EX-3.1 2 a11-2394_1ex3d1.htm EX-3.1

Exhibit 3.1

RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY INCORPORATED

(Originally incorporated in Delaware on February 13, 1992)

FIRST: The name of the Corporation is THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY INCORPORATED.

SECOND: The registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 2711 Centerville Road, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle 19808. The name of the registered agent of the Corporation at that address is Corporation Service Company.

THIRD: The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

FOURTH: The aggregate number of shares of all classes of capital stock which the corporation shall have authority to issue is 255,000,000 (two hundred fifty five million) shares, five million (5,000,000) shares of which shall be Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, issuable in one or more series and two hundred fifty million (250,000,000) shares of which shall be Common Stock, par value $.01 per share.

The shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board of Directors is hereby authorized to fix by resolution or resolutions the voting rights, designations, powers, preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other rights, if any, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof of any wholly unissued shares of Preferred Stock; and to fix the number of shares constituting such series and to increase or decrease the number of shares of any such series but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding.

Pursuant to the authority conferred by this Article Fourth, the following series of Preferred Stock has been designated by the Board of Directors on August 4, 1998 and the Certificate of Designation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on August 18, 1998, such series consisting of such number of shares, with such voting powers and with such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions therefor as are stated and expressed in the exhibit with respect to such series attached hereto as specified below and incorporated herein by reference:

Exhibit 1: Series A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock

FIFTH: The Board of Directors shall consist of not less than five (5) nor more than thirteen (13) directors, the precise number thereof to be fixed from time to time by vote of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that the number of directors shall not be reduced so as to shorten the term of any director at the time in office.

Subject to the next sentence of this paragraph, the Board of Directors is and shall remain divided into three classes, designated Class I, Class II and Class III with the directors in each class elected to terms expiring at the third annual meeting following their election. Immediately prior to the election of directors at the third annual meeting of stockholders held after the annual meeting held in calendar year 2008 (such third annual meeting, the “2011 Annual Meeting”), the division of the Board of Directors into three classes shall terminate, and at and after the 2011 Annual Meeting each director shall be elected for a term expiring at the next annual meeting following such director’s election. Unless the stockholders are permitted to fill a vacancy pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Board of Directors, (i) any vacancy on the Board of Directors that results from an increase in the number of directors shall be filled by a majority of the directors then in office even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and (ii) any other vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors shall be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Any director appointed to fill a vacancy not resulting from an increase in the number of directors shall have the same remaining term as that of his predecessor; provided,

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however, that at and after the 2011 Annual Meeting, a director appointed to fill such a vacancy shall serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders held after such appointment.

Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything in Article SIXTH to the contrary, whenever the holders of any one or more classes or series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation, if any, shall have the right, voting separately by class or series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, removal, filling of vacancies and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Certificate of Incorporation applicable thereto, and such directors so elected shall not be divided into classes pursuant to this Article FIFTH unless expressly provided by such terms.

SIXTH: Any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at an annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders. Special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by the Chairman of the Board, if there be one, or the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time any such resolution is presented to the Board of Directors for adoption). Prior to the 2011 Annual Meeting, directors of the Corporation may be removed by stockholders only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the capital stock of the Corporation outstanding and entitled to vote thereon. At and after the 2011 Annual Meeting, a director may be removed without cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the capital stock of the Corporation outstanding and entitled to vote thereon.

SEVENTH: All the powers of the Corporation, insofar as the same may be lawfully vested by this Certificate of Incorporation in the Board of Directors, are hereby conferred upon the Board of Directors. In furtherance and not in limitation of such powers, the Board of Directors shall have the power to make, adopt, alter, amend and repeal from time to time bylaws of the Corporation, subject to the right of the stockholders entitled to vote with respect thereto to adopt, alter, amend and repeal bylaws made by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that bylaws shall not be adopted, altered, amended or repealed by the stockholders of the Corporation except by the vote of the holders of not less than eighty percent (80%) of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote upon the election of directors.

EIGHTH: To the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, the Corporation shall indemnify and advance indemnification expenses on behalf of all directors and officers of the Corporation. The Corporation shall indemnify such other persons as may be required by statute or by the bylaws of the Corporation.

NINTH: To the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, a director of the Corporation shall not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. No amendment to or repeal of this Article NINTH shall apply to or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability of a director of the Corporation for or with respect to any acts or omissions of such director occurring prior to such amendment or repeal.

TENTH: The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed herein or by statute, and all rights and powers conferred herein are subject to this reserved power, provided, however, that subject to the powers and rights provided for herein with respect to Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation, if any, but notwithstanding anything else contained in this Certificate of Incorporation to the contrary, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least eighty percent (80%) of the combined voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend, alter, repeal, or adopt any provision inconsistent with this Article TENTH or Articles SIXTH, SEVENTH, EIGHTH OR NINTH of this Certificate of Incorporation or to add an article or provision imposing cumulative voting in the election of directors.

ELEVENTH: The Corporation is to have perpetual existence.

TWELFTH: Election of directors of the Corporation need not be by written ballot except and to the extent provided in the bylaws of the Corporation.

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THIRTEENTH: The Board of Directors shall have the power to hold its meetings within or outside the State of Delaware, at such place as from time to time may be designated by the bylaws of the Corporation or by resolution of the Board of Directors.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Restated Certificate of Incorporation which only restates and integrates and does not further amend the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation of this Corporation as amended or supplemented heretofore, other than to provide current address and zip code of the registered agent, and which has been duly adopted in accordance with Section 245 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, has been executed by its duly authorized officer as of February 9, 2011

| THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY INCORPORATED
| By: | /s/ Debby R. Zurzolo
|  | Debby R. Zurzolo, Secretary

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EXHIBIT 1

Series A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock

Section 1. DESIGNATION, PAR VALUE AND AMOUNT. The shares of such series shall be designated as “Series A Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock” (hereinafter referred to as “Series A Preferred Stock”), the shares of such series shall be with par value of $.01 per share, and the number of shares constituting such series shall be 150,000; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, if more than a total of 150,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be issuable upon the exercise of Rights (the “Rights”) issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement, dated as of August 4, 1998, between the Corporation and U.S. Stock Transfer Corporation, as Rights Agent (as amended from time to time) (the “Rights Agreement”), the Board of Directors of the Corporation, pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware, shall direct by resolution or resolutions that a certificate be properly executed, acknowledged and filed providing for the total number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock authorized to be issued to be increased (to the extent that the Certificate of Incorporation then permits) to the largest number of whole shares (rounded up to the nearest whole number) issuable upon exercise of the Rights.

Section 2. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.

(A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares of Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of assets legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first business day of December, March, June, and August in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a “QUARTERLY DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE”), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $2.50 per share ($10,000 per annum) or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Corporation (the “COMMON STOCK”) or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock.

(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) above immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $2.50 per share ($10,000 annually) on the Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.

(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

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Section 3. VOTING RIGHTS. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

(A) Except as provided in paragraph C of this Section 3 and subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock or effect a subdivision or combination of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.

(C) (i) If, on the date used to determine stockholders of record for any meeting of stockholders for the election of directors, a default in preference dividends (as defined in subparagraph (v) below) on the Series A Preferred Stock shall exist, the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall have the right, voting as a class as described in subparagraph (ii) below, to elect two directors (in addition to the directors elected by holders of Common Stock of the Corporation). Such right may be exercised (a) at any meeting of stockholders for the election of directors or (b) at a meeting of the holders of shares of Voting Preferred Stock (as hereinafter defined), called for the purpose in accordance with the By-laws of the Corporation, until all such cumulative dividends (referred to above) shall have been paid in full or until noncumulative dividends have been paid regularly for at least one year.

(ii) The right of the holders of Series A Preferred Stock to elect two directors, as described above, shall be exercised as a class concurrently with the rights of holders of any other series of Preferred Stock upon which voting rights to elect such directors have been conferred and are then exercisable. The Series A Preferred Stock and any additional series of Preferred Stock which the Corporation may issue and which may provide for the right to vote with the foregoing series of Preferred Stock are collectively referred to herein as “VOTING PREFERRED STOCK.”

(iii) Each director elected by the holders of shares of Voting Preferred Stock shall be referred to herein as a “PREFERRED DIRECTOR.” A Preferred Director so elected shall continue to serve as such director for a term of one year, except that upon any termination of the right of all of such holders to vote as a class for Preferred Directors, the term of office of such directors shall terminate. Any Preferred Director may be removed by, and shall not be removed except by, the vote of the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding shares of Voting Preferred Stock then entitled to vote for the election of directors, present (in person or by proxy) and voting together as a single class (a) at a meeting of the stockholders, or (b) at a meeting of the holders of shares of such Voting Preferred Stock, called for the purpose in accordance with the By-laws of the Corporation, or (c) by written consent signed by the holders of a majority of the then outstanding shares of Voting Preferred Stock then entitled to vote for the election of directors, taken together as a single class.

(iv) So long as a default in any preference dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock shall exist or the holders of any other series of Voting Preferred Stock shall be entitled to elect Preferred Directors, (a) any vacancy in the office of a Preferred Director may be filled (except as provided in the following clause (b)) by an instrument in writing signed by the remaining Preferred Director and filed with the Corporation and (b) in the case of the removal of any Preferred Director, the vacancy may be filled by the vote or written consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Voting Preferred Stock then entitled to vote for the election of directors, present (in person or by proxy) and voting together as a single class, at such time as the removal shall be effected. Each director appointed as aforesaid by the remaining Preferred Director shall be deemed, for all purposes hereof, to be a Preferred Director. Whenever (x) no default in preference dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock shall exist and (y) the holders of other series of Voting Preferred Stock shall no longer be entitled to elect such Preferred

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Directors, then the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be reduced by two.

(v) For purposes hereof, a “DEFAULT IN PREFERENCE DIVIDENDS” on the Series A Preferred Stock shall be deemed to have occurred whenever the amount of cumulative and unpaid dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock shall be equivalent to six full quarterly dividends or more (whether or not consecutive), and, having so occurred, such default shall be deemed to exist thereafter until, but only until, all cumulative dividends on all shares of the Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding shall have been paid through the last Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or until, but only until, non-cumulative dividends have been paid regularly for at least one year.

(D) Except as set forth herein (or as otherwise required by applicable law), holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no general or special voting rights and their consent shall not be required for taking any corporate action.

(E) Nothing herein shall prevent the directors or stockholders from taking any action to increase the number of authorized shares of Series A Preferred Stock, of increasing the number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock of the same class as the Series A Preferred Stock or the number of authorized shares of Common Stock or changing the par value of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock, or issuing options, warrants, or rights to any class of stock of this Corporation as authorized by the Certificate of Incorporation now, or as it may hereafter be amended.

Section 4. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.

(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not

(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;

(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;

(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration (except as provided in (iv) below) shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;

(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

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Section 5. REACQUIRED SHARES. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Certificate of Incorporation, in any other Certificate of Amendment creating a series of Preferred Stock or as otherwise required by law.

Section 6. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP.

Subject to the prior and superior rights of holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares of Series A Preferred Stock with respect to rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up (voluntary or otherwise), (A) no distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have received the higher of (i) $11,000 per share ($110 per one one-hundredth of a share), plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends thereon, whether or nor declared, to the date of such payment, or (ii) an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holder of Common Stock; nor shall any distribution be made (B) to the holders of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, or both) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all other such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares (“Series A Liquidation Preferred”) are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the multiple (initially 100) applicable to Common Stock distributions immediately prior to such event under clause (A) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such multiple by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

Section 7. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC. In case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the multiple (initially 100) set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such multiple by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

Section 8. NO REDEMPTION. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation may acquire shares of Series A Preferred Stock in any other manner permitted by law, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation or herein.

Section 9. RANKING. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank junior to all other series of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any such series shall provide otherwise, and senior to the Common Stock of this Corporation.

Section 10. AMENDMENT. The Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation shall not be further amended in any manner which would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of a two-thirds or more of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.

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