Attached files
| file | filename |
|---|---|
| 10-K - 10-K - Foundation Building Materials, Inc. | fbm-123119x10k.htm |
| EX-32.1 - EXHIBIT 32.1 - Foundation Building Materials, Inc. | fbm-123119xex321.htm |
| EX-31.2 - EXHIBIT 31.2 - Foundation Building Materials, Inc. | fbm-123119xex312.htm |
| EX-31.1 - EXHIBIT 31.1 - Foundation Building Materials, Inc. | fbm-123119xex311.htm |
| EX-23.1 - EXHIBIT 23.1 - Foundation Building Materials, Inc. | fbm-123119xex231.htm |
| EX-21.1 - EXHIBIT 21.1 - Foundation Building Materials, Inc. | fbm-123119xex211.htm |
Exhibit 4.2
DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES
REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
As of December 31, 2019, Foundation Building Materials, Inc. had one class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act: its common stock, par value 0.001 per share. References herein to “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Foundation Building Materials, Inc.
The following is a summary of characteristics of our capital stock, as set forth in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, or our Charter, and our amended and restated bylaws, as amended, or our Bylaws. The summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our Charter and Bylaws, copies of which have been filed as exhibits to our Annual Report on Form 10-K of which this Exhibit is a part. We encourage you to read our Charter and Bylaws and the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or the DGCL, for additional information.
General
Our authorized capital stock consists of 190,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share.
Common Stock
Our Charter authorizes the issuance of up to 190,000,000 shares of common stock. All outstanding shares of our common stock are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders and our Charter does not provide for cumulative voting in the election of directors. Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding series of preferred stock, the holders of our common stock will receive ratably any dividends declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of or provision for any liabilities, subject to prior distribution rights of preferred stock, if any, then outstanding.
Preferred Stock
Our Charter provides that our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock. Our board of directors may issue preferred stock in one or more series and determine the rights, preferences, privileges, qualifications and restrictions granted to or imposed upon our preferred stock, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption, liquidation preferences and sinking fund terms, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of our common stock. Issuances of preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power of holders of our common stock and reduce the likelihood that holders of our common stock will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation. Any issuance of preferred stock could also have the effect of decreasing the market price of our common stock and could delay, deter or prevent a change in control of our company. Our board of directors does not presently have any plans to issue shares of preferred stock.
Limitations on Directors’ Liability
Our governing documents limit the liability of, and require us to indemnify, our directors to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. The DGCL permits a corporation to limit or eliminate a director’s personal liability to the corporation or the holders of its capital stock for breach of fiduciary duty. This limitation is generally unavailable for acts or omissions by a director which (i) were not in good faith, (ii) were the result of intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) the director derived an improper personal benefit from (such as a financial profit or other advantage to which the director was not legally entitled) or (iv) breached the director’s duty of loyalty. The DGCL also prohibits limitations on director liability under Section 174 of the DGCL, which relates to certain unlawful dividend declarations and stock repurchases.
We maintain insurance that insures our directors and officers against certain losses and which insures us against our obligations to indemnify the directors and officers. We have also entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers.
Delaware Takeover Statute
Under our Charter, we have opted out of the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL regulating corporate takeovers. This section prevents certain Delaware corporations, under certain circumstances, from engaging in a "business combination" with a stockholder who owns 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock, or an "interested stockholder", an affiliate of an interested stockholder or an associate of an interested stockholder, in each case for three years following the date that the stockholder became an interested stockholder.
Provisions of Our Charter and Bylaws and Delaware Law That May Have an Anti-Takeover Effect
Provisions of the DGCL and our Charter and Bylaws could make it more difficult to acquire our company by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise, or to remove incumbent officers and directors. These provisions, summarized below, are intended to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors. We believe that the benefits of these provisions outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging certain takeover or acquisition proposals because, among other things, negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms and enhance the ability of our board of directors to maximize stockholder value. However, these provisions may delay, deter or prevent a merger or acquisition of us that a stockholder might consider is in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the prevailing market price of our common stock.
Requirements for Advance Notification of Stockholder Meetings, Nominations and Proposals
Our Bylaws provide that special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by or at the direction of the board of directors, the chairman of our board or the chief executive officer with the concurrence of a majority of the board of directors. Our Bylaws prohibit the conduct of any business at a special meeting other than as specified in the notice for such meeting. These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying or discouraging hostile takeovers, or changes in control or management of our company.
Our Bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors. In order for any matter to be "properly brought" before a meeting, a stockholder must comply with advance notice procedures and provide us with certain information. Our Bylaws allow the presiding officer at a meeting of the stockholders to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings which may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if such rules and regulations are not followed. These provisions may also defer, delay or discourage a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer's own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to influence or obtain control of our company.
Supermajority Voting for Amendments to Our Governing Documents
Any amendment to our Charter requires the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all shares of our common stock then outstanding. Our Charter provides that the board of directors is expressly authorized to adopt, amend or repeal our Bylaws and that our stockholders may amend our Bylaws only with the approval of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all shares of our common stock then outstanding.
No Cumulative Voting
The DGCL provides that a stockholder’s right to vote cumulatively in the election of directors does not exist unless the certificate of incorporation specifically provides otherwise. Our Charter does not provide for cumulative voting.
Classified Board of Directors
Our Charter provides that our board of directors is divided into three classes of directors, with the classes to be as nearly equal in number as possible. The members of each class serve for a three-year term. Beginning with the 2021 annual meeting of stockholders, directors of each class the term of which will then expire will be elected to hold office for a one-year term. The classification of directors has the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of our board of directors. Our Charter provides that the number of directors will be fixed from time to time pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board of directors, but must consist of not less than one or more than 15 directors.
Removal of Directors; Vacancies
Our Charter and Bylaws provide that (i) prior to the date on which Lone Star Fund IX (U.S.) L.P. and its affiliates, or collectively, Lone Star, cease to beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, directors may be removed with or without cause upon the affirmative vote of holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all then-outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, and (ii) on and after the date Lone Star ceases to beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, directors may be removed only for cause and only upon the affirmative vote of holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all then-outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class. In addition, our Charter and Bylaws provide that any newly created directorships and any vacancies on our board of directors will be filled only by the affirmative vote of the majority of remaining directors.
Stockholder Action by Written Consent
The DGCL permits any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders to be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of stock entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our Charter and Bylaws preclude stockholder action by written consent after the date on which Lone Star ceases to beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.
Authorized but Unissued Shares
Our authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock are available for future issuance without stockholder approval. The DGCL does not require stockholder approval for any issuance of authorized shares. However, the New York Stock Exchange listing requirements require stockholder approval of certain issuances equal to or exceeding 20% of the then-outstanding voting power or the then-outstanding number of shares of common stock. No assurances can be given that our shares will remain so listed. We may use additional shares for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings to raise additional capital, corporate acquisitions and employee benefit plans. As discussed above, our board of directors has the ability to issue preferred stock with voting rights or other preferences, without stockholder approval. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of our company by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
The DGCL authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of officers and directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors’ fiduciary duties. Our Charter and Bylaws include provisions that eliminate, to the extent allowable under the DGCL, the personal liability of officers and directors for monetary damages for actions taken as a director or officer, as the case may be. Our Charter and Bylaws also provide that we must indemnify and advance reasonable expenses to our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL.
The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in our Charter and Bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against officers and directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions may also have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit our company and our stockholders. In addition, investment in our common stock may be adversely affected to the extent that, in a class action or direct suit, we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
Exclusive Forum Clause
Our Charter provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the sole and exclusive forum for any stockholder (including any beneficial owner) to bring (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, or employees to us or to our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our Charter or Bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, will 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 district court for the District of Delaware); in all cases subject to such court having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock is deemed to have notice of and consented to the foregoing provisions.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The Transfer Agent and Registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
Listing
Our common stock is listed on the NYSE under the symbol "FBM."