EX-4.1 2 psn-ex41_813.htm EX-4.1

Exhibit 4.1

DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES

REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Description of Capital Stock

General

The following summary of the terms of the capital stock of Parsons Corporation (“we”, “us”, “our” and “Parsons”) is based upon our certificate of incorporation and bylaws. The summary is not complete, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, each previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Annual Report on Form 10-K, of which this Exhibit 4.1 is a part. We encourage you to read our certificate of incorporation, our bylaws and the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) for additional information.

Under our certificate of incorporation, the total number of shares of all classes of stock that we have authority to issue is 1,100,000,000, consisting of 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share, and 1,000,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share.

Common Stock

Voting Rights

Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share of common stock. Holders of shares of common stock vote together as a single class on all matters (including the election of directors) submitted to a vote of stockholders. All matters, except the election of directors or as otherwise provided, are decided by the vote of a majority in interest of the stockholders present and entitled to vote. The persons receiving the greatest number of votes shall be the persons elected as directors. We have not provided for cumulative voting for the election of directors in our certificate of incorporation.

Dividend Rights

Subject to preferences that may apply to shares of preferred stock outstanding at the time, the holders of outstanding shares of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends out of funds legally available if our board of directors, in its discretion, determines to issue dividends and only then at the times and in the amounts that our board of directors may determine. Any dividend or distributions paid or payable to the holders of shares of common stock shall be paid pro rata, on an equal priority, pari passu basis.

Rights to Receive Liquidation Distributions

Upon our dissolution, liquidation or winding-up, the assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders shall be distributable ratably among the holders of our common stock, subject to prior satisfaction of all outstanding debt and liabilities and the preferential rights and payment of liquidation preferences, if any, on any outstanding shares of preferred stock.

Preferred Stock

Under the terms of our certificate of incorporation our board of directors is authorized to direct us to issue shares of preferred stock in one or more series without stockholder approval. Our board of directors has the discretion to determine the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions, including voting rights, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, of each series of preferred stock.

The purpose of authorizing our board of directors to issue preferred stock and determine its rights and preferences is to eliminate delays associated with a stockholder vote on specific issuances. The issuance of preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power of holders of our common stock and the likelihood that such holders will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions, future financings and other corporate purposes, could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or could discourage a third party from seeking to acquire, a majority of our outstanding voting stock. There are currently no shares of preferred stock outstanding, and we have no present plans to issue any shares of preferred stock.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

Delaware Takeover Statute

We are subject to Section 203 of the DGCL. This statute regulating corporate takeovers prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any business combination with any interested stockholder for three years following the date that the stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:

| • | prior to the date of the transaction, the Board approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

| • | the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding (a) shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers and (b) shares owned by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or

| • | on or subsequent to the date of the transaction, the business combination is approved by the Board and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder.

Section 203 defines a business combination to include:

| • | any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder;

| • | any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition involving the interested stockholder of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation;

| • | subject to exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder;

| • | any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; or

| • | the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation.

In general, Section 203 defines an interested stockholder as an entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by such entity or person.

Classified Board of Directors and Removal of Directors

Our certificate of incorporation provides that our board of directors be comprised of three classes of directors, with the classes as nearly equal in number as possible and each class serving three-year staggered terms. The classification of directors has the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of our board.

Our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws provide that a director may be removed only for cause. Any vacancy on our board of directors, including a vacancy resulting from an enlargement of our board of directors, may be filled only by vote of a majority of our directors then in office.

Stockholder Action; Special Meeting of Stockholders

Our certificate of incorporation provides that any action required or permitted to be taken by our stockholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of such stockholders and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such

stockholders. Our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws also provide that, except as otherwise required by law, special meetings of our stockholders can only be called by our board of directors or a board committee authorized with the power to call such meetings.

Authorized But Unissued Shares

The authorized but unissued shares of our common stock and preferred stock are available for future issuance without stockholder approval, subject to any limitations imposed by the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange. These additional shares may be used for a variety of corporate finance transactions, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved common stock and preferred stock could make more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.

The foregoing provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could discourage potential acquisition proposals and could delay or prevent a change in control. These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors and in the policies formulated by our board of directors and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened change of control. These provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and, as a consequence, they also may inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our common stock that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. Such provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our management or delaying or preventing a transaction that might benefit you or other minority stockholders.

Choice of Forum

Our certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for: (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; (2) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty by any of our directors, officers, employees or stockholders owed to us or our stockholders; (3) any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws, or as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware; or (4) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Our certificate of incorporation also provides that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to this choice of forum provision. It is possible that a court of law could rule that the choice of forum provision contained in our certificate of incorporation is inapplicable or unenforceable if it is challenged in a proceeding or otherwise. This choice of forum provision has important consequences for our stockholders. Our certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for substantially all disputes between us and our stockholders, which could limit our

stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.”

These provisions do not apply to violations of the federal securities laws of the United States.

Listing

Our common stock is listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PSN.”

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC.