Item 5.03 Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.
(a) Amendment of Articles of Incorporation to Effect Reverse Stock Split
On March 11, 2020, Aptevo Therapeutics Inc. (the “Company”) held a Special Meeting of Stockholders (the “Special Meeting”) at which the Company’s stockholders approved a series of alternate amendments to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to effect, at the option of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), a reverse split of the Company’s common stock at a ratio ranging from1-for-2 to1-for-20, inclusive, with the effectiveness of one of such amendments and the abandonment of the other amendments, or the abandonment of all amendments, to be determined by the Board in its sole discretion following the Special Meeting. The specific1-for-14 reverse split ratio was subsequently approved by the Board on March 23, 2020
On March 26, 2020, the Company filed a Certificate of Amendment of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Amendment”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to effect a1-for-14 reverse stock split of the Company’s outstanding common stock. The Amendment was effective at 5:01 p.m. Eastern Time on March 26, 2020 (the “Effective Time”).
The Amendment provides that, at the Effective Time, every 14 shares of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock was automatically combined into one issued and outstanding share of common stock, without any change in par value per share. As a result of the reverse stock split, proportionate adjustments will be made to the per share exercise price and/or the number of shares issuable upon the exercise or vesting of all then outstanding stock options, restricted stock units and warrants, which will result in a proportional decrease in the number of shares of the Company’s common stock reserved for issuance upon exercise or vesting of such stock options, restricted stock units and warrants, and, in the case of stock options and warrants, a proportional increase in the exercise price of all such stock options and warrants. In addition, the number of shares reserved for issuance under the Company’s equity compensation plans immediately prior to the Effective Time will be reduced proportionately.
No fractional shares will be issued as a result of the reverse stock split. Stockholders of record who would otherwise be entitled to receive a fractional share will receive a cash payment in lieu thereof. The reverse stock split will affect all stockholders proportionately and will not affect any stockholder’s percentage ownership of the Company’s common stock (except to the extent that the reverse stock split results in any stockholder owning only a fractional share).
The Company’s common stock will begin trading on The Nasdaq Capital Market on a split-adjusted basis when the market opens on March 27, 2020. The new CUSIP number for the Company’s common stock following the reverse stock split is 03835L207.
The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by the Amendment, which is attached as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this report on Form8-K that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such statements include statements about the reverse stock split and can be identified by using the word “will”. For such statements, the Company claims the protection of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual events or results may differ materially from the Company’s expectations. Factors that could cause actual
