least equal to the higher of the following, appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, split-up or combination of shares:
(a) (if applicable) the highest per share price (including any brokerage commissions, transfer taxes and soliciting dealers’ fees) paid by the Interested Stockholder for any shares of Common Stock acquired by it (1) within the two-year period immediately prior to the first public announcement of the proposal of the Business Combination (the “Announcement Date”) or (2) in the transaction in which it became an Interested Stockholder, whichever is higher; and
(b) the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the Announcement Date or on the date on which the Interested Stockholder became an Interested Stockholder (such latter date is referred to in this Article TENTH as the “Determination Date”), whichever is higher.
(ii) The aggregate amount of the cash and the Fair Market Value as of the date of the consummation of the Business Combination of consideration other than cash to be received per share by holders of shares of any other class of outstanding Voting Stock shall be at least equal to the highest of the following, appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, split-up or combination of shares (it being intended that the requirements of this paragraph B (II) shall be required to be met with respect to every class of outstanding Voting Stock, whether or not the Interested Stockholder has previously acquired any shares of a particular class of Voting Stock):
(a) (if applicable) the highest per share price (including any brokerage commission, transfer taxes and soliciting dealers’ fees) paid by the Interested Stockholder for any shares of such class of Voting Stock acquired by it (1) within the two-year period immediately prior to the Announcement Date of (2) in the transaction in which it became an Interested Stockholder, whichever is higher;
(b) (if applicable) the highest preferential amount per share to which the holders of shares of such class of Voting Stock are entitled in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation; and
(c) the Fair Market Value per share of such class of Voting Stock on the Announcement Date or on the Determination Date, whichever is higher.
(iii) The consideration to be received by holders of a particular class of outstanding Voting Stock (including Common Stock) shall be in cash or in the same form as the Interested Stockholder has previously paid for shares of such class of Voting Stock. If the Interested Stockholder has paid for shares of any class of Voting Stock with varying forms of consideration, the form of consideration for such class of Voting Stock shall be either cash or the form used to acquire the largest number of shares of such class of Voting Stock previously acquired by it.
(iv) After such Interested Stockholder has become an Interested Stockholder and prior to the consummation of such Business Combination: (a) except as approved by a majority of the Disinterested Directors, there shall have been no failure to declare and pay at the regular date therefor any full quarterly dividends (whether or not cumulative) on the outstanding Preferred or Preference Stock; (b) there shall have been (1) no reduction in the annual rate of dividends paid on the Common Stock (except as necessary to reflect any subdivision of the Common Stock),
except as approved by a majority of the Disinterested Directors, and (2) an increase in such annual rate of dividends as necessary to reflect any reclassification (including any reverse stock split) recapitalization, reorganization or any similar transaction which has the effect of reducing the number of outstanding shares of the Common Stock, unless the failure so to increase such annual rate is approved by a majority of the Disinterested Directors; and (c) such Interested Stockholder shall have not become the beneficial owner of any additional shares of Voting Stock except as part of the transaction which results in such Interested Stockholder becoming an Interested Stockholder.
(v) After such Interested Stockholder has become an Interested Stockholder, such Interested Stockholder shall not have received the benefit, directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial assistance or any tax credits or other tax advantages provided by the Corporation, whether in anticipation of or in connection with such Business Combination or otherwise.
(vi) A proxy or information statement describing the proposed Business Combination and complying with the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations thereunder (or any subsequent provisions replacing such Act, rules or regulations) shall be mailed to public stockholders of the Corporation at least 30 days prior to the consummation of such Business Combination (whether or not such proxy or information statement is required to be mailed pursuant to such Act or subsequent provisions).
Section 3. Certain Definitions
For the purposes of this Article TENTH:
A. A “person” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other entity.
B. “Interested Stockholder” shall mean any person (other than the Corporation or any Subsidiary) who or which:
(i) is the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 20% of the voting power of the outstanding Voting Stock; or
(ii) is an Affiliate of the Corporation and at any time within the two-year period immediately prior to the date in question was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 20% or more of the voting power of the then outstanding Voting Stock; or
(iii) is an assignee of or has otherwise succeeded to any shares of Voting Stock which were at any time within the two-year period immediately prior to the date in question beneficially owned by any Interested Stockholder, if such assignment or succession shall have occurred in the course of a transaction or series of transactions not involving a public offering within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933.
C. A person shall be a “beneficial owner” of any Voting Stock:
(i) which such person or any of its Affiliates or Associates (as hereinafter defined) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly; or
(ii) which such person or any of its Affiliates or Associates has (a) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options, or otherwise, or (b) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other person with which such person or any of its Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of any shares of Voting Stock.
D. For the purposes of determining whether a person is an Interested Stockholder pursuant to paragraph B of this Section 3, the number of shares of Voting Stock deemed to be outstanding shall include shares deemed owned through application of paragraph C of this Section 3 but shall not include any other shares of Voting Stock which may be issuable to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon exercise of conversion rights, warrants or options, or otherwise.
E. “Affiliate” or “Associate” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as in effect on May 3, 1984.
F. “Subsidiary” means any corporation of which a majority of any class of equity security is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation; provided, however, that for the purposes of the definition of Interested Stockholder set forth in paragraph B of this Section 3, the term “Subsidiary” shall mean only a corporation of which a majority of each class of equity security is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation.
G. “Disinterested Director” means any member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) who is unaffiliated with the Interested Stockholder and was a member of the Board prior to the time that the Interested Stockholder became an Interested Stockholder, and any successor of a Disinterested Director who is unaffiliated with the Interested Stockholder and is recommended to succeed a Disinterested Director by a majority of Disinterested Directors then on the Board.
H. “Fair Market Value” means: (i) in the case of stock, the highest closing sale price during the 30-day period immediately preceding the date in question of a share of such stock on the Composite Tape for New York Stock Exchange Listed Stocks, or, if such stock is not quoted on the Composite Tape, on the New York Stock Exchange, or, if such Stock is not listed on such Exchange, on the principal United States securities exchange registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on which such stock is listed, or, if such stock is not listed on any such exchange, the highest closing bid quotation with respect to a share of such stock during the 30-day period preceding the date in question on the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System or any system then in use, or if no such quotations are available, the fair market value on the date in question of a share of such stock as determined by the Board in good faith; and (ii) in the case of property other than cash or stock, the fair market value of such property on the date in question as determined by the Board in good faith.
I. In the event of any Business Combination in which the Corporation survives, the phrase “other consideration to be received” as used in paragraphs B (i) and (ii) of Section 2 of this Article TENTH shall include the shares of Common Stock and/or the shares of any other class of outstanding Voting Stock retained by the holders of such shares.
Section 4. Powers of the Board of Directors.
A majority of the directors of the Corporation shall have the power and duty to determine for the purposes of this Article TENTH, on the basis of information known to them after reasonable inquiry, (A) whether a person is an Interested Stockholder, (B) the number of shares of Voting Stock beneficially owned by any person, (C) whether a person is an Affiliate or Associate of another, (D) whether the assets which are the subject of any Business Combination have, or the consideration to be received for the issuance or transfer of securities by the Corporation or any Subsidiary in any Business Combination have, or the consideration to be received for the issuance or transfer of securities by the Corporation or any Subsidiary in any Business Combination has, an aggregate Fair Market Value of $50,000,000 or more.
Section 5. No Effect on Fiduciary Obligations of Interested Stockholders.
Nothing contained in this Article TENTH shall be construed to relieve any Interested Stockholder from any fiduciary obligation imposed by law.
Section 6. Amendment, Repeal, etc.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the By-Laws of the Corporation (and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, this Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the By-Laws of the Corporation), the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all the Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal, or adopt any provisions inconsistent with this Article TENTH.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate of Amendment to be signed by its duly authorized officer this 9th day of May, 2011.
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| PITNEY BOWES INC. |
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| By: | /s/ Amy Corn |
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| | Name: | Amy Corn |
| | Title: | Vice President, Secretary and Chief Governance Officer |