EX-4.1 2 pten-ex4_1.htm EX-4.1

Exhibit 4.1

Description of Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

As of February 10, 2022, Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Patterson-UTI”), had one class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended: common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“common stock” or “shares”).

The following summary of our common stock and of our restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the provisions of applicable law and to our restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws. References to “we,” “our” and “us” refer to Patterson-UTI, unless the context otherwise requires. References to “stockholders” refer to holders of our common stock, unless the context otherwise requires.

General

As of February 10, 2022, our authorized capital stock consisted of 400,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which 215,265,785 shares were outstanding, and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which no shares were issued and outstanding.

Common Stock

Voting Rights

The holders of Patterson-UTI shares are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors. Holders of Patterson-UTI shares do not have cumulative voting rights.

Dividends

The holders of Patterson-UTI shares are entitled to receive dividends when, as and if declared by the Patterson-UTI board of directors out of funds legally available therefor. However, if any shares of Patterson-UTI preferred stock are at the time outstanding, the payment of dividends on Patterson-UTI shares or other distributions (including Patterson-UTI’s repurchase of Patterson-UTI shares) will be subject to the declaration and payment of all cumulative dividends on outstanding shares of Patterson-UTI preferred stock.

Liquidation

In the event of the dissolution, liquidation or winding up of Patterson-UTI, the holders of Patterson-UTI shares will be entitled to share ratably in any assets remaining after the satisfaction in full of the prior rights of creditors, including holders of Patterson-UTI indebtedness, and the payment of the aggregate liquidation preference of any preferred stock.

Other Rights

The holders of Patterson-UTI shares do not have any conversion, redemption or preemptive rights.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for Patterson-UTI shares is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

Listing

Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ under the symbol “PTEN.”

Preferred Stock

The Patterson-UTI board of directors can, without approval of its stockholders, issue one or more additional series of preferred stock and determine the number of shares of each series and the rights, preferences and limitations of each series by appropriate board resolutions. The terms of any preferred stock will be subject to and qualified by the certificate of designation relating to any applicable series of preferred stock. Undesignated preferred stock may enable the Patterson-UTI board of directors to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of Patterson-UTI by means of a tender offer, proxy contest, merger or otherwise, and to thereby protect the continuity of

Patterson-UTI’s management. As a result, the issuance of shares of a series of preferred stock may discourage bids for Patterson-UTI shares or may otherwise adversely affect the market price of Patterson-UTI shares or any other of Patterson-UTI preferred stock. The issuance of shares of preferred stock may also adversely affect the rights of the holders of Patterson-UTI shares. For example, any preferred stock issued may rank senior to Patterson-UTI shares as to dividend rights, liquidation preference or both, may have full or limited voting rights and may be convertible into Patterson-UTI shares or other securities.

On April 22, 2020, in connection with the adoption of a stockholder rights agreement, the Patterson-UTI board of directors approved a Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, which designates the rights, preferences and privileges of 400,000 shares of a series of Patterson-UTI’s preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, designated as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock ("Series A Preferred Stock"). The stockholder rights agreement expired on April 21, 2021.

Section 203 of DGCL

Patterson-UTI is subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”). Subject to limited exceptions, Section 203 of the DGCL prohibits “business combinations,” including certain mergers, sales and leases of assets, issuances of securities and similar transactions by a corporation or a subsidiary with an “interested stockholder” who beneficially owns 15% or more of a corporation’s voting stock, within three years after the person or entity becomes an interested stockholder, unless: (1) the transaction that will cause the person to become an interested stockholder is approved by the board of directors of the corporation prior to the transaction, (2) after the completion of the transaction in which the person becomes an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder holds at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation not including (a) shares held by officers and directors of the interested stockholder and (b) shares held by specified employee benefit plans, or (3) at or subsequent to such time the person becomes an interested stockholder, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and holders of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock, excluding shares held by the interested stockholder.

Other Provisions Having a Possible Anti-Takeover Effect

In addition to being subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, Patterson-UTI’s restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws contain certain provisions that could discourage potential takeover attempts and make more difficult attempts by stockholders to change management. The following paragraphs set forth a summary of these provisions:

Special Meetings of Stockholders

The Patterson-UTI restated certificate of incorporation provides that special meetings of stockholders may be called only by the Patterson-UTI board of directors (or a majority of the members thereof), the chief executive officer, the president or the holders of a majority of the outstanding stock entitled to vote at such special meeting. This provision will make it more difficult for Patterson-UTI stockholders to call a special meeting.

No Stockholder Action by Written Consent

The Patterson-UTI restated certificate of incorporation provides that stockholder action may be taken only at annual or special meetings and not by written consent of the stockholders.