EX-3.1 2 a2023q2exhibit31.htm EX-3.1
Exhibit 3.1
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
GROUP 1 AUTOMOTIVE, INC.
Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), hereby certifies as follows:
1.The original Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on December 20, 1995 under the name Sterling Automotive Group, Inc. The Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was thereafter amended on December 12, 1996, amended and restated on February 10, 1997, and a Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of Group 1 Automotive, Inc. was filed on October 10, 1997 pursuant to Section 151 of the DGCL (as so amended and restated, the “1997 Restated Certificate of Incorporation”).
2.The 1997 Restated Certificate of Incorporation was subsequently amended and restated on May 19, 2015 (as so amended and restated, the “2015 A&R Certificate of Incorporation”).
3.Pursuant to Sections 242 and 245 of the DGCL, this Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation restates and integrates and further amends the provisions of the 2015 A&R Certificate of Incorporation.
4.The 2015 A&R Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
FIRST: The name of the Corporation is Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
SECOND: The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 108 Lakeland Ave., in the City of Dover, County of Kent, Delaware 19901. The name of the registered agent of the Corporation at such address is Capitol Services, Inc.
THIRD: The nature of the business or purposes to be conducted or promoted by the Corporation is to engage in any lawful business, act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
FOURTH: The total number of shares of capital stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 51,000,000 shares, consisting of 1,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock of the par value of $.01 per share and 50,000,000 shares of Common Stock of the par value of $.01 per share.
The following is a statement fixing certain of the designations and powers, voting powers, preferences, and relative, participating, optional or other rights of the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock of the Corporation, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, and the authority with respect thereto expressly granted to the Board of Directors of the Corporation to fix any such provisions not fixed by this Certificate of Incorporation:
I.Preferred Stock
The Board of Directors is hereby expressly vested with the authority to adopt a resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock, which shares may be issued from time to time in one or more series and in such amounts as may be determined by the Board of Directors in such resolution or resolutions. The powers, voting powers, designations, preferences, and relative, participating, optional or other rights, if any, of each series of Preferred Stock and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions, if any, of such preferences and/or rights (collectively the “Series Terms”), shall be such as are stated and expressed in a resolution or resolutions providing for the creation or revision of such Series Terms (a “Preferred Stock Series Resolution”) adopted by the Board of Directors (or a committee of the Board of Directors to which such responsibility is specifically and lawfully delegated). The powers of the Board with respect to the Series Terms of a particular series shall include, but not be limited to, determination of the following:
(a)The number of shares constituting that series and the distinctive designation of that series, or any increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) in such number;
(b)The dividend rate or method of determining dividends on the shares of that series, any conditions upon which such dividends shall be payable, and the date or dates or the method for determining the date or dates upon which such dividends shall be payable, whether such dividends, if any, shall be cumulative, and, if so, the date or dates from which dividends payable on such shares shall accumulate, and the relative rights of priority, if any, of payment of dividends on shares of that series;
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Exhibit 3.1
(c)Whether that series shall have voting rights, in addition to the voting rights provided by law, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights;
(d)Whether that series shall have conversion or exchange privileges with respect to shares of any other class or classes of stock or of any other series of any class of stock, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange, including provision for adjustment of the conversion or exchange rate upon occurrence of such events as the Board of Directors shall determine;
(e)Whether the shares of that series shall be redeemable, and, if so, the price or prices and the terms and conditions of such redemption, including their relative rights of priority, if any, of redemption, the date or dates upon or after which they shall be redeemable, provisions regarding redemption notices, and the amount per share payable in case of redemption, which amount may vary under different conditions and at different redemption dates;
(f)Whether that series shall have a sinking fund for the redemption or purchase of shares of that series, and, if so, the terms, conditions and amount of such sinking fund;
(g)The rights of the shares of that series in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Corporation, and the relative rights of priority, if any, of payment of shares of that series;
(h)The conditions or restrictions upon the creation of indebtedness of the Corporation or upon the issuance of additional Preferred Stock or other capital stock ranking on a parity therewith, or prior thereto, with respect to dividends or distribution of assets upon liquidation;
(i)The conditions or restrictions with respect to the issuance of, payment of dividends upon, or the making of other distributions to, or the acquisition or redemption of, shares ranking junior to the Preferred Stock or to any series thereof with respect to dividends or distribution of assets upon liquidation; and
(j)Any other designations, powers, preferences, and rights, including, without limitation, any qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof.
Any of the Series Terms, including voting rights, of any series may be made dependent upon facts ascertainable outside the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as it may be amended and/or restated from time to time (herein referred to as the “Certificate of Incorporation”) and the Preferred Stock Series Resolution, provided that the manner in which such facts shall operate upon such Series Terms is clearly and expressly set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation or in the Preferred Stock Series Resolution.
Subject to the provisions of this Article Fourth, shares of one or more series of Preferred Stock may be authorized or issued from time to time as shall be determined by and for such consideration as shall be fixed by the Board of Directors (or a designated committee thereof), in an aggregate amount not exceeding the total number of shares of Preferred Stock authorized by this Certificate of Incorporation. The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, without a vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock, or of any series thereof, unless a vote of any such holder is required pursuant to any Preferred Stock Series Resolution. Except in respect of series particulars fixed by the Board of Directors as permitted hereby, all shares of Preferred Stock shall be of equal rank and shall be identical. All shares of any one series of Preferred Stock so designated by the Board of Directors shall be alike in every particular, except that shares of any one series issued at different times may differ as to the dates from which dividends thereon shall be cumulative.
II.Common Stock
(a)Subject to the provisions of any Preferred Stock Series Resolution, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends and at such times and in such manner as determined by the Board of Directors, declare and pay dividends on the Common Stock of the Corporation. No dividend shall be declared or paid on any share or shares of any class of stock or series thereof ranking on a parity with the Common Stock in respect of payment of dividends for any dividend period unless there shall have been declared, for the same dividend period, like proportionate dividends on all shares of Common Stock then outstanding.
(b)In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation and payment or setting aside for payment of any preferential amount due to the holders of any other class or series of stock, the holders of the Common Stock shall be entitled to receive ratably any or all assets remaining to be paid or distributed.
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(c)Subject to any special voting rights set forth in any Preferred Stock Series Resolution, the holders of the Common Stock of the Corporation shall be entitled at all meetings of stockholders to one vote for each share of such stock held by them. Except as may be provided in a Preferred Stock Series Resolution, the Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and for all other purposes, 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.
III.Prior, Parity or Junior Stock
Whenever reference is made in this Article Fourth to shares “ranking prior to” another class of stock or “on a parity with” another class of stock, such reference shall mean and include all other shares of the Corporation in respect of which the rights of the holders thereof as to the payment of dividends or as to distributions in the event of a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation are given preference over, or rank on an equality with, respectively, the rights of the holders of such other class of stock. Whenever reference is made to shares “ranking junior to” another class of stock, such reference shall mean and include all shares of the Corporation in respect of which the rights of the holders thereof as to the payment of dividends and as to distributions in the event of a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation are junior and subordinate to the rights of the holders of such other class of stock.
Except as otherwise provided herein or in any Preferred Stock Series Resolution, each series of Preferred Stock ranks on a parity with each other and each ranks prior to Common Stock.
Common Stock ranks junior to Preferred Stock.
IV.Liquidation Notices
Written notice of any voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, stating payment date and the place where the distributable amounts shall be payable, shall be given by mail, postage prepaid, not less than thirty (30) days prior to the payment date stated therein, to the holders of record of the Preferred Stock, if any, at their respective addresses as the same shall appear on the books of the Corporation.
V.Reservation and Retirement of Shares
Unless otherwise provided in a Preferred Stock Series Resolution with respect to a particular series of Preferred Stock, the Corporation shall at all times reserve and keep available, out of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock or out of shares of Common Stock held in its treasury, the full number of shares of Common Stock into which any series of Preferred Stock having conversion privileges from time to time outstanding are convertible.
Unless otherwise provided in a Preferred Stock Series Resolution with respect to a particular series of Preferred Stock, all shares of Preferred Stock redeemed or acquired by the Corporation (as a result of conversion or otherwise) shall be retired and restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares.
VI.No Preemptive Rights
No holder of shares of stock of the Corporation shall have any preemptive or other rights, except as such rights are expressly provided by contract, to purchase or subscribe for or receive any shares of any class, or series thereof, of stock of the Corporation, whether now or hereafter authorized, or any warrants, options, bonds, debentures or other securities convertible into, exchangeable for or carrying any right to purchase any shares of any class, or series thereof, of stock; but such additional shares of stock and such warrants, options, bonds, debentures or other securities convertible into, exchangeable for or carrying any right to purchase any shares of any class, or series thereof, of stock may be issued or disposed of by the Board of Directors to such persons, and on such terms and for such lawful consideration, as in its discretion it shall deem advisable or as to which the Corporation shall have by binding contract agreed.
VII.Registered Owner
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.
FIFTH: The following provisions are inserted for the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation, and for further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the Corporation and of its directors and stockholders:
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Exhibit 3.1
I.Directors
Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock or any other series or class of stock, as provided herein or in any Preferred Stock Series Resolution, to elect additional directors under specific circumstances, the number of directors of the Corporation shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of directors then serving on the Board of Directors (including for this purpose in such total any vacancies), but in no event shall the number of directors be fixed at less than three. Election of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.
The directors, other than those who may be elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock or any other series or class of stock, as provided herein or in any Preferred Stock Series Resolution, elected at any annual meeting of stockholders shall be elected for a term expiring at the next succeeding annual meeting of stockholders and until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.
Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock or any other series or class of stock, as provided herein or in any Preferred Stock Series Resolution, to elect directors under specific circumstances, any director may be removed from office at any time, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the then outstanding capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Voting Stock”), voting together as a single class.
II.Power to Amend Bylaws
The Bylaws may be altered or repealed and any new Bylaws may be adopted (a) at any annual or special meeting of stockholders if notice of the proposed alteration, repeal or adoption of the new Bylaw or Bylaws be contained in the notice of such annual or special meeting by the affirmative vote of a majority of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, voting together as a single class, provided, however, that any proposed alteration or repeal of, or the adoption of any Bylaw inconsistent with, Section 1, 3 or 4 of Article III of the Bylaws by the stockholders shall require the affirmative vote of at least 80% of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, voting together as a single class, or (b) by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present at any regular meeting of the Board of Directors, or at any special meeting of the Board of Directors, without any action on the part of the stockholders.
III.Stockholders’ Action — Only by Meeting; Special Meetings
Any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation after the date of the closing of the first public offering of Common Stock of the Corporation registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended must be taken at an annual or special meeting of such stockholders and may not be taken by any consent in writing of such stockholders. Special meetings of the stockholders after the date set forth in the immediately preceding sentence for any purpose or purposes shall be called only upon a request in writing therefor, stating the purpose or purposes thereof, delivered to the Chairman of the Board, the President, or the Secretary, signed by a majority of the directors, or by resolution of the Board of Directors.
SIXTH: Elimination of Certain Liability of Directors and Indemnification.
I.Elimination of Certain Liability of Directors and Officers
No director or officer shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty by such director or officer acting in such capacity, except for liability (a) of a director or officer for any breach of the director’s or officer’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (b) of a director or officer for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (c) of a director under Section 174 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, (d) of a director or officer for any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit, or (e) of an officer in any action by or in the right of the Corporation. Any amendment or repeal of this Section I of this Article Sixth: shall be prospective only, and neither the amendment nor repeal of this Section I of this Article Sixth: shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Section I of this Article Sixth: in respect of any matter occurring, or any cause of action, suit or claim that, but for this Section I of this Article Sixth: would accrue or arise, prior to such amendment or repeal. If the Delaware General Corporation Law hereafter is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the liability of directors or officers, then the liability of a director or officer of the Corporation, in addition to the limitation on personal liability provided herein, shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as so amended from time to time.
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Exhibit 3.1
II.Indemnification and Insurance
(a)Right to Indemnification. Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any 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 or has agreed to become a director or officer of the Corporation or is or was serving or has agreed to serve at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director or officer, or in any other capacity while serving or having agreed to serve as a director or officer, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than said Law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability and loss (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, excise taxes pursuant to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to serve in the capacity which initially entitled such person to indemnity hereunder and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators. The right to indemnification conferred in this Section II of this Article Sixth shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that, if the Delaware General Corporation Law requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a current, former or proposed director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer or proposed director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is or has been agreed to be rendered by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such indemnified person, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such indemnified person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Section II or otherwise. The Corporation may, by action of its Board of Directors, provide indemnification to employees and agents of the Corporation, individually or as a group, with the same scope and effect as the foregoing indemnification of directors and officers.
(b)Right of Claimant to Bring Suit. If a written claim from or on behalf of an indemnified party under paragraph (a) of this Section II is not paid in full by the Corporation within thirty days after such written claim has 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 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 (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the claimant has not met the standard of conduct which makes it permissible under the Delaware General Corporation Law for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its 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 Delaware General Corporation Law, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its 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.
(c)Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The right to indemnification and the advancement and payment of expenses conferred in this Section II shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of this Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
(d)Insurance. The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any person who is or was serving as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, 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 Delaware General Corporation Law.
(e)Savings Clause. If this Section II or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify and hold harmless each director and officer of the Corporation, as to costs, charges and expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement with respect to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative to the full extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Section II that shall not have been invalidated and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
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Exhibit 3.1
(f)Definitions. For purposes of this Section II, references to the “Corporation” shall include, in addition to the Corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger prior to (or, in the case of an entity specifically designated in a resolution of the Board of Directors, after) the adoption hereof and which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had the power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Section II with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
SEVENTH: The Corporation reserves the right to amend, change, or repeal any provision contained in the Certificate of Incorporation in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by law, and all rights and powers conferred herein on stockholders, directors, and officers are subject to this reserved power. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Certificate of Incorporation to the contrary, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the voting power of then outstanding Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal Article Fifth or adopt any provision inconsistent therewith or to amend or repeal this Article Seventh or adopt any provision inconsistent herewith.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed this 18th day of May, 2023.
By: /s/ Gillian A. Hobson
Name: Gillian A. Hobson
Title: Corporate Secretary
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