EX-4.8 3 a-10312019xexx48.htm EXHIBIT 4.8
Exhibit 4.8
Description of the Registrant’s Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
As of October 31, 2019, Agilent Technologies, Inc. has Common Stock (as defined below) registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).
The following description of our Common Stock is a summary and does not purport to be complete. It is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) and our Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”), each of which are incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of which this Exhibit 4.8 is a part. We encourage you to read our Certificate of Incorporation, our Bylaws and the applicable provisions of Delaware General Corporation Law, for additional information.
Authorized Capital Shares
Our authorized capital shares consist of 2,000,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share (“Common Stock”), and 125,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share (“Preferred Stock”). The outstanding shares of our Common Stock are fully paid and nonassessable.
Voting Rights
The holders of Common Stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters to be voted upon by the stockholders. Our Common Stock does not have cumulative voting rights.
Dividend Rights
Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding Preferred Stock, the holders of Common Stock are entitled to receive ratably such dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the board of directors out of funds legally available for that purpose.
Liquidation Rights
In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the holders of Common Stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of liabilities, subject to prior distribution rights of Preferred Stock, if any, then outstanding.
Other Rights and Preferences
The holders of Common Stock have no preemptive or conversion rights or other subscription rights. There is no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the Common Stock.
Listing
The Common Stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “A.”

Anti-Takeover Effects of Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws and Delaware Law
Some provisions of Delaware law and our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws could make the following more difficult:

• | acquisition of us by means of a tender offer;

• | acquisition of us by means of a proxy contest or otherwise; or

• | removal of our incumbent officers and directors.

These provisions, summarized below, are expected to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board. We believe that the benefits of increased protection give us the potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure us and outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging such proposals because negotiation of such proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.
Election and Removal of Directors. Our board of directors is divided into three classes. The directors in each class will serve for a three-year term, one class being elected each year by our stockholders. This system of electing and removing directors may discourage a third party from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us because it generally makes it more difficult for stockholders to replace a majority of the directors.
Special Meetings. Under our Bylaws, only the board of directors and the chairman of the board may call special meetings of stockholders.
Advance Notice and Proxy Access. Our Bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors. Further, our Bylaws contain “proxy access” provisions, which permit an eligible stockholder or a group of up to 20 stockholders owning 3% or more of the Company’s outstanding shares of Common Stock continuously for at least three years to nominate and include in the Company’s proxy materials director nominees constituting up to the greater of (i) two individuals or (ii) 20% of the board; provided that the nominating stockholder(s) and nominee(s) satisfy the requirements described in the Bylaws. These provisions might preclude our stockholders from bringing matters before our annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at our annual meeting of stockholders if the proper procedures are not followed.
Delaware Anti-Takeover Law. We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, an anti-takeover law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a "business combination" with an "interested stockholder" for a period of three years following the date the person became an interested stockholder, unless the "business combination" or the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder is approved in a prescribed manner. Generally, a "business combination" includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Generally, an "interested stockholder" is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns or within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status, did own, 15% or more of a corporation's voting stock. The existence of this provision may have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions not approved

in advance by the board of directors, including discouraging attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of Common Stock held by stockholders.
No Stockholder Action by Written Consent. Our Certificate of Incorporation does not provide the right of stockholders to act by written consent without a meeting.
No Cumulative Voting. Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws do not provide for cumulative voting in the election of directors.
Undesignated Preferred Stock. The authorization of undesignated preferred stock makes it possible for the board of directors to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to change control of us. These and other provisions may have the effect of deferring hostile takeovers or delaying changes in control or management of us.
Amendment of Charter Provisions. The amendment of the above provisions pertaining to the election and removal of directors and special meetings would require approval by holders of at least 80% of the outstanding Common Stock.