Exhibit 3.1
FORM OF
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
GXO LOGISTICS, INC.
GXO LOGISTICS, INC., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, pursuant to Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as it may be amended and supplemented (the “DGCL”), hereby certifies as follows:
1.The name of this corporation is: GXO Logistics, Inc.
2.The original Certificate of Incorporation was filed with the Secretary of the State of Delaware on February 16, 2021 under the name “XPO Holdings, Inc.” A Certificate of Amendment to the original Certificate of Incorporation and a Restated Certificate of Incorporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on March 17, 2021 (the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, the “Certificate of Incorporation”).
3.This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the DGCL and by the written consent of its sole stockholder in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL, and is to become effective as of 11:59 PM, Eastern Time, on [•], 2021.
4.This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation amends and restates the Certificate of Incorporation to read in its entirety as follows:
ARTICLE I
NAME OF CORPORATION
The name of the corporation is GXO Logistics, Inc. (the “Corporation”).
ARTICLE II
REGISTERED OFFICE; REGISTERED AGENT
The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 9 E. Loockerman Street, Suite 311 in the City of Dover, County of Kent, State of Delaware, 19901. The name of the Corporation’s registered agent at such address is Registered Agent Solutions, Inc. The Corporation may have such other offices, either within or without the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) may designate or as the business of the Corporation may from time to time require.
ARTICLE III
PURPOSE
The nature of the business of the Corporation and its purpose is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized and incorporated under the DGCL.
ARTICLE IV
STOCK
Section 1. Authorized Stock. The total number of authorized shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be Three Hundred and Ten Million (310,000,000) shares, which shall be divided into two classes as follows: (a) Three Hundred Million (300,000,000) shares of common stock par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) and (b) Ten Million (10,000,000) shares of preferred stock par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Stock”).
Section 2. Common Stock.
(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, or by the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors designating the rights, powers and preferences of any series of Preferred Stock, the holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall have the right to vote on all matters, including the election of directors, to the exclusion of all other stockholders, and holders of Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to receive notice of any meeting of stockholders at which they are not entitled to vote (except where otherwise provided in the certificate of designations governing such series). Each holder of record of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock standing in the name of the stockholder on the books of the Corporation.
(b) Subject to any rights granted to holders of shares of any class or series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions in cash, property, stock or otherwise as may be declared thereon by the Board of Directors at any time and from time to time out of assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor and shall share equally on a per share basis in such dividends and distributions.
(c) In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, and subject to any rights granted to holders of shares of any class or series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive all of the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, ratably in proportion to the number of shares of Common Stock held by them.
Section 3. Preferred Stock. Shares of Preferred Stock may be authorized and issued in one or more series. The Board of Directors (or any committee to which it may duly delegate the authority granted in this Article IV) is hereby empowered, by resolution or resolutions, to authorize the issuance from time to time of shares of Preferred Stock in one or more series, for such consideration and for such corporate purposes as the Board of Directors (or such committee thereof) may from time to time determine, and by filing a certificate pursuant to applicable law of the State of Delaware as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended to establish from time to time for each such series the number of shares to be included in each such series and to fix the designations, powers, rights and preferences of the shares of each such series, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the laws of the State of Delaware, including, without limitation, voting rights (if any), dividend rights, dissolution rights, conversion rights, exchange rights and redemption rights thereof, as shall be stated and expressed in a resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors (or such committee thereof) providing for the issuance of such series of Preferred Stock. Each series of Preferred Stock shall be distinctly designated.
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The authority of the Board with respect to each series of Preferred Stock shall include, but not be limited to, determination of the following:
(a)the designation of the series, which may be by distinguishing number, letter or title;
(b)the number of shares of the series, which number the Board of Directors may thereafter (except where otherwise provided in the certificate of designations governing such series) increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding);
(c)the amounts payable on, and the preferences, if any, of shares of the series in respect of dividends, and whether such dividends, if any, shall be cumulative or noncumulative;
(d)the dates at which dividends, if any, shall be payable;
(e)the redemption rights and price or prices, if any, for shares of the series;
(f)the terms and amount of any sinking fund provided for purchase or redemption of shares of the series;
(g)the amounts payable on, and the preferences, if any, of shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation;
(h)whether the shares of the series shall be convertible into or exchangeable for shares of any other class or series, or any other security, of the Corporation or any other corporation, and, if so, the specification of such other class or series or such other security, the conversion or exchange price or prices or rate or rates, any adjustments thereof, the date or dates at which such shares shall be convertible or exchangeable and all other terms and conditions upon which such conversion or exchange may be made;
(i)the restrictions on the issuance of shares of the same series or of any other class or series; and
(j)the voting rights, if any, of the holders of shares of the series.
The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the person in whose name any share of its stock is registered as the owner thereof for all purposes and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to, or interest in, such share on the part of any other person, whether or not the Corporation shall have notice thereof, except as expressly provided by applicable law.
ARTICLE V
TERM
The term of existence of the Corporation shall be perpetual.
ARTICLE VI
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. Number of Directors. Subject to any rights of the holders of any class or series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors which shall constitute the Board of Directors shall be fixed from time to time in accordance with the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation (as amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Bylaws”).
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Section 2. Classification; Election of Directors. The directors of the Corporation shall be divided, with respect to the time for which they severally hold office, into three classes designated Class I, Class II and Class III. The initial assignment of directors to each such class shall be made by the Board of Directors. Each class shall consist, as nearly as possible, of one-third of the total number of such directors. Class I directors shall initially serve for a term expiring at the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders, Class II directors shall initially serve for a term expiring at the 2023 annual meeting of stockholders, and Class III directors shall initially serve for a term expiring at the 2024 annual meeting of stockholders. Directors of each class shall hold office until the annual meeting at which his or her term expires and until his or her successor shall be elected and qualified, or his or her death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office. At the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders, the directors whose terms expire at that meeting will be elected for a three-year term expiring at the 2025 annual meeting of stockholders and until their respective successors shall have been duly elected and qualified or until their earlier resignation or removal; at the 2023 and 2024 annual meetings of stockholders, the directors whose terms expire at such meetings shall be elected to hold office for a one-year term expiring, respectively, at the 2024 and 2025 annual meetings of stockholders and until their respective successors shall have been duly elected and qualified or until their earlier resignation or removal (for the avoidance of doubt, at the 2024 annual meeting the Class II directors shall be elected to hold office for a one-year term expiring at the 2025 annual meeting of stockholders); and at the 2025 annual meeting of stockholders and each annual meeting of stockholders thereafter, all directors shall be elected to hold office for a one-year term expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders and until their respective successors shall have been duly elected and qualified or until their earlier resignation or removal. Pursuant to such procedures, effective as of the conclusion of the 2025 annual meeting of stockholders (the “Declassification Time”), the Board will no longer be classified under Section 141(d) of the DGCL and directors shall no longer be divided into three classes. Prior to the Declassification Time, if the number of directors is changed, any newly created directorships or decrease in directorships shall be so apportioned among the classes as to make all classes as nearly equal in number as practicable, but in no case will a decrease in the number of directors shorten the term of any incumbent director. Unless and except to the extent that the Bylaws shall so require, the election of directors of the Corporation need not be by written ballot. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors shall be given in the manner and to the extent provided in the Bylaws.
Section 3. Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies. Subject to applicable law and the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, vacancies resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, or the sole remaining director and directors so chosen shall hold office until such director’s successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal as hereinafter provided. No decrease in the number of authorized directors constituting the total number of directors that the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
Section 4. Removal of Directors. Prior to the Declassification Time, any director, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed from office at any time but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally for the election of directors (the “Voting Stock”) at a meeting called for that purpose. From and after the Declassification Time, any director may be removed from office at any time with or without cause, but only by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Voting Stock at a meeting called for that purpose.
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Section 5. Rights of Holders of Preferred Stock. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article VI, whenever the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately or together by series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, filling of vacancies and other features of such directorship shall be governed by the rights of such Preferred Stock as set forth in the certificate of designations governing such series.
Section 6. No Cumulative Voting. Except as may otherwise be set forth in the resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors providing the issuance of a series of Preferred Stock, and then only with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, cumulative voting in the election of directors is specifically denied.
Section 7. Stockholder Nomination of Director Candidates. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of any stockholder proposals to be considered at an annual stockholder meeting shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws.
ARTICLE VII
STOCKHOLDER ACTION
Section 1. Special Meetings of Stockholders. Special meetings of the stockholders may only be called only by or at the direction of (1) the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or (2) the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of directors which the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies, and any power of stockholders to call a special meeting is specifically denied. At any special meeting of stockholders, only such business shall be conducted or considered as shall have been properly brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting.
Section 2. Stockholder Action by Written Consent. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at an annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.
ARTICLE VIII
DIRECTOR LIABILITY
To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, a director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable either to the Corporation or to any of its stockholders for monetary damages arising from a breach of fiduciary duty owed to the Corporation or its stockholders. Any amendment, modification or repeal of the foregoing sentence shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation hereunder in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such amendment, modification or repeal. If the DGCL hereafter is amended to further eliminate or limit the liability of a director, then a director of the Corporation, in addition to the circumstances in which a director is not personally liable as set forth in the preceding sentence, shall not be liable to the fullest extent permitted by the amended DGCL.
ARTICLE IX
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 1. In General. Each person who was or is a party or is otherwise threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter, a “Proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative is or was, at any time during which this Article
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IX is in effect (whether or not such person continues to serve in such capacity at the time any indemnification or advancement of expenses pursuant hereto is sought or at the time any Proceeding relating thereto exists or is brought), a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans maintained or sponsored by the Corporation (hereinafter, a “Covered Person”), shall be (and shall be deemed to have a contractual right to be) indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation (and any successor of the Corporation by merger or otherwise) to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended or modified from time to time (but, in the case of any such amendment or modification, only to the extent that such amendment or modification permits the Corporation to provide greater indemnification rights than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment or modification), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection with such Proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The termination of any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that the person’s conduct was unlawful. Such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation or ceased serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans maintained or sponsored by the Corporation, and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided that, except as provided in Section 3 of this Article IX, the Corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such Proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Advance of Expenses. To the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended or modified from time to time (but, in the case of any such amendment or modification, only to the extent that such amendment or modification permits the Corporation to provide greater rights to advancement of expenses than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment or modification), each Covered Person shall have (and shall be deemed to have a contractual right to have) the right, without the need for any action by the Board of Directors, to be paid by the Corporation (and any successor of the Corporation by merger or otherwise) the expenses incurred in connection with any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition, such advances to be paid by the Corporation within twenty (20) days after the receipt by the Corporation of a statement or statements from the claimant requesting such advance or advances from time to time; provided that if the DGCL requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not, except to the extent specifically required by applicable law, in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter, the “Undertaking”) by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right of appeal (a “final disposition”) that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Article IX or otherwise.
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Section 3 Right of Claimant to Bring Suit. If a claim for indemnification under this Article IX is not paid in full by the Corporation within thirty (30) days after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, or if a request for advancement of expenses under Section 2 of this Article IX is not paid in full by the Corporation within twenty (20) days after a statement pursuant to Section 2 of this Article IX and the required Undertaking, if any, have been received by the Corporation, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim for indemnification or request for advancement of expenses and, if successful, in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action that, under the DGCL, the claimant has not met the standard of conduct which makes it permissible for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed or that the claimant is not entitled to the requested advancement of expenses, but (except where the required Undertaking, if any, has not been tendered to the Corporation) the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Disinterested Directors (as defined in the Bylaws of the Corporation), Independent Counsel (as defined in the Bylaws of the Corporation) or 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 or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Disinterested Directors, Independent Counsel or stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
Section 4. Contract Rights; Amendment and Repeal; Non-Exclusivity of Rights.
(a) All of the rights conferred in this Article IX, as to indemnification, advancement of expenses and otherwise, shall be contract rights between the Corporation and each Covered Person to whom such rights are extended that vest at the commencement of such Covered Person’s service to or at the request of the Corporation and: (x) any amendment or modification of this Article IX that in any way diminishes or adversely affects any such rights shall be prospective only and shall not in any way diminish or adversely affect any such rights with respect to such person; and (y) all of such rights shall continue as to any such Covered Person who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation or ceased to serve at the Corporation’s request as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, as described herein, and shall inure to the benefit of such Covered Person’s heirs, executors and administrators.
(b) All of the rights conferred in this Article IX, as to indemnification, advancement of expenses and otherwise: (i) shall not be exclusive of any other rights to which any person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or Disinterested Directors or otherwise both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office; and (ii) cannot be terminated or impaired by the Corporation, the Board of Directors or the stockholders of the Corporation with respect to a person’s service prior to the date of such termination.
Section 5. Insurance; Other Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses.
(a) The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any current or former director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL.
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(b) The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board of Directors, grant rights to indemnification and rights to advancement of expenses incurred in connection with any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition, to any current or former officer, employee or agent of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
Section 6. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Article IX shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (1) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Article IX (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Article IX containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (2) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Article IX (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Article IX containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.
ARTICLE X
AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS
In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by law, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized and empowered to adopt, amend, alter, change or repeal the Bylaws by a majority vote at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors or by written consent, subject to the power of the stockholders of the Corporation to alter or repeal any Bylaws made by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENTS
The Corporation reserves the right at any time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, and any other provisions authorized by the laws of the State of Delaware at the time in force may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by law; and all rights, preferences and privileges of whatsoever nature conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons whomsoever by and pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article.
ARTICLE XII
EXCLUSIVE FORUM
Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for: (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation; (b) any action asserting a claim for or based on a breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director or officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or to the Corporation’s stockholders, including a claim alleging the aiding and abetting of such a breach of fiduciary duty; (c) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any current or former director or officer or other employee of the Corporation arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time); (d) any action asserting a claim related to or involving the Corporation that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine; or (e) any action asserting an “internal corporate claim” as that term is defined in Section 115 of the DGCL shall be a state court located within the State of Delaware (or, if no state court located within the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the federal court for the District of Delaware). Unless the Corporation
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consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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[Signature appears on next page]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has duly executed this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, this [•] day of [•], 2021.
GXO LOGISTICS, INC. | ||||||||
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Name: | ||||||||
Title: |
[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation]