EX-4.1 2 lwlg_ex4z1.htm DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES

EXHIBIT 4.1

DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES
REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Lightwave Logic, Inc. (the “Company” or “we” or “our”) has one class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, our common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “common stock”).

Description of Common Stock

The following description of our common stock is a summary and does not purport to be complete. It is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our Articles of Incorporation, as amended (the “articles of incorporation”) and our Restated Bylaws (the “bylaws”), each of which are 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, our bylaws and the applicable provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes for additional information.

Authorized Share Capital. The Company’s authorized capital stock consists of 250,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share.

Voting. Each outstanding share of common stock is entitled to one vote on all matters to be submitted to a vote of the shareholders. Holders do not have preemptive rights, so we may issue additional shares that may reduce each holder’s voting and financial interest in our Company. Cumulative voting does not apply to the election of directors, so holders of more than 50% of the shares voted for the election of directors can elect all of the directors. All elections for directors shall be decided by a plurality vote; all other questions shall be decided by majority vote except as otherwise provided by Nevada Revised Statutes. Our bylaws permit the holders of the same percentage of all shareholders entitled to vote at a meeting to take action by written consent without a meeting.

Dividend Rights. Holders of common stock are entitled to receive dividends when, as and if declared by the board of directors out of funds legally available therefor.

Liquidation Preferences. In the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our Company, holders of common stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining available for distribution to them after payment of liabilities and after provision has been made for each class of stock, if any, having preference over the common stock.

Other Terms. Holders of common stock do not have any conversion, redemption provisions or other subscription rights. All of the outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and non-assessable.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

Certain of our charter, statutory and contractual provisions could make the removal of our management and directors more difficult and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our common stock. Furthermore, the existence of the foregoing provisions could lower the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock. They could also deter potential acquirers of our Company, thereby reducing the likelihood that you could receive a premium for your common stock in an acquisition.

Charter and Bylaw Provisions

Our articles of incorporation and bylaws contain the following provisions that may have the effect of discouraging unsolicited acquisition proposals:

·

authorize our board of directors to create and issue, without shareholder approval, preferred stock, thereby increasing the number of outstanding shares, which can deter or prevent a takeover attempt;

·

prohibit cumulative voting in the election of directors, which would otherwise allow less than a majority of shareholders to elect director candidates;

·

empower our board of directors to fill any vacancy on our board of directors, whether such vacancy occurs as a result of an increase in the number of directors or otherwise;

·

provide that our board of directors be divided into three classes, with approximately one-third of the directors to be elected each year;

·

provide that our board of directors is expressly authorized to adopt, amend or repeal our bylaws; and

·

provide that our directors will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast in the election of directors.

These provisions could lower the price that future investors might be willing to pay for shares of our common stock.

Nevada Law

Nevada Revised Statutes sections 78.378 to 78.3793 provide state regulation over the acquisition of a controlling interest in certain Nevada corporations unless the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation provide that the provisions of these sections do not apply. Our articles of incorporation and bylaws do not state that these provisions do not apply. The statute creates a number of restrictions on the ability of a person or entity to acquire control of a Nevada company by setting down certain rules of conduct and voting restrictions in any acquisition attempt, among other things. The statute contains certain limitations and it may not apply to our Company. These provisions may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers or delaying changes in control, which could depress the market price of our common stock and deprive shareholders of opportunities to realize a premium on shares of common stock held by them.

Contractual Provisions

Our employee stock option agreements include change-in-control provisions that allow us to grant options or stock purchase rights that may become vested immediately upon a change in control. The terms of change of control provisions contained in certain of our senior executive employee agreements may also discourage a change in control of our Company.

Our board of directors also has the power to adopt a shareholder rights plan that could delay or prevent a change in control of our Company even if the change in control is generally beneficial to our shareholders. These plans, sometimes called “poison pills,” are oftentimes criticized by institutional investors or their advisors and could affect our rating by such investors or advisors. If our board of directors adopts such a plan, it might have the effect of reducing the price that new investors are willing to pay for shares of our common stock.

Together, these charter, statutory and contractual provisions could make the removal of our management and directors more difficult and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our common stock. Furthermore, the existence of the foregoing provisions, could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock. They could also deter potential acquirers of our Company, thereby reducing the likelihood that you could receive a premium for your common stock in an acquisition.

Preferred Stock

The common stock is subject to the express terms of the Company’s preferred stock and any series thereof. The board of directors may issue preferred stock with voting, dividend, liquidation and other rights that could adversely affect the relative rights of the holders of the common stock.