EX-4.1 2 ex41q42024.htm EX-4.1
Exhibit 4.1
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
The following is a summary of the rights of the common stock and preferred stock of Douglas Elliman Inc. (the “Company,”, “we,” “us” or “our”), certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (our “certificate of incorporation”), and our amended and restated bylaws (our “bylaws”), and certain provisions of applicable law. For more detailed information, please see our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws, which are filed as exhibits to the Annual Report on Form 10-K to which this exhibit is attached and are incorporated by reference herein. We encourage you to read these documents and the applicable portions of the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended (the “DGCL”), carefully.
Common Stock
We are currently authorized to issue 250,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share.
All shares of our common stock currently outstanding are fully paid and non-assessable, not subject to redemption and without preemptive or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any proportionate part of any new or additional issues of stock of any class or of securities convertible into stock of any class.
Voting
Holders of common stock are entitled to one vote per share.
The number of authorized shares of common stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of the majority of the common stock. Our certificate of incorporation does not provide for cumulative voting.
Conversions
The common stock has no conversion rights.
Dividends
Holders of common stock are entitled to receive dividends equally on a per-share basis if and when such dividends are declared by the Board of Directors from funds legally available therefor.
Transfer Agent
The transfer agent and registrar for the common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
Preferred Stock
Under our certificate of incorporation, our Board is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by Delaware law, to issue preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each series, and to fix the designation, powers, preferences, and rights of the shares of each series and any of its qualifications, limitations, or restrictions, in each case without further vote or action by our stockholders. Our Board can also increase or decrease the number of shares of any series of preferred stock, but not below the number of shares of that series then outstanding, without any further vote or action by our stockholders. Our Board may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of our common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring, or preventing a change in control of our company and might adversely affect the market price of our common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of our common stock. We have no current plan to issue any shares of preferred stock.
Anti-takeover Effects of the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that may delay, defer or discourage another party from acquiring control of the Company. We expect that these provisions, which are summarized below, will discourage coercive takeover practices or inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of the Company to first negotiate with the Board, which we believe may result in an improvement of the terms of any such acquisition in favor of our stockholders. However, they also give the Board the power to discourage mergers that some stockholders may favor.
Stockholder Action; Special Meeting of Stockholders.
Our certificate of incorporation provides that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by a majority of our Board, the chairperson of our Board, or our Chief Executive Officer. In addition, our certificate of incorporation provides that our stockholders may not take action by written consent, and instead may only take action at annual or special meetings of our stockholders. As a result, holders of our capital stock would not be able to amend our bylaws or remove directors without holding a meeting of our stockholders called in accordance with our bylaws. These provisions might delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or for stockholders to take any action, including the removal of directors.
Board of Directors Vacancies.
Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws authorizes only our Board to fill vacant directorships, including newly created seats. In addition, the number of directors constituting our Board is permitted to be set only by a resolution adopted by a majority vote of our entire Board. These provisions would prevent a stockholder from increasing the size of our Board and then gaining control of our Board by filling the resulting vacancies with its own nominees. This makes it more difficult to change the composition of our Board but promotes continuity of management.
Staggered Board.
Our Board is divided into three classes. The directors in each class serve for a three-year term, one class being elected each year by our stockholders. This system of electing and removing directors may tend to discourage a third party from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of the Company, because it generally makes it more difficult for stockholders to replace a majority of the directors.
Removal of Directors.
The Board or any individual director may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting stock of the Company entitled to vote at an election of directors.
Stockholders Not Entitled to Cumulative Voting.
The certificate of incorporation does not permit stockholders to cumulate their votes in the election of directors. Accordingly, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors can elect all of the directors standing for election, if they choose, other than any directors that holders of our preferred stock may be entitled to elect.
Issuance of Undesignated Preferred Stock.
Our Board has the authority, without further action by the stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock with rights and preferences, including voting rights, designated from time to time by our Board. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock enables our Board to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest, or other means.
Supermajority Requirements for Amendments of Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws.
Our certificate of incorporation further provides that the affirmative vote of holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting stock is required to amend certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation, including provisions relating to the classified board, the size of the board, removal of directors, special meetings, actions by written consent, and designation of our preferred stock. The affirmative vote of holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting stock is required to amend or repeal our bylaws, although our bylaws may be amended by a simple majority vote of our board of directors.
Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations.

Our bylaws provide advance notice procedures for stockholders seeking to bring business before our annual meeting of stockholders or to nominate candidates for election as directors at our annual meeting of stockholders. Our bylaws also specify certain requirements regarding the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. These provisions might preclude our stockholders from bringing matters before our annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at our annual meeting of stockholders if the proper procedures are not followed. We expect that these provisions might also discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.
Delaware Anti-takeover Statute.
The Company is subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, an anti-takeover law. Section 203 is a default provision of the DGCL that prohibits a publicly-traded Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination, such as a merger, with “interested stockholders” (a person or group owning 15% or more of the corporation’s voting stock) for three years following the date that person becomes an interested stockholder, unless: (i) before such stockholder becomes an “interested stockholder,” the board of directors approves the business combination or the transaction that results in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; (ii) upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation at the time of the transaction (excluding stock owned by certain persons); or (iii) at the time or after the stockholder became an interested stockholder, the board of directors and at least two-thirds of the disinterested outstanding voting stock of the corporation approves the transaction. While Section 203 is the default provision under the DGCL, the DGCL allows companies to opt out of Section 203 of the DGCL by including a provision in their certificate of incorporation expressly electing not to be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL.
Exclusive Jurisdiction of Certain Actions
The certificate of incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for the following types of actions or proceedings under Delaware statutory or common law: (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on the Company’s behalf; (2) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty or other wrongdoing by any of the Company’s directors, officers, employees, or agents to us or the Company’s stockholders; (3) any action asserting a claim against the Company arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our certificate of incorporation or bylaws; (4) any action to interpret, apply, enforce, or determine the validity of the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws; or (5) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. While the Delaware courts have determined that such choice of forum provisions are facially valid, a stockholder may nevertheless seek to bring a claim in a venue other than those designated in the exclusive forum provisions. In such instance, we would expect to vigorously assert the validity and enforceability of the exclusive forum provisions of the certificate of incorporation. This may require significant additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions and there can be no assurance that the provisions will be enforced by a court in those other jurisdictions.
The certificate of incorporation provides that the exclusive forum provision will be applicable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, subject to certain exceptions. Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. As a result, the exclusive forum provision does not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Furthermore, Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all such Securities Act actions. Accordingly, both federal and state courts have jurisdiction to entertain such claims. To prevent having to litigate claims in multiple jurisdictions and the threat of inconsistent or contrary rulings by different courts, among other considerations, the certificate of incorporation provides that the federal district courts of the United States of America is the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. We note, however, that there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce this provision and that investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.
Certain Corporate Opportunities and Conflicts
Our certificate of incorporation recognizes that directors and officers of the Company may also be serving as directors, officers, employees or agents of Vector Group Ltd. (“Vector”) or any subsidiary thereof (the “Overlap

Persons”) and provides that if a director or officer of the Company who is an Overlap Person is presented or offered, or otherwise acquires knowledge of, a potential transaction or matter that may constitute or present a business opportunity for the Company or any of its subsidiaries, in which the Company could have an interest or expectancy (any such transaction or matter, and any such actual or potential business opportunity, a “Potential Business Opportunity”), (i) such Overlap Person will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have no duty or obligation to refrain from referring such Potential Business Opportunity to Vector and, if such director or officer refers such Potential Business Opportunity to Vector, such Overlap Person shall have no duty or obligation to refer such Potential Business Opportunity to the Company or to give any notice to the Company regarding such Potential Business Opportunity (or any matter related thereto), (ii) if such Overlap Person refers a Potential Business Opportunity to Vector, such Overlap Person, to the fullest extent permitted by law, will not be liable to the Company as a director, officer, stockholder or otherwise, for any failure to refer such Potential Business Opportunity to the Company, or for referring such Potential Business Opportunity to Vector, or for any failure to give any notice to the Company regarding such Potential Business Opportunity or any matter relating thereto, (iii) Vector or any subsidiary thereof may participate, engage or invest in any such Potential Business Opportunity notwithstanding that such Potential Business Opportunity may have been referred to Vector by an Overlap Person, and (iv) if a director or officer who is an Overlap Person refers a Potential Business Opportunity to Vector, then, as between the Company, on the one hand, and Vector or any subsidiary thereof, on the other hand, the Company shall be deemed to have renounced any interest, expectancy or right in or to such Potential Business Opportunity or to receive any income or proceeds derived therefrom solely as a result of such Overlap Person having been presented or offered, or otherwise acquiring knowledge of, such Potential Business Opportunity, unless in each case referred to in clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv), such Potential Business Opportunity is considered a “Restricted Potential Business Opportunity” as defined in our certificate of incorporation. In our certificate of incorporation, the Company has renounced to the fullest extent permitted by law, any interest or expectancy in any Potential Business Opportunity that is not a Restricted Potential Business Opportunity. In the event that the Company’s Board of Directors declines to pursue a Restricted Potential Business Opportunity, Overlap Persons are free to refer such Restricted Potential Business Opportunity to Vector.
Our certificate of incorporation provides that no contract, agreement, arrangement or transaction (or any amendment, modification or termination thereof) entered into between the Company and/or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and Vector and/or any of its subsidiaries, on the other hand, before the Company ceased to be an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Vector shall be void or voidable or be considered unfair to the Company or any of its subsidiaries solely because Vector and/or any of its subsidiaries is a party thereto, or because any directors, officers or employees of Vector and/or any of its subsidiaries were present at or participated in any meeting of the Board of Directors, or a committee thereof, of the Company that authorized the contract, agreement, arrangement or transaction (or any amendment, modification or termination thereof), or because his, her or their votes were counted for such purpose. The Company may from time to time enter into and perform, and cause or permit any of its subsidiaries to enter into and perform, one or more contracts, agreements, arrangements or transactions (or amendments, modifications or supplements thereto) with Vector and/or any of its subsidiaries. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no such contract, agreement, arrangement or transaction (nor any such amendments, modifications or supplements), nor the performance thereof by the Company or Vector, shall be considered contrary to any fiduciary duty owed to the Company (or to any stockholder of the Company) by any director or officer of the Company who is an Overlap Person. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no director or officer of the Company who is an Overlap Person thereof shall have or be under any fiduciary duty to the Company (or to any stockholder of the Company) to refrain from acting on behalf of the Company or Vector in respect of any such contract, agreement, arrangement or transaction or performing any such contract, agreement, arrangement or transaction in accordance with its terms, and each such director or officer of the Company who is an Overlap Person shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and shall be deemed not to have breached his or her duties of loyalty to the Company (or to any stockholders of the Company) and not to have derived an improper personal benefit therefrom. No alteration, amendment or repeal of, or adoption of any provision inconsistent with the provisions described above will have any effect upon: (a) any agreement between the Company or a subsidiary thereof and Vector or a subsidiary thereof, that was entered into before the time of such alteration, amendment or repeal or adoption of any such inconsistent provision (the “Amendment Time”), or any transaction entered into in connection with the performance of any such agreement, whether such transaction is entered into before or after the Amendment Time; (b) any transaction entered into between the Company or a subsidiary thereof and Vector or a subsidiary thereof, before the Amendment Time; (c) allocation of any business opportunity between the Company or any subsidiary thereof and Vector or any subsidiary thereof before the Amendment Time; or (d) any duty or obligation owed by any director or officer of the Company or any subsidiary thereof (or the absence of any such duty or obligation) with respect to any Potential

Business Opportunity which such director or officer was offered, or of which such director or officer otherwise became aware, before the Amendment Time (regardless of whether any proceeding relating to any of the above is commenced before or after the Amendment Time).
Limitation on Personal Liability
We have provided, consistent with the DGCL, in our certificate of incorporation that a director of the Company shall not be personally liable to the Company or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability for:
•any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders;
•acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
•payments of unlawful dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions; or
•any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
Neither the amendment nor repeal of such provision will adversely affect any right or protection of a person that exists at the time of such amendment or repeal.