EX-4.4 2 a4q202510k2025ex44.htm DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES
Exhibit 4.4
DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
As of the date of the Annual Report on Form 10-K of which this exhibit is a part, Rayonier Inc. (the “Company,” “we,” “our” and “us”) has one class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended: our common shares, no par value. The following description of our common shares 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 Articles of Incorporation (the “Articles of Incorporation”) and our Amended and Restated By-Laws (the “Bylaws”), each of which is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of which this exhibit is a part. We encourage you to read our Articles of Incorporation and our Bylaws, as well as the applicable provisions of the North Carolina Business Corporation Act (“NCBCA”), for additional information.
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON SHARES
Authorized Shares
Our Articles of Incorporation authorize us to issue 480,000,000 common shares.
Listing
Our common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “RYN.”
Dividends
The holders of common shares may receive dividends when and as declared by the board of directors. Dividends may be paid in cash, shares or other form out of legally available funds.
Fully Paid
All outstanding common shares are fully paid and non-assessable. Any additional common shares we issue will also be fully paid and non-assessable.
Voting Rights
The holders of common shares may vote one vote for each share held in the election of directors and on all other matters voted upon by our shareholders. Holders of common shares may not cumulate their votes in the election of directors.
Other Rights
We will notify common shareholders of any shareholders’ meetings according to applicable law. If we liquidate, dissolve or wind-up our business, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, the holders of common shares will share ratably in the assets remaining after we pay our creditors and preferred shareholders, if any. The holders of common shares have no preemptive rights. Common shares are not subject to any redemption provisions and are not convertible into any other securities.
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units
Limited partners of Rayonier, L.P. (“Operating Partnership”) holding Operating Partnership units have redemption rights, which enable them to cause Operating Partnership to redeem their Operating Partnership units in exchange for cash or, at our option, common shares on a one-for-one basis.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
Certain provisions in our Articles of Incorporation, our Bylaws and the NCBCA, including the North Carolina Shareholder Protection Act (“NCSPA”), could have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another party from acquiring control of us. The NCSPA generally requires the affirmative vote of 95% of a corporation’s voting shares to approve a “business combination” with any other entity that beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, more than 20% of the voting shares of the corporation (or ever owned, directly or indirectly, more than 20% and is still an “affiliate” of the corporation) unless the fair price provisions and the procedural provisions of the NCSPA are satisfied.

Under the NCSPA, “business combination” includes (1) any merger, consolidation, or conversion of a corporation with or into any other corporation or other entity, (2) any sale or lease of all or any substantial part of the corporation’s assets to any other entity, or (3) any payment, sale or lease to the corporation or any subsidiary thereof in exchange for securities of the corporation of any assets of any other entity having an aggregate fair market value of $5,000,000 or more.
The NCSPA contains provisions that allowed a corporation to “opt out” of the applicability of the NCSPA’s voting provisions within specified time periods that generally have expired. The NCSPA applies to Rayonier since we did not opt out within these time periods.
Provisions in our articles of incorporation, our bylaws and the NCBCA, including the NCSPA, could discourage a third party from making an unsolicited tender offer, attempt to obtain a substantial position in our equity securities, or otherwise seeking to obtain control of us, and instead may encourage such parties to pursue negotiations with our board of directors. It also might limit the price that certain investors might be willing to pay in the future for our shares of common stock and may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us.
Limitations on Removal of Directors
Our directors can be removed only for cause. Restricting the removal of directors makes it more difficult for shareholders to change the majority of the directors and instead promotes a continuity of existing management.
Special Meetings of Shareholders
Neither our Articles of Incorporation nor our Bylaws give shareholders the right to call a special meeting of shareholders. Our Bylaws provide that special meetings of shareholders may be called only by our board of directors.
Blank Check Preferred Shares
Our Articles of Incorporation authorizes the issuance of blank check preferred shares. The board of directors can set the voting rights, redemption rights, conversion rights and other rights relating to such preferred shares and could issue such shares in either private or public transactions. In some circumstances, the blank check preferred shares could be issued and have the effect of preventing a merger, tender offer or other takeover attempt that the board of directors opposes.
Amendment of our Bylaws
Our Bylaws may be amended or repealed by our board of directors, including any bylaw adopted, amended or repealed by our shareholders.
Operating Partnership Agreement
Upon a change in control of the Company, the partnership agreement of the Operating Partnership requires certain acquirers to maintain an umbrella partnership real estate investment trust structure with terms at least as favorable to the limited partners as are currently in place. For instance, in certain transactions, the acquirer would be required to preserve the limited partner’s right to continue to hold tax-deferred partnership interests that are redeemable for capital stock of the acquirer. Some change of control transactions involving the Company could require the approval of two-thirds of the limited partners of the Operating Partnership (other than the Company). These provisions may make a change of control transaction involving the Company more complicated and therefore might decrease the likelihood of such a transaction occurring, even if such a transaction would be in the best interest of the Company’s shareholders.

Transitional Provisions Relating to Our Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Our Bylaws provide that, as of January 30, 2026 (the "Closing Date"), (i) our Chief Executive Officer as of the Closing Date (the “Specified CEO”) will continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer following the Closing Date, and (ii) the Chief Executive Officer of PotlatchDeltic Corporation as of the Closing Date (the “Specified Executive Chair”) will be appointed to serve as our executive Chairman for two years after the Closing Date, subject to such person serving as a director during such time.
As executive Chairman of the Board, the Specified Executive Chair will (1) serve as an executive officer of the Company and report directly to the board of directors and (2) have all such powers and perform all such duties as may be assigned by the board of directors from time to time consistent with our Bylaws and his employment agreement with the Company.
As Chief Executive Officer, the Specified CEO will (1) serve as an executive officer of the Company and report directly to the board of directors, and (2) have all such powers and perform all such duties as are customarily had and performed by the Chief Executive Officer and/or as may be assigned by the board of directors from time to time consistent with our Bylaws and his employment agreement with the Company.
Prior January 30, 2028, any resolution or action taken by our board of directors to amend or modify such Bylaws, including to (1) remove or replace the Specified CEO as Chief Executive Officer of the Company or (2) remove or replace the Specified Executive Chair as executive Chairman of the Company must be adopted or approved by directors representing at least 75% of the then serving directors.