Inc.” but will be incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware.
Will the Reincorporation change the business of Quest Software?
No. The Reincorporation will not change the current business of Quest. Following the Reincorporation, Quest will continue to design, develop, market, distribute and support enterprise systems management software. The principal executive offices will remain located at 5 Polaris Way, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656. Only the Company’s state of incorporation will change.
Will Quest have the same directors and executive officers that the Company currently has following the Reincorporation?
Yes. The executive officers and members of the Board of Directors will not change as a result of the Reincorporation.
Who Are the Parties to the Reorganization?
Quest Software, Inc., a California Corporation
Quest designs, develops, markets, distributes and supports enterprise systems management software products. Our goal is to provide our customers with products that improve the performance, productivity and reliability of their software applications and associated software infrastructure components such as databases, application servers and operating systems. Quest is an “Independent Software Vendor,” or “ISV,” a company whose products are designed to support or to interact or interoperate with other vendors’ software or hardware platforms. Quest was incorporated in the State of California in 1987, and operates on a calendar fiscal year.
Quest Software, Inc., a Delaware Corporation
Quest Software, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Quest (Delaware)”), is a recently formed and wholly-owned subsidiary of Quest. Quest (Delaware) was formed for the sole purpose of effecting the Reincorporation. Pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, attached as Appendix A to this Proxy Statement, Quest will merge with and into Quest (Delaware) to effect the Reincorporation, with Quest (Delaware) as the surviving entity. Quest (Delaware) presently has no operating history and has nominal assets, liabilities and capitalization.
The principal place of business of each of Quest and Quest (Delaware) is located at 5 Polaris Way, Aliso Viejo, California, 92656. The telephone number for each is (949) 754-8000.
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What are the Principal Terms of the Reincorporation?
Pursuant to the Reincorporation Agreement:
• | Quest will merge with and into Quest (Delaware), with Quest (Delaware) as the surviving corporation; |
• | The separate corporate existence of Quest in California will cease upon the effectiveness of the merger; |
• | The business of Quest will continue unaffected and unimpaired by the Reincorporation; |
• | Each outstanding share of Quest common stock will automatically be converted into one share of Quest (Delaware) common stock; |
• | Quest (Delaware) will assume Quest’s stock option plans as well as its other employee incentive plans, including the 2008 Stock Incentive Plan; |
• | The existing holders of Quest common stock will own all of the outstanding shares of Quest (Delaware) common stock and no change in ownership will result from the Reincorporation; |
• | Quest (Delaware) common stock will continue to be traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “QSFT,” the current symbol of the Company; and |
• | The directors and executive officers of Quest will be the directors and executive officers of Quest (Delaware). |
When is the Reincorporation Expected to be Completed?
Quest expects that the Reincorporation will close in the first quarter of 2009.
What if the principal terms of the merger agreement are not approved by Quest’s shareholders?
The merger and Reincorporation transaction will not occur and you will continue to hold shares of Quest’s Common Stock and Quest will continue to be incorporated in the State of California.
Does the Reincorporation affect my ownership or percent of ownership in the Company?
No. Upon consummation of the merger effecting the Reincorporation, each outstanding share of Quest Common Stock will automatically be converted into one share of common stock of the surviving corporation in the merger, Quest (Delaware), the shares of Quest (Delaware) Common Stock held by Quest will be cancelled, and no additional shares will be issued in the merger. Therefore, the number of shares and the percentage of ownership you hold in the Company will not be changed by virtue of the Reincorporation.
How does the Board of Directors recommend that I vote?
Quest’s Board of Directors has unanimously approved the principal terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reincorporation and recommends that you vote your shares “FOR” approval of the Reincorporation Proposal.
What is the vote required for approval of the Reincorporation?
Reincorporation Proposal
The affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the shares of Quest’s Common Stock outstanding as of the record date is required to approve the principal terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger. In addition, the principal terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger have been approved by the Board of Directors and sole stockholder of Quest (Delaware).
Because the vote is based on the total number of shares outstanding rather than the votes cast at the Special Meeting, your failure to vote has the same effect as a vote against the Reincorporation. As of the record date,
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directors and executive officers of Quest currently own 29,146,421 shares of Quest Common Stock, which is 30.8% of the outstanding shares. We expect that the directors and executive officers will vote all their shares in favor of the Reincorporation.
As of the Record Date, 94,586,525 shares of common stock were issued and outstanding, which is our only class of outstanding voting securities. Therefore, to adopt the Reincorporation Proposal, the affirmative vote of at least 47,293,263 shares of our Common Stock is necessary to approve and adopt the Reincorporation Proposal.
Adjournment Proposal
To be adopted, the Adjournment Proposal requires both (i) the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of Quest common stock represented at the Special Meeting and voting and (ii) the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of Quest common stock required to constitute a quorum.
How are abstentions and broker non-votes treated?
The presence at the Special Meeting, either in person or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote at the Special Meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Quest intends to include abstentions and broker non-votes (i.e., shares held in “street name” as to which voting instructions have not been received from the beneficial owners or persons entitled to vote) as present or represented for purposes of establishing a quorum. Since the Reincorporation must be approved by a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock, abstentions and broker non-votes will have the effect of a vote against the Reincorporation. Broker non-votes will have no effect on the proposal to adjourn the meeting.
Will the common stock of Quest (Delaware) be publicly traded?
Yes. After the Reincorporation, Quest’s Common Stock will no longer be listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market, but Quest (Delaware)’s common stock will be listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market for trading under Quest’s current symbol “QSFT.” Quest will not complete the Reincorporation unless and until Quest (Delaware)’s common stock is approved for listing on The NASDAQ Global Select Market.
REINCORPORATION OF THE COMPANY FROM CALIFORNIA TO DELAWARE
Overview
On November 20, 2008, Quest’s Board of Directors approved the reincorporation of the Company from California to Delaware by means of a merger of the Company with and into a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, Quest Software, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Quest (Delaware)”), recently established to effect the reincorporation. Quest (Delaware) will survive the merger and issue one share of its common stock for each outstanding share of the Company’s common stock in connection with the merger (the “Reincorporation”). The name of the Delaware corporation, which will be the successor to the Company, will be Quest Software, Inc.
The Board of Directors believes that the Reincorporation in Delaware will give Quest enhanced flexibility to make distributions to shareholders (i.e., stock repurchases and dividends) and a greater measure of flexibility in corporate governance than is currently available in California law, and will help Quest attract and retain its directors and officers. Quest’s Board of Directors also believes Delaware’s corporate laws are generally more modern, flexible, highly developed and more predictable than California’s corporate laws. Delaware corporate laws are also periodically revised to be responsive to the changing legal and business needs of corporations. For this reason, many public corporations have initially incorporated in Delaware or have changed their corporate domiciles to Delaware in a manner similar to that proposed by Quest.
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Shareholders are urged to read the Proxy Statement carefully, including the related Appendices referenced below and attached to this Proxy Statement, before voting on the Reincorporation. The following discussion summarizes material provisions of the Reincorporation. This summary is subject to and qualified in its entirety by the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Reincorporation Agreement”) that will be entered into by the Company and Quest (Delaware) in substantially the form attached hereto as Appendix A and the Certificate of Incorporation of Quest (Delaware) to be effective after the Reincorporation, in substantially the form attached hereto as Appendix B (the “Delaware Certificate”) and the Bylaws of Quest (Delaware) to be effective after the Reincorporation (the “Delaware Bylaws”), in substantially the form attached hereto as Appendix C. Copies of the Articles of Incorporation of the Company filed in California, as amended to date (the “California Articles”), and the Bylaws of the Company, as amended to date (the “California Bylaws”), are filed publicly as exhibits to our periodic reports and are also available for inspection at the principal office of the Company. Copies will be sent to shareholders free of charge upon written request to Corporate Secretary, Quest Software, Inc., 5 Polaris Way, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656.
Mechanics of the Reincorporation
The Reincorporation will be effected by the merger of the Company with and into Quest (Delaware), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company that has been recently incorporated under the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) for purposes of the Reincorporation. The Company will cease to exist as a result of the merger and Quest (Delaware) will be the surviving corporation and will continue to operate the business of the Company as it existed prior to the Reincorporation. Assuming approval by the shareholders of the Company, the Company currently intends to cause the Reincorporation to become effective shortly following the Special Meeting, scheduled for February 13, 2009.
At the effective time of the Reincorporation (the “Effective Time”), the Company will be governed by the Delaware Certificate, the Delaware Bylaws and the DGCL. Although the Delaware Certificate and the Delaware Bylaws are patterned after the California Articles and the California Bylaws, they nevertheless include provisions that are somewhat different from the provisions contained in the current California Articles, California Bylaws or under the California General Corporation Law. See “Significant Differences Between the Corporation Laws of California and Delaware” beginning on page 13.
In the event the Reincorporation is approved, upon the Effective Time, each outstanding share of Quest common stock will automatically be converted into one share of common stock of Quest (Delaware). In addition, each outstanding option to purchase shares of Quest common stock will be converted into an option to purchase the same number of shares of Quest (Delaware) common stock with no other changes in the terms and conditions of such options. The Company’s other employee benefit arrangements including, but not limited to, equity incentive plans with respect to issued unvested restricted stock, will be continued by Quest (Delaware) upon the terms and subject to the conditions specified in such plans. Each outstanding share of Quest (Delaware) common stock prior to the Effective Time will be cancelled upon the Effective Time and will thereafter be authorized and unissued common stock of Quest (Delaware).
CERTIFICATES CURRENTLY ISSUED FOR SHARES IN THE COMPANY WILL AUTOMATICALLY REPRESENT SHARES IN QUEST (DELAWARE) UPON COMPLETION OF THE MERGER, AND SHAREHOLDERS WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO EXCHANGE STOCK CERTIFICATES AS A RESULT OF THE REINCORPORATION.
Other than the change in corporate domicile, the Reincorporation will not result in any change in the business, physical location, management, assets, liabilities or net worth of the Company, nor will it result in any change in location of Quest’s current employees, including management. Upon consummation of the Reincorporation, the daily business operations of the Company will continue as they are presently conducted at the Company’s principal executive office located at 5 Polaris Way, Aliso Viejo, CA, 92656. The consolidated financial condition and results of operations of Quest (Delaware) immediately after consummation of the
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Reincorporation will be the same as those of the Company immediately prior to the consummation of the Reincorporation. In addition, upon the effectiveness of the merger, the Board of Directors of Quest (Delaware) will consist of those persons elected to the current Board of Directors of the Company, and will continue to serve for the term of their respective elections to the Company’s Board, and the individuals serving as executive officers of the Company immediately prior to the Reincorporation will continue to serve as executive officers of Quest (Delaware), without a change in title or responsibilities. Upon effectiveness of the Reincorporation, Quest (Delaware) will be the successor in interest to the Company and the shareholders will become stockholders of Quest (Delaware).
The Reincorporation Agreement provides that the Board of Directors of Quest may abandon the Reincorporation at any time prior to the Effective Time if the Board of Directors determines that the Reincorporation is inadvisable for any reason. For example, the DGCL or the California General Corporation Law may be changed to reduce the benefits that the Company hopes to achieve through the Reincorporation, or the costs of operating as a Delaware corporation may be increased, although the Company does not know of any such changes. The Reincorporation Agreement may be amended at any time prior to the Effective Time, either before or after the shareholders have voted to adopt the proposal, subject to applicable law. The Company will re-solicit shareholder approval of the Reincorporation if the terms of the Reincorporation Agreement are changed in any material respect.
Principal Reasons for the Reincorporation
The Board of Directors believes that any direct benefit that the DGCL provides to a corporation indirectly benefits the shareholders, who are the owners of the Company. The Board believes that there are several reasons why a reincorporation to Delaware is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. As explained in more detail below, these reasons can be summarized as follows:
• | enhanced flexibility to declare dividends and engage in stock repurchase programs; |
• | greater predictability, flexibility and responsiveness of the DGCL to corporate needs through a more highly developed and predictable body of corporate law; |
• | access to specialized courts; |
• | enhanced ability of Delaware corporations to attract and retain qualified directors and executive officers; and |
• | greater access to capital. |
Enhanced Flexibility to Engage in Stock Repurchase Programs. The Company will have an enhanced ability to make distributions to its shareholders (i.e., dividends, stock repurchases) as Delaware law is more flexible than California law with respect to the payment of dividends. Delaware law generally provides that a corporation may declare and pay dividends out of surplus or, if there is no surplus, out of net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or for the preceding fiscal year. Surplus is defined as the excess of a corporation’s net assets (i.e., its total assets minus its total liabilities) over the capital associated with issuances of its common stock. Moreover, Delaware law permits a board of directors to reduce its capital (but not below the aggregate par value of the outstanding shares) and transfer such amount to its surplus. In contrast, under California law, a corporation may not make any distribution to its shareholders unless either: (i) the corporation’s retained earnings immediately prior to the proposed distribution equal or exceed the amount of the proposed distribution; or (ii) immediately after giving effect to the distribution, the corporation’s assets (exclusive of goodwill, capitalized research and development expenses and deferred charges) would be at least equal to one and one fourth (1 1/4) times its liabilities (not including deferred taxes, deferred income and other deferred credits). These tests are applied to California corporations on a consolidated basis.
The Company recently repurchased 11,440,000 shares of its common stock in a modified “Dutch auction” tender offer at a price per share of $12.50. The 11,440,000 shares purchased in the tender offer represent 10.8% of the shares of Quest common stock issued and outstanding on December 9, 2008 the date the tender offer closed.
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Highly Developed and Predictable Corporate Law.Our Board of Directors believes Delaware has one of the most modern statutory corporation laws, which is revised regularly to meet changing legal and business needs of corporations. The Delaware legislature is responsive to developments in modern corporate law and Delaware has proven sensitive to changing needs of corporations and their shareholders. The Delaware Secretary of State is particularly flexible and responsive in its administration of the filings required for mergers, acquisitions and other corporate transactions. Delaware has become a preferred domicile for most major American corporations and the DGCL and administrative practices have become comparatively well-known and widely understood. As a result of these factors, it is anticipated that the DGCL will provide greater efficiency, predictability and flexibility in the Company’s legal affairs than is presently available under California law.
Access to Specialized Courts.Delaware has a specialized Court of Chancery that hears corporate law cases. As the leading state of incorporation for both private and public companies, Delaware has developed a vast body of corporate law that helps to promote greater consistency and predictability in judicial rulings. In addition, Chancery Court actions and appeals from Chancery Court rulings proceed expeditiously. In contrast, California does not have a similar specialized court established to hear only corporate law cases. Rather, disputes involving questions of California corporate law are either heard by the California Superior Court, the general trial court in California that hears all manner of cases, or, if federal jurisdiction exists, a federal district court.
Recruiting and Retention Benefits.We are in a highly competitive industry and compete for talented individuals to serve on our management team and on our Board of Directors. The Board believes that the better understood and comparatively stable corporate environment afforded by Delaware will better enable the Company to recruit talented and experienced directors and officers. In seeking to attract outside directors from across the country, the Board believes that being governed by a more predictable body of statutory and case law offered by Delaware could serve as an advantage in this area. The Company believes that the better understood, and comparatively stable corporate environment afforded by Delaware will enable it to compete more effectively with other public companies, most of which are incorporated in Delaware, in the recruitment, from time to time, of talented and experienced directors and officers.
Additionally, the parameters of director and officer liability are more extensively addressed in Delaware court decisions and are therefore better defined and better understood than under California law. Quest’s Board believes that reincorporation in Delaware will enhance the Company’s ability to recruit and retain directors and officers in the future, while providing appropriate protection for shareholders from possible abuses by directors and officers. In this regard, it should be noted that directors’ personal liability is not, and cannot be, eliminated under the DGCL for intentional misconduct, bad faith conduct or any transaction from which the director derives an improper personal benefit.
Greater Access to Capital.Underwriters and other members of the financial services industry may be more willing and better able to assist in capital-raising programs for Quest following the Reincorporation because Delaware law is better understood than California law. The Company has no present intention to raise capital at this time.
Quest is generally not seeking to change the current charter and Bylaw provisions of the Company through reincorporation and, except for those changes described below, this proposal does not seek to alter the rights of the shareholders or the rules by which Quest operates or by which its affairs are governed.
Possible Negative Considerations
Notwithstanding the belief of the Board of Directors as to the benefits to the shareholders of the Reincorporation, it should be noted that Delaware law has been criticized by some commentators and institutional shareholders on the grounds that it does not afford minority shareholders the same substantive rights and protections as are available in a number of other states. The Reincorporation of Quest in Delaware may make it more difficult for minority shareholders to elect directors and influence Quest’s policies. It should also be
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noted that the interests of the Board of Directors, management and affiliated shareholders in voting on the Reincorporation proposal may not be the same as those of unaffiliated shareholders. For a comparison of shareholders’ rights and the power of management under Delaware and California law, see“The Charters and Bylaws of the Company and Quest (Delaware) Compared and Contrasted” beginning on page 11 and“Significant Differences Between the Corporation Laws of California and Delaware” beginning on page 13. In addition, franchise taxes in Delaware may be greater than in California.
The Board of Directors has considered the potential disadvantages of the Reincorporation and has concluded that the potential benefits outweigh the possible disadvantages.
Board of Directors Recommendation
For the reasons described in this Proxy Statement, Quest’s Board of Directors recommends unanimously that you vote “FOR” approval of the Reincorporation Proposal.
The Charters and Bylaws of the Company and Quest (Delaware) Compared and Contrasted
With certain exceptions, the provisions of the Delaware Certificate and Delaware Bylaws are the same as, or as consistent as possible with, those of the California Articles and California Bylaws. However, the Reincorporation includes the implementation of certain provisions in the Delaware Certificate and Delaware Bylaws which are required by the DGCL and which may alter the rights of shareholders and the powers of management and reduce shareholder participation in certain important corporate decisions.
Certain of the provisions in the Delaware Certificate and the Delaware Bylaws, similar to those contained the California Articles and California Bylaws, may, however, facilitate future efforts to deter, delay or prevent changes in control of Quest (Delaware). Such provisions include the following:
Delaware Certificate.The Delaware Certificate (similar to the California Articles) authorizes 200,000,000 shares of common stock and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock and gives the Board the authority, within the limitations in the Delaware Certificate, to determine or alter the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions granted to or imposed upon any unissued series of preferred stock. Shares of preferred stock could be issued in connection with a shareholder rights plan, or poison pill or rights plan, which would allow shareholders (other than hostile parties) to purchase Quest (Delaware) common stock at a discount to the then current market price, which would have a dilutive effect on the hostile parties.
Section 203.Quest (Delaware) has not opted out of Section 203 of the DGCL and will be subject to it. As discussed in more detail below, Section 203 prohibits, subject to certain exceptions, a Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination with an interested shareholder (i.e., a shareholder acquiring 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock) for three years following the date that such shareholder becomes an interested shareholder. Shareholders holding 15% or more of Quest (California) stock on the effective date of the Reincorporation (if approved), including our Executive Chairman of the Board, will not be subject to the restrictions contained in Section 203. Section 203 makes certain types of unfriendly or hostile corporate takeovers, or other non-board approved transactions involving a corporation and one or more of its significant shareholders, more difficult.
Bylaw Amendments. The Delaware Bylaws, similar to the California Bylaws, permit both the shareholders of Quest (Delaware) and a majority of the directors to amend the Delaware Bylaws. This power to amend the Delaware Bylaws may be used to deter, delay or prevent a change in control of Quest (Delaware). In particular, as described below, the Delaware Bylaws impose time frames by which director nominations and shareholder proposals may be made by shareholders of Quest (Delaware).
No Shareholder Action by Written Consent.The Delaware Certificate does not permit shareholders to act by written consent. This provision limits the ability of the shareholders to act only at an annual or special meeting of stockholders.
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Approval by shareholders of the Reincorporation proposal will constitute an approval of the inclusion in the Delaware Certificate and Delaware Bylaws of each of the provisions described herein. In addition, certain other changes altering the rights of shareholders and powers of management could be implemented in the future by amendment of the Delaware Certificate following shareholder approval and certain such changes could be implemented by amendment of the Delaware Bylaws without shareholder approval. For a discussion of such changes, see “Significant Differences Between the Corporation Laws of California and Delaware.” This discussion of the Delaware Certificate and Delaware Bylaws is qualified by reference to Appendices B and C attached hereto, respectively.
Change in Number of Directors
Under the California General Corporation Law, although a change in the number of directors must in general be approved by the shareholders, the board of directors may fix the exact number of directors within a stated range set forth in either the articles of incorporation or bylaws, if that stated range has been approved by the shareholders. Any change outside of the established range or a change in the established range must be approved by the shareholders. The California Bylaws provide that a change in the stated range must be approved by a vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares; provided, however, that an amendment reducing the stated range below a minimum of five (5) directors cannot be adopted if the votes cast against its adoption at a meeting, or the shares not consenting in the case of an action by written consent, are equal to more than sixteen and two-thirds percent (16 2/3%) of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon.
Under the DGCL, the number of directors shall be fixed by or in the manner provided in the bylaws, unless the certificate of incorporation fixes the number of directors (in which case a change in the number of directors may be made only by an amendment of such certificate, which would require a vote of shareholders).
Both the California Bylaws and the Delaware Bylaws establish a range of five (5) to nine (9) directors, and following the Reincorporation, under the Delaware Bylaws, the board of directors may fix the number of directors within the stated range and the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares would be required to change the stated range of directors, as would be the case in California.
Filling Vacancies on the Board of Directors
Under California law, any vacancy on the board of directors other than one created by removal of a director may be filled by the board. If the number of directors is less than a quorum, a vacancy may be filled by the unanimous written consent of the directors then in office, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors at a meeting held pursuant to notice or waivers of notice, or by a sole remaining director. A vacancy created by removal of a director may be filled by the board only if authorized by a corporation’s articles of incorporation or by a bylaw approved by the corporation’s shareholders. The California Bylaws follow California law and provide that all vacancies on the Board of Directors, whether caused by removal, resignation, death or otherwise, may be filled by a majority of the remaining directors or, if the number of directors then in office is less than a quorum, by the unanimous written consent of the directors then in office, the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office at a meeting held pursuant to notice or waivers of notice complying with California Corporations Code Section 307, or by a sole remaining director.
Under Delaware law, vacancies and newly created directorships may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office (even though less than a quorum) or by a sole remaining director, unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws. The Delaware Bylaws follow Delaware law and provide that vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office (even though less than a quorum) or by a sole remaining director, unless the board of directors determines that the stockholders shall fill any such vacancy or newly created directorship.
Shareholder Proposal Notice Provisions
There is no specific statutory requirement under California or Delaware law with regard to advance notice of director nominations and shareholder proposals. Absent a bylaw restriction, director nominations and
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shareholder proposals are subject to federal securities laws, which generally provide that shareholder proposals that the proponent wishes to include in the Company’s proxy materials must be received not less than 120 days in advance of the anniversary of the date on which the proxy statement was released in connection with the previous year’s annual meeting.
The California Bylaws provide that notice containing the name of any person to be nominated by any shareholder for election as a director of the Company together with other specified information relating to the nominee shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Company not less than 60 nor more than 90 calendar days prior to the anniversary date of the date (as specified in the Company’s proxy materials for its immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders) on which the Company first mailed its proxy materials for its immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders; provided, however, that in the event the annual meeting is called for a date that is not within 30 calendar days of the anniversary date of the date on which the immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders was called, to be timely, notice by the shareholder must be so received not later than the close of business on the 10th calendar day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the annual meeting is first made.
The Delaware Bylaws provide that notice must be received by the Secretary at Quest’s principal executive offices not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that, in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced more than thirty (30) days prior to or delayed by more than thirty (30) days after the anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made.
Majority Voting
California law provides that in uncontested elections of directors, the approval of the shareholders, as defined in Section 153 of the California Corporations Code, will be required to elect each director. If an incumbent director fails to be elected by approval of the shareholders in an uncontested election, then, unless the incumbent director has earlier resigned, the term of the incumbent director shall end on the date that is the earlier of ninety (90) days after the date on which the voting results are determined or the date on which the Board selects a person to fill the office held by such incumbent director. The California Bylaws follow California law.
Under the DGCL, shareholders can adopt a bylaw amendment that specifies the vote necessary for the election of directors, such as a majority vote. Additionally, the DGCL specifically allows a director to tender his or her resignation in advance, with the resignation to be effective when delivered, at a later date or only upon the occurrence of future events, such as not obtaining a majority of the vote in an uncontested election of directors. The Delaware Bylaws provide for majority voting for the election of directors. However, if the number of nominees to the board of directors exceeds the number of directors to be elected, the directors shall be elected by plurality voting.
Significant Differences Between the Corporation Laws of California and Delaware
The General Corporation Laws of California and Delaware differ in many respects and, consequently, it is not practical to summarize all of the differences in this Proxy Statement. The following provides a summary of major substantive differences between the California General Corporation Law and the DGCL beyond those discussed in “The Charters and Bylaws of the Company and Quest (Delaware) Compared and Contrasted” above. The following is not intended to be an exhaustive description of all differences between the laws of the two states. Accordingly, all statements herein are qualified in their entirety by reference to the respective General Corporation Laws of California and Delaware.
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Shareholder Voting in Acquisitions
The California and Delaware laws are substantially similar in terms of when shareholder approval is required for a corporation to undertake various types of acquisition transactions. Both California and Delaware law generally require that the holders of the outstanding shares representing a majority of the voting power of both the acquiring and target corporations approve a statutory merger. In addition, both California and Delaware law require that a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of a corporation be approved by the holders of the outstanding shares representing a majority of the voting power of the corporation selling its assets.
The DGCL does not require a shareholder vote of the surviving corporation in a merger (unless provided otherwise in the corporation’s certificate of incorporation) if:
• | The merger agreement does not amend the existing certificate of incorporation; |
• | Each share of stock of the surviving corporation outstanding immediately before the transaction is an identical outstanding share after the merger; and |
• | Either: |
• | no shares of common stock of the surviving corporation (and no shares, securities or obligations convertible into such stock) are to be issued in the merger, or |
• | the shares of common stock of the surviving corporation to be issued in the merger (including shares issuable upon conversion of any other shares, securities or obligations to be issued in the merger) do not exceed twenty percent (20%) of the shares of common stock of the surviving corporation outstanding immediately prior to the transaction. |
California law contains a similar exception to its voting requirements for reorganizations, where shareholders or the corporation itself immediately prior to the reorganization will own immediately after the reorganization equity securities constituting more than five-sixths ( 5/6) of the voting power of the surviving or acquiring corporation or its parent entity.
Limitations on Certain Business Combinations
Delaware, like a number of states, has adopted special laws designed to make certain kinds of “unfriendly” or “hostile” corporate takeovers, or other non-board approved transactions involving a corporation and one or more of its significant shareholders, more difficult.
Under Section 203 of the Delaware statute, a Delaware corporation is prohibited from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested shareholder” for three years following the date that such person or entity becomes an interested shareholder. With certain exceptions, an interested shareholder is a person or entity that owns, individually or with or through other persons or entities, fifteen percent (15%) or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock (including rights to acquire stock pursuant to an option, warrant, agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion or exchange rights, and also stock as to which the person has voting rights only). The three-year moratorium imposed by Section 203 on business combinations does not apply if:
• | Prior to the date on which the interested shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, the board of directors of the corporation approves either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the person or entity becoming an interested shareholder; |
• | Upon consummation of the transaction that makes the person or entity an interested shareholder, the interested shareholder owns at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the corporation’s voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced (excluding, for purposes of determining voting stock outstanding, shares owned by directors who are also officers of the corporation and shares held by employee stock plans that do not give employee participants the right to decide confidentially whether to accept a tender or exchange offer); or |
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• | On or after the date the person or entity becomes an interested shareholder, the business combination is approved both by the board of directors and by the shareholders at a meeting by sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the outstanding voting stock not owned by the interested shareholder. |
California law does not have a section similar to Delaware Section 203, but it does have different provisions that may limit a corporation’s ability to engage in certain business combinations. California law requires that, in a merger of a corporation with a shareholder (or its affiliate) who holds more than fifty percent (50%) but less than ninety percent (90%) of the corporation’s common stock, the other shareholders of the corporation must receive common stock in the transaction, unless all the corporation’s shareholders consent to the transaction. This provision of California law may have the effect of making a “cash-out” merger by a majority shareholder (possibly as the second step in a two-step merger) more difficult to accomplish. Delaware law does not have an analogue to the California law in this respect. However, under some circumstances Section 203 does provide similar protection to shareholders against coercive two-tiered bids for a corporation in which the shareholders are not treated equally.
California law also provides that, except in certain circumstances, when a tender offer or a proposal for a reorganization or sale of assets is made by an interested party (generally a controlling or managing party of the corporation), the interested party must provide the other shareholders with an affirmative written opinion as to the fairness of the consideration to be paid to the shareholders. This fairness opinion requirement does not apply to corporations that have fewer than 100 shareholders of record or to a transaction that has been qualified under California state securities laws. Furthermore, if a tender of shares or a vote is sought pursuant to an interested party’s proposal and a later proposal is made by another party at least 10 days prior to the date of acceptance of the interested party’s proposal, the shareholders must be informed of the later offer and be afforded a reasonable opportunity to withdraw their vote, consent or proxy, and to withdraw any tendered shares. The DGCL has no comparable provision.
Cumulative Voting
Under California law, any shareholder may cumulate his or her votes in the election of directors upon proper notice of his or her intention to do so, except that corporations with securities listed on the American or New York Stock Exchanges or on the Nasdaq Global Select Market may eliminate cumulative voting with shareholder approval. The California Articles eliminate cumulative voting for the election of directors for so long as the Company remains a listed corporation within the meaning of Section 301.5 of the California Corporations Code. Under the DGCL, cumulative voting in the election of directors is not mandatory and the Delaware Certificate does not provide for cumulative voting.
In an election of directors under cumulative voting, each share of voting stock is entitled to vote the number of votes to which such share would normally be entitled, multiplied by the number of directors to be elected. A shareholder may then cast all such votes for a single candidate or may allocate them among as many candidates as the shareholder may choose. Cumulative voting may enable a minority shareholder or group of shareholders to elect at least one representative to the board. Without cumulative voting, the holders of a majority of the shares present at an annual meeting would have the power to elect all the directors to be elected at that meeting, and no person could be elected without the support of a majority of the shareholders voting. Without cumulative voting, any director or the entire board of directors of a corporation may be removed with or without cause with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote at an election of directors.
Removal of Directors
In general, under California law, any director, or the entire board of directors, may be removed, with or without cause, with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote. In the case of a corporation with cumulative voting or whose board is classified, however, no individual director may be removed (unless the entire board is removed) if the number of votes cast against such removal would be sufficient to elect
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the director under cumulative voting rules. In addition, shareholders holding at least ten percent (10%) of the outstanding shares of any class may bring suit to remove any director in case of fraudulent or dishonest acts or gross abuse of authority or discretion.
Under the DGCL, any director, or the entire board of directors, of a corporation that does not have a classified board of directors or cumulative voting may be removed with or without cause with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote at an election of directors. In the case of a Delaware corporation whose board is classified, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise, shareholders may effect such removal only for cause. In addition, as in California, if a Delaware corporation has cumulative voting, and if less than the entire board is to be removed, a director may not be removed without cause by a majority of the outstanding shares if the votes cast against such removal would be sufficient to elect the director under cumulative voting rules. Delaware law also permits a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with the removal of directors.
The California Articles and California Bylaws do not provide for a classified board of directors, nor do they permit cumulative voting. The Delaware Certificate and Delaware Bylaws similarly do not provide for a classified Board or cumulative voting; however, if the Company were not to remain a listed corporation as defined in Section 301.5 of the California Corporations Code, and remain domiciled in California, shareholders would be entitled to cumulate votes for the election of directors.
Shareholder Power to Call Special Shareholders’ Meeting
Under California law, a special meeting of shareholders may be called by the board of directors, the Chairman of the Board, the President, the holders of shares entitled to cast not less than 10% of the votes at such meeting and such persons as are authorized by the articles of incorporation or bylaws. Under the DGCL, a special meeting of shareholders may be called by the board of directors or by any other person authorized to do so in the certificate of incorporation or the bylaws. Although permitted to do so, the Delaware Bylaws do not eliminate the right of shareholders to call a special meeting; instead, to remain consistent with the California Bylaws, the Delaware Bylaws provide that such a meeting may be called by Quest (Delaware)’s Board, the Chairman of the Quest (Delaware) Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the holders of shares entitled to cast not less than 10% of the votes at such meeting.
Limitation of Liability and Indemnification
California and Delaware have similar laws respecting the liability of directors of a corporation and the indemnification by the corporation of its officers, directors, employees and other agents for damages they incur. The laws of both states also permit corporations to adopt a provision in their charters eliminating the liability of a director to the corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of the director’s fiduciary duty of care. Nonetheless, as discussed below, there are certain differences between the laws of the two states respecting indemnification and limitation of liability. In general, Delaware law is somewhat broader in allowing corporations to indemnify and limit the liability of corporate agents, which the Board believes, among other things, helps Delaware corporations in attracting and retaining outside directors.
Elimination of Director Personal Liability for Monetary Damages
One provision of the revised DGCL permits a corporation to include a provision in its certificate of incorporation which limits or eliminates the personal liability of a director for monetary damages arising from breaches of his or her fiduciary duties to the corporation or its shareholders, subject to certain exceptions. Such a provision may not, however, eliminate or limit director monetary liability for:
• | breaches of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its shareholders; |
• | acts or omissions not in good faith or involving intentional misconduct or knowing violations of law; |
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• | the payment of unlawful dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions; or |
• | transactions in which the director received an improper personal benefit. |
Such a limitation of liability provision also may not limit a director’s liability for violation of, or otherwise relieve the Company or directors from the necessity of complying with, federal or state securities laws, or affect the availability of non-monetary remedies such as injunctive relief or rescission.
California law contains similar authorization for a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of directors for monetary damages, except where such liability is based on:
• | intentional misconduct or knowing and culpable violation of law; |
• | acts or omissions that a director believes to be contrary to the best interests of the corporation or its shareholders or that involve the absence of good faith on the part of the director; |
• | receipt of an improper personal benefit; |
• | acts or omissions that show reckless disregard for the director’s duty to the corporation or its shareholders, where the director in the ordinary course of performing a director’s duties should be aware of a risk of serious injury to the corporation or its shareholders; |
• | acts or omissions that constitute an unexcused pattern of inattention that amounts to an abdication of the director’s duty to the corporation and its shareholders; |
• | transactions between the corporation and a director who has a material financial interest in such transaction; and |
• | liability for improper distributions, loans or guarantees. |
In the present case, the current California Articles eliminate the liability of directors to the Company for monetary damages to the fullest extent permissible under California law. The Delaware Certificate similarly eliminates the liability of directors to the Company for monetary damages to the fullest extent permissible under Delaware law. As a result, following the Reincorporation, directors of Quest (Delaware) cannot not be held liable for monetary damages even for gross negligence or lack of due care in carrying out their fiduciary duties as directors, so long as that gross negligence or lack of due care does not involve bad faith or a breach of their duty of loyalty to the Company.
Indemnification
California law requires indemnification when the individual has defended the action successfully on the merits. Delaware law requires indemnification of expenses when the individual being indemnified has successfully defended any action, claim, issue or matter therein, on the merits or otherwise. Delaware law generally permits indemnification of expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and reasonably incurred in the defense or settlement of a derivative or third-party action, provided there is a determination by a majority vote of a disinterested quorum of the directors, by independent legal counsel or by the shareholders that the person seeking indemnification acted in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in best interests of the corporation. Without court approval, however, no indemnification may be made in respect of any derivative action in which such person is adjudged liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his or her duty to the corporation. Expenses incurred by an officer or director in defending an action may be paid in advance under Delaware law or California law, if the director or officer undertakes to repay such amounts if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled to indemnification. In addition, the laws of both states authorize a corporation to purchase indemnity insurance for the benefit of its officers, directors, employees and agents whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify against the liability covered by the policy.
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California law permits a California corporation to provide rights to indemnification beyond those provided therein to the extent such additional indemnification is authorized in the corporation’s articles of incorporation. Thus, if so authorized, rights to indemnification may be provided pursuant to agreements or bylaw provisions which make mandatory the permissive indemnification provided by California law. The California Articles authorize indemnification to the fullest extent permissible under California law. Delaware law also permits a Delaware corporation to provide indemnification in excess of that provided by statute. Delaware law does not require authorizing provisions in the certificate of incorporation.
Inspection of Shareholder Lists and Books and Records
Both California and Delaware law allow any shareholder to inspect a corporation’s shareholder list for a purpose reasonably related to the person’s interest as a shareholder. California law provides, in addition, for an absolute right to inspect and copy the corporation’s shareholder list by persons holding an aggregate of five percent (5%) or more of the corporation’s voting shares, or shareholders holding an aggregate of 1% or more of such shares who have contested the election of directors. Delaware law also allows the shareholders to inspect the list of shareholders entitled to vote at a meeting within a ten-day period preceding a shareholders’ meeting for any purpose germane to the meeting. Delaware law, however, contains no provisions comparable to the absolute right of inspection provided by California law to certain shareholders.
Under California law any shareholder may examine the accounting books and records and the minutes of the shareholders and the board and its committees, provided that the inspection is for a purpose reasonably related to the shareholder’s interests as a shareholder. The DGCL may be slightly more favorable to shareholders in this respect, in that a shareholder with a proper purpose is not limited to inspecting accounting books and records and minutes, and may examine other records as well. In addition, California law limits the right of inspection of shareholder lists to record shareholders, whereas Delaware has extended that right to beneficial owners of shares.
Appraisal Rights
Under both California and Delaware law, a shareholder of a corporation participating in certain major corporate transactions may, under varying circumstances, be entitled to appraisal rights, by which the shareholder may demand to receive cash in the amount of the fair market value of his or her shares in lieu of the consideration he or she would otherwise receive in the transaction.
Under Delaware law, fair market value is determined without reference to any element of value arising from the accomplishment or expectation of the merger or consolidation, and appraisal rights are generally not available to:
• | shareholders with respect to a merger or consolidation by a corporation the shares of which are either listed on a national securities exchange or are held of record by more than 2,000 holders if such shareholders receive only shares of the surviving corporation or shares of any other corporation that are either listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 holders; |
• | shareholders of a corporation surviving a merger if no vote of the shareholders of the surviving corporation is required to approve the merger under Delaware law. |
The limitations on the availability of appraisal rights under California law are different from those under Delaware law. Shareholders of a California corporation whose shares are listed on a national securities exchange generally do not have such appraisal rights unless the holders of at least 5% of the class of outstanding shares claim the right or the corporation or any law restricts the transfer of the shares to be received. Appraisal rights are also not available if the shareholders of a corporation or the corporation itself, or both, immediately prior to the reorganization will own immediately after the reorganization equity securities representing more than 5/6th of the voting power of the surviving or acquiring corporation or its parent entity. Thus, appraisal rights are not available to shareholders of the Company under California law with respect to the Reincorporation.
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Dissolution
Under California law, the holders of 50% or more of a corporation’s total voting power may authorize the corporation’s dissolution, with or without the approval of the corporation’s board of directors, and this right may not be modified by the articles of incorporation. Under Delaware law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, the dissolution must be unanimously approved by all the shareholders entitled to vote on the matter. Only if the dissolution is initially approved by the board of directors may the dissolution be approved by a simple majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote. In addition, Delaware law allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with such a board-initiated dissolution. In the present case, however, the Delaware Certificate contains no such supermajority voting requirement.
Interested Director Transactions
Under both California and Delaware law, certain contracts or transactions in which one or more of a corporation’s directors has an interest are not void or voidable simply because of such interest, provided that certain conditions, such as obtaining required disinterested approval and fulfilling the requirements of good faith and full disclosure, are met. With certain minor exceptions, the conditions are similar under California and Delaware law.
Shareholder Derivative Suits
California law provides that a shareholder bringing a derivative action on behalf of a corporation need not have been a shareholder at the time of the transaction in question, if certain tests are met. Under Delaware law, a shareholder may bring a derivative action on behalf of the corporation only if the shareholder was a shareholder of the corporation at the time of the transaction in question or if his or her stock thereafter came to be owned by him or her by operation of law.
California law also provides that the corporation or the defendant in a derivative suit may make a motion to the court for an order requiring the plaintiff shareholder to furnish a security bond. Delaware does not have a similar bonding requirement.
Dividends and Repurchases of Shares
Delaware law is more flexible than California law with respect to payment of dividends and implementing share repurchase programs. Delaware law generally provides that a corporation may redeem or repurchase its shares out of its surplus. In addition, Delaware law generally provides that a corporation may declare and pay dividends out of surplus or, if there is no surplus, out of net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or for the preceding fiscal year. Surplus is defined as the excess of a corporation’s net assets (i.e., its total assets minus its total liabilities) over the capital associated with issuances of its common stock. Moreover, Delaware law permits a board of directors to reduce its capital and transfer such amount to its surplus.
Under California law, a corporation may not make any distribution to its shareholders unless either:
• | the corporation’s retained earnings immediately prior to the proposed distribution equal or exceed the amount of the proposed distribution; or |
• | immediately after giving effect to the distribution, the corporation’s assets (exclusive of goodwill, capitalized research and development expenses and deferred charges) would be at least equal to one and one fourth (1 1/4) times its liabilities (not including deferred taxes, deferred income and other deferred credits), and the corporation’s current assets would be at least equal to its current liabilities (or one and one fourth (1 1/4) times its current liabilities if the average pre-tax and pre-interest expense earnings for the preceding two fiscal years were less than the average interest expense for such years). |
These tests are applied to California corporations on a consolidated basis.
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Interests of the Company’s Directors and Executive Officers in the Reincorporation
In considering the recommendations of the Board, the Company’s shareholders should be aware that certain of the Company’s directors and executive officers have interests in the transaction that are different from, or in addition to, the interests of the Company’s shareholders generally. For instance, the reincorporation in Delaware may be of benefit to the Company’s directors and officers by reducing the director’s potential personal liability and increasing the scope of permitted indemnification, by strengthening directors’ ability to resist a takeover bid, and in other respects. The Board was aware of these interests and considered them, among other matters, in reaching its decision to approve the Reincorporation and to recommend that our shareholders vote in favor of the Proposal.
Certain Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations
The following discussion addresses certain U.S. federal income tax considerations that are generally applicable to U.S. holders (as defined below) of common stock of the Company who receive common stock of Quest (Delaware) in exchange for their common stock of the Company in the Reincorporation. This discussion addresses only those shareholders who hold their common stock as a capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and does not address all the U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to particular shareholders in light of their individual circumstances or to shareholders that are subject to special rules, including, without limitation:
• | persons who are subject to special tax rules such as dealers in securities, mutual funds, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, insurance companies, banks or other financial institutions; |
• | partnerships or other pass-through entities or investors in such entities; |
• | tax-exempt organizations; |
• | persons who hold their shares as a hedge or as part of a hedging, straddle or other risk reduction strategy; |
• | persons who are not U.S. holders; |
• | persons who have a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar; |
• | persons who acquired their shares of common stock through the exercise of an employee stock option; |
• | persons whose common stock is “qualified small business stock” for purposes of Section 1202 of the Code; and |
• | persons who are subject to the alternative minimum tax. |
For purposes of this discussion, the term “U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of Company common stock that is:
• | an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; |
• | a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized under the laws of the U.S. or any subdivision thereof; |
• | a trust (other than a grantor trust) if (A) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (B) it has a valid election in place to be treated as a U.S. person; or |
• | an estate the income of which is includible in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source. |
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The following discussion does not address the tax consequences of the Reincorporation under state, local and foreign tax laws. Furthermore, the following discussion does not address: the tax consequences to holders of options to acquire common stock of the Company; or the tax consequences of transactions effected prior to or after the Reincorporation (whether or not such transactions are in connection with the Reincorporation).
This summary is based upon current provisions of the Code, existing Treasury Regulations under the Code and current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change or different interpretation. Any change, which may or may not be retroactive, could alter the tax consequences to the Company or the Company’s shareholders as described in this summary. No ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the“IRS”) has been or will be requested in connection with the Reincorporation. In addition, Company’s shareholders should be aware that the IRS could adopt a contrary position and a contrary position could be sustained by a court.
EACH SHAREHOLDER IS URGED TO CONSULT HIS OR HER OWN TAX ADVISORS TO DETERMINE THE PARTICULAR FEDERAL TAX CONSEQUENCES TO SUCH SHAREHOLDERS OF THE REINCORPORATION, INCLUDING TAX RETURN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND THE APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN AND OTHER APPLICABLE TAX LAWS.
The Company intends that the Reincorporation will be treated as a reorganization pursuant to Section 368(a) of the Code. Subject to the limitations, qualifications and exceptions described herein, and assuming the Reincorporation qualifies as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the Reincorporation will be as follows:
• | No gain or loss will be recognized by holders of the common stock of the Company upon receipt of common stock of Quest (Delaware) pursuant to the Reincorporation; |
• | The aggregate tax basis of the common stock of Quest (Delaware) received by each shareholder of the Company in the Reincorporation will be equal to the aggregate tax basis of the common stock of the Company surrendered in exchange therefor; |
• | The holding period of the common stock of Quest (Delaware) received by each shareholder of the Company will include the period for which such shareholder held the common stock of the Company surrendered in exchange therefor, provided that such common stock of the Company was held by such shareholder as a capital asset at the time of the Reincorporation; and |
• | No gain or loss will be recognized by the Company or Quest (Delaware) as a result of the Reincorporation. |
A U.S. holder of the Company’s shares may be required to attach a statement to its tax returns for the year of the Reincorporation that contains the information listed in Treasury Regulation Section 1.368-3(b) and may be required to maintain a permanent record of facts relating to the Reincorporation. Such information includes, among other things, the shareholder’s tax basis in the shareholder’s common stock of the Company and the fair market value of the shareholder’s common stock of the Company immediately prior to the Reincorporation.
THE PRECEDING DISCUSSION IS INTENDED ONLY AS A SUMMARY OF CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE REINCORPORATION AND DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE A COMPLETE ANALYSIS OR DISCUSSION OF ALL OF THE REINCORPORATION’S POTENTIAL TAX EFFECTS.
Accounting Consequences
We believe that there will be no material accounting consequences for us resulting from the Reincorporation.
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ADJOURNMENTS OR POSTPONEMENTS OF THE SPECIAL MEETING
Although it is not anticipated, the Special Meeting may be adjourned or postponed for the purpose of soliciting additional proxies in favor of the Reincorporation Proposal. Any adjournment or postponement of the Special Meeting may be made without notice, other than by an announcement made at the Special Meeting. Any adjournment or postponement of the Special Meeting for the purpose of soliciting additional proxies will allow the Company’s shareholders who have already sent in their proxies to revoke them at any time prior to their use.
The Board of Directors recommends unanimously a vote “FOR” approval of the Adjournment Proposal.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
The following table sets forth certain information as of December 22, 2008 with respect to the beneficial ownership of Quest Common Stock by (i) each person Quest believes beneficially holds more than 5% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock; (ii) each director; (iii) each named executive officer, as defined in Item 402 of Regulation S-K, and (iv) all directors and executive officers as a group. Unless otherwise indicated, all persons named as beneficial owners of Common Stock have sole voting power and sole investment power with respect to the shares indicated as beneficially owned. Beneficial ownership also includes shares of Quest Common Stock issuable upon exercise of stock options that are exercisable or will become exercisable within 60 days of December 22, 2008, as indicated in the footnotes to the table below. For each individual and group included in the table below, percentage ownership is calculated by dividing the number of shares beneficially owned by such person or group by the sum of the 94,579,195 shares of common stock outstanding on December 22, 2008 plus the number of shares of common stock that such person or group had the right to acquire on or within 60 days after December 22, 2008. Unless otherwise indicated, the principal address of each of the shareholders below is c/o Quest Software, Inc., 5 Polaris Way, Aliso Viejo, California 92656.
Name of Beneficial Owner | Number of Shares Beneficially Owned | Percent of Shares Outstanding | |||||
FMR LLC | 7,030,202 | (1) | 7.4 | % | |||
82 Devonshire Street Boston, MA 02109 | |||||||
Kingdon Capital Management | 5,334,523 | (2) | 5.6 | % | |||
152 West 57th Street, 50th Floor New York, NY 10019 | |||||||
Executive Officers and Directors: | |||||||
Vincent C. Smith | 31,241,234 | (3) | 32.2 | % | |||
Douglas F. Garn | 1,126,479 | (4) | 1.2 | % | |||
Scott J. Davidson | 64,522 | (5) | * | ||||
Steve Dickson | 59,536 | (6) | * | ||||
Raymond J. Lane | 411,543 | (7) | * | ||||
Augustine L. Nieto II | 130,000 | (8) | * | ||||
Kevin M. Klausmeyer | 118,400 | (9) | * | ||||
Paul Sallaberry | 104,213 | (10) | * | ||||
H. John Dirks | 85,000 | (11) | * | ||||
All executive officers and directors as a | 33,340,927 | (12) | 33.8 | % |
* | Less than 1% |
(1) | According to a Schedule 13G/A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by the beneficial owner of these shares on April 10, 2008. The beneficial owner of these shares reported sole power to vote 1,312,188 of these shares and sole power to dispose of all of these shares. |
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(2) | According to a Schedule 13G/A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by the beneficial owner of these shares on February 13, 2008. |
(3) | Includes: (i) an aggregate of 152,400 shares held in the names of Mr. Smith’s minor children and 1,040 shares held by Mr. Smith as custodian for his minor children; (ii) an aggregate of 27,699,372 shares held through limited liability companies; (iii) 47,060 shares held by the Vincent C. Smith Charitable Remainder Trust, of which Mr. Smith is the trustee; (iv) options to purchase 2,335,000 shares of common stock; (v) 28,869,076 shares pledged as collateral for Mr. Smith’s margin accounts; and (vi) and 37,158 shares of common stock subject to vested RSUs. Excludes 204,315 shares of common stock subject to unvested RSUs. |
(4) | Includes options to purchase 1,092,900 shares of common stock and 18,579 shares of common stock subject to vested RSUs. Excludes 102,157 shares of common stock subject to unvested RSUs. |
(5) | Includes options to purchase 63,000 shares of common stock. Excludes 25,000 shares of common stock subject to unvested RSUs. |
(6) | Includes options to purchase 53,560 shares of common stock. |
(7) | Includes 55,000 shares held by the Raymond J. Lane Trust dated November 2, 1995 and options to purchase 164,309 shares of common stock. |
(8) | Includes options to purchase 130,000 shares of common stock. |
(9) | Includes options to purchase 115,000 shares of common stock. |
(10) | Includes options to purchase 100,000 shares of common stock. |
(11) | Includes options to purchase 85,000 shares of common stock. |
(12) | Includes options to purchase 4,138,769 shares of common stock and 55,737 shares of common stock subject to vested RSUs. Excludes 331,472 shares of common stock subject to unvested RSUs. |
Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control
We have entered into agreements with certain of our Named Executive Officers (as determined in accordance with Item 402(a)(3) of Regulation S-K) that provide certain limited benefits in the event of a change in control of Quest. Specifically, our 1999 Stock Incentive Plan, pursuant to which our Named Executive Officers have been granted all of their stock options, provides that in the event of a change in ownership or control of Quest (by way of merger, sale of assets or otherwise), each outstanding option under the discretionary option grant program will immediately become exercisable for all the shares represented by such option, except to the extent (i) such option is assumed or otherwise continued in full force and effect by the successor corporation; or (ii) such option is replaced with a cash incentive program by the successor corporation which preserves the economic value existing at the time of any such change in ownership or control and provides for subsequent payout in accordance with the same vesting schedule applicable to those option shares. These acceleration provisions do not discriminate in scope, terms or operation in favor of our Named Executive Officers and are available generally to all of our employees who have been granted options. No payments or additional benefits will be provided to any of our Named Executive Officers as a result of the Reincorporation.
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HOUSEHOLDING OF SPECIAL MEETING MATERIALS
The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has approved a rule concerning the delivery of annual reports and proxy statements. It permits a single set of these reports to be sent to any household at which two or more shareholders reside if they appear to be members of the same family. Each shareholder continues to receive a separate proxy card. This procedure, referred to as householding, reduces the volume of duplicate information shareholders receive and reduces mailing and printing expenses of the Company. In accordance with a notice sent to certain shareholders who shared a single address, only one annual report and proxy statement will be sent to that address unless any shareholder at that address requested that multiple sets of documents be sent. However, if any shareholder who agreed to householding wishes to receive a separate proxy statement or annual report either now or in the future, he or she may contact our Investor Relations department at the following mailing address: Quest Software, Inc., Investor Relations, 5 Polaris Way, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 or by telephone at (949) 754-8000. Shareholders sharing an address who wish to receive a single set of reports or proxy statements may do so by contacting their banks or brokers, if they are beneficial holders, or by contacting Quest at the address set forth above, if they are record holders.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
Quest files annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements, and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document filed by Quest at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, DC 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. The Internet address of the SEC’s website is http://www.sec.gov.
Quest also maintains a website at www.quest.com, and via the “SEC Filings” link on our Investor Relations page at such site, you may obtain copies of documents publicly filed by Quest with the SEC.
*****
Additional copies of this Proxy Statement and Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders are available without charge upon delivery of a written request to our principal executive offices at: Corporate Secretary, Quest Software, Inc., 5 Polaris Way, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656. Copies may also be obtained without charge through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
THIS PROXY STATEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE SOLICITATION OF A PROXY IN ANY JURISDICTION TO OR FROM ANY PERSON TO WHOM OR FROM WHOM IT IS UNLAWFUL TO MAKE SUCH PROXY SOLICITATION IN THAT JURISDICTION. YOU SHOULD RELY ONLY ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT TO VOTE YOUR SHARES AT THE SPECIAL MEETING. WE HAVE NOT AUTHORIZED ANYONE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IS CONTAINED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT. THIS PROXY STATEMENT IS DATED JANUARY 15, 2009. YOU SHOULD NOT ASSUME THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT IS ACCURATE AS OF ANY DATE OTHER THAN THAT DATE, AND THE MAILING OF THIS PROXY STATEMENT TO SHAREHOLDERS DOES NOT CREATE ANY IMPLICATION TO THE CONTRARY.
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A SPECIAL WARNING ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain information contained in this Proxy Statement are forward looking statements regarding future events as well as the assumptions underlying or relating to such statements, all of which are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We have based these forward-looking statements on currently available information and our current beliefs, expectations and projections about future events. All forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties. Our actual results and the timing of certain events could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors discussed in this Proxy Statement and in our other filings with the SEC. Should the statements or underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results or outcomes may vary significantly from those suggested by forward-looking information. Any forward-looking statements contained in this document are based on information available at the time of filing and we make no undertaking to update any of these forward-looking statements. Certain statements contained in this Proxy Statement, including statements containing the words “believes,” “intends,” “expects,” and words of similar import, constitute “forward-looking statements.” GIVEN THESE UNCERTAINTIES, YOU ARE CAUTIONED NOT TO PLACE UNDUE RELIANCE ON SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. Quest and Quest (Delaware) disclaim any obligation to update any such factors or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any of the forward looking statements contained herein to reflect future events or developments.
Quest Software, Inc.
January 15, 2009
Aliso Viejo, California
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Appendix A
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
OF QUEST SOFTWARE, INC.
(a California corporation)
AND
QUEST SOFTWARE, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of February [ ], 2009 (the “Agreement”), is between Quest Software, Inc., a California corporation (“Quest”), and Quest Software, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Quest (“Quest (Delaware)”). Quest and Quest (Delaware) are sometimes referred to herein as the “Constituent Corporations.”
RECITALS
WHEREAS, Quest (Delaware) is a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has an authorized capital of 210,000,000 shares, 200,000,000 of which are designated common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 10,000,000 of which are designated preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share. The preferred stock of Quest (Delaware) is undesignated as to series, rights, preferences, privileges or restrictions. As of February [ ], 2009, 100 shares of common stock were issued and outstanding, all of which were held by Quest, and no shares of preferred stock were issued and outstanding;
WHEREAS, Quest is a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of California and has an authorized capital of 210,000,000 shares, 200,000,000 of which are designated common stock, no par value per share, and 10,000,000 of which are designated preferred stock, no par value per share. The preferred stock of Quest is undesignated as to series, rights, preferences, privileges or restrictions. As of February [ ], 2009, [ ] shares of common stock and no shares of preferred stock were issued and outstanding;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Quest has determined that, for the purpose of effecting the reincorporation of Quest in the State of Delaware, it is advisable and in the best interests of Quest and its shareholders that Quest merge with and into Quest (Delaware) upon the terms and conditions herein provided; and
WHEREAS, the respective Boards of Directors of Quest (Delaware) and Quest have approved and declared the advisability of this Agreement, and have directed that this Agreement be submitted to a vote of their respective sole shareholder and shareholders and executed by the undersigned officers.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements and covenants set forth herein, Quest (Delaware) and Quest hereby agree, subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, as follows:
AGREEMENT
I. MERGER
1.1 Merger. In accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) and the California General Corporation Law (“CGCL”), Quest shall be merged with and into Quest (Delaware) (the “Merger”), the separate existence of Quest shall cease and Quest (Delaware) shall survive the Merger and shall continue to be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, and Quest (Delaware) shall be, and is herein sometimes referred to as, the “Surviving Corporation”. The name of the Surviving Corporation shall be Quest Software, Inc.
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1.2 Filing and Effectiveness. Subject to applicable law, the Merger shall become effective when the following actions shall have been completed:
(a) This Agreement shall have been adopted by the sole shareholder of Quest (Delaware) and the principal terms of this Agreement shall have been approved by the shareholders of Quest in accordance with the requirements of the DGCL and the CGCL, respectively;
(b) All of the conditions precedent to the consummation of the Merger specified in this Agreement shall have been satisfied or duly waived by the party entitled to satisfaction thereof; and
(c) A certificate of merger meeting the requirements of the DGCL (the “Certificate of Merger”) shall have been filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and this Agreement, together with a Certificate of Ownership as provided in Section 1110 of the CGCL or the Certificate of Merger, shall have been filed with the Secretary of State of the State of California or, in the case of the applicable requirements of California law, as otherwise provided by the CGCL.
The date and time when the Merger shall become effective, as aforesaid, is herein called the “Effective Date of the Merger.”
1.3 Effect of the Merger. Upon the Effective Date of the Merger, the separate existence of Quest shall cease and Quest (Delaware), as the Surviving Corporation, (i) shall continue to possess all of its assets, rights, powers and property as constituted immediately prior to the Effective Date of the Merger, (ii) shall be subject to all actions previously taken by its and Quest’s Board of Directors, (iii) shall succeed, without other transfer, to all of the assets, rights, powers and property of Quest in the manner more fully set forth in Section 259 of the DGCL, (iv) shall continue to be subject to all of the debts, liabilities and obligations of Quest (Delaware) as constituted immediately prior to the Effective Date of the Merger, and (v) shall succeed, without other transfer, to all of the debts, liabilities and obligations of Quest in the same manner as if Quest (Delaware) had itself incurred them, all as more fully provided under the applicable provisions of the DGCL and the CGCL.
II. CHARTER DOCUMENTS, DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
2.1 Certificate of Incorporation. The Certificate of Incorporation of Quest (Delaware) as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date of the Merger shall continue in full force and effect as the Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until duly amended in accordance with the provisions thereof and applicable law.
2.2 Bylaws. The Bylaws of Quest (Delaware) as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date of the Merger shall continue in full force and effect as the Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until duly amended in accordance with the provisions thereof and applicable law.
2.3 Directors and Officers. The directors and officers of Quest immediately prior to the Effective Date of the Merger shall be the directors and officers of the Surviving Corporation until their successors shall have been duly elected and qualified or until as otherwise provided by law or the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation or the Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation.
III. MANNER OF CONVERSION OF STOCK
3.1 Quest Common Stock. Upon the Effective Date of the Merger, each share of Quest common stock, no par value, issued and outstanding immediately prior thereto shall, by virtue of the Merger and without any action by the Constituent Corporations, the holder of such shares or any other person, be converted into one (1) fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Surviving Corporation.
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3.2 Quest Options, Equity Incentive Plan Awards and Restricted Stock.
(a) Upon the Effective Date of the Merger, the Surviving Corporation shall assume and continue the 2008 Stock Incentive Plan, 1999 Stock Incentive Plan (to the extent stock awards continue to remain outstanding and subject to the terms of such plan) and 2001 Stock Incentive Plan (to the extent stock awards continue to remain outstanding and subject to the terms of such plan), Vintela Inc. 2003 Stock Option Plan, as amended (to the extent stock awards continue to remain outstanding and subject to the terms of such plan), Imceda Software, Inc. 2004 Stock Plan, as amended (to the extent stock awards continue to remain outstanding and subject to the terms of such plan), OnWire Technologies, Inc. 1996 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan, as amended (to the extent stock awards continue to remain outstanding and subject to the terms of such plan), Aelita Software Corporation Omnibus Stock Option Plan, as amended (to the extent stock awards continue to remain outstanding and subject to the terms of such plan), Foglight Software, Inc., 1998 Stock Option Plan, as amended (to the extent stock awards continue to remain outstanding and subject to the terms of such plan), the Company’s Executive Incentive Plan and all other employee benefit plans of Quest (collectively, the “Incentive Plans”). Each outstanding and unexercised option or other right to purchase or receive or a security convertible into Quest common stock shall become an option or right to purchase or receive or a security convertible into the Surviving Corporation’s common stock on the basis of one share of the Surviving Corporation’s common stock for each share of Quest common stock issuable pursuant to any such option, right to purchase or convertible security, on the same terms and conditions and at an exercise price per share equal to the exercise price applicable to any such Quest option, stock purchase right or convertible security at the Effective Date of the Merger. There are no options, purchase rights for or securities convertible into preferred stock of Quest under the Incentive Plans.
(b) A number of shares of the Surviving Corporation’s common stock shall be reserved for issuance under the Incentive Plans equal to the number of shares of Quest common stock so reserved immediately prior to the Effective Date of the Merger.
3.3 Quest (Delaware) Common Stock. Upon the Effective Date of the Merger, each share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Quest (Delaware) issued and outstanding immediately prior thereto shall, by virtue of the Merger and without any action by Quest (Delaware), the holder of such shares or any other person, be canceled and returned to the status of authorized but unissued shares, without any consideration being delivered in respect thereof.
3.4 Exchange of Certificates. After the Effective Date of the Merger, each holder of a certificate representing shares of Quest common stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Date of the Merger may, at such shareholder’s option, surrender the same for cancellation to an exchange agent designated by the Surviving Corporation (the “Exchange Agent”), and each such holder shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor a certificate or certificates representing the number of shares of the Surviving Corporation’s common stock into which the shares formerly represented by the surrendered certificate were converted as herein provided. Unless and until so surrendered, each certificate representing shares of Quest common stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Date of the Merger shall be deemed for all purposes, from and after the Effective Date of the Merger, to represent the number of shares of the Surviving Corporation’s common stock into which such shares of Quest common stock were converted in the Merger.
The registered owner on the books and records of the Surviving Corporation or the Exchange Agent of any shares of stock represented by such certificate shall, until such certificate shall have been surrendered for transfer or conversion or otherwise accounted for to the Surviving Corporation or the Exchange Agent, have and be entitled to exercise any voting and other rights with respect to and to receive dividends and other distributions upon the shares of common stock of the Surviving Corporation represented by such certificate as provided above.
Each certificate representing common stock of the Surviving Corporation so issued in the Merger shall bear the same legends, if any, with respect to the restrictions on transferability as the certificates of Quest so converted and given in exchange therefor, unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors of the Surviving Corporation in compliance with applicable laws, or other such additional legends as agreed upon by the holder and the Surviving Corporation.
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IV. CONDITIONS
4.1 The obligations of Quest under this Agreement shall be conditioned upon the occurrence of the following events:
(a) The principal terms of this Merger Agreement shall have been duly approved by the shareholders of Quest; and
(b)Any consents, approvals or authorizations that Quest deems necessary or appropriate to be obtained in connection with the consummation of the Merger shall have been obtained, including, but not limited to, approvals with respect to federal and state securities laws.
(c) The Surviving Corporation’s common stock to be issued and reserved for issuance in connection with the Merger shall have been approved for listing by the Nasdaq Global Select Market.
V. GENERAL
5.1 Covenants of Quest (Delaware). Quest (Delaware) covenants and agrees that it will, on or before the Effective Date of the Merger:
(a) qualify to do business as a foreign corporation in the State of California and in connection therewith appoint an agent for service of process as required under the provisions of Section 2105 of the CGCL;
(b) file the Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;
(c) file this Agreement, together with the Certificate of Ownership, or the Certificate of Merger, with the Secretary of State of the State of California; and
(d) take such other actions as may be required by the CGCL.
5.2 Further Assurances. From time to time, as and when required by Quest (Delaware) or by its successors or assigns, there shall be executed and delivered on behalf of Quest such deeds and other instruments, and there shall be taken or caused to be taken by Quest (Delaware) and Quest such further and other actions as shall be appropriate or necessary to vest or perfect in or conform of record or otherwise by Quest (Delaware) the title to and possession of all the property, interests, assets, rights, privileges, immunities, powers, franchises and authority of Quest and otherwise to carry out the purposes of this Agreement, and the officers and directors of Quest (Delaware) are fully authorized in the name and on behalf of Quest or otherwise to take any and all such action and to execute and deliver any and all such deeds and other instruments.
5.3 Abandonment. At any time before the Effective Date of the Merger, this Agreement may be terminated and the Merger may be abandoned for any reason whatsoever by the Board of Directors of either Quest or of Quest (Delaware), or of both, notwithstanding the approval of the principal terms of this Agreement by the shareholders of Quest or the adoption of this Agreement by the sole shareholder of Quest (Delaware), or by both.
5.4 Amendment. The Boards of Directors of the Constituent Corporations may amend this Agreement at any time prior to the Effective Date of the Merger, provided that an amendment made subsequent to applicable shareholder or shareholder approval shall not, unless approved by such shareholders or shareholders as required by law: (a) alter or change the amount or kind of shares, securities, cash, property and/or rights to be received in exchange for or on conversion of all or any of the shares of any class or series thereof of such Constituent Corporation; (b) alter or change any term of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation to be effected by the Merger; or (c) alter or change any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement if such alteration or change would adversely affect the holders of any class or series of capital stock of any Constituent Corporation.
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5.5 Governing Law. This Agreement shall in all respects be construed, interpreted and enforced in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware and, so far as applicable, the merger provisions of the CGCL.
5.6 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement having first been approved by the resolutions of the Board of Directors of Quest, a California corporation, and Quest (Delaware), Inc., a Delaware corporation, is hereby executed on behalf of each of such two corporations and attested by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized.
QUEST SOFTWARE, INC., a California corporation | ||
By: | ||
Douglas F. Garn President and Chief Executive Officer | ||
By: | ||
David P. Cramer Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary | ||
QUEST SOFTWARE, INC., a Delaware corporation | ||
By: | ||
Douglas F. Garn President and Chief Executive Officer |
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Appendix B
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
QUEST SOFTWARE, INC.
The undersigned, a natural person (the “Sole Incorporator”), for the purpose of organizing a corporation to conduct the business and promote the purposes hereinafter stated, under the provisions and subject to the requirements of the laws of the State of Delaware hereby certifies that:
I.
The name of this corporation is Quest Software, Inc. (the “Corporation”).
II.
The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, City of Wilmington, County of Newcastle and the name of the registered agent of the Corporation in the State of Delaware at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.
III.
The purpose of this Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”).
IV.
A. This Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, “Common Stock” and “Preferred Stock.” The total number of shares which the Corporation is authorized to issue is 210,000,000 shares. 200,000,000 shares shall be Common Stock, each having a par value of one-tenth of one cent ($.001) per share. 10,000,000 shares shall be Preferred Stock, each having a par value of one-tenth of one cent ($.001) per share.
B. The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board of Directors is hereby expressly authorized to provide for the issue of all or any of the shares of the Preferred Stock in one or more series, and to fix the number of shares and to determine or alter for each such series, such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designation, preferences, and relative, participating, optional, or other rights and such qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof, as shall be stated and expressed in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors providing for the issuance of such shares and as may be permitted by the DGCL. The Board of Directors is also expressly authorized to increase or decrease the number of shares of any series subsequent to the issuance of shares of that series, but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding. In case the number of shares of any series shall be decreased in accordance with the foregoing sentence, the shares constituting such decrease shall resume the status that they had prior to the adoption of the resolution originally fixing the number of shares of such series.
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V.
For the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation, and in further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the Corporation, of its directors and of its stockholders or any class thereof, as the case may be, it is further provided that:
A. The management of the business and the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation shall be vested in its Board of Directors. The number of directors which shall constitute the Board of Directors shall be fixed exclusively by resolutions adopted by a majority of the authorized number of directors constituting the Board of Directors.
B.
1. The directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.
2. No action shall be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation except at an annual or special meeting of stockholders called in accordance with the Bylaws.
3. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation.
VI.
C. The liability of the directors for monetary damages shall be eliminated to the fullest extent under applicable law. If the DGCL is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended.
D. Any repeal or modification of this Article VI shall be prospective and shall not affect the rights under this Article VI in effect at the time of the alleged occurrence of any act or omission to act giving rise to liability or indemnification.
VII.
The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, and all rights conferred upon the stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation.
VIII.
The name and the mailing address of the Sole Incorporator is as follows:
NAME | MAILING ADDRESS | |||||
DAVID CRAMER | Quest Software, Inc. 5 Polaris Way Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate has been subscribed this day of January, 2009 by the undersigned who affirms that the statements made herein are true and correct.
DAVID CRAMER |
Sole Incorporator |
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Appendix C
BYLAWS
OF
QUEST SOFTWARE, INC.
(A DELAWARE CORPORATION)
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
Section 1. Registered Office. The registered office of the corporation in the State of Delaware shall be in the City of Wilmington, County of Newcastle.
Section 2. Other Offices. The corporation shall also have and maintain an office or principal place of business at such place as may be fixed by the Board of Directors, and may also have offices at such other places, both within and without the State of Delaware as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the corporation may require.
ARTICLE II
CORPORATE SEAL
Section 3. Corporate Seal.The Board of Directors may adopt a corporate seal. The corporate seal shall consist of a die bearing the name of the corporation and the inscription, “Corporate Seal-Delaware.” Said seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.
ARTICLE III
STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS
Section 4.Place Of Meetings. Meetings of the stockholders of the corporation may be held at such place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that the meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as provided under the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”).
Section 5. Annual Meetings.
(a) The annual meeting of the stockholders of the corporation, for the purpose of election of directors and for such other business as may properly come before it, shall be held on such date and at such time as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the corporation and the proposal of business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders: (i) pursuant to the corporation’s notice of meeting of stockholders (with respect to business other than nominations); (ii) brought specifically by or at the direction of the Board of Directors; or (iii) by any stockholder of the corporation who was a stockholder of record at the time of giving the stockholder’s notice provided for in Section 5(b) below, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the notice procedures set forth in Section 5. For the avoidance of doubt, clause (iii) above shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations and submit other business (other than matters properly included in the corporation’s notice of meeting of stockholders and proxy statement under Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “1934 Act”)) before an annual meeting of stockholders.
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(b)At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as is a proper matter for stockholder action under Delaware law and as shall have been properly brought before the meeting.
(i) For nominations for the election to the Board of Directors to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of Section 5(a) of these Bylaws, the stockholder must deliver written notice to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation on a timely basis as set forth in Section 5(b)(iii) and must update and supplement such written notice on a timely basis as set forth in Section 5(c). Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth: (A) as to each nominee such stockholder proposes to nominate at the meeting: (1) the name, age, business address and residence address of such nominee, (2) the principal occupation or employment of such nominee, (3) the class and number of shares of each class of capital stock of the corporation which are owned of record and beneficially by such nominee, (4) the date or dates on which such shares were acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition, (5) a statement whether such nominee, if elected, intends to tender, promptly following such person’s failure to receive the required vote for election or re-election at the next meeting at which such person would face election or re-election, an irrevocable resignation effective upon acceptance of such resignation by the Board of Directors, in accordance with the corporation’s policies, and (6) such other information concerning such nominee as would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement soliciting proxies for the election of such nominee as a director in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or that is otherwise required to be disclosed pursuant to Section 14 of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (including such person’s written consent to being named as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected); and (B) the information required by Section 5(b)(iv). The corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director of the corporation or that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such proposed nominee.
(ii) Other than proposals sought to be included in the corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to Rule 14(a)-8 under the 1934 Act, for business other than nominations for the election to the Board of Directors to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of Section 5(a) of these Bylaws, the stockholder must deliver written notice to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation on a timely basis as set forth in Section 5(b)(iii), and must update and supplement such written notice on a timely basis as set forth in Section 5(c). Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth: (A) as to each matter such stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting, and any material interest (including any anticipated benefit of such business to any Proponent (as defined below) other than solely as a result of its ownership of the corporation’s capital stock, that is material to any Proponent individually, or to the Proponents in the aggregate) in such business of any Proponent; and (B) the information required by Section 5(b)(iv).
(iii) To be timely, the written notice required by Section 5(b)(i) or 5(b)(ii) must be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting;provided, however, that, subject to the last sentence of this Section 5(b)(iii), in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced more than thirty (30) days prior to or delayed by more than thirty (30) days after the anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.
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(iv) The written notice required by Section 5(b)(i) or 5(b)(ii) shall also set forth, as of the date of the notice and as to the stockholder of record giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (each, a “Proponent” and collectively, the “Proponents”): (A) the name and address of each Proponent, as they appear on the corporation’s books; (B) the class, series and number of shares of the corporation that are owned beneficially and of record by each Proponent; (C) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether oral or in writing) with respect to such nomination or proposal between or among any Proponent and any of its affiliates or associates, and any others (including their names) acting in concert, or otherwise under the agreement, arrangement or understanding, with any of the foregoing; (D) a representation that the Proponents are holders of record or beneficial owners, as the case may be, of shares of the corporation entitled to vote at the meeting and intend to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the person or persons specified in the notice (with respect to a notice under Section 5(b)(i)) or to propose the business that is specified in the notice (with respect to a notice under Section 5(b)(ii)); (E) a representation as to whether the Proponents intend to deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of a sufficient number of holders of the corporation’s voting shares to elect such nominee or nominees (with respect to a notice under Section 5(b)(i)) or to carry such proposal (with respect to a notice under Section 5(b)(ii)); (F) to the extent known by any Proponent, the name and address of any other stockholder supporting the proposal on the date of such stockholder’s notice; and (G) a description of all Derivative Transactions (as defined below) by each Proponent during the previous twelve (12) month period, including the date of the transactions and the class, series and number of securities involved in, and the material economic terms of, such Derivative Transactions.
For purposes of Sections 5 and 6, a “Derivative Transaction” means any agreement, arrangement, interest or understanding entered into by, or on behalf or for the benefit of, any Proponent or any of its affiliates or associates, whether record or beneficial:
(w) the value of which is derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares or other securities of the corporation,
(x) which otherwise provides any direct or indirect opportunity to gain or share in any gain derived from a change in the value of securities of the corporation,
(y) the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss, manage risk or benefit of security value or price changes, or
(z) which provides the right to vote or increase or decrease the voting power of, such Proponent, or any of its affiliates or associates, with respect to any securities of the corporation,
which agreement, arrangement, interest or understanding may include, without limitation, any option, warrant, debt position, note, bond, convertible security, swap, stock appreciation right, short position, profit interest, hedge, right to dividends, voting agreement, performance-related fee or arrangement to borrow or lend shares (whether or not subject to payment, settlement, exercise or conversion in any such class or series), and any proportionate interest of such Proponent in the securities of the corporation held by any general or limited partnership, or any limited liability company, of which such Proponent is, directly or indirectly, a general partner or managing member.
(c)A stockholder providing written notice required by Section 5(b)(i) or (ii) shall update and supplement such notice in writing, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice is true and correct in all material respects as of (i) the record date for the meeting and (ii) as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting and, in the event of any adjournment or postponement thereof, ten (10) business days prior to any adjournment or postponement thereof. In the case of an update and supplement pursuant to clause (i) of this Section 5(c), such update and supplement shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for the meeting. In the case of an update and supplement pursuant to clause (ii) of
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this Section 5(c), such update and supplement shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than five (5) business days prior to the date for the meeting, and, in the event of any adjournment or postponement thereof, five (5) business days prior to any adjournment or postponement thereof.
(d) Notwithstanding anything in Section 5(b)(iii) to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors of the Board of Directors of the corporation is increased and there is no public announcement of the appointment of a director, or, if no appointment was made, of the vacancy, made by the corporation at least ten (10) days before the last day a stockholder may deliver a notice of nomination in accordance with Section 5(b)(iii), a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 5 and which complies with the requirements in Section 5(b)(i), other than the timing requirements in Section 5(b)(iii), shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the corporation.
(e) A person shall not be eligible for election or re-election as a director unless the person is nominated either in accordance with clause (ii) of Section 5(a), or in accordance with clause (iii) of Section 5(a). Except as otherwise required by law, the chairman of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made, or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these Bylaws, or the Proponent does not act in accordance with the representations in Sections 5(b)(iv)(D) and 5(b)(iv)(E), to declare that such proposal or nomination shall not be presented for stockholder action at the meeting and shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such nominations or such business may have been solicited or received.
(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 5, in order to include information with respect to a stockholder proposal in the proxy statement and form of proxy for a stockholders’ meeting, a stockholder must also comply with all applicable requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the 1934 Act;provided, however,that any references in these Bylaws to the 1934 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit the requirements applicable to proposals and/or nominations to be considered pursuant to Section 5(a)(iii) of these Bylaws.
(g) For purposes of Sections 5 and 6,
(i) “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act; and
(ii) “affiliates” and “associates” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).
Section 6. Special Meetings.
(a) Special meetings of the stockholders of the corporation (i) may be called, for any purpose as is a proper matter for stockholder action under Delaware law, by (A) the Chairman of the Board of Directors, (B) the Chief Executive Officer, or (C) the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time any such resolution is presented to the Board of Directors for adoption), and (ii) shall be called for any purpose as is a proper matter for stockholder action under Delaware law, by the Secretary of the corporation upon the written request of stockholders of record entitled to cast not less than ten percent (10%) of the votes at such special meeting, provided that such written request is in compliance with the requirements of Section 6(b) hereof (“Stockholder-Requested Meeting”). A request to
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call a special meeting pursuant to Section 6(a)(ii) shall not be valid unless made in accordance with the requirements and procedures set forth in this Section 6. Except as may otherwise be required by law, the Board of Directors shall determine, in its sole judgment, the validity of any request under Section 6(a)(ii), including whether such request was properly made in compliance with these Bylaws.
(b) For a special meeting called pursuant to Section 6(a)(i), the Board of Directors shall determine the time and place of such special meeting. Following determination of the time and place of the meeting, the Secretary shall cause a notice of meeting to be given to the stockholders entitled to vote, in accordance with the provisions of Section 7 of these Bylaws. For a Stockholder-Requested Meeting, the request shall (i) be in writing, signed and dated by a stockholder of record, (ii) set forth the purpose of calling the special meeting and include the information required by the stockholder’s notice as set forth in Section 5(b)(i) and in Section 5(b)(ii) (for the proposal of business other than nominations), (iii) not be an Excluded Request (as defined below), and (iv) be delivered personally or sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation. The stockholder shall also update and supplement such information as required under Section 5(c). If the Board of Directors determines that a request pursuant to Section 6(a)(ii) is valid, the Board shall determine the time and place, if any, of a Stockholder-Requested Meeting, which time shall be not less than ninety (90) nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days after the receipt of such request, and shall set a record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting in the manner set forth in Section 38 hereof. Following determination of the time and place, if any, of the meeting, the Secretary shall cause a notice of meeting to be given to the stockholders entitled to vote, in accordance with the provisions of Section 7 of these Bylaws. No business may be transacted at a special meeting, including a Stockholder-Requested Meeting, otherwise than as specified in the notice of meeting. An “Excluded Request” shall mean a written request of a stockholder that relates to a nomination for the election to the Board of Directors or other proposals of business (y) previously presented to stockholders at an annual or special meeting of stockholders held within the last twelve (12) months determined from the date such new written request is received by the corporation, or (z) to be transacted at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the date of which meeting is within the next three (3) months from the date the written request is received.
(c) Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (ii) by any stockholder of the corporation who is a stockholder of record at the time of giving notice provided for in this paragraph, who shall be entitled to vote at the meeting and who delivers written notice to the Secretary of the corporation setting forth the information required by Section 5(b)(i). In the event the corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board of Directors, any such stockholder of record may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be), for election to such position(s) as specified in the corporation’s notice of meeting, if written notice setting forth the information required by Section 5(b)(i) of these Bylaws shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting. The stockholder shall also update and supplement such information as required under Section 5(c). In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of a special meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 6, a stockholder must also comply with all applicable requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to matters set forth in this Section 6. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the 1934 Act; provided, however, that any references in these Bylaws to the 1934 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit the requirements applicable to nominations for the election to the Board of Directors and/or proposals of other business to be considered pursuant to Section 6(a)(ii) or Section 6(c) of these Bylaws.
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Section 7.Notice Of Meetings. Except as otherwise provided by law, notice, given in writing or by electronic transmission, of each meeting of stockholders shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting, such notice to specify the place, if any, date and hour, in the case of special meetings, the purpose or purposes of the meeting, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at any such meeting. If mailed, notice is given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the corporation. Notice of the time, place, if any, and purpose of any meeting of stockholders may be waived in writing, signed by the person entitled to notice thereof, or by electronic transmission by such person, either before or after such meeting, and will be waived by any stockholder by his attendance thereat in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or by proxy, except when the stockholder attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Any stockholder so waiving notice of such meeting shall be bound by the proceedings of any such meeting in all respects as if due notice thereof had been given.
Section 8.Quorum. At all meetings of stockholders, except where otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation, or by these Bylaws, the presence, in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or by proxy duly authorized, of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the absence of a quorum, any meeting of stockholders may be adjourned, from time to time, either by the chairman of the meeting or by vote of the holders of a majority of the shares represented thereat, but no other business shall be transacted at such meeting. The stockholders present at a duly called or convened meeting, at which a quorum is present, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum. Except as otherwise provided by statute or by applicable stock exchange rules, or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of the majority of shares present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote generally on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders. Except as otherwise provided by statute, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, each director shall be elected by the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote generally on the election of directors with respect to the director at any meeting for the election of directors, at which meeting a quorum is present, provided that if the number of nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected, the directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the shares represented in person or by proxy at any such meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors. For purposes of this section, the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote generally on the election of directors with respect to the director at any meeting for the election of directors means that the number of shares voted “for” a director must exceed the number of votes “withheld” against such director. Where a separate vote by a class or classes or series is required, except where otherwise provided by the statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a majority of the outstanding shares of such class or classes or series, present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy duly authorized, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter. Except where otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the affirmative vote of the majority of shares of such class or classes or series present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting shall be the act of such class or classes or series (or in the case of the election of directors, the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of such class or classes or series present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote generally on the election of directors with respect to the director at any meeting for the election of directors, at which meeting a quorum is present, provided that if the number of nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected, the directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the shares represented in person or by proxy at any such meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors).
Section 9.Adjournment And Notice Of Adjourned Meetings. Any meeting of stockholders, whether annual or special, may be adjourned from time to time by the vote of a majority of the shares present in person,
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by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, if any, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time and place, if any, thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting, the corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.
Section 10.Voting Rights. For the purpose of determining those stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of the stockholders, except as otherwise provided by law, only persons in whose names shares stand on the stock records of the corporation on the record date, as provided in Section 12 of these Bylaws, shall be entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders. Every person entitled to vote shall have the right to do so either in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or by an agent or agents authorized by a proxy granted in accordance with Delaware law. An agent so appointed need not be a stockholder. No proxy shall be voted after three (3) years from its date of creation unless the proxy provides for a longer period.
Section 11. Joint Owners Of Stock. If shares or other securities having voting power stand of record in the names of two (2) or more persons, whether fiduciaries, members of a partnership, joint tenants, tenants in common, tenants by the entirety, or otherwise, or if two (2) or more persons have the same fiduciary relationship respecting the same shares, unless the Secretary is given written notice to the contrary and is furnished with a copy of the instrument or order appointing them or creating the relationship wherein it is so provided, their acts with respect to voting shall have the following effect: (a) if only one (1) votes, his act binds all; (b) if more than one (1) votes, the act of the majority so voting binds all; (c) if more than one (1) votes, but the vote is evenly split on any particular matter, each faction may vote the securities in question proportionally, or may apply to the Delaware Court of Chancery for relief as provided in the DGCL, Section 217(b). If the instrument filed with the Secretary shows that any such tenancy is held in unequal interests, a majority or even-split for the purpose of subsection (c) shall be a majority or even-split in interest.
Section 12.List Of Stockholders. The Secretary shall prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at said meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, (a) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (b) during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the corporation. In the event that the corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the corporation. The list shall be open to examination of any stockholder during the time of the meeting as provided by law.
Section 13.Action Without Meeting.No action shall be taken by the stockholders except at an annual or special meeting of stockholders called in accordance with these Bylaws, and no action shall be taken by the stockholders by written consent or by electronic transmission.
Section 14. Organization.
(a)At every meeting of stockholders, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or, if a Chairman has not been appointed or is absent, the President, or, if the President is absent, a chairman of the meeting chosen by a majority in interest of the stockholders entitled to vote, present in person or by proxy, shall act as chairman. The Secretary, or, in his or her absence, an Assistant Secretary directed to do so by the President, shall act as secretary of the meeting.
(b) The Board of Directors of the corporation shall be entitled to make such rules or regulations for the conduct of meetings of stockholders as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient. Subject to such rules and regulations of the Board of Directors, if any, the chairman of the meeting shall have the right and
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authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairman, are necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, establishing an agenda or order of business for the meeting, rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present, limitations on participation in such meeting to stockholders of record of the corporation and their duly authorized and constituted proxies and such other persons as the chairman shall permit, restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof, limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants and regulation of the opening and closing of the polls for balloting on matters which are to be voted on by ballot. The date and time of the opening and closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at the meeting shall be announced at the meeting. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with rules of parliamentary procedure.
ARTICLE IV
DIRECTORS
Section 15.Number And Term Of Office. The authorized number of directors of the corporation shall be fixed by the Board of Directors. The authorized number of directors of the corporation shall be not less than five (5) nor more than nine (9); provided, however, that the minimum and maximum number of directors may be changed, or an exact number of directors of the corporation may be fixed, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote generally on the subject matter. Directors need not be stockholders unless so required by the Certificate of Incorporation. A majority of the members of the Board shall be comprised of directors who satisfy the criteria for independence established by Section 303A.02 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Companies Manual and the criteria for independence established by The Nasdaq Stock Market (collectively, the “Exchange Requirements”). A nominee for election or appointment to the Board as an independent (as defined by the Exchange Requirements) member, shall not, at such time, have previously served on the Board for a total of sixteen (16) years or more. If for any cause, the directors shall not have been elected at an annual meeting, they may be elected as soon thereafter as convenient at a special meeting of the stockholders called for that purpose in the manner provided in these Bylaws.
Section 16.Powers. The powers of the corporation shall be exercised, its business conducted and its property controlled by the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation.
Section 17.Board Of Directors. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, directors shall be elected at each annual meeting of stockholders to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders. Except as otherwise provided in Section 8 of these Bylaws, each director shall serve until his successor is duly elected and qualified or until his death, resignation or removal. No decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
Section 18.Vacancies.Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other causes and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors shall, unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by stockholders, be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, or by a sole remaining director, provided, however, that whenever the holders of any class or classes of stock or series thereof are entitled to elect one or more directors by the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, vacancies and newly created directorships of such class or classes or series shall, unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by stockholders, be filled by a majority of the directors elected by such class or classes or series thereof then in office, or by a sole remaining director so elected. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the
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remainder of the full term of the director for which the vacancy was created or occurred and until such director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified. A vacancy in the Board of Directors shall be deemed to exist under this Bylaw in the case of the death, removal or resignation of any director.
Section 19. Resignation. Any director may resign at any time by delivering his or her notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Secretary, such resignation to specify whether it will be effective at a particular time, upon receipt by the Secretary or at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. If no such specification is made, it shall be deemed effective at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. When one or more directors shall resign from the Board of Directors, effective at a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each Director so chosen shall hold office for the unexpired portion of the term of the Director whose place shall be vacated and until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.
Section 20. Removal. The Board of Directors or any individual director may be removed from office at any time (a) with cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the corporation, entitled to vote generally at an election of directors or (b) without cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the corporation entitled to vote generally at an election of directors.
Section 21. Meetings.
(a)Regular Meetings. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time or date and at any place within or without the State of Delaware which has been designated by the Board of Directors and publicized among all directors, either orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice-messaging system or other system designed to record and communicate messages, facsimile, telegraph or telex, or by electronic mail or other electronic means. No further notice shall be required for regular meetings of the Board of Directors.
(b) Special Meetings.Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time and place within or without the State of Delaware whenever called by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or a majority of the authorized number of directors.
(c) Meetings by Electronic Communications Equipment.Any member of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
(d) Notice of Special Meetings.Notice of the time and place of all special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice messaging system or other system or technology designed to record and communicate messages, facsimile, telegraph or telex, or by electronic mail or other electronic means, during normal business hours, at least twenty-four (24) hours before the date and time of the meeting. If notice is sent by US mail, it shall be sent by first class mail, charges prepaid, at least three (3) days before the date of the meeting. Notice of any meeting may be waived in writing, or by electronic transmission, at any time before or after the meeting and will be waived by any director by attendance thereat, except when the director attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.
(e) Waiver of Notice.The transaction of all business at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, however called or noticed, or wherever held, shall be as valid as though had at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum be present and if, either before or after the meeting, each of the directors not present who did not receive notice shall sign a written waiver of notice or shall waive notice by electronic transmission. All such waivers shall be filed with the corporate records or made a part of the minutes of the meeting.
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Section 22. Quorum And Voting.
(a) Unless the Certificate of Incorporation requires a greater number, and except with respect to questions related to indemnification arising under Section 43 for which a quorum shall be one-third of the exact number of directors fixed from time to time, a quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of a majority of the exact number of directors fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation;provided, however, at any meeting whether a quorum be present or otherwise, a majority of the directors present may adjourn from time to time until the time fixed for the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors, without notice other than by announcement at the meeting.
(b) At each meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present, all questions and business shall be determined by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present, unless a different vote be required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.
Section 23. Action Without Meeting. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and such writing or writings or transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
Section 24. Fees And Compensation. Directors shall be entitled to such compensation for their services as may be approved by the Board of Directors, including, if so approved, by resolution of the Board of Directors, a fixed sum and expenses of attendance, if any, for attendance at each regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors and at any meeting of a committee of the Board of Directors. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any director from serving the corporation in any other capacity as an officer, agent, employee, or otherwise and receiving compensation therefor.
Section 25. Committees.
(a)Executive Committee. The Board of Directors may appoint an Executive Committee to consist of one (1) or more members of the Board of Directors. The Executive Committee, to the extent permitted by law and provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the corporation, and may authorize the seal of the corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to (i) approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopting, amending or repealing any Bylaw of the corporation.
(b)Other Committees. The Board of Directors may, from time to time, appoint such other committees as may be permitted by law. Such other committees appointed by the Board of Directors shall consist of one (1) or more members of the Board of Directors and shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed by the resolution or resolutions creating such committees, but in no event shall any such committee have the powers denied to the Executive Committee in these Bylaws.
(c) Term. The Board of Directors, subject to any requirements of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock and the provisions of subsections (a) or (b) of this Section 25, may at any time increase or decrease the number of members of a committee or terminate the existence of a committee. The membership of a committee member shall terminate on the date of his death or voluntary resignation from the committee or from the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may at any time for any reason remove any individual committee member and the Board of Directors may fill any committee vacancy created by death, resignation, removal or increase in the number of members of the committee. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or
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disqualified member at any meeting of the committee, and, in addition, in the absence or disqualification of any member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member.
(d)Meetings. Unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise provide, regular meetings of the Executive Committee or any other committee appointed pursuant to this Section 25 shall be held at such times and places as are determined by the Board of Directors, or by any such committee, and when notice thereof has been given to each member of such committee, no further notice of such regular meetings need be given thereafter. Special meetings of any such committee may be held at any place which has been determined from time to time by such committee, and may be called by any director who is a member of such committee, upon notice to the members of such committee of the time and place of such special meeting given in the manner provided for the giving of notice to members of the Board of Directors of the time and place of special meetings of the Board of Directors. Notice of any special meeting of any committee may be waived in writing at any time before or after the meeting and will be waived by any director by attendance thereat, except when the director attends such special meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors in the resolutions authorizing the creation of the committee, a majority of the authorized number of members of any such committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the act of a majority of those present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of such committee.
Section 26.Organization. At every meeting of the directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or, if a Chairman has not been appointed or is absent, the Chief Executive Officer (if a director), or, if a Chief Executive Officer is absent, the President (if a director), or if the President is absent, the most senior Vice President (if a director), or, in the absence of any such person, a chairman of the meeting chosen by a majority of the directors present, shall preside over the meeting. The Secretary, or in his absence, any Assistant Secretary or other officer or director directed to do so by the President, shall act as secretary of the meeting.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
Section 27. Officers Designated. The officers of the corporation shall include, if and when designated by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, one or more Vice Presidents, the Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer and the Treasurer. The Board of Directors may also appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers and such other officers and agents with such powers and duties as it shall deem necessary. The Board of Directors may assign such additional titles to one or more of the officers as it shall deem appropriate. Any one person may hold any number of offices of the corporation at any one time unless specifically prohibited therefrom by law. The salaries and other compensation of the officers of the corporation shall be fixed by or in the manner designated by the Board of Directors.
Section 28. Tenure And Duties Of Officers.
(a) General. All officers shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Directors and until their successors shall have been duly elected and qualified, unless sooner removed. Any officer elected or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the Board of Directors. If the office of any officer becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy may be filled by the Board of Directors.
(b) Duties of Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors, when present, shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers, as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time.
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(c) Duties of Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and at all meetings of the Board of Directors, unless the Chairman of the Board of Directors has been appointed and is present. Unless an officer has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the corporation, the President shall be the chief executive officer of the corporation and shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the corporation. To the extent that a Chief Executive Officer has been appointed and no President has been appointed, all references in these Bylaws to the President shall be deemed references to the Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers, as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time.
(d) Duties of President. The President shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and at all meetings of the Board of Directors, unless the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer has been appointed and is present. Unless another officer has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the corporation, the President shall be the chief executive officer of the corporation and shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the corporation.The President shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers, as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time.
(e) Duties of Vice Presidents. The Vice Presidents may assume and perform the duties of the President in the absence or disability of the President or whenever the office of President is vacant. The Vice Presidents shall perform other duties commonly incident to their office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer, or, if the Chief Executive Officer has not been appointed or is absent, the President shall designate from time to time.
(f) Duties of Secretary. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors and shall record all acts and proceedings thereof in the minute book of the corporation. The Secretary shall give notice in conformity with these Bylaws of all meetings of the stockholders and of all meetings of the Board of Directors and any committee thereof requiring notice. The Secretary shall perform all other duties provided for in these Bylaws and other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers, as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time. The President may direct any Assistant Secretary or other officer to assume and perform the duties of the Secretary in the absence or disability of the Secretary, and each Assistant Secretary shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.
(g) Duties of Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall keep or cause to be kept the books of account of the corporation in a thorough and proper manner and shall render statements of the financial affairs of the corporation in such form and as often as required by the Board of Directors or the President. The Chief Financial Officer, subject to the order of the Board of Directors, shall have the custody of all funds and securities of the corporation. The Chief Financial Officer shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time. To the extent that a Chief Financial Officer has been appointed and no Treasurer has been appointed, all references in these Bylaws to the Treasurer shall be deemed references to the Chief Financial Officer. The President may direct the Treasurer, if any, or any Assistant Treasurer, or the Controller or any Assistant Controller to assume and perform the duties of the Chief Financial Officer in the absence or disability of the Chief Financial Officer, and each Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer and each Controller and Assistant Controller shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.
(h)Duties of Treasurer. Unless another officer has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of the corporation, the Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the corporation and shall keep or cause to be kept the books of account of the corporation in a thorough and proper manner and shall render statements of
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the financial affairs of the corporation in such form and as often as required by the Board of Directors or the President, and, subject to the order of the Board of Directors, shall have the custody of all funds and securities of the corporation.The Treasurer shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.
Section 29.Delegation Of Authority. The Board of Directors may from time to time delegate the powers or duties of any officer to any other officer or agent, notwithstanding any provision hereof.
Section 30.Resignations. Any officer may resign at any time by giving notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Board of Directors or to the President or to the Secretary. Any such resignation shall be effective when received by the person or persons to whom such notice is given, unless a later time is specified therein, in which event the resignation shall become effective at such later time. Unless otherwise specified in such notice, the acceptance of any such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation shall be without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the corporation under any contract with the resigning officer.
Section 31.Removal.Any officer may be removed from office at any time, either with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors in office at the time, or by the unanimous written consent of the directors in office at the time, or by any committee or by the Chief Executive Officer or by other superior officers upon whom such power of removal may have been conferred by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VI
EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS AND VOTING OF SECURITIES
OWNED BY THE CORPORATION
Section 32.Execution Of Corporate Instruments. The Board of Directors may, in its discretion, determine the method and designate the signatory officer or officers, or other person or persons, to execute on behalf of the corporation any corporate instrument or document, or to sign on behalf of the corporation the corporate name without limitation, or to enter into contracts on behalf of the corporation, except where otherwise provided by law or these Bylaws, and such execution or signature shall be binding upon the corporation.
All checks and drafts drawn on banks or other depositaries on funds to the credit of the corporation or in special accounts of the corporation shall be signed by such person or persons as the Board of Directors shall authorize so to do.
Unless authorized or ratified by the Board of Directors or within the agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.
Section 33.Voting Of Securities Owned By The Corporation. All stock and other securities of other corporations owned or held by the corporation for itself, or for other parties in any capacity, shall be voted, and all proxies with respect thereto shall be executed, by the person authorized so to do by resolution of the Board of Directors, or, in the absence of such authorization, by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or any Vice President.
ARTICLE VII
SHARES OF STOCK
Section 34.Form And Execution Of Certificates. The shares of the corporation shall be represented by certificates, or shall be uncertificated. Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, shall be in such form as is consistent with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of stock represented by
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certificate in the corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by or in the name of the corporation by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or the President or any Vice President and by the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or Assistant Secretary, certifying the number of shares owned by him in the corporation. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be facsimiles. In case any officer, transfer agent, or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent, or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if he were such officer, transfer agent, or registrar at the date of issue.
Section 35.Lost Certificates. A new certificate or certificates shall be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen, or destroyed. The corporation may require, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, the owner of such lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate or certificates, or the owner’s legal representative, to agree to indemnify the corporation in such manner as it shall require or to give the corporation a surety bond in such form and amount as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed.
Section 36. Transfers.
(a) Transfers of record of shares of stock of the corporation shall be made only upon its books by the holders thereof, in person or by attorney duly authorized, and, in the case of stock represented by certificate, upon the surrender of a properly endorsed certificate or certificates for a like number of shares.
(b) The corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes of stock of the corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.
Section 37. Fixing Record Dates.
(a) In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall, subject to applicable law, not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting;provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
(b) In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.
Section 38. Registered Stockholders. The corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of Delaware.
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ARTICLE VIII
OTHER SECURITIES OF THE CORPORATION
Section 39.Execution Of Other Securities. All bonds, debentures and other corporate securities of the corporation, other than stock certificates (covered in Section 34), may be signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President or any Vice President, or such other person as may be authorized by the Board of Directors, and the corporate seal impressed thereon or a facsimile of such seal imprinted thereon and attested by the signature of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or the Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer;provided, however, that where any such bond, debenture or other corporate security shall be authenticated by the manual signature, or where permissible facsimile signature, of a trustee under an indenture pursuant to which such bond, debenture or other corporate security shall be issued, the signatures of the persons signing and attesting the corporate seal on such bond, debenture or other corporate security may be the imprinted facsimile of the signatures of such persons. Interest coupons appertaining to any such bond, debenture or other corporate security, authenticated by a trustee as aforesaid, shall be signed by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of the corporation or such other person as may be authorized by the Board of Directors, or bear imprinted thereon the facsimile signature of such person. In case any officer who shall have signed or attested any bond, debenture or other corporate security, or whose facsimile signature shall appear thereon or on any such interest coupon, shall have ceased to be such officer before the bond, debenture or other corporate security so signed or attested shall have been delivered, such bond, debenture or other corporate security nevertheless may be adopted by the corporation and issued and delivered as though the person who signed the same or whose facsimile signature shall have been used thereon had not ceased to be such officer of the corporation.
ARTICLE IX
DIVIDENDS
Section 40.Declaration Of Dividends. Dividends upon the capital stock of the corporation, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors pursuant to law at any regular or special meeting. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law.
Section 41.Dividend Reserve. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board of Directors from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the corporation, or for such other purpose as the Board of Directors shall think conducive to the interests of the corporation, and the Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.
ARTICLE X
FISCAL YEAR
Section 42.Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.
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ARTICLE XI
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 43. Indemnification Of Directors, Officers, Employees And Other Agents.
(a)Directors.The corporation shall indemnify its directors to the fullest extent not prohibited by the DGCL or any other applicable law;provided, that the corporation may enter into individual contracts with its directors and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, provide for additional contractual indemnification rights; and,provided, further, that the corporation shall not be required to indemnify any director in connection with any proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless (i) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (ii) the proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors of the corporation, (iii) such indemnification is provided by the corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the corporation under the DGCL or any other applicable law or (iv) such indemnification is required to be made under subsection (d).
(b)Officers, Employees and Other Agents. The corporation shall have power to indemnify its officers, employees and other agents as set forth in the DGCL or any other applicable law. The Board of Directors shall have the power to delegate the determination of whether indemnification shall be given to any such person, to such officers or other persons as the Board of Directors shall determine.
(c)Expenses. The corporation shall advance to any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director or executive officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, prior to the final disposition of the proceeding, promptly following request therefor, all expenses incurred by any director in connection with such proceeding provided, however, that if the DGCL requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by a director in his or her capacity as a director (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter an “undertaking”), by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter a “final adjudication”) that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this section or otherwise.
(d)Enforcement.Without the necessity of entering into an express contract, all rights to indemnification and advances to directors under this Bylaw shall be deemed to be contractual rights and be effective to the same extent and as if provided for in a contract between the corporation and the director. Any right to indemnification or advances granted by this section to a director shall be enforceable by or on behalf of the person holding such right in any court of competent jurisdiction if (i) the claim for indemnification or advances is denied, in whole or in part, or (ii) no disposition of such claim is made within ninety (90) days of request therefor. The claimant in such enforcement action, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting the claim. In connection with any claim for indemnification, the corporation shall be entitled to raise as a defense to any such action that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct that make it permissible under the DGCL or any other applicable law for the corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed. Neither the failure of the corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL or any other applicable law, nor an actual determination by the corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(e)Non-Exclusivity of Rights.The rights conferred on any person by this Bylaw shall not be exclusive of any other right which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any applicable statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or
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otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding office. The corporation is specifically authorized to enter into individual contracts with any or all of its directors, officers, employees or agents respecting indemnification and advances, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the DGCL, or by any other applicable law.
(f)Survival of Rights.The rights conferred on any person by this Bylaw shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
(g)Insurance.To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL or any other applicable law, the corporation, upon approval by the Board of Directors, may purchase insurance on behalf of any person required or permitted to be indemnified pursuant to this section.
(h)Amendments.Any repeal or modification of this section shall only be prospective and shall not affect the rights under this Bylaw in effect at the time of the alleged occurrence of any action or omission to act that is the cause of any proceeding against any agent of the corporation.
(i) Saving Clause. If this Bylaw or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each director to the full extent not prohibited by any applicable portion of this section that shall not have been invalidated, or by any other applicable law. If this section shall be invalid due to the application of the indemnification provisions of another jurisdiction, then the corporation shall indemnify each director to the full extent under any other applicable law.
(j)Certain Definitions.For the purposes of this Bylaw, the following definitions shall apply:
(i) The term “proceeding” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, the investigation, preparation, prosecution, defense, settlement, arbitration and appeal of, and the giving of testimony in, any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative.
(ii) The term “expenses” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, court costs, attorneys’ fees, witness fees, fines, amounts paid in settlement or judgment and any other costs and expenses of any nature or kind incurred in connection with any proceeding.
(iii) The term the “corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this section with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(iv) References to a “director,” “executive officer,” “officer,” “employee,” or “agent” of the corporation shall include, without limitation, situations where such person is serving at the request of the corporation as, respectively, a director, executive officer, officer, employee, trustee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.
(v) References to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the corporation” as referred to in this section.
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ARTICLE XII
NOTICES
Section 44. Notices.
(a)Notice to Stockholders.Written notice to stockholders of stockholder meetings shall be given as provided in Section 7 herein. Without limiting the manner by which notice may otherwise be given effectively to stockholders under any agreement or contract with such stockholder, and except as otherwise required by law, written notice to stockholders for purposes other than stockholder meetings may be sent by US mail or nationally recognized overnight courier, or by facsimile, telegraph or telex or by electronic mail or other electronic means.
(b)Notice to Directors.Any notice required to be given to any director may be given by the method stated in subsection (a), as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, or by overnight delivery service, facsimile, telex or telegram, except that such notice other than one which is delivered personally shall be sent to such address as such director shall have filed in writing with the Secretary, or, in the absence of such filing, to the last known post office address of such director.
(c)Affidavit of Mailing.An affidavit of mailing, executed by a duly authorized and competent employee of the corporation or its transfer agent appointed with respect to the class of stock affected, or other agent, specifying the name and address or the names and addresses of the stockholder or stockholders, or director or directors, to whom any such notice or notices was or were given, and the time and method of giving the same, shall in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts therein contained.
(d)Methods of Notice.It shall not be necessary that the same method of giving notice be employed in respect of all recipients of notice, but one permissible method may be employed in respect of any one or more, and any other permissible method or methods may be employed in respect of any other or others.
(e)Notice to Person with Whom Communication Is Unlawful.Whenever notice is required to be given, under any provision of law or of the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the corporation, to any person with whom communication is unlawful, the giving of such notice to such person shall not be required and there shall be no duty to apply to any governmental authority or agency for a license or permit to give such notice to such person. Any action or meeting which shall be taken or held without notice to any such person with whom communication is unlawful shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly given. In the event that the action taken by the corporation is such as to require the filing of a certificate under any provision of the DGCL, the certificate shall state, if such is the fact and if notice is required, that notice was given to all persons entitled to receive notice except such persons with whom communication is unlawful.
(f)Notice to Stockholders Sharing an Address.Except as otherwise prohibited under DGCL, any notice given under the provisions of DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws shall be effective if given by a single written notice to stockholders who share an address if consented to by the stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given. Such consent shall have been deemed to have been given if such stockholder fails to object in writing to the corporation within sixty (60) days of having been given notice by the corporation of its intention to send the single notice. Any consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the corporation.
ARTICLE XIII
AMENDMENTS
Section 45. Subject to the limitations set forth in Section 43(h) of these Bylaws or the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the corporation. Any adoption, amendment or repeal of the Bylaws of the corporation by the Board of Directors shall require the approval of a majority of the directors. The stockholders also shall have power to
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adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the corporation; provided, however, that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the corporation required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, such action by stockholders shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.
ARTICLE XIV
LOANS TO OFFICERS
Section 46.Loans To Officers. Except as otherwise prohibited by applicable law, the corporation may lend money to, or guarantee any obligation of, or otherwise assist any officer or other employee of the corporation or of its subsidiaries, including any officer or employee who is a director of the corporation or its subsidiaries, whenever, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, such loan, guarantee or assistance may reasonably be expected to benefit the corporation. The loan, guarantee or other assistance may be with or without interest and may be unsecured, or secured in such manner as the Board of Directors shall approve, including, without limitation, a pledge of shares of stock of the corporation. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to deny, limit or restrict the powers of guaranty or warranty of the corporation at common law or under any statute.
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c/o Corporate Election Services P. O. Box 3230 Pittsburgh, PA 15230-3230
VOTE BY TELEPHONE
Have your proxy card available when you call Toll-Free 1-888-693-8683 using a touch-tone phone and follow the simple instructions to record your vote.
VOTE BY INTERNET
Have your proxy card available when you access the website www.cesvote.com and
follow the simple instructions to record your vote.
VOTE BY MAIL
Please mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope provided or return it to: Corporate Election Services, P.O. Box 3230, Pittsburgh, PA 15230-3230.
Vote by Telephone
Call Toll- Free using a touch-tone telephone:
1-888-693-8683
Vote by Internet
Access the Website and cast your vote: www.cesvote.com
Vote by Mail
Return your proxy in the postage-paid envelope provided
Vote 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
Internet and telephone voting facilities will close at 6 a.m. Pacific Time on February 13, 2009. If you vote over the Internet or by telephone, you DO NOT need to return your proxy card.
Proxy card must be signed and dated below.
Please fold and detach card at perforation before mailing.
PROXY FOR SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON FEBRUARY 13, 2009
The undersigned shareholder of Quest Software, Inc. (“Quest”), hereby acknowledges receipt of the Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders and Proxy Statement with respect to the Special Meeting of Shareholders of Quest Software, Inc. to be held at
Quest’s principal executive offices located at 5 Polaris Way, Aliso Viejo, California 92656 on February 13, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. local time, and hereby appoints Vincent C. Smith, Douglas F. Garn and Scott J. Davidson, and each of them, proxies and attorneys-in-fact, each with power of substitution and revocation, and each with all powers that the undersigned would possess if personally present, to vote Quest’s Common Stock which the undersigned is entitled to vote at such meeting and any adjournments of such meeting, as set forth below.
THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED AS SPECIFIED OR, IF NO CHOICE IS SPECIFIED, FOR PROPOSALS 1 AND 2.
Dated: , 2009
Signature of Shareholder
Signature of Shareholder (if held jointly)
Note: Please sign exactly as your name or names appear(s) on
this Proxy. When shares are held jointly, each holder should sign.
When signing as executor, administrator, attorney, trustee or
guardian, please give full title as such. If the signer is a
corporation, please sign full corporate name by duly authorized
officer, giving full title as such . If signer is a partnership, please
sign in partnership name by authorized person.
(Continued on the reverse side)
UNLESS YOU HAVE VOTED BY TELEPHONE OR ON THE INTERNET, PLEASE VOTE, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THIS CARD PROMPTLY, USING THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.
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Proxy card must be signed and dated below.
Please fold and detach card at perforation before mailing.
THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED.
Our Board of Directors recommends that you vote your shares FOR proposals 1 and 2.
QUEST SOFTWARE, INC. PROXY
1. To approve the principal terms of a certain Agreement and Plan
of Merger between Quest Software, Inc. (the “Company”) and
a wholly-owned Delaware subsidiary of the Company by which
we will effect the reincorporation of the Company from
California to Delaware.
2. To consider and vote upon a proposal to approve, if necessary,
adjournment or postponement of the Special Meeting to solicit
additional proxies.
FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN
FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN
(Continued and to be signed on the reverse side)