EX-4.14 2 d841729dex414.htm EX-4.14

Exhibit 4.14

DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES

REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED

As of December 31, 2019, The GEO Group, Inc. (the “Company,” “GEO,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) had one class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended: our common stock.

The following is a description of the material terms of our common stock and undesignated preferred stock as set forth in our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended (the “Amended Articles”) and our Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended (the “Amended Bylaws”), which govern the rights of our common stock. This description is only a summary. You should read it together with the Amended Articles and Amended Bylaws, which are included as exhibits to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and incorporated by reference herein.

Authorized Capital

The Amended Articles authorize GEO to issue up to 217,500,000 shares of capital stock, consisting of 187,500,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 30,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share.

Common Stock

As of December 31, 2019, 121,225,319 shares of common stock were issued and outstanding..

Voting Rights. With respect to all matters upon which shareholders are entitled to vote, the holders of common stock are entitled to one vote in person or by proxy for each share of common stock outstanding in the name of such shareholders on the record of shareholders. Generally, all matters to be voted on by shareholders must be approved by a majority (or by a plurality in the case of election of directors where the number of candidates nominated for election exceeds the number of directors to be elected) of the votes entitled to be cast by all shares of common stock present in person or by proxy.

Dividends. Subject to applicable law and rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of preferred stock or any class or series of stock having a preference over common stock with respect to the payment of dividends, dividends may be declared and paid on the common stock from time to time and in amounts as the board of directors may determine. We commenced declaring regular quarterly distributions beginning the first quarter of 2013. The amount, timing and frequency of dividends, however will be at the sole discretion of the board of directors based upon various factors.

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Liquidation Rights. Upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of GEO, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of common stock will be entitled to share ratably in all assets available for distribution after payment in full to creditors and payment in full to holders of preferred stock then outstanding of any amount required to be paid to them. Neither the merger, consolidation or business combination of GEO with or into any other entity in which our shareholders receive capital stock and/or other securities (including debt securities) of the surviving entity (or the direct or indirect parent entity thereof), nor the sale, lease or transfer by us of any part of our business and assets, nor the reduction of our capital stock, will be deemed to be a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up.

Other Provisions. The holders of common stock have no preemptive, subscription or redemption rights and are not entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.

GEO is not permitted to subdivide, combine, or pay or declare any stock dividend on, the outstanding shares of common stock unless all outstanding shares of common stock are subdivided or combined or the holders of common stock receive a proportionate dividend.

Preferred Stock

Pursuant to the Amended Articles, the board of directors is empowered, without any approval of our shareholders, to issue shares of preferred stock in one or more series, to establish the number of shares in each series, and to fix the relative rights, preferences, powers, qualifications, limitations and restrictions of each such series. The specific matters that may be determined by the board of directors include:

| • |  | whether the shares of the series are redeemable, and if so, the prices at which, and the terms and conditions on which, the shares may be redeemed, including the date or dates upon or after which the shares shall be redeemable and the amount per share payable in case of redemption;

| • |  | whether shares of the series will be entitled to receive distributions and, if so, the distribution rate on the shares, any restriction, limitation or condition upon the payment of the distributions, whether distributions will be cumulative, and the dates on which distributions are payable;

| • |  | any preferential amount payable upon shares of the series in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of GEO;

| • |  | whether the shares of the series are convertible, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or classes of stock or of any other series of stock, or any other securities of GEO, and if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange, including price or rates of conversion at which, and the terms and conditions on which, the shares of the series may be converted or exchanged into other securities;

| • |  | terms and conditions of retirement or sinking fund provisions, if any, for the purchase or redemption of shares of the series;

| • |  | the distinctive designation of each series and the number of shares that will constitute the series;

| • |  | the voting power, if any, of shares of the series; and

| • |  | any other relative rights, preferences or limitations.

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Currently, there are no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding.

Because the board of directors will have the power to establish the preferences and rights of each series of preferred stock, it may afford the shareholders of any series of preferred stock preferences, powers and rights senior to the rights of holders of shares of common stock which could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of GEO.

Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer

To facilitate compliance with the real estate investment trust (“REIT”) rules in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the Amended Articles contain standard REIT restrictions on stock ownership and stock transfers.

All certificates representing shares of capital stock, if any, will bear legends describing the ownership and transfer restrictions. Further, these ownership and transfer restrictions could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for the common stock or otherwise be in the best interest of the shareholders.

For us to qualify as a REIT under the Code, GEO stock must be beneficially owned by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year (other than the first year for which an election to be a REIT has been made). Also, not more than 50% of the value of the outstanding shares of GEO stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer “individuals” (as defined in the Code to include certain entities such as private foundations) during the last half of a taxable year (other than the first taxable year for which an election to be a REIT has been made). To satisfy these ownership requirements and other requirements for continued qualification as a REIT and to otherwise protect us from the consequences of a concentration of ownership among GEO’s shareholders, the Amended Articles contain provisions restricting the ownership or transfer of shares of GEO stock.

The relevant sections of the Amended Articles provide that, subject to the exceptions and the constructive ownership rules described below, no person (as defined in the Amended Articles) may beneficially or constructively own more than 9.8% in value of the aggregate of GEO’s outstanding shares of stock, including GEO’s common stock and preferred stock, or more than 9.8% in value or in number of shares (whichever is more restrictive) of any class or series of outstanding GEO stock. We refer to these restrictions as the “ownership limits.”

The applicable constructive ownership rules under the Code are complex and may cause stock owned actually or constructively by a group of related individuals and/or entities to be treated as owned by one individual or entity. As a result, the acquisition of less than 9.8% in value or number of shares of GEO’s outstanding stock or any class or series of GEO capital stock (including through the acquisition of an interest in an entity that owns, actually or constructively, any class or series of GEO stock) by an individual or entity could nevertheless cause that individual or entity, or another individual or entity, to own, constructively or beneficially, in excess of 9.8% in value or number of shares of GEO’s outstanding stock or any class or series of GEO capital stock.

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In addition to the ownership limits, the Amended Articles prohibit any person from actually or constructively owning shares of GEO stock to the extent that such ownership would cause any of our income that would otherwise qualify as “rents from real property” for purposes of Section 856(d) of the Code to fail to qualify as such.

GEO’s board of directors may, in its sole discretion, exempt a person from the ownership limits and certain other limits on ownership and transfer of GEO stock described above, and may establish a different limit on ownership for any such person. However, the board of directors may not exempt any person whose ownership of outstanding stock in violation of these limits would result in our failing to qualify as a REIT. In order to be considered by the board of directors for exemption or a different limit on ownership, a person must make such representations and undertakings as are reasonably necessary to ascertain that such person’s beneficial or constructive ownership of GEO stock will not now or in the future jeopardize our ability to qualify as a REIT under the Code and must agree that any violation or attempted violation of such representations or undertakings (or other action that is contrary to the ownership limits and certain other REIT limits on ownership and transfer of GEO stock described above) will result in the shares of stock being automatically transferred to a trust as described below. As a condition of its waiver, the board of directors may require an opinion of counsel or Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) ruling satisfactory to the board of directors with respect to our qualification as a REIT and may impose such other conditions as it deems appropriate in connection with the granting of the exemption or a different limit on ownership.

In connection with the waiver of the ownership limits or at any other time, the board of directors may from time to time increase the ownership limits for one or more persons and decrease the ownership limits for all other persons; provided that the new ownership limits may not, after giving effect to such increase and under certain assumptions stated in the Amended Articles, result in us being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interests are held during the last half of a taxable year). Reduced ownership limits will not apply to any person whose percentage ownership of GEO’s total shares of stock or of the shares of a class or series of GEO stock, as applicable, is in excess of such decreased ownership limits until such time as such person’s percentage of total shares of stock or of the shares of a class or series of stock, as applicable, equals or falls below the decreased ownership limits, but any further acquisition of GEO’s shares of stock or of the shares of a class or series of GEO stock, as applicable, in excess of such percentage ownership of shares of stock or of a class or series of stock will be in violation of the ownership limits.

The Amended Articles further prohibit:

| • |  | any person from transferring shares of GEO stock if such transfer would result in shares of GEO stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons (determined without reference to any rules of attribution); and

| • |  | any person from beneficially or constructively owning shares of GEO stock if such ownership would result in our failing to qualify as a REIT.

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The foregoing provisions on transferability and ownership will not apply if the board of directors determines that it is no longer in our best interests to attempt to qualify, or to continue to qualify, as a REIT.

Any person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire beneficial or constructive ownership of shares of GEO stock that will or may violate the foregoing restrictions on transferability and ownership will be required to give notice to us immediately (or, in the case of a proposed or attempted transaction, at least 15 days prior to such transaction) and provide us with such other information as we may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such transfer on our qualification as a REIT.

Pursuant to the Amended Articles, if there is any purported transfer of GEO stock or other event or change of circumstances that, if effective or otherwise, would violate any of the restrictions described above, then the number of shares causing the violation (rounded up to the nearest whole share) will be automatically transferred to a trust for the exclusive benefit of a designated charitable beneficiary, except that any transfer that results in the violation of the restriction relating to GEO stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons will be automatically void and of no force or effect. The automatic transfer will be effective as of the close of business on the business day prior to the date of the purported transfer or other event or change of circumstances that requires the transfer to the trust. We refer below to the person that would have owned the shares if they had not been transferred to the trust as the purported transferee. Any ordinary dividend paid to the purported transferee, prior to our discovery that the shares had been automatically transferred to a trust as described above, must be repaid to the trustee upon demand. The Amended Articles also provide for adjustments to the entitlement to receive extraordinary dividends and other distributions as between the purported transferee and the trust. If the transfer to the trust as described above is not automatically effective, for any reason, to prevent violation of the applicable restriction contained in the Amended Articles, then the transfer of the excess shares will be automatically void and of no force or effect.

Shares of GEO stock transferred to the trustee are deemed to be offered for sale to us or our designee at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the price per share in the transaction that resulted in such transfer to the trust or, if the purported transferee did not give value for the shares in connection with the event causing the shares to be held in trust (e.g., in the case of a gift, devise or other such transaction), the market price at the time of such event and (ii) the market price on the date we accept, or our designee accepts, such offer. We have the right to accept such offer until the trustee has sold the shares of GEO stock held in the trust pursuant to the clauses discussed below. Upon a sale to us, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the shares sold terminates and the trustee must distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the purported transferee, except that the trustee may reduce the amount payable to the purported transferee by the amount of any ordinary dividends that we paid to the purported transferee prior to our discovery that the shares had been transferred to the trust and that is owed by the purported transferee to the trustee as described above. Any net sales proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the purported transferee shall be immediately paid to the charitable beneficiary, and any ordinary dividends held by the trustee with respect to such stock will be paid to the charitable beneficiary.

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If we do not buy the shares, the trustee must, as soon as reasonably practicable (and, if the shares are listed on a national securities exchange, within 20 days) after receiving notice from us of the transfer of shares to the trust, sell the shares to a person or entity who could own the shares without violating the restrictions described above. Upon such a sale, the trustee must distribute to the purported transferee an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the price paid by the purported transferee for the shares or, if the purported transferee did not give value for the shares in connection with the event causing the shares to be held in trust (e.g., in the case of a gift, devise or other such transaction), the market price of the shares on the day of the event causing the shares to be held in the trust, and (ii) the sales proceeds (net of commissions and other expenses of sale) received by the trustee for the shares. The trustee may reduce the amount payable to the purported transferee by the amount of any ordinary dividends that we paid to the purported transferee before our discovery that the shares had been transferred to the trust and that is owed by the purported transferee to the trustee as described above. Any net sales proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the purported transferee will be immediately paid to the charitable beneficiary, together with any ordinary dividends held by the trustee with respect to such stock. In addition, if prior to discovery by us that shares of common stock have been transferred to a trust, such shares of stock are sold by a purported transferee, then such shares will be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the trust and, to the extent that the purported transferee received an amount for or in respect of such shares that exceeds the amount that such purported transferee was entitled to receive as described above, such excess amount shall be paid to the trustee upon demand. The purported transferee has no rights in the shares held by the trustee.

The trustee will be indemnified by us or from the proceeds of sales of stock in the trust for its costs and expenses reasonably incurred in connection with conducting its duties and satisfying its obligations under the Amended Articles. The trustee will also be entitled to reasonable compensation for services provided as determined by agreement between the trustee and the board of directors, which compensation may be funded by us or the trust. If we pay any such indemnification or compensation, we are entitled on a first priority basis (subject to the trustee’s indemnification and compensation rights) to be reimbursed from the trust. To the extent the trust funds any such indemnification and compensation, the amounts available for payment to a purported transferee (or the charitable beneficiary) would be reduced.

The trustee will be designated by us and must be unaffiliated with us and with any purported transferee. Prior to the sale of any shares by the trust, the trustee will receive, in trust for the beneficiary, all distributions paid by us with respect to the shares, and may also exercise all voting rights with respect to the shares.

Subject to the Florida Business Corporation Act, effective as of the date that the shares have been transferred to the trust, the trustee will have the authority, at the trustee’s sole discretion:

| • |  | to rescind as void any vote cast by a purported transferee prior to our discovery that the shares have been transferred to the trust; and

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| • |  | to recast the vote in accordance with the desires of the trustee acting for the benefit of the charitable beneficiary of the trust.

However, if we have already taken corporate action, then the trustee may not rescind and recast the vote.

In addition, if the board of directors determines that a proposed or purported transfer would violate the restrictions on ownership and transfer of GEO stock set forth in the Amended Articles, the board of directors may take such action as it deems advisable to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such violation, including but not limited to, causing us to repurchase shares of GEO stock, refusing to give effect to the transfer on our books or instituting proceedings to enjoin the transfer.

Within 30 days after the end of each REIT taxable year, every owner of 5% or more (or such lower percentage as required by the Code or the Treasury regulations thereunder) of the outstanding shares of any class or series of GEO stock, must, upon request, provide us written notice of the person’s name and address, the number of shares of each class and series of GEO stock that the person beneficially owns and a description of the manner in which the shares are held. Each such owner must also provide us with such additional information as we may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such owner’s beneficial ownership on our qualification as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the ownership limits. In addition, each beneficial owner or constructive owner of GEO stock, and any person (including the shareholder of record) who is holding shares of GEO stock for a beneficial owner or constructive owner will, upon demand, be required to provide us with such information as we may request in good faith in order to determine our qualification as a REIT and to comply with the requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such compliance.

Proxy Access

Our Amended Bylaws permit a shareholder, or a group of up to twenty (20) shareholders, owning three percent (3%) or more of the Company’s outstanding common stock continuously for at least three (3) years, to nominate twenty percent (20%) of the number of directors then in office (rounding down to the nearest whole number) provided that the shareholder or group and each nominee satisfy the eligibility, procedural and disclosure requirements for proxy access as specified in the Bylaws, including that the Company receive notice of such nominations between 90 and 120 days prior to the anniversary date of the previous year’s annual meeting of shareholders. The notice must contain certain information specified in the Amended Bylaws.

Listing

Our common stock is listed on the NYSE under the trading symbol “GEO.”

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Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for GEO’s common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A., whose principal executive office is located at 250 Royall Street, Canton, MA 02021.

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