EX-4.3 2 q42023exh43descriptionofca.htm EX-4.3
Exhibit 4.3
Description of Capital Stock
The following summary is a description of the material terms of Bandwidth Inc.’s (“our”) capital stock. This summary is not meant to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our third amended and restated bylaws.
General
Our authorized capital stock consists of 120,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share. Our common stock is divided into two classes: Class A common stock and Class B common stock. Our authorized Class A common stock consists of 100,000,000 shares and our authorized Class B common stock consists of 20,000,000 shares.
The following description of our capital stock and provisions of our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and third amended and restated bylaws are summaries and are qualified by reference to the second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and third amended and restated bylaws. Copies of these documents have been filed with the SEC and are incorporated by reference into our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock
As of December 31, 2023, there were (i) 24,206,140 shares of our Class A common stock outstanding and held of record by 17 stockholders and (ii) 1,958,028 shares of Class B common stock outstanding and held of record by 5 stockholders.
Voting Rights
Holders of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock have identical rights, provided that, except as otherwise expressly provided in our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation or required by applicable law, on any matter that is submitted to a vote of our stockholders, holders of our Class A common stock are entitled to one vote per share of Class A common stock and holders of our Class B common stock are entitled to ten votes per share of Class B common stock. Holders of shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters (including the election of directors) submitted to a vote of stockholders, except that there will be a separate vote of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock in the following circumstances
•if we were to seek to amend our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation to increase or decrease the par value of a class of our common stock, then the class for which the amendment is sought would be required to vote separately to approve the proposed amendment; and
•if we were to seek to amend our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation in a manner that alters or changes the powers, preferences or special rights of a class of our common stock in a manner that affected its holders adversely, then the class for which the amendment is sought would be required to vote separately to approve the proposed amendment.
Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we may not increase or decrease the authorized number of shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the combined voting power of the outstanding shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock, voting together as a single class. In addition, we may not issue any shares of Class B common stock, unless that issuance is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class B common stock.
We have not provided for cumulative voting for the election of directors in our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation.

Exhibit 4.3
Economic Rights
Except as otherwise expressly provided in our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation or required by applicable law, shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock have the same rights and privileges and rank equally, share ratably and are identical in all respects as to all matters, including, without limitation, those described below.
Dividends
Any dividend or distributions paid or payable to the holders of shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock shall be paid pro rata, on an equal priority, pari passu basis, unless different treatment of the shares of each such class is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the applicable class of stock treated adversely, voting separately as a class; provided, however, that if a dividend or distribution is paid in the form of Class A common stock or Class B common stock (or rights to acquire shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock), then the holders of the Class A common stock shall receive Class A common stock (or rights to acquire shares of Class A common stock) and holders of Class B common stock shall receive Class B common stock (or rights to acquire shares of Class B common stock).
Liquidation
In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, upon the completion of the distributions required with respect to any series of preferred stock that may then be outstanding, our remaining assets legally available for distribution to stockholders shall be distributed on an equal priority, pro rata basis to the holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock.
Subdivisions and Combinations. If we subdivide or combine in any manner outstanding shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock, then the outstanding shares of the other class will be subdivided or combined in the same proportion and manner, unless different treatment of the shares of each class is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class A common stock and by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class B common stock, each voting separately as a class.
Change of Control Transaction. In connection with any change of control, the holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock will be treated equally and identically with respect to shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock owned by them, unless different treatment of the shares of each class is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock, each voting separately as a class.
Conversion
Each share of Class B common stock is convertible at any time at the option of the holder into one share of Class A common stock. In addition, each share of Class B common stock will convert automatically into one share of Class A common stock upon (a) any transfer, whether or not for value and whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law, except for certain transfers described in our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation, including, without limitation, certain transfers for tax and estate planning purposes, (b) the date specified by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66⅔% of the outstanding shares of Class B common stock and (c) certain stockholders beneficially owning, directly or indirectly, in the aggregate less than 40% of the number of shares of Class B common stock held by such stockholders.
Preferred Stock
Under the terms of our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our board of directors is authorized to direct us to issue shares of preferred stock in one or more series without stockholder approval. Our board of directors has the discretion to determine the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions, including

Exhibit 4.3
voting rights, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, of each series of preferred stock.
The purpose of authorizing our board of directors to issue preferred stock and determine its rights and preferences is to eliminate delays associated with a stockholder vote on specific issuances. The issuance of preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power of holders of our common stock and the likelihood that such holders will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions, future financings and other corporate purposes, could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third-party to acquire, or could discourage a third-party from seeking to acquire, a majority of our outstanding voting stock. As of the date hereof, there are no shares of preferred stock outstanding, and we have no present plans to issue any shares of preferred stock.
Options
As of December 31, 2023, we had outstanding options to purchase (i) an aggregate of 86,662 shares of our Class A common stock under our 2010 Plan, at a weighted-average exercise price of $11.50 per share, and (ii) 10,818 shares of our Class A common stock under our 2017 Plan, at a weighted-average exercise price of $22.81 per share.
Restricted Stock Units
As of December 31, 2023, we had outstanding restricted stock units of 5,066,159 under our 2017 Plan.
Registration Rights
We entered into an Investors’ Rights Agreement with certain holders of shares of our common stock, which we refer to as registrable shares. Under the Investors’ Rights Agreement, holders of registrable shares can demand that we file a registration statement and/or can request that their registrable shares be covered by a registration statement that we are otherwise filing, as described below.
Demand Registration Rights. At any time, the holders of registrable shares entitled to demand registration rights may request that we register all or a portion of their registrable shares for sale under the Securities Act, so long as the request for such registration is for at least 25% of all registrable shares then outstanding (or a lesser percentage if the anticipated aggregate offering price would exceed $10 million). We will effect the registration as requested unless, in the good faith judgment of our board of directors, such registration should be delayed. We may be required to effect two of these registrations. In addition, when we are eligible for the use of Form S-3, or any successor form, holders of registrable shares entitled to demand registration rights may make unlimited requests that we register all or a portion of their registrable shares for sale under the Securities Act on Form S-3, or any successor form, having an anticipated aggregate offering price, net of selling expenses, of at least $3 million so long as the request for registration is for at least 20% of all registrable shares then outstanding.
Incidental Registration Rights. If at any time we register any shares of our common stock, the holders of all registrable shares are entitled to notice of the registration and to include all or a portion of their registrable shares in the registration.
Other Provisions. In the event that any registration in which the holders of registrable shares participate pursuant to the Investors’ Rights Agreement is an underwritten public offering, the number of registrable shares to be included may, in specified circumstances, be limited due to market conditions.
We will pay all registration expenses related to any demand or incidental registration, other than underwriting discounts, selling commissions and the fees and expenses of the selling stockholders’ own counsel, other than the reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel for the selling stockholders. Our Investors’ Rights Agreement contains customary cross-indemnification provisions, pursuant to which we are obligated to indemnify the selling stockholders in the event of material misstatements or omissions in the registration statement attributable

Exhibit 4.3
to us, and they are obligated to indemnify us for material misstatements or omissions in the registration statement attributable to them.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Subject to certain exceptions, Section 203 prevents a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with any “interested stockholder” for three years following the date that the person became an interested stockholder, unless the interested stockholder attained such status with the approval of our board of directors or unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. A “business combination” includes, among other things, a merger or consolidation involving us and the “interested stockholder” and the sale of more than 10% of our assets. In general, an “interested stockholder” is any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by such entity or person.
Removal of Directors
Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our third amended and restated bylaws provide that a director may be removed only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66⅔% of the votes that all of our stockholders would be entitled to cast in an annual election of directors. Any vacancy on our board of directors, including a vacancy resulting from an enlargement of our board of directors, may be filled only by vote of a majority of our directors then in office.
The limitations on the removal of directors and filling of vacancies could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or discourage a third party from seeking to acquire, control of our company.
Super-Majority Voting
The Delaware General Corporation Law provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares entitled to vote on any matter is required to amend a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, unless a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, as the case may be, requires a greater percentage. Our third amended and restated bylaws may be amended or repealed by a majority vote of our board of directors or the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66⅔% of the votes that all of our stockholders would be entitled to cast in an annual election of directors. In addition, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66⅔% of the votes which all our stockholders would be entitled to cast in an election of directors is required to amend or repeal or to adopt any provisions inconsistent with any of the provisions of our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation described in this paragraph and the section captioned “—Removal of Directors.”
Stockholder Action; Special Meeting of Stockholders
Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that any action required or permitted to be taken by our stockholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of such stockholders and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders. Our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our third amended and restated bylaws also provide that, except as otherwise required by law, special meetings of our stockholders can only be called by our chairman of the board, our Chief Executive Officer or our board of directors.
Exclusive Jurisdiction
Our third amended and restated bylaws provide that, unless we consent to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, any action asserting a claim of breach of fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, or other employees to us or to our stockholders, any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine or any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law.
Authorized but Unissued Shares

Exhibit 4.3
The authorized but unissued shares of our Class A common stock and preferred stock are available for future issuance without stockholder approval, subject to any limitations imposed by the listing standards of the NASDAQ Global Select Market. These additional shares may be used for a variety of corporate finance transactions, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved common stock and preferred stock could make more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our Class A common stock is Equiniti Trust Company, LLC (f/k/a American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC).
Listing
Our Class A common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “BAND”.